Replies

1. 
   SteveFFF | Dec 10, 2006 06:50pm | #1

   Only if the lumberyard doesn't pay the employee to make the delivery.

   Steve.

2. 
   VTNorm | Dec 10, 2006 07:07pm | #2

   The driver who helps me schlep doors and sheetrock into a house,  he gets a tip.

   The driver who lowers the boom pallet onto the lawn and hands me the receipt, does not get a tip.

   -Norm

1. 
   Matt | Dec 10, 2006 09:22pm | #9

   >> The driver who helps me schlep doors and sheetrock into a house,  <<

   I buy inside delivery for sheetrock and doors go in the house by default.  As far as a driver carrying sheetrock into the house just to be nice, well, maybe a few pieces, but other than that, what planet did you say you live on?  To get that I'd expect to have to show the "green" up front.

1. 
   JonE | Dec 11, 2006 03:52am | #16

   Actually, Norm and I probably use that same yard and delivery guys.  Most of the local delivery guys will help with moving sheetrock, at the very least handing it off the truck to someone on the inside. 

3. 
   Sancho | Dec 10, 2006 07:33pm | #3

   Depends on his service/ helpfulness. Same goes with the pizza guy :>)

    

                

   View Image    Official Jeff Buck Memorial Tagline "

4. 
   BarryE | Dec 10, 2006 07:41pm | #4

   Here in Iowa, never have seen it

   In New York City, found out the hard way, they need tipped. <g>

   ---

   Barry E-Remodeler

    

5. 
   Gene_Davis | Dec 10, 2006 07:46pm | #5

   I saw that and thought, wrong.

   Makes more sense to me to send that inside person that gets all my orders entered correctly and scheduled right, a nice gift from time to time.

   That said, if the delivery guy stays with us for nearly an hour, boomlifting roofing everywhere we need it right up there on top, of course he gets a few bills.  But everyday drops and runs?  Forget it.

6. 
   dovetail97128 | Dec 10, 2006 08:13pm | #6

   When the Devil gets to go ice skating...They do get all the help I can offer for access, and I do return straps, chains and binders they leave behind, quietly and without fuss to the driver , not the desk.

7. 
   JDRHI | Dec 10, 2006 08:46pm | #7

   Holiday tip....sure.

   But not with each and every delivery throughout the year.

   Oh how they pound, raising the sound,
   o'er hill and dale, telling their tale,

   Gaily they ring while people sing
   songs of good cheer, Christmas is here....
   

8. 
   Matt | Dec 10, 2006 09:19pm | #8

   I deal with a rather large yard and have rarely seen the same delivery guy twice.  Besides, if a guy is doing his job, a thank-you should be enough.  If he goes way out of his way to do-right then I maybe help him out.  I had one guy that came to a downtown site a number of times.  He told me that the rest of the guys avioided that area like the plague because of how tight it was down there - small lots, limited parking for tractor trailer, etc (although nothing, I'm sure compaired to NY city, for example).  Anyway this guy always put the stuff exactly where I wanted it etc and was very friendly.  I sent his a boss a nice rosey letter saying how great the guy is.

1. 
   Novy | Dec 10, 2006 09:30pm | #10

    I second the rosey letter concept.

    I was talking to the general manager of my yard the other day and at the end of the conversation I said " By the way I really have to tell you that the guys in the yard are absolutley great !" His reply was that is so great to hear because ealier in the day some icehole had been complaining about them.

    At my yard I pull in and tell the yard guys what I need and go in and get the paperwork. When I come out my truck is loaded. Tell me that is not good service. Small local yard BTW. 

   On a hill by the harbour

9. 
   jonblakemore | Dec 10, 2006 09:36pm | #11

   I'm not sure if it's common practice around here. I often wonder about the local dynamics of how guys handle the delivery guys and even inspectors.

   Part of me says that the lumber yard should take care of their people, I'm already paying them $5k for a lumber drop, why should I be expected to tip the delivery guy $20?

   The other side says "what is my objective"? It's very easy to save $20 or $120 if you can get the delivery guy to go above & beyond. You may be able to consider it an investment. I know we once had a lumber guy pick up a few pallets of bricks with his moffet and move them around back. Well worth a few bucks from our standpoint, but I also ponder whether this is cheating the lumber yard because we're using their guy to essentially work for us when on their clock (I guess I'm assuming the delivery guys are hourly).

   I mentioned inspectors above, that's something I really think about. We're not in an urban area where the corruption runs thick (at least as far as I know) but I do think I've been dropped hints before when walking with an inspector. Things like them saying "I'm building a deck myself...".

   I was talking to another guy about corruption and he said that he didn't there were many direct cash transactions that took place in the area we work, but he thought that inspectors probably got gift cards, extra material for work on their homes, a round of drinks if they happen to see the inspector at the local bar, etc.

   Out of principle, this would never even be entertained in our company, but I'm sure it does happen. I know this was not the point of the thread, but I see it in the same light. What can I do to make my life easier, and is it ethical or appropriate?

    

   Jon Blakemore

   RappahannockINC.com Fredericksburg, VA

10. 
    Piffin | Dec 10, 2006 11:40pm | #12

    Not long ago, we had a creete delivery. The driver's only job was to be sure it was the right mix and back in where we wanted it.

    He was super friendly and then ended up jumping in with a rake too. He got a tip.

    I had a SR delivery guy who helped carry to each and every room when all that was required was getting it in the door out of the weather. He got a tip.

