Are you having new or replacement windows installed in your house? While a new window can brighten up your home and save you money on utilities, most of us don’t want to tackle window installation on our own. Professional window installation is commonly available when you buy windows from an independent dealer, contractor, or big box shops such as Lowes or Home Depot. Window installation is relatively affordable and for the majority of us, a professional window installer can install our new windows, or replace our existing windows, much better and faster than we ever could.

On the day your windows will be installed, you might wonder if you should tip window installers. So, do you tip window installers? If you do tip, how much should you tip window installers? This window installer tipping guide will answer these two questions.

Do you tip window installers? (Answer)

No, you don’t have to tip window installers and it’s not customary to tip, so they won’t be expecting a tip either. Of course, window installers always appreciate tips.

Tipping is not common in the construction industry even though it is in many service industries in the United States. Tipping window installers is just not very common.

How much do you tip window installers?

Although you don’t tip window installers, you can leave one if you want to. If you’d like to leave a non-monetary tip for a great job, consider buying a pizza and giving out drinks around lunchtime. It’ll be popular, will save you some cash, and will keep the workers at your home and not on a long lunch break that could make your job run behind schedule. Do ask the window installers what their pizza preferences are before ordering since sometimes people are vegan, don’t eat pork, or really dislike pineapple even though you and many others think it’s a great topping.

If you do want to leave a cash tip, you can leave $10 per person at the end of the job. If it’s an especially big job or you have lots of windows, then $20 per person might be more appropriate.

How much do window installers make?

In the United States, window installers earn $51,458 per year on average. That’s not bad! The job can be seasonal, though, so it’s not uncommon for window installers living in the North to go down South or West to find work in the winter months.

Window installers

What exactly is a window installer? A window installer fits windows into window frames. It sounds pretty simple, but it can actually be quite challenging. They tackle installations for all shapes and types of windows. Whether it’s a rectangle or oval, vinyl window or aluminum, clear or frosted, Anderson or Pella or generic, a window installer can do it all. It’s a specialized job and over time, a window installer becomes very efficient at installing windows. If you watch a window installer at work it might seem that his job is simple but it would take an average person with no knowledge of how to fit a window much more effort and time to do it themselves.

Since it takes an average person a long time to properly install a window, it follows that the way to get better at it is with lots of practice. That’s exactly how window installers become, well, window installers. If you want to become a window installer, you take an apprenticeship or first work as a helper for an experienced window installer.

Once a hopeful window installer has completed a window installer apprenticeship or has amassed enough hours working as a helper for a pro, he can then optionally do a window installer certification, such as the Certified Glass Installer, to show off his knowledge and convey professionalism to customers. In any case, the new window installer can get to work bringing light into homes while keeping out the elements.