Tipping Etiquette Question

[snort]

Sorry, not necessarily a monohull question, but haven't found this answer anywhere on internet or forum search:
Do you tip a marine surveyor?
Thanks in advance!
Moderator, please feel free to find a more appropriate area for this, is this one doesn't fit.

[Seymore]

No, I do not.

[Jim Cate]

good grief!!!

Do you tip your doctor? Your lawyer? The surveyor (according to the blurbs on Association websites) are trained professionals. They charge dearly for their advice. That's enough, for pity's sake!

Jim

[Dennis.G]

Boy, never even entered my mind.

[sailnow2011]

Yes, but only me
No, never have gotten a tip, thou I have said no to surveys.
I called a customer once and said, I can go home or survey a floating turd.
He could have tipped me, but didn't.

[Mike OReilly]

Never have. As Jim says, the idea seems bizarre to me given that they are supposed to be professionals being contracted to provide a professional service. But I think I've seen this question posed before, either here on on SN, so it must be a thing somewhere .

[krafthaus]

No, didn't in July.

[Paul J. Nolan]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

good grief!!! Do you tip your doctor?

This made me laugh out loud.

Thank you,

Paul

[Ribbit]

To me a good professional approach that's been fairly charged, deserves extra as a token of appreciation, even if it is a bottle of very good whatever they like to drink, and occasionally if I can, taking them out for a meal.

There are way too many unprofessional 'professionals' out there, with supposedly relevant bits of paper, that have a very bad approach to what they assume to make a living at.

The ones that do it right don't tend to get the recognition or encouragement they deserve, and it is that little extra something, that tells them I noticed, and if it helps to keep them encouraged to keep doing a good job, well, it's the least I can do.

I have a couple of very good gardeners (stuff I used to like doing) that charge £10 an hour each. They tackle it professionally, don't hang about, and do a good job. With a recent big project they asked me how I wanted it to look, so I encouraged their creativity by telling them they have far better artistic sense than I have, and do something that looks right to them. It turned out great.

When they arrive I make them breakfast, at lunch I make them lunch. They like the food I make. If it's hot I have bottles of spring water in the fridge ready chilled for them, etc.

I supply any necessary gear that they might need (e.g. a big good quality disc cutter with a big diamond blade, for customising paving, and a wood chipper to turn waste into useful fuel), and make sure they have all the necessary high quality protection gear (dust masks, eye protection, hearing protection, gloves).

They are good people, and if we have had a particularly good and productive day, I give them a bit extra. They are always keen to come back and put in another day.

At least one of them might even end up doing a bit of crewing.

PS. I have tipped a Dr or two along the way. But I haven't had a good enough Dr to tip, for a very long time (in fact they should pay me for the mistakes they have made, due to not paying attention, that have nearly killed me, and would have killed me if I hadn't been as fit as I was, at the start).

My father has just come out from an extended hospital stay, and I have 'tipped' the good people that looked after him, with some bottles of very nice home made liquers (with spirits made in my own still) for them to have at their staff Christmas do. It's a personal touch with high quality things (e.g. a vanilla pod calvados) they won't be able to get anywhere else. When the plum brandy is ready, they will have a bottle of that as well. I also bought a load of their raffle tickets which will help their ward.

[Ribbit]

I may not have much any more, but to me it's about doing the little things that help make the World a better place.

What goes around, comes around.

[Drift Woods]

When we surveyed my new to me boat, the haul out marina was an hour away. After we completed the job we tied up in front of the marinas restaurant and I sprung for lunch. I've never heard of tipping anyone working in a professional capacity.

[valhalla360]

Please don't add more jobs that expect a tip for no good reason. Most surveyors are independent buisnessmen. If they expect more they should charge more.

[Sandero]

This is a ridiculous question.

[Ribbit]

Originally Posted by valhalla360

Please don't add more jobs that expect a tip for no good reason. Most surveyors are independent buisnessmen. If they expect more they should charge more.

I would never tip a job. I will never eat at any place that has compulsory tipping for example. I'd rather make a sandwich.

It's people that matter, and recognising their skill and attitude in what they do.

Many years ago, the BBC did a documentary on China. In it, there was a section showing a Chinese carpenter in his workshop. The guy had a few seconds or so to demonstrate to the whole World of viewers, his skill.

To this end, he had a long piece of wood clamped to his workbench, and one of the old wooden box planes. In a few seconds, he went the full length of that wood, producing one, long, perfectly even, and intact, wood shaving.

Perfect.

I'd buy that guy a drink anytime I was lucky enough to meet him.

[zeehag]

i used kjels christian. the prices paid for survey include travel and other such awesomenesses and a really honest surveyor is worth his weight in gold. unfortunately i dont have that kinda dough and i do not tip surveyor even if he is kjels christian. sorry. but i WILL and DO refer him to other clients and that i feel is just as good, bettter in long run.