    Another time the same guy helped carry a whole truckload of V-groove 1x6 around the house. it was stacked, banded, and covered. That was extra duty and he didn't complain. He got a tip.

    A boom operator delivered shingles on a roof, patiently waiting for us to distribute, and then took the time to carefully hoist a cast iron tub into the second floor window where we had only an inch to spare - half on each side. No scratches! You bet he earend a tip.

    Anything above and beyuond...

    Another thing from my POV - on this island, there are times when a driver has more orders than room on the truck. There are times when the driveers get the choice who gets delivered today and who waits until tomorrow. I want them thinking of me in a positive light when they make that decision.
    I will also commend them to the manager or call to complain when they screw up, like the guy who leeft my baseboard trim on somebody elses lawn, with tire tracks over it, and then left me a phone message to go over there to pick it up myself! Time I got the message, it was covered in night dew and curling up into pretzels. I let it go back with complaints all the way to the owner! All their drivers were kind of sheepish around me for a couple of weeks. I can just imagine what kind of dressing down they got after that complaint to the owner.

    What I'm saying is they get what they deserve around me, whether good or bad. I'm an equal opportunity kind of guy!
    ;)

     

     

    Welcome to the
    Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
     where ...
    Excellence is its own reward!

1. 
   DonK | Dec 11, 2006 12:58am | #13

   I usually throw them a couple bucks for coffee if they're decent. I remember my dad tipped every driver, every time. But then again, we got inside deliveries into basements and the drivers always helped carry.

   I usually tip yard help too, even if I'm only getting a few items. There are two guys that know me and look for me in the local yard.  One happens to be the yard manager. When there's a crowd around, sometimes it helps me get picked out quicker and get my truck loaded. I make sure I take care of them at Christmas too.

   I have gone up the ladder with compliments and complaints in the past. I don't find it to be really useful. Usually if the guy/gal is a jackass, I just try to avoid them afterwards.

   Don K.

   EJG Homes     Renovations - New Construction - Rentals

11. 
    hvtrimguy | Dec 11, 2006 02:12am | #14

    I only tip when a driver goes above and beyond standard delivery procedures. like humping sheetrock or doors through windows, up stairs, etc.
    I also go out of my way to help the drivers unload to my jobs and jobs that I am subbing on. All the drivers in the area are generally happy to help me out when I ask.

    "it aint the work I mind,
    It's the feeling of falling further behind."

    Bozini Latini

12. 
    JonE | Dec 11, 2006 03:50am | #15

    Not usually, although one time I had a 1600-lb planer sitting on a trailer during a lumber delivery.  I asked the boom truck driver if he'd be so kind as to hoist the planer off the trailer and drop it on a pallet near me basement door.  He did, and I gladly handed him a twenty for five minutes of his time.

     

13. 
    nailbanger | Dec 11, 2006 04:12am | #17

    Last week we had a foundation ready but it needed to be backfilled ASAP to stay on schedule. The mason came with his boom truck to pull the cages (of forms) out so that Jimmy (our excavator) could come and do his thing. Next thing I know there's oil spraying everywhere from underneath the boom truck! Turns out that the main hydraulic line between the pump and the operators staion has split wide open, now the truck is stuck, the boom is pointing alomost straight up and down, the stabilizers are all fully extended and none of them are going anywhere untill the line has been repaired and the system refilled. We call our excavator and tell him what's going on and he says, "Well, let me come by and take a look at it, we'll see what we can do.

    Now most excavators that I know would have told us to "Go pound sand", there's cages still in the foundation and a truck in the way but the next thing I see is Jimmy & his helper lifting all of the remaining cages out of the foundation with a chain & the bucket of the excavator. He moved a whole pile of fill so that he could move the excavator around to the other side of the foundation (because the boom truck was sitting exactly where he had planned to work from) and proceeded to backfill as much of the foundation (inside & out) as he could reach. Then both he and his helper jump down inside the foundation and rake it all out by hand (normally they drop their skid steer in there and do it all with that). Not once during this whole process, did I hear one single complaint or moan!

    He (and his helper) will get a big bottle of whatever they want or maybe a gift certificate to their favorite restaraunts! Good service may deserve a tip but exceptopnal service demands one.

    BILL

14. 
    woodguy99 | Dec 11, 2006 05:38am | #18

    OK, that makes sense, tip for extra effort.  I do recall tipping a concrete guy once who helped take wheelbarrows around the back of a house on a tight lot.

    Follow-up question though.  That was when I was self-employed.  Now I am a foreman for a mid-size construction company.  I certainly don't get paid enough to tip out of my pocket.  Should I talk to my boss about having some petty cash on site?

1. 
   Piffin | Dec 11, 2006 05:47am | #19

   yes. If it is his money, he should know about it. 

    

   Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

15. 
    ponytl | Dec 11, 2006 08:12am | #20

    had a steel delivery... right at 10k lbs...  and it wasn't big steel...  driver backed to where i asked... and I look and see he's asleep in the truck... didn't even unbind the load... me & 2 guys spend the next 2 hrs take'n our time unloading sorting and stacking the steel where we'll need it and in the order we'll need it... then we go to lunch... at about 2pm i call my steel salesman and ask if he wants me to wake his driver....

      few months later... same guy delivering...  i ask if he needs a nap... he laughs... then tells me he works 5am til 9pm everyday so thst his wife can stay home with his young kids and so he won't have to work weekends so that they can all go to church... this guy is maybe 28-29 yrs old...  

    i tell him....  go rest in your truck i'll wake you when we're finished unloading...

    guess i tipped him something... 

    p