Any suggestions?
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No. I’ve never heard of an owner tipping or giving a gift to a contractor or crew. If they’ve done a great job, tell them - not just the contractor but the crew also. Pay your bill on time, and recommend them to your friends - that’s the gift that keeps on giving.
If an owner were somehow to insist on tipping me, I’d pass the money along as bonuses for the crew, and make sure the owner knew I was doing so. That way, our conversations about the next job, or the cracked tile that needed replacement, or whatever, wouldn’t be complicated by the gift.
It would still be weird, as it’s difficult to reconcile a tip with a personal relationship, or a gift with a professional relationship.
That’s my take, anyway.
that is an interesting question.
if your contractor does an outstanding job and goes above and beyond, then yes
i have received many tips/additional money from my clients, any where from an extra $20 for lunch to $2000
because i completed the project early(no bonus clause in contract).
We tip waitresses to bring us food people to park our cars if someone did a good job of course you should tip them the best tips I have gotten are not monetary I once got a $13000 oil painting by an artist Named Quong Ho which was awesome but just a simple referral is the best kind of tip someone could ask for
Most of the time it is not necessary to tip the contractor. After the job is finished the contractor just expects to be paid. All business contracts should include a detailed scope of work so that both parties are clear as what to expect at the beginning and completion of the job. However, if the customer decides to make changes after the project has begun and is now requiring extra time of the contractor the customer may feel the need to make additional compensation.
Hi there Mrs. O’Dell. This is actually a pretty good question for satisfied customers, me personally, with much appriciation, dont think it is really necessary to tip us contractors on completeted jobs. Yes, we are “waiting on you” and some may think that tipping the contractor is like tipping your restaurant waitress/waiter. But, as business owners we obviously have to make some kind of money with our services and our prices/rates make it possible in a fixed proposal. Such as a waitress is only getting paid 2-4$ an hour? correct me if im wrong, but they count on tips as there income for the most part. In essence we dont depend on tips or even think of them at that. We make our pay through selling an honest job and making the customer very happy so they use us in future contracting needs, when the homeowner uses us over and over again thats basically a tip to us. Some may accept tips from homeowners and some will respectivly refuse them. All in all it depends on the contractor, and its soley up to you on how much and if you want to tip. My answer is only an opinion in what i personnaly believe but not a bad thing either way.
It is not expected or nessasary to give a tip at the completion of a job, if you feel that they went above and beyond and you want to give them a tip, there is nothing wrong with that, but for the most part we are happy with you telling us that you are happy with the work that was done, and paying your bill at the time of completion or at the agreed upon time. Referals are truley the best tip / complement you can pay a contractor. Also many of us have websights or some form of social media, so even leaving a positive review is a wonderful thing you can do and could result in us gaining new clients, and if you think that the crew or someone in particular has done a great job, tell them so and tell their boss. This can somtimes help them move up in the company they work for.
Homemade pie or cookies are an awesome way of saying thank you!
The best gift is a Referal and the best tip is a " Thank you "
I received many times Gifts from Customers, from $ 1,000.- to a car (Jaguar), but the word " thank you" and Referals, makes us much more happy.
Best Regards,
Bob Torma
Referrals and recommendations from your friends and family are the highest compliment (and gift) you could give your general contractor!
This is a very nice question to ask. Most clients don’t even think about this.
Tipping the contractor/crew is for work above and beond the normal course of business. For example, when we are on a extention ladders working high at a tall ceiling level and the clients asks us to change light bulbs or clean a window, that might be a good time to tip. Generally the price of the job “should” cover the work.
As I like to say if asked “tipping is not mandatory, but it is always appreciated!”
I hope you find this answer helpful.
Referral is the only tip we want.
Tipping the crew at the end of a satisfied experience is always appreciated! Often the same scenario applies as with hairdressers being that while it’s unnecessary to tip the owner of the salon or business, the crews or hairdresser who do the work often rely on tips. While most people don’t even think of this, it is often a wise idea to tip before or during the job. This gives the workers an extra incentive to do the best they can and make sure they leave the premises neat and clean.
While tipping in general is not necessary…it is appreciated by the crew if the homeowner feels they went above and beyond the scope of there work…The only gift the GC always appreciates are referrals.
If your very happy with the work they did then yes it would be ok.
To be clear, I don’t think you need to tip the contractor (Owner) but tipping the workers, especially if they went out of their way for your or did something extra, is something my workers really appreciate. And they remember that if we are ever called back to that address for another job. While I pay my workers fairly, a tip for a job well done always makes them feel proud. They know the customer appreciated their hard work and efforts to leave the home neat and clean.
Now, some customers may be on a tight budget and can’t afford to tip. This is just fine, nobody should feel bad. Giving workers a cold water, letting them use the restroom, and just treating them with respect goes a long way towards making the job site a happier place. My employees are expected to be polite and to treat customers with the utmost respect. We are in your home aferall and we should be careful not to damage it. If you treat workers fairly and don’t abuse them while they work, you are a good customer.
I don’t believe this is something you should feel obligated to do, even if the job was done to your complete satisfactiong and beyond, but if you are moved to do it, then by all means don’t deny yourslef that awesome feeling of giving. Both you and the person you are tipping/giving the gift to will receive a huge amount of satisfaction from this type of action. So to answer your question: SHOULD YOU? No, you don’t have to; CAN YOU? Absolutely! 
Dont feel bad if its not in your budget to give a Tip, if you can tip, the next time you recieve service from the same people they will give you a little extra because they will remember you gave them a little extra
Like many other commentors here I feel that the very best tip a contractor (business owner) can receive is more work either with the existing customer or through referrals. This keeps our business going and growing.
My employees are another thing completely. They work very hard for an honest wage. If you are excited about the work they have done by all means feel free to tip them. It is, of course, never expected (that is to say that never do my guys walk away from a job grumbling because they were not tipped…doesn’t even cross their minds). So don’t feel obligated. Tip if YOU feel a tip was earned.
A hand shake and a thank goes much farther than you might expect.
And a note for the contractors: Be cautious if you decide to turn down a tip. Despite the injury he may have endured by producing a gift the gift bearer is doubly injured if that gift is refused. A “thank you, I’ll pass this along to my guys” works well.
As a home owner, I tend to favor the crew with a lunch gift certificate or home made bread or something practical since on the whole they can use the recognition and encouragement for attention to detail on your project. Be clear what you liked the most when you deliver the reward; in my case, it is attention to detail and craftsmanship.
Norton West So. Portland, ME