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I fix computers on the side along with my regular IT job. I would never ask for or expect tips. And most people find out that I can actually fix their stuff when others couldnt; they do pay me more then what I billed just because they are so happy I fix it correctly the first time. And I get repeat business from them.
And yes tipping has gotten out of control. Even the people who do nothing but run the cash register all day having a tip jar I consider to be insulting.
I hate that everybody expects a tip. I get it with service workers in restaurants and places like that, but if I hire someone to do a job in my house I'm not tipping. They give me an estimate and I pay that. Nobody tips me at my job either.
I hate that everybody expects a tip. I get it with service workers in restaurants and places like that, but if I hire someone to do a job in my house I'm not tipping. They give me an estimate and I pay that. Nobody tips me at my job either.
Contractors don't expect tips although I've been given more then what was due many times. Recently did a small job for $500 he gave me $780. He asked what did he owe me i said $500 he said ok and wrote out the check for $780. I said wow thankyou very much but that's not necessary he said don't worry about you did a great job.
I don't mind tipping workers at all when they do a great job. But I pretty much draw the line at a self-employed person (like a plumber or electrician) vs. an employed person who is getting some hourly rate. For instance I recently tipped some movers who did a great job. I gave the workers the tip, not their employer.
Well I hired a landscaping contractor to cut some trees and move some related stuff. It required a back hoe to do it. It is his business but he brought 3 guys with him. It was fixed-price job, not hourly. When I paid him he kind of made a comment about, "no tip?". He did a great job so I considered it, but it was fixed price bid and I just did not think it right. I thought more about tipping his crew who worked hard, but that would have been awkward to tip them and not the boss.
So my question to everyone is what you do? Do you tip contractors? Does a fixed price job get a tip if the job was done well? I am really unsure what the norm is here.
I hired an arborist (owner of his own company) to trim a large tree in my yard and at the end of the day, I paid him the contracted rate (no extra) and tipped each of his workers $20. He did the more skilled work, but they worked their buns off hauling everything by hand to his truck (he didn't even bring a chipper for them to use; they had to stack all the debris and jump on it and tie it down!) and I wanted them to know their work was appreciated. They looked exhausted at the end of the job. The arborist said something about my tipping him, but I felt as you, that the contractor was bound by his bid, and I teased him about it, so he laughed it off, saying "OK, well I tried" and winked at me.
Of course, I also set out chilled water and snacks for all of them and checked on their welfare throughout the time they were working here and gave them more chilled water and protein bars when they were leaving.
I don't mind tipping workers at all when they do a great job. But I pretty much draw the line at a self-employed person (like a plumber or electrician) vs. an employed person who is getting some hourly rate. For instance I recently tipped some movers who did a great job. I gave the workers the tip, not their employer.
Well I hired a landscaping contractor to cut some trees and move some related stuff. It required a back hoe to do it. It is his business but he brought 3 guys with him. It was fixed-price job, not hourly. When I paid him he kind of made a comment about, "no tip?". He did a great job so I considered it, but it was fixed price bid and I just did not think it right. I thought more about tipping his crew who worked hard, but that would have been awkward to tip them and not the boss.
So my question to everyone is what you do? Do you tip contractors? Does a fixed price job get a tip if the job was done well? I am really unsure what the norm is here.
I would of just laughed at him.
You don't tip your contractor. And sure as hell you dont tip 15%. I have given workers like 10 bucks as a let me buy you lunch but theits about it.
I gave a mason an extra $50 after he built my mailbox housing. Not because he did a competent job; that was expected. Because I think it took longer than he built into the bid, because he's self-employed, because he lives in my neighborhood, because I'll be needing other masonry-related work in the future, and because he spent twelve hours in a fairly hot sun on a Saturday honoring the bid he gave me.
What I have learned one must never do is get friendly with a contractor. Always polite and respectful, but never friendly as in letting down one's guard. On a multi-day job, don't bring them donuts. Don't offer them water unsolicited. Don't assure them they are welcome to use the restroom. If they ask for water, or to use the restroom, by all means say yes, but don't volunteer it. Life has taught me that the minute they think they can get by with slacking off, as in you would be embarrassed to require them to complete their work correctly, they will begin immediately to slack off.
And definitely don't tip them unless you think they way underbid, or they did you an extra solid, or in some way the previously agreed compensation was in your view insufficient. If they actually had the nerve to ask for a tip, obviously, the answer is definitely not.
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