I am sooo happy to report that our install is complete! Our floors look FABULOUS! The installation was supposed to take two days and it wound up taking a total of four and a half days (more than 50% longer than expected), due to unanticipated problems with the new wood, a few of the workers expecting to be there who were not for various reasons, etc. It wasn't a problem for me AT ALL, but I did feel really bad for the two installers who were here all four and a half days, as they worked really, really hard and did a great job. I asked if they were paid by the hour and they said no, they were paid by the job...........because they were here for so long and they truly were wonderful, I gave them each a $100.00 tip. Question: Is tipping out of line and/or customary, AND given the rate that they normally get paid, was $100.00 each enough? It's about all I could give them, though I'm sure it was much less than they normally would get paid for 2 1/2 days work. Any thoughts??

MM

Any tip is very much appreciated. Some jobs take longer then expected and some a quicker so It should equal out for them. I wish more customers understood what we go through to make the job come out right and to make the customer happy.

Well put Jeff.
Yes any time I receive a tip ofcoarse I notice "oh cool 100 bucks", but I feel the same way about a 20 in that the customer showed that appreciation over and above.

It IS an ongoing truth in this business that people dont realize what installers actually go through, until they see us in action.

Thanks, Jeff and Howard! Howard, you are exactly right..........I had NO concept of what installing a floor was like until I saw what all they had to do. It makes me wonder how people manage to use the 'do it yourself' approach. Even those who have some talent, lol. I know my hubby would never attempt it, and neither would I. The last step in this whole process is getting that one bad area repaired (to our existing wood) and doing a poly finish over all of it, then I think I will be 100% happy Different person doing the repairs and poly, so I hope he is as good as our installers were. He was recommended by the company who installed, so I take that as a good sign

I'm glad to hear that $100 was an insulting amount. Wish I could have given more!

MM

I see how many people have no problem tipping at Dunkin Donuts for us North Easters or Starbucks for someone just making a cup of coffee. But hardly anyone tips contractors who usually do things above and beyond to make the job as perfect as possible. Usually If I have helpers with me I tell the customer to tip them but I usually (depending on how much I made on the job) try to refuse it. But appreciate the jesture.

Well, I'm glad to hear that it was probably appreciated.........though I'm still concerned about the amount I tipped, since usually for servers it's around 15% (no way I could tip them 15% of the cost of the install, as much as I would have liked to

Sometimes people will write up a short thank you letter/note praising the installers and mail it over to the company/boss. Installers like this recognition and praise. We had a big bullitin board with all the letters pinned up. I still have and keep my letters

If they are subcontracting from the store you purchased an installed product from, by all means a tip is very appreciated, as the stores pay bottom dollar to the subcontractors pulling work from the shop.

If you have received a bid and accepted the contract from an independent and paying directly, then no.


If I bid the job and they give me a tip at the end I see it two ways. I either exceeded their expectations, or I underbid the job initially, depending how I'm reading their body language.