Should I tip flooring installers?

[rgf207]

We are having new floors installed. I've never had anything installed before so I'm not sure if it's customary to tip them?

If so, how much do you tip?

 

[ICF]

We are having new floors installed. I've never had anything installed before so I'm not sure if it's customary to tip them?

If so, how much do you tip?

You'll get both answers.....

If you feel like tipping when they're done go for it....I'm sure they'll appreciate it. If you don't they probably won't think twice about not getting one.

Me, I would not most likely tip --- as I probably paid a pretty penny for the flooring / installation to begin with and these people should be getting paid a decent wage from the company to begin with.

 

[Sugardimples]

I would not tip for something like this. This is skilled labor and these employees should be getting well paid from the money you are paying for the installation.

 

[tvguy]

I would not tip for something like this. This is skilled labor and these employees should be getting well paid from the money you are paying for the installation.

My feeling exactly. I have a hard time tipping someone making $10 an hour than I do.

 

[rgf207]

Thanks for the advice. I agree with everyone. I don't think I am going to tip as I am paying a good chunk of change for the floors and I'm pretty sure the person installing them is doing just fine

 

[DisneyLoverUSA]

It's funny how so many ppl here on the DIS talk about how you should tip mousekeeping because they only make 7 or 8 dollars an hour but you wouldn't tip a floor installer that probably makes that very same amount and works a lot harder than a mousekeeper. Floor installers are employees and unless they own the company they are not making fantastic money. My son use to do that type of work and they don't make more than $10 an hour in most cases. Even Lowe's and Home Depot don't pay the floor installers very much money.

I am going to disagree with everyone else and say that I would definitely tip them. I would tip each guy $5 for each room they laid. If they laid 3 rooms of flooring I would tip them $15 each. And that's not even a very good tip.

You may have laid out a chunk of change for those floors but the ppl doing it are still low wage employees. I am paying $250 a night for my Disney room so I guess I shouldn't tip housekeeping because of how much I had to pay for the room?

 

[mackeysmom]

If they do a good job, clean up after themselves and respect my home, I would probably give each guy at least $10 each per day. I'd also have some cold water and snacks available to them. (Recently had painters in my house, and picked up one of those trays of assorted muffins from Costco.)

I usually tip any kind of laborer for a job well done. The only exception really is when it just one person and I know that they are the company owner. (I had my gutters cleaned yesterday - the owner came alone and did the job. I paid him for the job and gave him a bottle of water.)

- Laura

 

[kymma]

We had two guys come to install our new carpet last month. We tipped them each $20, bought them lunch, and provided bottled water for them through the day. They worked really hard and cleaned up after themselves when they were finished.

 

[tink_n_pooh]

We tipped the guy that did our flooring. He did everything himself and cleaned up very nicely. I think we gave him $20-40 but its been a few years so I can't recall exactly

 

[elizke]

Darnit I remember the old days, when you tipped waitresses and hair stylists.

Every time I turn around there's someone else I've never ever thought to tip! It's not that I feel anyone doesn't deserve it, just I can't afford to tip every dang person who does anything! Hotel maids, furniture delivery, post man garbage men, etc., and now flooring installers for heaven's sake? I can't afford all this!

 

[tvguy]

It's funny how so many ppl here on the DIS talk about how you should tip mousekeeping because they only make 7 or 8 dollars an hour but you wouldn't tip a floor installer that probably makes that very same amount and works a lot harder than a mousekeeper. Floor installers are employees and unless they own the company they are not making fantastic money. My son use to do that type of work and they don't make more than $10 an hour in most cases. Even Lowe's and Home Depot don't pay the floor installers very much money.
QUOTE]

My nephew managers a Lowes in Texas, a right to work state, and the going rate is $25 an hour there. Here, it's about $30 an hour, but everything is more expensive here in California. Oh, and if the flooring job is for a state or local government agency, here in California, there is prevailing wage law. The hourly wage and benefits must be at least $52.50 an hour. Since most flooring installers are independent contractors and get benefits, that works out to $52.50 an hour in cash.

 

[jwfla422]

It's funny how so many ppl here on the DIS talk about how you should tip mousekeeping because they only make 7 or 8 dollars an hour but you wouldn't tip a floor installer that probably makes that very same amount and works a lot harder than a mousekeeper. Floor installers are employees and unless they own the company they are not making fantastic money. My son use to do that type of work and they don't make more than $10 an hour in most cases. Even Lowe's and Home Depot don't pay the floor installers very much money.

I am going to disagree with everyone else and say that I would definitely tip them. I would tip each guy $5 for each room they laid. If they laid 3 rooms of flooring I would tip them $15 each. And that's not even a very good tip.

You may have laid out a chunk of change for those floors but the ppl doing it are still low wage employees. I am paying $250 a night for my Disney room so I guess I shouldn't tip housekeeping because of how much I had to pay for the room?

I totally agree with you there... I'm sure anything you give them would be appreciated as they probably don't expect a tip and if they're considerate and you feel comfortable with them in your house and they do a nice job even a box of cookies would be a nice gesture.

 

[The_Alice]

I would not tip for something like this. This is skilled labor and these employees should be getting well paid from the money you are paying for the installation.

Ditto.

 

[a1tinkfans]

Hmmmmmm, something for me to keep in mind when they show up next week at my dads......I thought yes, but you all have me thinking....it was awfully expensive for the install.............

 

[rchristiansen]

I think it depends - if it's just a sub contractor that a place like Home Depot is sending then no. Maybe offer them soda and a snack or something.

However, if it's a someone that owns their own flooring company and does all of the work on their own and you are extremely impressed with the result, then yes a tip would be good. We usually round up based on the size of the job - For example, we had a guy do our hardwood floors (more of a carpenter than "installer") and the whole job was around $4500, I think we gave him a $100 tip because he left the place spotless, no sawdust and the floors were incredible. Also done on time without any extra cost, We also had someone stain our deck for about $300 and we gave him a $20 tip - again for the same reasons - very high quality and left the place looking better than when he started.

 

[The_Alice]

What I find interesting is some of the contractual labor (roofing, lawn service, tree service), in home service companies (pest control, painting) etc. that I worked with in Marketing had a strict "No Tipping" policy amongst their employees.

One company even wrote it in the service orders. While some of their routine customers for pest inspection etc. would give them gifts to give their kids when they got to know them or their family was expecting a newborn; or cookies or treats at Christmas it was pretty well known that no tipping was allowed.

One guy had a woman offer him $80 to replace all of her recessed lighting bulbs because she was older and needed the help. The guy did it for free and refused the money. Got a glowing testimonial and a raise in commission on his route.

 

[justhat]

We did when we had new floors put in last year. I can't remember how much though, maybe $40 to the lead installer, and $20 to his helpers?