glazed blue kitchen

Do You Give Builders a Tip

Wondering whether you should give builders a tip is quite common among people who’ve never worked with a professional contractor before. After all, you’re probably used to tipping for other services, so why should this be any exception

There are actually several good reasons for that. In most cases, you should avoid tipping your builders if you don’t want to create unnecessary tension around your construction project.

Why you should avoid tipping builders

Builders generally don’t expect a tip for their services. This is not like ordering food at a restaurant, but more like going to a general store and interacting with the salespeople there. You wouldn’t tip them in most cases, so the same rule should apply to your builder.

In fact, tipping your builders can create problems within their organization. If someone received a tip but another worker didn’t, this will immediately lead to tension. Tipping the head of the crew is not a suitable option either, as there might be arguments about how the tip should be distributed.

staircase

That’s why you should play it safe and avoid giving a tip to your builders altogether.

Alternative options for supporting builders during a project

If you still want to show some appreciation for your contractors and help make them more comfortable during their work, look into providing them with some on-site goodies. A cup of coffee and a plate of snacks can go a long way towards making someone’s day better.

Try to provide them with cooling options during periods of heat and vice versa when it’s cold. Ask them if there’s anything in general you can do to make their work more pleasant. There might be some factors that you don’t see yourself.

These are the things you should focus on instead of giving builders a tip. Do your best to create a supporting environment that promotes healthy work practices, and you shouldn’t need to worry about any other additional compensation for your builders.

Builder

Clara Annesley

Clara Annesley is an interior design and construction content writer. She holds a BSc (Hons) in Architectural Design Technology from the University of West London. Clara specialises in residential construction for topics like health & safety, architectural design and writing cost guides for renovation and remodelling projects.