One of the home services that most homeowners need from time to time is plumbing services. When there’s a water leak in the piping system, you need someone to trace the leak and fix it. But do you tip plumbers?
In general, you are not required to tip a plumber. However, if the plumber did anything extra or spent more time than expected, they will surely appreciate your tip. On average, you can give the plumber a minimum tip of $20.
In tipping a plumber, a reasonable amount could range from 10% to 20% of their quoted price. This amount includes additional expenses, and the plumber provided for free.
Read on to learn if you need to give a tip to a plumber and the factors that determine the right amount to give.
Do You Tip Plumbers?
Not Required to Tip a Plumber
Ordinarily, you do not have to tip a plumber. However, if they did extra work or spent more time than what the job requires, they will certainly appreciate a tip from you. The acceptable minimum amount that you can give is $20.
Plumbers Are Contractors
You can give them tip between 10-20% of their quoted price. This will include the additional expenses and the extra time that the plumber has provided to complete the job. Plumbers are contractors who usually bill by the hour they spend finishing the job.
They Do Not Expect Tips from Customers
They do contractual jobs for an agreed-upon price. In that sense, they don’t expect any tips from their customers. While that is true, there is nothing wrong if you give them a tip for a fine job and the extra things they did that were not on the contract.
Tip Plumbers Who Do Regular Maintenance for You
Plumbers who regularly do routine maintenance for you will appreciate your tip. However, if you deal with a new plumber/contractor who did extra things that provided better results, such as helping you save money, time, and effort, you will be amiss if you don’t give them a tip.
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Is It Right or Wrong to Tip Plumbers?
A Professional Plumber Is Hard to Find
There are many kinds of plumbers, and there are GOOD plumbers. A professional plumber is hard to find. Good plumbers provide better services because they have trained themselves to become highly skilled tradesmen. These are the plumbers that deserve your tips.
Plumbers Earn a Decent Income
However, since they earn a decent income, they are not really after tips from their clients. Only those who claim to be good plumbers but do not expect tips from their customers. You can easily spot them by the work ethics that they demonstrate as they do their job.
Not Required to Tip Contractors
Tipping etiquette says that you are not required to tip contractors. Plumbers are essentially contractors who are not salaried people but are paid for the particular jobs or projects they complete. They are paid according to the price they have quoted on their job contracts.
Plumbers Are Paid on an Hourly Basis
In general, plumbers are paid on an hourly basis. They don’t consider customer tips as their primary source of income. When you enter into a contract with a plumber, you are under no obligation to give them a tip.
The only obligation you have is to pay them the full contract price once they have completed the job and you are satisfied with it. But there’s nothing wrong with giving them a tip for a job well done. It is entirely up to you if you want or don’t want to give a tip.
Factors to Consider on Whether You Should Tip Your Plumber
In this regard, it will help if you will consider the following things whether to give or not to give a tip to a plumber who has just completed a job you asked them to do:
1. Quality of Service
- Did the plumber give you good quality service?
- Have they demonstrated a good attitude while they are doing the job?
- Did they go above and beyond what you have asked them to do?
2. Difficulty of the Job
Is the job easy to do, or did it require complicated tasks to finish the job? A simple leaking faucet is easier to fix than tracing and fixing the cause of excessive leaks affecting the whole house.
3. Quantity of Materials
More materials mean additional expenses.
4. Actual Time Spent
Easy plumbing jobs take only minutes to complete, while complicated jobs may take several hours or days to finish.
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How Much Should You Tip a Plumber
If you want to tip the plumber, the amount should be based on the four factors that I have enumerated above. In real life, though, there are already some reasonable amounts of tips that plumbers accept based on the size of the plumbing jobs they perform.
The following are the accepted tips that plumbers usually get for specific plumbing jobs in the real world:
1. Main Water Line Installation
For a plumbing job that requires the installation of the main water line, plumbers will gladly accept a tip that ranges from $100 to $200. As you can see, this is a big job for a plumber. To complete this job, they will install the standard six-foot pipeline.
If you even require special pipe fittings for this water line, it will undoubtedly impact the project’s final cost. What you can expect to spend for this job is about $1,500 to $2,000. If the plumber does the job well, it would be reasonable for you to give them a tip from $100 to $200. That’s about 10% to 20% of the contract price.
