I am a homeowner that contracted with a Kitchen retailer to install new vanities in two of our bathrooms. The finish carpenters crew so far has done a great job during the installation and correcting the many mistakes made by the designer.
My question is it bad form for the homeowner to tip one of the sub’s ( the finish carp installing the cabinets)? Also if it’s not bad form to tip a sub, what would you consider a good tip, on a percentage basis of the cost of the work the sub performed?
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Replies
A tip is ok but most of us doing this kind of work will always feel uncomfortible.
On the other hand offering to have pizza and drinks brought out for lunch is very appreciated.
I was on one big job near Thanksgiving when the owner catered a big spread, turkey dressing, pie, the whole nine yards. The day was shot after that but we very happy and worked all the better the next day.
"most of us doing this kind of work"
Speak for youself!
Tips are welcomed expecially after having to make a designer look good.
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
Hadn't thought about how we make the Designers look good. That thought in mind maybe we should tip our painters for making us look good.
I have been tipped many times
usually a bottle of wine or scotch. one guy gave me a bottle of Dom.
I have even been invited back for dinner with my wife.
another guy wrote a check with an extra hundred on it. he said go buy something for your kids. so I did.
all that is nice but the best show of gratitude is prompt payment and a referral
I've been fortunately to be tipped many times. I been given wine, imported Japanese beer,offered sex,dinner certificates and cash.
My last tip, (half way through a project), from a client was $500. I tried to beg out of this offering but realized their culture required them to be so generous and I risked offending them. At the completion of the project they did it again.
I'm glad I didn't risk offending the guy that offered sex due to his culture. You really don't have to except every offering.
so if you accept a "tip" of sex...do you have to leave a little something on the desser?
seems kind of counterproductive
Well if it latex and used then it is counter productive.
They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.
A tip such as this is mutual. So every one wins except my only offer was not my cup-of-tea, so t speak.
I guess if I was a barter member I could have posted the offer in exchange for something of better interest to me.
I never expect a tip, it's nice when I get one, but for me, I prefer to be treated with respect and courtesy. Coffee or a cold drink is always appreciated, as are snacks/ lunches, but they are not part of the equation.
I'm in business for myself, and my pricing reflects what I need to do your job. I will do that job to the best of my abilities because I'm not wired to do less. Tips will not get you a better job, but small considerations provide for a better relationship and let me know that I'm not just that dirty guy making a mess in your yard.
I do routinely keep coffee and drinks for folks I hire, and if someone (Worker- low man) does something above and beyond, I like to recognize that with some folded paper.
Steve
Bobabeui,
It's never wrong to tip the workers on the job,if your even asking, you must be pleased with what they've done.
Don't be afraid to show it,the time they spent working should help you determine the amount of the tip.Half a day, three days ?
$ 50.00 $100.00 how happy are you?
Vince Carbone
Riverside Builders
Franklin,NY
Like others have said , prompt payment and a refferal are the best
i have recieved , money , baked goods , steaks , clothes , meals , the watch i am wearing , deals on land they owned ( no money down , the rest when you have it ) , use of a cottage when i wanted to ( including keys ) a holiday at a customers condo in Freport & best of all had 5 once drive 50 miles to act as character referances in a court case and asked for nothing in return !
In the case of some of the better ones i have escorted them to their grave , in one case it was a 6 hour round trip for a good man who died while on duty .
As a sub on a job once I was tipped at Christmas with a gift box of cheeses, still remember. and still makes me smile to this day over 15 years ago. I have also been treated to lunch. but it is the out of ordinary a person remembers most.
Wallyo
If this was a formal bid and the work was done to spec, no tip. If there were extras added on then I tip accordingly.
With side jobs I usually tip, depending on how well things worked out.
As a framing sub, homeowners do tip us from time to time. I usually defer to my crew though. What I mean is if they ask us if they can get us something, I usually just tell them that my guys love pizza and I love referalls. I try to keep it simple with that. I do remember one job a couple Christmas' ago though... where both the HO and GC hooked up the crew and myself with gift certificates to various places. In that instance I was kind of on the spot and not accepting would have been rude.
In general.. take care of the crew... Gatorade and water (cold) in the summer.... pizza/coffee in the winter. For the boss... a thank you and a referal is the best thing I could ask for.
The best tips I have ever received are a nice note. One customer put one in the local paper. I have all of them in my portfolio but the booze, money and goodies are all gone.
Beat it to fit / Paint it to match
In a case like this where there's a general contractor and presumably several other subs on the job, would there be any worries about the general or the other subs getting steamed because they didn't get a tip?
Just curious. I was thinking about how any work direction needs to follow the chain of command, and you talk about changes/questions/whatever with the general instead of going directly to the sub.
The pizza-and-drinks suggestion is a great idea.
So is a small gift-of-beverage (wine, Jack Daniels) BUT ONLY of you're sure the guy is not a tea-totaller.
The absolute best idea, is to ask the guy for a short stack of his business cards. And be judicious about giving them out to your friends that are serious about a remodeling job. Referrals are the best thing you can do for a business -- and a contractor is a business.