Questions re: a professional long-distance move

[Maverick_Mom]

We're moving in a few days, 1000+ miles. Dh's company is paying for professional packers and movers. The packing will take two days and the loading, one.

 

Do I tip the movers?

If so, how much?

Do I pay the driver and let him divvy it up or pay each worker individually?

Do I tip each day or once when they're finished and ready to go?

Should I provide lunch, or are drinks and snacks sufficient?

 

Thanks. :)

[Leonana]

We're moving in a few days, 1000+ miles. Dh's company is paying for professional packers and movers. The packing will take two days and the loading, one.

 

Thanks. :)

 

Do I tip the movers?

 

 

My dh is a driver. So he would say yes. :D

 

 

If so, how much?

 

 

He said it's based on how big your load is (do you know how much they said it weighed?) Going by what you have posted, he guessed $20 per person.

 

Do I pay the driver and let him divvy it up or pay each worker individually?

 

 

Give it to them individually. He has had people give him one check, and then he pays the helpers with his own cash, and deposits the check later. It's just more convenient if you have the cash on hand.

 

Do I tip each day or once when they're finished and ready to go?

 

 

The packers are separate from the driver, so you would tip them once they finish packing.

 

The driver will most likely use two groups of helpers, one to load at your old home, and another group at your new home. So, you tip the first group of helpers after they finish loading. You tip the driver and the second group of helpers when they finish unloading.

 

If the helpers are one group, then tip them at the end, after unloading. However, since you're travelling 1,000 miles, I would guess the driver will have different helpers, since helpers are usually local.

 

 

Should I provide lunch, or are drinks and snacks sufficient?

 

 

He said that's up to you, and how much money you have. He has had people not even offer water, and then others have lunch, dinner, drinks and a tip. So, it's up to you. They do enjoy it if a meal and drinks are provided, but it's not something they expect, necessarily.

Edited September 25, 2011 by Leonana

[Trish]

Please research the company you're going to use. At a minimum, check the BBB and do a google search to see if they have any complaints against them. My brother's family made a long distance move, and within a month after the move they were robbed. Police said some moving companies work with local robbery rings to tip them off as to who might have what valuables, and if a security system is in place etc.

 

They also had a LOT of stuff broken in the move. (makes you wonder if the company specializes in "moving" or in "post-move robberies.") They have 10K plus in claims against the company, although I'm sure they'll get a small fraction of that, if anything.

 

Moving companies can be notorious, buyer beware! And don't go with the cheapest quote...

[amey311]

@Trish - this is why we initially bought insurance from the movers. We later found that our homeowners insurance gave us full replacement coverage as an included benefit. After what happened in our move, I'm a big fan of moving insurance.

[Tigger]

We're moving in a few days, 1000+ miles. Dh's company is paying for professional packers and movers. The packing will take two days and the loading, one.

 

Do I tip the movers?

 

I did, on the loading, then again on the unloading (we packed our own stuff even though it was included if we wanted it done).

 

We had two different groups, one at the start and one at the end, who were local, so it wasn't the same crew. The driver was the only one who was same at both ends - driver and crew chief - I tipped him after the unloading.

 

If so, how much?

 

I tipped 5% of the total, with the driver-crew-leader getting 40% of the total (he drove two night in addition to leading the crews on each end) and the workers got the rest, divided up equally. We were reimbursed for the tip (so you may want to ask if you'll be reimbursed and/or have it included up front). So for us, the move was $15,000 + $750 for tips; the driver got $300, at the load side we had 4 crew, they got $50 each, on the unload we had 5 crew, so they got $50 each.

 

Do I pay the driver and let him divvy it up or pay each worker individually?

 

I tipped individually so I was sure they'd get it.

 

Do I tip each day or once when they're finished and ready to go?

 

When each end is done, not mid-way before they finish.

 

Should I provide lunch, or are drinks and snacks sufficient?

 

I provided bottled water, assorted sodas and non-soda beverages in a cooler that they could take as needed. We also picked up snack-size bags of snacky things, like chips, but only a couple were eaten since the workers brought their own snacks and lunches while they were there.

 

Thanks. :)

 

HTH

[Maverick_Mom]

Thanks so much, everyone. This was very helpful. :)

[Maverick_Mom]

My dh is a driver. So he would say yes. :D

 

 

 

 

He said it's based on how big your load is (do you know how much they said it weighed?) Going by what you have posted, he guessed $20 per person.

 

 

 

Give it to them individually. He has had people give him one check, and then he pays the helpers with his own cash, and deposits the check later. It's just more convenient if you have the cash on hand.

 

 

 

The packers are separate from the driver, so you would tip them once they finish packing.

 

The driver will most likely use two groups of helpers, one to load at your old home, and another group at your new home. So, you tip the first group of helpers after they finish loading. You tip the driver and the second group of helpers when they finish unloading.

 

If the helpers are one group, then tip them at the end, after unloading. However, since you're travelling 1,000 miles, I would guess the driver will have different helpers, since helpers are usually local.

 

 

 

 

He said that's up to you, and how much money you have. He has had people not even offer water, and then others have lunch, dinner, drinks and a tip. So, it's up to you. They do enjoy it if a meal and drinks are provided, but it's not something they expect, necessarily.

 

Just wanted to say "Hi!" I didn't know you were here! :)

[Carol in Cal.]

Make sure that you have it taken from your home and moved directly into your next place. If you move from your house to storage and then from storage into your next house, and anything is missing or broken, you will NEVER get satisfaction from the movers because each will claim that someone else could be responsible.

 

That bit about being robbed is no joke. It's especially prevalent if they know the house is uninhabited, like an estate with some moving to be done. It happened in my family.

 

If you pack anything yourself, you are responsible if it breaks, even if they drop kick it.

 

If you let them pack it, it is almost impossible to keep track of where things are because they are so fast. So it might not be a bad idea to sequester some of the most crucial 'early need' stuff in a specific, empty closet, and mark the boxes from that closet in some way.

 

It's difficult to underestimate how much packing material is used for the average move. You will drown in it, seriously. If you put it out on freecycle, especially near a university where students tend to move themselves, someone will surely use it as it is expensive.

 

It is absolutely WONDERFUL not to need to pack yourself. Wonderful.

[Forget-Me-Not]

We used professional packers/movers with our last move and it was WONDERFUL! We got a recommendation from our realtor and the company was fabulous. The man who came and packed brought his own lunch and just took a lunch break in the middle of the day. It didn't even occur to me to tip the movers. We had the same movers on both ends (but we only moved 2 hours away). Nothing was broken, stolen or missing. I handled a few items personally (wedding pics, jewelry) that were completely irreplaceable if they were lost.

[Leonana]

Thanks so much, everyone. This was very helpful. :)

 

From my post count, you can see it's not too often. :)

[Little Nyssa]

I think DH tipped each guy $50 and the driver $100.

We gave sodas & water but no snacks.

General advice: don't leave before they are done. Our movers left a window open when they left, and they packed up some garage junk that I had told them we were leaving behind.

Hope you have a good move! One highlight about our move: the movers, who were from an urban area, were delighted when, at our new place, deer just wandered up out of the woods and watched them unpack. They guys were taking photos and texting them to their families at home.