Singapore Expats

Tomorrow we move into our apartment. At home, movers definitely expected a tip, sometimes an outrageous amount. Is it expected here? If so, how much?

Way over-tipped at the hair salon yesterday according to the archives. My agent is local, he says no tips for anyone. Need some guidance with the movers. Thank you!

Brooklynjenn wrote:Tomorrow we move into our apartment. At home, movers definitely expected a tip, sometimes an outrageous amount. Is it expected here? If so, how much?

Way over-tipped at the hair salon yesterday according to the archives. My agent is local, he says no tips for anyone. Need some guidance with the movers. Thank you!

Tipping is not customary here in Asia. The years I have been living in SG, I haven't tip anyone and that's including the cab driver, waiters and waitresses, guards, landlords and landladies, my employer, my roommates, this forum users and anyone else that I have come across. They are all fine with it and no one gets angry with me for not tipping. I know the situation in America is you gotta tip tip tip or they kill ya! Thank God not here in SG and the services are still top notch.

Brooklynjenn wrote:Tomorrow we move into our apartment. At home, movers definitely expected a tip, sometimes an outrageous amount. Is it expected here? If so, how much?

Way over-tipped at the hair salon yesterday according to the archives. My agent is local, he says no tips for anyone. Need some guidance with the movers. Thank you!

Tipping habits in Singapore are very reasonable. You tip only for quality service if you are really convinced someone deserves it. That's why probably tipping is here rather infrequent. You may tip your movers as appreciation if they do not damage anything. It will be the quality service I mentioned above.

Brooklynjenn wrote:Tomorrow we move into our apartment. At home, movers definitely expected a tip, sometimes an outrageous amount. Is it expected here? If so, how much?

Way over-tipped at the hair salon yesterday according to the archives. My agent is local, he says no tips for anyone. Need some guidance with the movers. Thank you!

I've always tipped the movers here, S$50 is probably the right amount and a few cans of drinks ready for them. Most of these guys come in daily from Malaysia looking for casual work and are paid poorly so an extra S$10 is well appreciated.

That all sounds perfectly reasonable, thanks! I once had a driver in the states yell at me for tipping $60 for three and a half hours work moving a one bedroom apartment. I had done all the packing myself, it was just loading and unloading the van. I had also provided lunch and drinks. I was a college student, I had no idea and it seemed like a lot of money to me. It makes it easier to know what is espected. Thanks for your help!

Saint wrote:

Brooklynjenn wrote:Tomorrow we move into our apartment. At home, movers definitely expected a tip, sometimes an outrageous amount. Is it expected here? If so, how much?

Way over-tipped at the hair salon yesterday according to the archives. My agent is local, he says no tips for anyone. Need some guidance with the movers. Thank you!

I've always tipped the movers here, S$50 is probably the right amount and a few cans of drinks ready for them. Most of these guys come in daily from Malaysia looking for casual work and are paid poorly so an extra S$10 is well appreciated.

+1

$50-100 dollars for half day or full day of moving, respectively, is fair game. Probably more if they don't take the legs off your chippendale table when taking it through the door.....

Goodness, should I really tip guys for: scratching parquet floors both in the old and new place; breaking expensive vase (not an accident, negligence); scratching at least three different pieces of furniture; partially breaking my child's exersaucer and staining it with some oily substance (where did they put it? It was covered with protective foil); throwing boxes signed with huge bold text "fragile" printed on a red paper, so the content broke and so on? Tip for a service like that, which we were charged over $1.5k?
No, IMHO, it is enough we did not asked them to cover up for the damages (as one guy in particular was messing up and all of them will have to pay from their pockets apparently, according to the company rules).

We've moved 3x in Singapore - I've always tipped the movers - but always on the 2nd day of the move and I tip the foreman in the presence of the other men so it's split.

We've never had any issues with our moves. (Have also lived in NYC 10 years and have had stuff held on the truck during one inter-city move until I agreed to pay more so am a hardened "movee").

cbavasi wrote: have had stuff held on the truck during one inter-city move until I agreed to pay more so am a hardened "movee").

Please, do not tell me you have tipped them too

gravida wrote:Goodness, should I really tip guys for: scratching parquet floors both in the old and new place; breaking expensive vase (not an accident, negligence); scratching at least three different pieces of furniture; partially breaking my child's exersaucer and staining it with some oily substance (where did they put it? It was covered with protective foil); throwing boxes signed with huge bold text "fragile" printed on a red paper, so the content broke and so on? Tip for a service like that, which we were charged over $1.5k?
No, IMHO, it is enough we did not asked them to cover up for the damages (as one guy in particular was messing up and all of them will have to pay from their pockets apparently, according to the company rules).

Common sense would suggest that you aint gonna tip if you get bad service for anything, and moving should be no different.

gravida wrote:

cbavasi wrote: have had stuff held on the truck during one inter-city move until I agreed to pay more so am a hardened "movee").

Please, do not tell me you have tipped them too

Unfortunately I was living in such a bad neighborhood I probably did!

Depending on their service. If you find it good, a small tipping is appreciate