I am astounded by the care and diligence of the guys who just put in a new patio for me. I’d like to tip them but I don’t waht to commit any tipping faux pas.
My instinct is to give each of the labourers (but not the contractor) $100. Does that sound right?
Should I give the contractor something too?
It’s your money. Do whatever you want with it.
Meh. I’d tip him if you’re tipping them, unless you’re unsatisfied with his performance for some reason.
If you tip the labor, you should tip the contractor as well.
It isn’t as if the contractor just stood around and told them what to do.
$100 per sounds good, but it depends upon the total cost of the project.
Not sure why you’d tip the workers or the contractor himself. The workers are clearly making at least minimum wage, probably more if they’re skilled or even semi-skilled. The contractor figured his profit into the contract price.
Can I jump in here with not liking the way everything has become a tipping opportunity without being a threadshitter? I would assume that the quality of the contractors previous work factored into your choice to use them. I would also assume that the care the contractor used in doing your patio was probably figured into the cost they quoted you.
of course on preview I see Oakminster made the same point.
I think you should tip the laborers but not the contractor.
I own a very small contracting business , we do very specialized work programming automation systems. I usually do most of the work myself.
Most people don’t see this as a tippable situation but every now and then someone will slip me a $50 or $100. I usually tell them I am a principal in the company and give it back.
This is IMHO, but it would have never occurred to me to tip contractors or laborers. The laborers should be happy with the salary they’re being given by the contractor, otherwise why are they working for them? And the contractor should be happy with the agreed-upon price before starting the job, if it’s not enough money than renegotiate or don’t do the job.
Around here, 90% of the home construction laborers are undocumented (or poorly documented) workers. I strongly suspect things aren’t much different in kevlaw’s neck of the woods (California).
Well, it’s IMHO now 
[moderating]
Moved thread from **General Questions **to In My Humble Opinion, since there’s no factual answer.
[/moderating]
Speaking with my moderator hat off, the thought of tipping contractors wouldn’t have occurred to me, either.
When we have people working hard at the house, we’ll usually take them out cold drinks (or hot drinks in the winter) every now and then, or even some snacks. But I assume that the price they quoted is what I’m expected to pay.
Right, but kevlaw apparently believes that these particular workers have gone above and beyond. I’m sure he doesn’t think he has to tip them.
First thing I did was check kevlaw’s location to see if he’s around here. Nope, no such luck. 
I haven’t got a clue about tipping patio installers - I’d say tipping the workers would go over good. I don’t think I’d tip the contractor - he’s already getting his profit.
There’s something of a convention that you don’t need to tip the guy who owns the business, since he sets the rates and (probably more importantly) he wants your referrals and positive review more than he wants a few extra dollars via tip. I can’t imagine that a contractor would be offended to see you tip his workers but not himself, but I would be interested to hear what people in that position have to say on the matter.
If movers can be used as a parallel, I was very pleased with their effort and care too so, being 5 of them, I gave the main guy, the one who ran the crew but was right there with them doing the work, a $100 tip. He in turn gave it all to the four in his crew and told them to divide it among themselves.
I didn’t have a “contractor” per se but wouldn’t have given it to the office guy that sold me the work, just to those doing the work.
That’s right. I do live in California and, frankly, I think the tipping culture in the US is barbaric. (I’m from the UK). I hate tipping. It’s stupid. But…
In this case, the workers really have gone way beyond the call of duty. Example: Last night, one of the workers stayed late and was picking up bits of sand from the grass and they clean and sweep every where before they go home.
I want to tip them because it would give me pleasure to do so, not because I feel obligated to tip them.
We actually have two groups of contractors working at the same time. We won’t be tipping both groups.
Group A has merely done a very good job of what I contracted them to do. No tip for them.
Group B has delighted me in every regard and enhanced my admiration for humankind. Tipping them would make me feel good.
Go for it! No amount will be too small or too big. Give them whatever you want.
Final decision:
$100 plus homemade cookies for workers. Cookies and a bottle of wine (and the promise of more work) for contractor.
With the immediate business over, I can respond to the attempted hijacks
To justrob and Oakminster and other anti-tippers…
I am vehemently anti-tipping too. I wish we could abolish the expectation of tipping for merely excellent work so that, on the rare occasion where a tip is truly merited, it is seen as something special rather than a obligation to society. I’d start by getting rid of tips for taxi-drivers, hair-dressers, barmen, waitresses and anyone else who expects a tip for doing their job.
After much angst, and research, and people coming to give estimates for a new door, $1800 and up - today a guy who subcontracted with Pella windows came and fixed the MF’ing sliding glass patio door. I knew it COULD be fixed, it was just a matter of finding out who made the door and who could fix said door. Mr. Sali was so thrilled he gave the Pella guy all his lunch money ($30) for next week as a tip. 
It annoys me that installers and contractors hang around at the end of the job with this hopeful look on their faces. If you’re hiring legitimate contractors, then tipping contractors is just bullshit. The workers are getting paid Davis-Bacon or better wages, which is plenty. The contractor himself has marked up his estimate to include overhead and profit, which is usually set at 15% and 10%, regardless of what his actual costs are. Most people don’t know that these rates are negotiable. As for the OP: “care and diligence” is called “workmanship”. It’s expected and rates no extra pay. I’m all over my contractors if I think they’re not doing work that is up to par, and have called the boss in to kick their asses if they don’t do what they’re supposed to be doing.
They’re performing the work that they’ve been hired to do and paid to do, so tipping is out of the question for me.