How Much to Tip Movers When Moving Internationally

Posted How-to / December 23, 2022
Julie Grace

Originally from The Golden City, Julie has explored the ins and outs of moving and has written all the tips down.

When the time comes to hire a mover, you’ll receive a price quote that takes into account costs for labor hours, petrol and transportation, and material costs. Even with all these costs, you should still know how much to tip movers, regardless of whether you are selecting among the top moving firms or attempting to score an affordable moving service. If you’re not sure what to do, our guide has you covered.

What is most likely to be left out of the estimate – it’s a tip. You might be unsure about how much to reward movers and whether it’s expected if gratuity wasn’t included in the moving company’s invoice. Let’s go over all the details right away so you can proceed with other tasks of your relocation and book packing services from a reputable overseas moving company.

Things to Consider Before Hiring International Relocation Team

How much do you tip movers? This question is common among individuals who plan to relocate across the world. If you look up the answer online, you will find hundreds of results ranging from flat fees to flat percentages to no tip at all. Just keep in mind that leaving a tip is optional and meant as a sign of appreciation. What do you do then? After all, there are numerous things you need to take care of from your to-do list and make living overseas as smooth as possible.

First things first, there are a few things that will affect the tip you should provide a mover.

  • The move’s difficulty (whether there are stairs and no elevator, for example),
  • The quantity of heavy and large objects (a washer, a dryer, a piano),
  • The size of the move.

Tipping is a sign of appreciation and is not required, but keep in mind that moving is really arduous work. Typically, movers make slightly more than minimum wage and rely largely on gratuities to sustain their families. If you’re satisfied, show the movers by tipping them separately and saying “thank you” sincerely. Given that they are in charge of all your material goods, it is always a wise choice to express your gratitude.

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Relocation Crews Should Be Rewarded for Being Essential Workers

We were forced to reevaluate many sides of who we actually are and how we live to survive the challenging times of the epidemic. It might have motivated us to look for the best areas to live abroad and pushed us to think of relocating. But it also caused us to rethink if we would be able to relocate globally with the help of experienced professionals.

You might decide that tipping a relocation crew is a great gesture if you consider that they are essential. They were classified as important workers throughout the outbreak because they kept helping people move from one place to another, including internationally. Additionally, it is normal to express your appreciation for the excellent job they did because they work in the service business.

How Much Should I Tip Movers, and Are You Required to Do It

The movers like tips, but they are not required. Of course, just because tipping is optional doesn’t mean you should immediately disregard it without giving it a single thought. So, giving the answer on whether you’re supposed to tip the relocation crew or not will depend on many factors.

The hourly rate for the relocation team depends on how much labor they put in. In other words, it depends on the quality of the move, the disposition of the hired workers, and the number of fragile objects that are still intact after the day.

However, keep in mind that movers must have strength, endurance, and capacity to withstand the challenging preparation process. After all, no one said relocation across the globe would be easy, which is why many reconsider doing it alone.

When Is the Right Time to Tip

Nobody wants to spend a fortune tipping an overseas shipping company (relocating is already pricey enough), especially if the job was done poorly or the movers weren’t particularly pleasant. After all, leaving a tip expresses your appreciation for an excellent job without relocation mistakes and when you’ve been given some useful relocation hacks.

When you combine this with outstanding relocation assistance, you’ll undoubtedly feel generous and want to leave a larger tip than normal. Are there any circumstances in which you ought to do that? A few justifications for leaving a larger tip are as follows:

  • When the crew must handle extremely delicate or bulky things,
  • When the movers are personable and considerate,
  • When the professionals are diligent,
  • When a mover goes above and beyond to assist you.

When You Should Not Tip

Some businesses aren’t that skilled at what they do, so just though they aren’t a relocation scam doesn’t indicate they will do superb work for you. Even if you had intended to tip, there are a few instances where you might change your mind. It’s perfectly OK to choose not to tip if the movers perform one of the following actions:

  • The employees show up quite late,
  • They omit to disclose any transportation-related damages,
  • The team is not respectful or professional,
  • The relocation takes much longer than expected for no apparent reason,
  • The staff does not apologize for errors, delays, or poor service.

