How much to tip installer?

[VMI90]

I'm getting an upgrade to a DVR and D* has offered free installation. How much should I tip the installer? I'm not sure how much the installers are paid for an install and I want to make sure that he/she knows how much I appreciate their hard work.

Thanks for the input.

 

[joed32]

If it's a full install and they do a good job and make sure everything is working then $20 is a good tip.

 

[hdtvtechno]

perhaps a case of cold coke cola..

 

[raoul5788]

I'm getting an upgrade to a DVR and D* has offered free installation. How much should I tip the installer? I'm not sure how much the installers are paid for an install and I want to make sure that he/she knows how much I appreciate their hard work.

Thanks for the input.

If all they are doing is swapping out an old receiver for a dvr, I don't think I would tip anything. If they are running a new line, that's different. Maybe $10-20 depending on the amount and quality of the work.

 

[VMI90]

In my living room I currently have an H20. I'm having and HR21 installed there so the installer would need to run a 2nd line. I'm also having the H20 relocated to the master bedroom so there would need to have a line run to that location as well.

 

[jtwex]

Having everything ready for him/her is a big plus & I always have the ladder extended near where the dish is located. The extra gratuity comes in handy when peaking the dish becomes the priority. That suggested 70 reading may be acceptable for D but it wont be for you; an extra $20 for this service is a must.

 

[VMI90]

I was afraid that $20 wasn't enough. I currently have the slimline on a pole mount. For past installs I've offered to bury the line myself. I currently have the following signal strenght so hopefully peaking isn't necessary.

101 - 96%
110 - 94%
119 - 81%
99a - 83%
103b - 81%

 

[shugo77]

If they do a good, thorough, neat job, and clean after themselves... I have tipped $20. I don't tip just for the heck of it, they have to earn it.

 

[jtwex]

I was afraid that $20 wasn't enough. I currently have the slimline on a pole mount. For past installs I've offered to bury the line myself. I currently have the following signal strength so hopefully peaking isn't necessary.

101 - 96%
110 - 94%
119 - 81%
99a - 83%
103b - 81%

$20 was just to peak the dish & probably isn't enough for all that other stuff. I believe the first line is considered free, but discuss the whole situation with him/her before hand & see what he expects/wants. A worker that knows there's something in it for him at the end of the install whistles while he works.

I would personally like those numbers higher (119, 99 & 103) though that might not be possible as some receivers just show lower signal readings than reality. I had lower numbers on the H20's until a software update raised everything across the board.

 

[jtwex]

Oh, & if he's a good installer the gratuity should get you the guys cells phone number for those quick service calls in the future.

 

[Paul Wozniak]

Having everything ready for him/her is a big plus & I always have the ladder extended near where the dish is located. The extra gratuity comes in handy when peaking the dish becomes the priority. That suggested 70 reading may be acceptable for D but it wont be for you; an extra $20 for this service is a must.

In this sue-happy country, I wouldn't call this good advise. Putting yourself at risk, wouldn't you think?

 

[jtwex]

In this sue-happy country, I wouldn't call this good advise. Putting yourself at risk, wouldn't you think?

This is a funny point as one installer called my ladder a paraplegic maker. One of those 5 footers that unlock 4 times to 20 feet. I only need 10 feet so he used it anyway. I guess you can skip the ladder advise in this sue happy country; most installers have been happy not to drag their ladders off their truck racks.

 

[ClemSole]

Not One Penney. They are doing the job they are getting paid for. Just say Thank You.

 

[tastim]

Not One Penney. They are doing the job they are getting paid for. Just say Thank You.

Ahhh the words of someone who probably doesn't even tip his waitress

As an installer, I don't expect a tip.... but if I go out of my way to make sure you're happy, any kind of acknowledgement of my hard work is appreciated. I have refused tips in the past because the customer had been so nice to me while I was there, bringing me drinks and unhooking their old equipment for me or having their TV moved, etc.... that stuff alone will get you much better service.

