You don't have to tip roofers, but there are plenty of ways to show your appreciation
You just had work done on your roof, and the roofers did a phenomenal job. The crew was punctual, courteous, and professional, and you want to show your appreciation for all of their hard work. For service jobs, like roofing, it can be confusing to know whether or not to tip and, if so, how much money to offer. If you’re wondering whether you should tip your roofers, here’s what to know about tipping the crew, from how much to tip to alternative types of tipping options.
Do I Need to Tip My Roofers?
Homeowners often wonder when and how much to tip contractors, and roofers are no exception. Long story short—you don’t have to tip your roofers. Their pay will fully and fairly cover their work. But if you feel the team is working hard and doing an exceptional job on installing your stunning new slate roof on a hot day or patching up a leaky roof, it’s a nice gesture to give a tip.
How Much Should I Tip?
Generally, $10 to $20 per roofer is a nice tip that will be warmly welcomed. For particularly challenging work or great results, you may tip $20 to $100 per roofer. Roofing projects typically cost about $350 to $1,500, so you can keep this in mind if you’d like to budget for tips when hiring local roofers, too.
Types of Tips for Roofers
Because tips are not expected and are an extra reward for roofers, cash is the most common option for tipping. But you might be surprised to learn that some of the most popular tips for roofers aren’t money at all.
Many roofers say that some of their most memorable tips are actually in the form of food. You can easily show your appreciation by greeting roofers with hot coffee and donuts or pastries when they arrive to work in the morning. Offer to take their food orders and buy them lunch for their break. Pizza or other food delivery options will be a hit with the crew and may be less expensive in total for you if you are working with a limited budget.
When Do I Tip?
The next step is deciding when to tip the roofers. If you plan to offer the crew a cash tip, you should give it after they finish the job. If you plan to buy breakfast or lunch for the crew, you can time the meals around their schedule.
For a job that takes just a few days, you might offer breakfast and coffee every morning. For a project that takes two or three weeks, you might buy food for the crew once a week. It all depends on the length of the job and what you feel comfortable giving.
Who Do I Give the Tip To?
If you plan to give the crew a cash tip, you can either hand it to each person directly or give it to the foreman on the job, letting them know how to disperse the tip.
For food tips, you can bring the food to the workers or to the foreman to hand out to everyone. You could even bring out a cooler of drinks and a basket of snacks and let them grab treats throughout the day.
You should only tip the roofers who are doing the labor. As generous as you may be, there’s no need to tip the sales team, company owner or managers.
Other Roofing Etiquette Questions
What’s The Best Amount to Tip a Roofer?
As mentioned, if you do decide to tip a roofer, $20 is perfectly proper. However, if the roofer did an exceptional job, and you want to show your appreciation, a tip as high as $100 per roofer would be greatly appreciated.
Should I buy roofers lunch?
It’s considered basic etiquette to offer roofers water, at the very least. But if you have the budget for it, you should offer to buy them lunch (or breakfast) at least once during their time at your home. You can choose the best time to provide them with lunch, but be sure to find out their dietary preferences beforehand.
Do Roofers Need to Come Inside My Home?
While there is no requirement that you need to let roofers inside your home, it is proper etiquette to offer the use of your restrooms. And if it’s a hot day, it’s polite to invite the roofers into your house to cool off and have a chilled drink.
