Should You Tip Roofers and How Much Do You Give?

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 tipping options.

Do You Tip 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.

Things to Consider When Tipping Roofers

If you’re not sure whether or not you should tip your roofer, below are some situations that might be an appropriate time to show your appreciation: 

• When your roofer and their team do an excellent job in less than ideal conditions (such as completing repairs on a chilly day or installing a new roof during the hottest week of the summer)

• If you’re pleased with the work and the team went above and beyond on your project

• It's easier to tip when there’s a smaller crew of a few people. Otherwise, tipping a larger team might push you out of your budget

However, your roofer’s work may not always warrant a tip. Here are some scenarios where you may not want to tip:

• If your roofer does a poor or rushed job

• If they were inconsiderate to your home or you during the project

• If their roofing company’s policy doesn’t allow tipping

How Much Should You Tip Roofers?

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 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.

Alternatives to Tipping Roofers

Photo: Visoot Uthairam / Moment / Getty Images

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 at 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 You Tip Roofers?

The next step is deciding when to tip the roofers. If you plan to offer the crew a cash tip, you should give it to them 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 You 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.