Someone just spent the afternoon in your house — do you tip them? For home services the answer isn’t one number but one distinction: tip the labor, not the tradesperson who sets their own price.
This is the category that trips people up most, because “someone came to my home” covers everything from a two-person moving crew to a licensed electrician. The useful rule of thumb in the US is about who controls the price. People who supply physical labor for a flat or hourly job — movers, delivery crews, cleaners — are commonly tipped. Skilled tradespeople who quote you their own rate — plumbers, electricians, HVAC techs, contractors — generally are not, though a small gratuity or, better, a great review is always welcome for going above and beyond. These are North American norms; tipping home workers is far less common elsewhere.
| Service | Tip? / typical | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Movers | Yes — a per-mover amount, or a % of the total | One of the most-tipped home services; tip more for stairs, heat or heavy, awkward loads. |
| Furniture / appliance delivery | Optional — a few dollars per person | More for stairs, heavy pieces or in-home installation and haul-away. |
| House cleaner (one-off) | Yes — often per visit | A recurring cleaner is more commonly tipped at the holidays than every visit. |
| Recurring cleaning service | Usually a holiday bonus | A bonus around year-end — roughly a visit’s cost — is a common gesture. |
| Plumber / electrician / HVAC | Generally no | They set their own rates. Offer a cold drink, a great review, or a little extra for going the extra mile. |
| Handyman | Generally no | Like other tradespeople; a small tip or review is a nice touch for standout work. |
| Lawn / landscaping crew | Situational — per-person on big jobs or holidays | A one-off large job or a year-end tip for a regular crew is customary. |
| Appliance repair | Usually no | Priced by the visit or job, like other trades; not typically tipped. |
| Contractor (big remodel) | No % — a gift or bonus for great work | Don’t tip a percentage; a thoughtful bonus or gift for standout results is the norm. |
When in doubt, a sincere thank-you plus an honest online review often helps a tradesperson more than cash — reviews win them their next job.
Almost every home-service tipping question resolves the same way: tip the labor, not the price-setter. Movers, delivery drivers and cleaners are doing physical work for a rate someone else set, and a tip is the customary way to reward a hard, careful job. Licensed tradespeople — plumbers, electricians, HVAC technicians, contractors — set and bill their own rates, so a tip isn’t expected; their price already reflects their skill. That doesn’t mean you can’t show appreciation. A cold drink on a hot day, a small gratuity for someone who squeezed you in during an emergency, and above all a genuine five-star review are all warmly received — and the review is often worth more to them than cash.
Moving is hard, and tipping movers is well established. A common approach is a per-mover amount for the day, scaled up for stairs, extreme heat, very heavy or fragile items, or a long, grueling job; some people instead tip a percentage of the total bill split across the crew. Hand tips to each mover directly, or give a lump sum to the lead to divide. Furniture and appliance delivery is lighter — a few dollars per person — but bump it up for stairs, heavy pieces, or in-home installation and old-unit haul-away. If you have a big local move coming, long-distance driving tips work differently; see taxis, rideshare & delivery.
For a one-time deep clean, a tip per visit is common and appreciated. For a regular cleaner or service you see every week or two, the more usual convention is a holiday bonus — often around the cost of one visit — rather than tipping each time, though an occasional extra for a big job is always kind. Lawn and landscaping crews follow a similar pattern: a per-person tip for a one-off large project, or a year-end gesture for the team that keeps your yard up all season. As always, cash reaches the worker most directly, but a card or QR tip counts just the same.
You don’t need to tip a plumber, electrician, HVAC tech, appliance-repair specialist or handyman — they’ve priced the job themselves, and no one expects a gratuity on top. For a contractor running a big remodel, tipping a percentage of a five-figure project would be odd and unnecessary; if the work was exceptional, a thoughtful end-of-job gift or a bonus for the crew is the customary way to say thank you. In every one of these cases, the single most valuable thing you can offer is a detailed, honest online review and a referral to friends — that’s what actually grows their business.
Norms differ by country, but one shift is global: guests carry less and less cash. ScanToTIP lets anyone tip in seconds by scanning a QR code and paying with Apple Pay, Google Pay or a card — no app, no hardware. See how it works or compare platforms.
Yes — movers are among the most commonly tipped home-service workers. A per-mover amount for the day is typical, or a percentage of the bill split across the crew, with more for stairs, heat, or heavy and fragile loads. Hand tips out directly or give a lump sum to the lead.
Generally no. Licensed tradespeople set and bill their own rates, so a tip isn’t expected. If they went above and beyond — an emergency call, extra effort — a small gratuity or a cold drink is a nice gesture, but a great review helps them most.
For a one-time deep clean, a tip per visit is common. For a recurring cleaner you see regularly, a holiday bonus — often about the cost of one visit — is the more usual approach, with an occasional extra for a big job.
A few dollars per person is customary, more for stairs, very heavy pieces, in-home installation or hauling away your old unit. It’s optional, but appreciated for a careful, difficult delivery.
Usually not — a handyman sets their own rate like other tradespeople. A small tip or, better, an honest online review and a referral are welcome ways to thank one who did standout work.
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