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Tipping the carpenter


Kid Cid
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So as our home remodel project winds down, there's the question of tipping the lead carpenter on our job. I think he's done excellent work (shower door not withstanding) and he has been pretty good to work with. So the question is, if I wanted to give him a little something for the effort, should I do it and what would be appropriate?

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So as our home remodel project winds down, there's the question of tipping the lead carpenter on our job. I think he's done excellent work (shower door not withstanding) and he has been pretty good to work with. So the question is, if I wanted to give him a little something for the effort, should I do it and what would be appropriate?

 

 

I have been a contractor and NO.

 

A good thank you and referrals will be way better for him.

 

Edit to add: if you feel REALLY good about him, get him some gift cards for restaurants he can use for lunches.

Edited by Chief Dick
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"Tipping?" I'd say no. But a nice gift basket...Omaha Steaks perhaps.

 

Depends on how well you got to know him too. Don't be too presumptuous in selecting something like alcohol of some sort....unless that was a frequent subject and you know he'd love a particular scotch or something.....LOL. My carpenter on our last project brewed his own beer....good stuff too!

 

Maybe even a gift certificate from someplace like Rockler woodworking and hardware? And make it a Thank You/Happy Holidays sort of gift.

 

But straight out tipping? Nah. Most carpenters I know are independents and charge by the hour.....they are well compensated for their work. Treating them well while they are there working is tipping in it's own right. Good craftsmanship takes longer.....you've already compensated him by paying him more for that.

 

But I don't think a nice gift is ever a bad idea....especially if you're more than pleased with the work.

 

The only exception to that in my mind is if he was subcontracted by another company for you.....sort of like tipping your movers.....LOL. OR....he quoted you a flat price for a job that took him much longer than expected.

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So....how is the differentiation between the tipped and the untipped made?

 

 

I struggle with this one alot. My general rule is to tip a guy who's working for someone else, but not a guy who is self-employed. So when the guy from the oil company comes by to fix my burner, I'll generally give him $5 or $10, depending on how long it takes him to fix it. But when the plumber comes by (he's an independent proprietor), I will not tip him. But if I used a big plumbing company and they sent one of their guys over to fix a problem, I'd tip that guy.

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