3/1     How much should I tip home improvement contractors?  I'm replacing
        all my windows and patio doors.  The company that sells me the windows
        / doors is also doing installation.  There are one foreman and two
        workers in the crew.  They're spending two full days at my house.
        According to http://www.tipping.org/tips/TipsPageContractors.html I
        should tip $50+30+30.  Does that sound reasonable?  I have no prior
        experience.  Thanks.
        \_ Let me put this bluntly. You either have a lot of money, or you
           are an idiot, or both.
        \_ What the hell is it with you Americans and your obsession with
           exact tipping percentages? You tip when you want to and you don't
           tip when you don't need to. This is the land of the free and you
           do whatever you like. You're not gonna get special treatment for
           overtipping and you're not gonna get bad treatment for not tipping.
        \_ You have too much cash to give away? You tip to people who give you
           good service, who make LESS than minimum wage and depend on tips,
           and who you wish to see over and over again to get the same service.
           Are these contractors starving, making minimum wage, and you wish
           to see over and over again? These people are highly skilled
           PROFESSIONALS making good money. You are not obligated to tip
           anything.
        \_ I have only tipped for exceptional work, but it is up to you.
           That number sounds about right.
        \_ You are crazy. I tip them if I like them. I tipped my painter
           $100, because I liked him and he did a good job. Lots of them
           I don't tip at all. Some of them I tip in the form of lunch
           and/or beer. Usually, if I tip I will give them a $20 bill
           each at most. I didn't tip my window guy at all.
        \_ Thanks for all the responses.  I just want to know the ballpark
           number.  For example, the about-right number for average service at
           a restaurant is 15%, so patrons can go higher or lower than that
           number accorder to the quality of service they receives.  So, I just
           want to know the about-right number which I can then adjust
           depending on how the crews do.  --- OP
           \_ The crews should have no expectation of being tipped. They
              appreciate it if you do it, of course. It's not the same
              as a waiter/waitress. You just paid those guys, say,
              $100/hour to tile your bathroom and then you want to *tip*
              them? Give them a case of beer unless they did an
              exceptional job. On an hourly basis they make more money
              than you do, even after expenses. The difference being that
              they don't necessarily work 8 hours per day every day. Some
              of those guys should be tipping *you*. Did you ever see
              'The Money Pit'? One of the contractors drives a Corvette.
              It's funny because it's true. One of my friends is a general
              contractor as he says 'Roofers drive Jaguars.' Sure, your
              guys are probably day laborers, but I bet you're still
              paying a lot more than the $10-15/hour they are getting in
              their pockets from the GC. And you want to tip them?!
              \_ Roofers are also completely crazy.  I met a roofer who did
                 a lot of work in Dutch Harbor, and he said that one time
                 he hired a couple crabbers, but they weren't crazy enough
                 to roof out there, so they quit.