As already mentioned, tipping is absolutely optional, and if the hired relocation team hasn’t done much to help you with the relocation to a new city, then there’s no reason you should reward them.

How Much to Tip Movers When Relocating Internationally

So, how much should you tip your international movers? It really depends on who you ask. When deciding whether to leave a gratuity, the first thing you’ll think about will be how much to tip, especially if relocating on a low budget. You’ve probably used to tip other service providers, but in contrast to restaurant jobs, percentages don’t actually apply here.

Considering the fact that you’re not moving overseas on a daily basis, figuring out the exact amount can be a bit tricky. In this case, how difficult the job actually is will influence how much you’ll pay. So, if you’re relocating for the first time, it’s definitely something you need to consider.

If you wonder how much to tip movers long distance and whether there’s a difference for an international move, know that tipping standards are the same because they operate identically. For professional movers, basing the bonus payment on the amount of time spent makes far more sense. Consider paying each mover $3 to $5 per hour, or try this moving tip to solve the problem:

A half-workday costs between $10 and $20, which is about four hours, a full day of work would be from $20 to $40, and $60 or more is to be expected for the roughest relocations that take longer than 10 hours. Generally speaking, $25 per person is seen as reasonable for moves lasting up to four hours. If the transfer takes an entire day (8 hours), the standard rate is $40. Consider increasing the amount if you have a lot of bulky furniture, curvy or narrow stairs, a steep lot, etc. The staff should be paid $50 to $60 if it takes 12 hours to pack your items.

How Can You Treat Movers and Show Them Appreciation

You are aware that you want to tip your relocation team, but how do you approach achieving that? Here, you have several options, and how you choose to handle them is entirely up to you. You might give each mover a tip or just give the lead mover your tip – this is probably the person with whom you have spoken most.

A crew normally consists of employees as well as a foreman, who is usually the driver. Speak with the foreman if there are any problems with the process or if you have any unique requests. Naturally, if the personnel performed a terrific job with your move, you would want to praise them. But where should you transfer the money? Do you provide individual tips to each employee, or do you give the foreman one lump sum so they may split it?

To prevent a dishonest lead mover, tipping each mover separately at the conclusion of each day is the best method. That’s why it’s important to have cash with you unless you choose an international moving company that puts tipping on a credit card.

It is preferable to give each employee their own bonus. You might give different amounts of money to various group members based on their behavior and performance. By doing this, the shortcomings of that one person who stalled or committed mistakes won’t affect the entire team. Additionally, it’s a wonderful way to publicly recognize everyone’s contributions, which is really significant.

What is the Best Way to Offer Cash Rewards to Your Crew

It is unjust to the other employees who work so hard when a certain unscrupulous foreman simply forgets to divide the team’s compensation but instead takes it all to themselves. Offering money to each person separately has a major meaning since you would want to ensure each employee received their bonus, especially if that person went above and beyond for you. Don’t forget to give the employees a handshake and say thank you for their assistance.

Provide Them With Food and Beverages

One of those life events that can cause a tremendous amount of stress is moving. But keep in mind that the work relocating companies provide is very demanding. That’s why it’s always advisable to be respectful and polite to your movers.

On the other hand, if you’re asking yourself, “how much do I tip movers?” keep in mind that rewards shouldn’t always be in cash. There are other ways to do it – it is only decent to have cold drinking water, soda, or other refreshing drinks on hand, considering how exhausting relocating can be.

Some people would rather purchase lunch for the staff instead of leaving a gratuity, and this is OK. Some people combine the two. Whatever makes you comfortable is what matters. If you offer to treat the team to lunch, be sure to enquire about any culinary preferences. You could guess how much pizza these guys may have consumed in that month since many individuals say, “Oh, we’ll have some pizza.”

If you want to make fast and easy homemade pizza, watch the video below for two recipes.

With the Professional Help, the Entire Relocation Process Will Be Seamless

When you hire a professional relocation company, they will be able to provide you with comprehensive service that covers all the necessary aspects of relocation. From packing your items without a fuss and shipping overseas, it’s only normal for you to want to show your appreciation and gratitude for a job well done.

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