Its nice but not usually expected.

It sounds like your going above & beyond what most of my customers do. I usually have to clean out closets, move 20 years of christmas lights and boxes, or 50lbs of moth smelling hanging clothes. You might have several large garbage bags handy.

having a cleared out space to work in is a tip in itself!

tipping is nice if you are pleased with how they conducted themselves on the job, cleaned up after the work was done and did a good install job.
installs are hard dirty work, and is nice to feel at the end of the job that the homeowner was pleased enough to tip.

$20 is a nice tip, cold drink on way back to shop, 6 pack for home, and a cople of dollars for lunch for next day.

something I learned is that the company owner is not always happy that the crew took time 'on the clock' for coffee and donuts. if you do provide these things, have paper towels and go cups on hand so they can eat as they are setting up and unloading truck to work.

and yes, they should do all pick up after job is done.

best of luck on your install.

The install & equipment setup is extremely important.

Do some reading before they come.

Don't be concerned about a tip.

- udarrell

Here is a link that might be useful: Proper Install Ductwork Check

thanks..is that $20 per person?

it's greatly appreciated, and if you need any follow up don't think that the crew won't remember and act accordingly. Cash, of course. $20.00 each sounds right to me.

Not exactly the same thing, but we make a point of dropping a "plain brown wrapper" of very cold beer in the cab of the garbage truck on hot summer days, and a Christmas tip. When I tore down an old fence and stacked it up in the alley they voluntarily crushed and hauled it for us ... and saved me a trip to the dump and all that entails.

Plus, you feel good about it.

Good luck,

M

I usually tip. The times that I haven't tipped were probably a mistake, on my part.

I think the person who appreciates the tipping the most is the contractor, although he gets no tip, and make sure the workers know that.

If a single contractor's helper is here a few days and works hard, he gets a $50. If there's a whole mess of helpers here (eg roofers), I give the contractor an envelope of cash e.g. 20 - $5. bills. It really changes the mood of the workplace.

I've been installing for almost 20 years. Never expected accepted a tip. Got cold drinks, cookies, meals, etc. The best tips are the notes with final payment to the boss that the customer was very impressed with the professionalism of the company and will recommend them to all their friends. It keeps getting me a raise.

Are you serious? I would not give these guys jack, aside from offering water. Seriously, with what these guys are charging you, they should buy you cookies and milk and then a nice lunch. Give me a break!!!

I had a Mitsubishi mini split installed on Friday. I was making a hot fudge sundae for my daughter and I so we made an extra for the installer. He really appreciated it.

well...these guys are not charging me, their large company is. They are likely getting paid little. Now if it were a mom and pop company we went with where I knew the $$$ we all going to the installer/owners then the tipping part might not be necesary. The install is likely more important than the actual equipment being installed so I would think one would want to encourage the best job possible by making access to the area as easy as possible, having some snacks and drinks around, access to a bathroom etc. If a nice job is done, why not have a tip? They may have a better feeling should they need to come back.

Yea, maybe its a bit like bribery for a job they should be doing anyway but in the grand scheme of cost, whats an extra $50 for some goodies and a tip for a job well done.

You are serious! I am not buying it. Do make sure that a three course lunch is ready by noon. And don't forget the beer. I stand by my original atatement: "I would not give these guys jack". Give me a break.

the consensus here seams clear!

"the consensus here seams clear!"

And that would be that you don't give em jack. Right? You had me worried for a second there.

I have been in this industry for 32 years. With thousands of service calls I never expected a tip. I had received a few but never expected it. A cold drink in summer or a hot drink in winter is nice. I was happy when a bathroom was offered on the longer jobs. I would say forget the tip but be nice and offer a drink or bathroom if they are there more than 2 hours. If you are a customer that requests the same guy all the time maybe a tip if around the holidays would also be nice.