Interesting perspective on tipping for home repair service
I have a large generator that needed repair (carburetor) and I hired a local small enginge repair guy to come to the house to get it running again. I tipped him 20% on top of the repair invoice, as I thought that was the standard.
My neighbor...the same guy who has a team at his place to take a large tree down...was questioning me about the generator repair. When he asked about cost, I gave him the repair number and my tip.
He thought I was nuts for tipping the guy. His rationale was that the guy owns his own business and he plugs his profit into the repair fee and that's enough. I understand that he builds profit into his rate, but are we no longer tipping for service visits? Especially those that go well?
29 Replies
4mo
after calling me a dirty old man.
(In response to this post by great2bahokie)
4mo
been reported previously?
(In response to this post by great2bahokie)
4mo
It’ll run on the fuel left in the carb bowl and eventually sputter out once it’s empty. That clears most of the fuel from the carb so it doesn’t sit there and gum up the jets
(In response to this post by great2bahokie)
E
EDGEMAN
4mo
...and a control cable. I determined the carb wasn't functioning by spraying starter fluid into the carb while starting, and the engine ran for a few seconds.
I had him order the replacement carb and cable, and I had it up and running about 20 minutes later.
No fee required (and I would have refused it if he offered), just a neighbor helping another neighbor.
(In response to this post by great2bahokie)
4mo
an owner. But you’re right on the strategy. Your neighbor saved $50 today, but he’ll be waiting three weeks for a service call while you’re at the top of the list. In 2026, a tip for a local tradesman isn't gratuity; it’s an investment in being a preferred customer for the next emergency.
(In response to this post by great2bahokie)
4mo
is riduculous.
(In response to this post by great2bahokie)
4mo
her best friend and husband the bill came out to be around $200. So they left a $50 for the tip. That's 25% The little snot bag waiter wouldn't take it said he wanted $85. If they couldn't afford it they shouldn't be eating out. What an arrogant tart. I think he ended up giving the tip to the bus boy.
(In response to this post by great2bahokie)
4mo
If not I would have had absolutely zero issue with amending my tip to $0.
(In response to this post by section11hokie)
4mo
Oh no...
That little turd would be looking for a new job before I left.
(In response to this post by section11hokie)
4mo
They were here for literally 10-minutes.
Generator repair guy had to do an inspection...an evaluation...and then repair. Felt like the level of service was different.
(In response to this post by DoYouLiftHokies)
N
No Clue
4mo
I would tip movers and even delivery guys if they do something beyond the standard such as changing curb side delivery to "in my garage" delivery.
(In response to this post by great2bahokie)
P
PWR2LZ
4mo
you just received: During the next power outage, if your generator needs a repair/service call, he may be more inclined to remember your tip & (hopefully) take care of you first. Now I'm certainly not claiming that this "will" occur next time, I'm just saying that paying forward "good karma" has usually rewarded me over the years. Good, trustworthy mechanics, tradespeople, laborers, etc. are hard to find/keep - you made a good decision, do not second guess yourself.
(In response to this post by great2bahokie)
H
Hokies81
4mo
response if I need them out again. Especially important for the a/c guy here in Florida.
(In response to this post by great2bahokie)
J
jdkhokie
4mo
license to steal anyways. I did tip some movers pretty good one time. I had 3 of the them move a cast iron tub up 18 steps to my wife's bathroom. The entire time I was just praying the one guy up top pulling was not going to have a heart attack in my house. I can still see his face beat red cheeks bulging veins in his forehead about to pop.
(In response to this post by great2bahokie)
4mo
Christmas but I don't think I have ever tipped someone for another service done at the house. Isn't that typically why you get multiple estimates? So you pay less?
Interesting - maybe I have been wrong my entire adult life.
(In response to this post by great2bahokie)
4mo
Businesses need to pay what the position deserves, and not pass the wage onto the consumer. It's gotten downright ludicrous the number of places tipping requests have popped up.
(In response to this post by great2bahokie)
4mo
Yeah, you are banking on the customer to supplement your payroll.
(In response to this post by Freddyburg Hokie)
4mo
Each week, or the car dealership/workers that change my oil or fix my car, or the check out worker at Walmart, or the bagger at Kroger, or the paramedic that responded to an emergency, or the doctor that put in my pacemaker, or the school board member that has done a good job, or the cook at McDonald's that made delicious chicken nuggets, or even the babysitter that I told we would pay $100 to watch our kids one evening, or the bus driver that got us to school on time, or even the painters that I paid $4,000 to paint my house.....
Tipping is out of control.
(In response to this post by great2bahokie)
4mo
(In response to this post by great2bahokie)
H
Hokiel
4mo
I applaud your position.
(In response to this post by great2bahokie)