On the other hand, if it is just assumed that I am going to do all this custom work, or I get treated like I am some kind of sleeze ball, you're getting bare mimimum if anything at all. (this is mostly aimed at the above poster, not the original poster)

A lot of people don't have any idea what is involved in this job sometime and I believe it is assumed we make a lot more than we do.... so some respect and appreciation goes a long way to making our day.

 

[Joe Diamond]

Not One Penney. They are doing the job they are getting paid for. Just say Thank You.

Clem,
You are correct. If the installer is an employee and being paid by the hour then by all means expect him to do everything on the work order. And then he will leave.

However, my rate for all custom work is sixty dollars an hour plus materials. No tipping is required....checks or cash for services rendered please. I am a contractor paid to do the basic FREE installation.

Somewhere in between the private contractor rates ( I am cheap when local) and what DTV will charge for a return visit to authorize the installer to do the custom work on the NEW WORK ORDER is where tips could smooth things out.

And, ya know, the tips and checks have always been nice but the thing I always appreciated more were the sandwiches and pie packed for the ride home after all the stores were closed. Beer and conversation was nice too.

Joe

 

[apollog]

A tip of $20 dollars is perfectly fine. :up

 

[satjay]

Clem,
You are correct. If the installer is an employee and being paid by the hour then by all means expect him to do everything on the work order. And then he will leave.

However, my rate for all custom work is sixty dollars an hour plus materials. No tipping is required....checks or cash for services rendered please. I am a contractor paid to do the basic FREE installation.

Somewhere in between the private contractor rates ( I am cheap when local) and what DTV will charge for a return visit to authorize the installer to do the custom work on the NEW WORK ORDER is where tips could smooth things out.

And, ya know, the tips and checks have always been nice but the thing I always appreciated more were the sandwiches and pie packed for the ride home after all the stores were closed. Beer and conversation was nice too.

Joe

I would agree, when ever I had a little extra done.....or a job that I thought was done real nice, taken a lot of time I have provided a few bucks. I am also one that disconects and trys to get equipment ready. There is a difference between the basic install and the requests we may have every now and then.

 

[Bill 13]

Good post, he's probably the type that would complain that he didn't get something for free

 

[riffjim4069]

It depends:

-I've shown a "professional installer" the door when he didn't appear to have a clue.

-I left a VOOM installer $50 because he did a neat job, property grounded the dish, and ran the RG-6 into the basement where I asked him to (80 ft. run vice 25 ft. to drill through the side of the house)...of course, I also ran RG-6 to both TV locations prior to his arrival.

I was going to give the VOOM installer $25 for running out an additional receiver (installation). I ran the new RG-6 to a wall-plate, connected it to the switch, and made two 4 ft. sections of RG-6 to connect the receiver (satellite and OTA ports) using my compression tool and fittings. However, when I realized I had forgotten to make a 4 ft. length of RG-6 w/fittings for my OTA A/B switch, he replied that he would have to charge me $5 for the cable and two fittings. Needless to say, I pulled the $25 out of my pocket and had lunch at a local steak house instead of giving it to the douchbag. I should have made him reimburse me for my 58 ft. of cable and 6 fittings.

Finally, I gave the Dish Network installer $60 because he was an excellent communicator and did a very tidy job installing a two-dish 500 system, 4-tuner system. He appreciated the fact I ran all the cabling, and installed the switch in the basement exatly where I wanted it. He was in and out in about an hour and told that he wished all customer were like me. I told him I wished all installers were like him.

 

[jtwex]

Good post, he's probably the type that would complain that he didn't get something for free

Exactly right, plenty of stuff to get for free through D's CSR's, not the installers. You don't have to tip (Tip is a bad word anyway when were talking about phishing through walls & such) but be prepared for the letter of the law install. A nose bleeding signal strength of 70, no wall plates or colorful compression grommets identifying each cable.

And best of all, be prepared for that one month long service appointment next time you need a tweak. A good tech hands out his cell number which is a much better number to call for those quick tweaks.