2. Drain Cleaning
Drain cleaning is one of the most common jobs that plumbers do. Once in a while, homeowners encounter clogs in their drain pipes. This is an easy task for a plumber. It will require them to use a mechanical plumbing snake to ease the clog wherever it is located in the drain pipe.
Typically, plumbers don’t expect tips from homeowners when they complete this job. But if you are feeling extra-generous, you can give them a tip ranging from $20 to $30 – if they did fast and they did it well.
Again, do you tip plumbers? You do not have to tip plumbers. However, if they did extra service or provided materials for you, it is only fitting to give them a tip of at least $20.
3. Appliance Installation
Appliances like dishwashers and washing machines need to be connected to the main water supply pipes before being used inside the home. The persons responsible for installing them are plumbers.
The installation cost of these appliances will depend on certain factors. They include the cost of electrical and plumbing works at the mains and the labor and materials to connect the appliance to the water supply.
If the plumber’s task is purely that of water supply installation, the job will usually cost from $75 to $100. More difficult and complex installations may cost between $200 and $600. If you are satisfied with the job done by the plumber, you can give them a tip ranging from $20 to $50.
4. Leak Repair
Leaks can come from a single pipe or a series of pipes. They can affect just the bathroom or the whole house or building. So, sealing the leak could be complicated or straightforward. The final repair cost will depend on the severity of the leak and the job’s difficulty.
If it’s just a simple leak repair, the typical cost begins at $200. However, if the problem is severe and the leaking pipes need replacement, the final cost could be thousands of dollars. If you feel generous and the job is well done, you should earmark at least 10% to 15% of the invoice.
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How Much Do Plumbers Make?
The tip you will give to the plumber must also consider what plumbers usually make in their typical workday. On average, plumbers make around $22.02 per hour. Actual rates start from $15 up to $35.
In terms of commissions, plumbers typically make between $294 and higher. When speaking about bonuses, they usually make from $252 to $6,000. In terms of annual income, plumbers can make from $31,000 to $79,000.
Do Plumbers Think About Getting Tips?
An Average Plumber Does Not Expect Tip
I don’t know if you will be surprised to know this, but the average plumber does not expect a tip when they finish a job. However, if you give them a tip, it is like saying to them: “You’ve done a good job. For that, please accept this gift.”
Giving a Tip Can Make a Difference
That will undoubtedly give them a considerable boost, considering their hard work, especially if the job is difficult to accomplish. Any additional income they get can surely make a difference, whatever way it is given.
Give Positive Reviews Online
Tips can be given, not just using cash. You can help them increase their income by giving them positive reviews online. This will enable them to be reached by other needy customers like you.
Recommend Their Service
So, if you see that the plumber is a trustworthy individual that does a good job, by all means, recommend them to other homeowners who need their services. You can also offer some snacks and cold drinks to express your appreciation for a job well done.
Offer Them Food
This you can do if the technician is an employee of a plumbing service company that does not allow their employees to receive tips from their customers. There is nothing wrong with offering them food to show that you like the job they did.
Is It Alright to Give Tips to Plumbers All the Time?
The short answer to this question is no. There are times that you don’t need to tip a plumber even if he finishes the job. What are the circumstances where you should not tip a plumber?
When the Company Does Not Allow It
Plumbing service companies do not allow their technicians to receive tips from their clients. One such company is Carter’s. Carter’s quoted prices include materials and labor. Meanwhile, their plumbers get their salaries on their paydays.
They advise their clients to keep their tip money because they know that even the tiniest jobs can be expensive in certain homes. Instead, they encourage satisfied customers to give them positive reviews on social media.
When the Customer Is Not Satified with the Job
You should defer from giving any tip to a plumber if you are not satisfied with their work. There are many reasons why they can’t satisfy your requirements. But be sure you are still fair in treating them with all the required courtesy.
Additionally, suppose they give you a quote for labor and materials, and you suspect that the materials they used to do the job do not justify the money you gave them. In that case, it is reasonable for you not to provide them with any tips. Again, be sure that you are also fair in this regard.
Conclusion: Do You Tip Plumbers?
Generally, a plumber does not expect you to give them a tip. However, if they did anything extra or had to spend more time fixing your problem, they will surely appreciate a tip from you. On average, a minimum tip of $20 will be much appreciated.
You should not be indiscriminate in giving tips, though, because plumbing companies don’t allow their plumbers to receive tips. There are other ways you can show your appreciation for a job well done.
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