A plumber is an unsung hero, someone who goes where most people fear to tread.
They will get filthy and sweaty, crawling through your pipes in the dark with no guarantee of a happy ending.
However, plumbers are skilled laborers, plump with knowledge of how to solve your problems, and are very well paid for that.
But should they be tipped?
We are going to go over that today as well as the etiquette of tipping for plumbing services.
So read on!
Well, what about those plumbers?
When you hire a plumber, a good percent of the time it is because of a problem or an emergency.
In the US, it is very common to call a small plumbing company and have a plumber come to fix your problem as quickly as possible.
Many times, after the work is done you get charged a trip fee as well as an hourly rate for having them come out.
Do you tip a plumber?
The answer is No, but if the plumber goes above and beyond, you could definitely leave them an extra ten or twenty dollars on top of what you owe.
It is important to remember that the trip fee is normally included in the bill already.
If it isn’t, then yes, tip your plumber for their time coming out to fix your problem.
While tipping is not expected if you are getting a service done, it would be a good gesture of appreciation for their time and effort.
If the job takes an hour or more, $10-20 dollars is a nice gesture but it isn’t expected.
In addition, they may not even accept it.
The best you can do aside from a cash TIP is to leave a nice review.
Most companies appreciate reviews and will recognize your feedback with the next service call.
Plumbers do not expect tips.
They are paid very well, because of their knowledge and years of service.
You are welcome to offer a tip, but it is not necessary.
If you get good service, you may want to leave something small as a thank you for quick and quality work.
However, because tipping a plumber is so rare, it may be something that only happens 1-2 a year.
So they may accept the tip as a very nice thank you for the hard work!
Offer some snacks and beverages
If they are going to be on site for a while you can offer them coffee, soda, or bottled water and something to eat.
If they are just dropping off a part or have something to drop off, you can offer them some water or soda.
They may not be allowed to accept the items, but it is definitely worth offering!
Final Thoughts
If you are ever in need of a plumber, just remember that they have done their time crawling through pipes and fixing your problems.
They may not expect to be tipped for the work they did but if you want to show them some appreciation, don’t forget about snacks or drinks!
Whether it’s coffee, water bottles, or pre-packaged snacks – these small gestures can go a long way towards showing how much you appreciate what they do for you.
