House renovations can be exciting but equally daunting. Not to mention, they are also often time-consuming. Saving time by hiring outside help alleviates the stress of giving your home a makeover. One professional you might consider adding on to the process would be a house painter. But, it is often standard procedure to tip individuals providing a service, like you would your barber. So, do you tip house painters?
Do You Tip House Painters?
Perhaps you’ve never thought about this before, but it is a valid question. You might also wonder this if your home has high ceilings or there is a lot of ground for the painter to cover. Regardless, it’s not common practice to tip your plumber, so what is the rule of thumb for house painters?
After searching the web for a standard answer, here is what I found:
Varying Opinions
Because the painters are often employed through a company that sends them out on jobs, some people do feel tipping is justified.
“Anytime I think, ‘should I tip?’ I aways do,” one commenter said in the forum FootballGuys.com.
Another user in the same forum recommends tipping in the form of food, providing the workers with lunch, beverages, and so on.
Conversely, in another discussion group on City-Data.com, a user who hs been on both ends of the business (owner and employee) mentioned that those who go into this field do not expect to be tipped. House painting jobs begin with an agreed upon payment in advance, of which the company owner or manager determine rates based on overhead costs, labor, and profit. Of course, he adds, tips are always appreciated.
“If you think the painter is doing a job that is better than expected or that he is putting [in] extra effort, then a tip may be a nice way of showing him that you do see the extra he is doing,” he said.
Other than going above and beyond, you may also want to think about tipping when the painters complete the job early. Then, of course, the question is, “What is the appropriate amount to tip?”
How Much to Tip
If you do decide to throw in some extra cash, how much do you tip house painters? Typically, when tipping for service jobs, 15-20% is good practice. Of course, anything would be a nice surprise for the professional. As stated previously, you could also provide lunch, other meals, or a “thank you” in the form of gift cards or something similar. In hot weather, you should always offer a cold drink like ice water or lemonade out of common courtesy.
More specifically, though, a 2014 article from the Omaha World-Herald by Paige Yowell, states that the average tip for house painters is $26.
Conclusion
Tipping your house painter comes down to personal preference. A common argument is that the more we tip service professionals where it is not common practice, the more it becomes expected. Where do we draw the line? For those of us on a strict budget, the pressure to tip can become overwhelming. Therefore, if you feel compelled and are able to give a little extra, there is nothing really wrong with doing so. Otherwise, try not to stress out about it. In fact, sometimes, the company you outsource through includes a gratuity in their quote to you. Others, on the other hand, may restrict employees from accepting tips for various reasons.
Overall, tipping does encourage positive relationships. Whatever you decide to do should happen because you wanted to and not because you felt forced to.
Do you tip house painters? Comment with your thoughts below.
Jenn Clark is a writer, PR specialist, entrepreneur, blogger and coffee enthusiast. A lover of laughter, traveling and cheese, she’s written about her life experiences here at suburbanfinance while at the same time growing other young professionals. You can find more of her work at Jennblogs.co.