I'm moving from LI down to SC (retired last month). Three BR house with a fair amount of stuff. Movers are coming Thursday and I am getting advice all over the place on what to tip the crew. I do think there will be a crew for up here and one for down there.
Also, do I set up/spring for lunch?
Any suggestions will be much appreciated.
So, 5K move = $250, or 50 each for 5 guys. Maybe the lead guy an extra 20.
Just a suggestion based on my experience.
I'd say 100 per person is probably enough but I don't think you need to tip the crew head / driver any additional money - they all get the same in my book
Where are you moving to in South Carolina ??
2-story house ?? Any heavy lifting up those stairs ??
There will be 2 different crews on this job (they don't travel down to SC with the Truck) so you'll be tipping twice. There's a chance your stuff will be unpacked from the truck and put into a larger Moving Van with somebody else's stuff that may be headed south too.....so tip the guys in LI plenty so they handle your stuff with care if they have to do it twice.
Do NOT let the Movers handle anything of value -- Audio eqpt, Musical Instruments, Fine China, Family Heirlooms. Their Insurance Policy is figured on Weight & Volume, at pennies on the dollar.
The Amounts quoted above are about right. I had a 4 man crew at the load-out in Charleston. I gave the Head Honcho a handful of Twennies and let him divvy it up as he saw fit.
Good Luck with the Move. Welcome to the Palmetto State.
Been trying: sold a lot of stuff in yard sales and on craigslist anf FB and threw out lots more. But Im overwhelmed with the stuff --and duplicated stuff-- I still have.
What they say about boats--you don't own them; they own you-- seems true about most of the stuff we accumulate. The Latin root for material and mother--mater--is the same. It's hard but necessary to let go.
Your comment is on point, as the house is built on a hillside with a few levels.
Funny story about our move down from NJ -- The Head Honcho had a clipboard and numbered stickers, he logged everything that went on that truck with a sticker. 10 pages worth of our stuff.
Down here, a different crew off-loaded the truck. Our stuff came out in rapid fire. Dynamite wouldn't have been any quicker....it just would have made smaller pieces !!
We got settled in over the next few weeks. But DW couldn't find any of our Family Photos. She had put them in a box clearly labeled 'Photos -- Handle with Care' but no such box was found in our new house. We envisioned some other family down in Florida gazing at our Daughter's Graduation Photos.
Months later, we got a warm February day. I went outside to light the Grill for steaks. I lifted the lid on the grill -- and there was the box 'Photos -- Handle with Care' Good thing I checked before firing it up !!
It's all about Volume on the Truck to these Movers. Putting that box inside the Grill saved them space!
Remember -- Take everything you value down here in your own car.
At that time the usual was 20 for each man. I never saw the driver getting more but who knows?
Sometimes we would get 40 each, lunch was usually pizza.
If you are giving 40 give it to the men directly half at the start and half when they are loaded, reverse that at destination...
Most likely a different crew.
If they know when you tip them 20 that there is another 20 at the end of the day they will be more careful with your stuff, gatorade is a good idea as someone said too,,,but whatever you do no beer!
They are sick of pizza.
Chief said the tips were much appreiated, which I took as a favorable response.
And to the BBI fraternity, thank you for sharing.
They are sick of pizza.
We moved last week. Asked them what they wanted for lunch. 3 of 4 wanted pizza, the fourth wanted a chef's salad because he's diabetic.