Hired Help Wake Up Call - What Are You Business Owners Doing?

[Tight Lines]

Just paid two Hispanic gentlemen to help me clear my flooded home of damaged belongings…$25/hour but they worked very hard. I gave them each an extra $50 after we finished.

I gave the guys yesterday lunch, water, beer, gloves, and a tip as they also worked very hard. I also got all their cell phone numbers so I can pre-arrange next time.

I've been working on clearing 1.77 acres for about 8 years...the past storms took down a bunch of trees and branches...and we pulled out a bunch of old landscaping yesterday too...

I love working in the yard and am one sore dude today...

 

[earlthegoat2]

I charge $80/hr for yard work and turn down customers daily.

I know that’s not the point but it gives some perspective on the matter.

I’m sure it matters that I have my own equipment, transportation, insurance, and other overhead as well.

These are the alternatives to the parking lot amigos.

Who is overcharging again?

 

[transfixer]

I charge $80/hr for yard work and turn down customers daily.

I know that’s not the point but it gives some perspective on the matter.

I’m sure it matters that I have my own equipment, transportation, insurance, and other overhead as well.

These are the alternatives to the parking lot amigos. Who is overcharging again?

I guess I'm in the wrong business ? I'm a master tech 36+yrs experience, diagnosing and rebuilding computer controlled transmissions and I don't make that much an hour

 

[earlthegoat2]

I guess I'm in the wrong business ? I'm a master tech 36+yrs experience, diagnosing and rebuilding computer controlled transmissions and I don't make that much an hour

Well it’s also not my day job but I do work 20+ hrs a week at it. I also take home significantly less than that $80/hr.

 

[hopper]

Back on topic...what are you guys hiring hourly workers seeing?

$150 a day short or long. Most don't speak enough English to know what they getting into. My SIL is doing most of the labor finding these days and it is getting tough but these things come and go in shifts. If the economy keeps going down they will be jumping in the truck for a bag of chips like the good old days.
My industry is tough work pays a steady employee $200 a day work from 9.30 to whenever we're done mostly 6-11 hrs. We hire get them set up and most quite within a month so day laborers are pretty much essential since it's not a One Guy kinda job. For the right Amigo proven to keep coming to work and work to gain some experience $200 a day

 

[hopper]

I guess I'm in the wrong business ? I'm a master tech 36+yrs experience, diagnosing and rebuilding computer controlled transmissions and I don't make that much an hour

You probably don't have the overhead a buisness owner has either.

 

[Tight Lines]

$150 a day short or long. Most don't speak enough English to know what they getting into. My SIL is doing most of the labor finding these days and it is getting tough but these things come and go in shifts. If the economy keeps going down they will be jumping in the truck for a bag of chips like the good old days.
My industry is tough work pays a steady employee $200 a day work from 9.30 to whenever we're done mostly 6-11 hrs. We hire get them set up and most quite within a month so day laborers are pretty much essential since it's not a One Guy kinda job.

$160 a day seems reasonable based on my recent experience...$40 per hour is off the charts...IMHO

 

[earlthegoat2]

they will be jumping in the truck for a bag of chips like the good old days.

Interesting way of defining the good ol days.

 

[hopper]

$160 is spot on in my book. Depends on location Closer to Atlanta you are the more those guys want. We are in Cumming and 150 hits the mark for a no experience type Amigo

 

[hopper]

Interesting way of defining the good ol days.

A little bit of sarcasm in that statement ?

 

[JB0704]

It's insanity these days. Everybody I know who hires labor can't find help. Have one friend who actually barters work at my place in return for me helping him at his place. People can't be motivated with $$ anymore, and it's not just amigos.

I have a room in my basement I would like to have finished. Had two different companies come out to quote the job. I told both of them I didn't mind waiting a while for the work to be completed, but wanted to know the labor charge so I could budget accordingly. This was in July. Neither have bothered to give me a quote yet. Both will be hungry next year when the recession hits and neither will get one bit of work from me while I am restoring a rental property we just bought because of the way they handled the basement job I asked them to quote. All they had to do was spend a few minutes on a calculator and send me a text. Absurd.

 

[JB0704]

I'll finish the dang room downstairs myself. Save the $$. I remember when the great recession hit, pawn shops were full of laborers tools. These folks have all apparently forgot those days.

 

[earlthegoat2]

It's insanity these days. Everybody I know who hires labor can't find help. Have one friend who actually barters work at my place in return for me helping him at his place. People can't be motivated with $$ anymore, and it's not just amigos.

I have a room in my basement I would like to have finished. Had two different companies come out to quote the job. I told both of them I didn't mind waiting a while for the work to be completed, but wanted to know the labor charge so I could budget accordingly. This was in July. Neither have bothered to give me a quote yet. Both will be hungry next year when the recession hits and neither will get one bit of work from me while I am restoring a rental property we just bought because of the way they handled the basement job I asked them to quote. All they had to do was spend a few minutes on a calculator and send me a text. Absurd.

The wife and I have contacted a few about a whole new kitchen. $40k job probably. No responses.

We are well aware the work would probably be a year or more out too.

 

[earlthegoat2]

I'll finish the dang room downstairs myself. Save the $$. I remember when the great recession hit, pawn shops were full of laborers tools. These folks have all apparently forgot those days.

I was working at a pawn shop those years. About the best business to be in around 2008-9. That is how I got a lot of my tools.

 

[JB0704]

The wife and I have contacted a few about a whole new kitchen. $40k job probably. No responses.

We are well aware the work would probably be a year or more out too.

Blows my mind how short sighted folks are. Both the companies I called are acquiantences, both know there is a rental restoration around the corner which would be really good $$, both know I am in no hurry to get the job done. I don't forget the way folks treat me, good or bad. Some company acting like they are too good for my $$ is something I won't forget.

 

[j_seph]

I guess I'm in the wrong business ? I'm a master tech 36+yrs experience, diagnosing and rebuilding computer controlled transmissions and I don't make that much an hour

I pressure washed a brick wall, took me little over an hour, paid $300

 

[JB0704]

I was working at a pawn shop those years. About the best business to be in around 2008-9. That is how I got a lot of my tools.

I remember walking into one and walking out with several Makita saws, hand sanders, drills, etc. $5 each if I recall. I felt bad for the guys who had to sell them. I just can't for the life of me understand why some business owner can't say "XX amount of $$, and you are 6 months' out." That's all they had to say. Freaking sorry people.

 

[hopper]

I remember walking into one and walking out with several Makita saws, hand sanders, drills, etc. $5 each if I recall. I felt bad for the guys who had to sell them. I just can't for the life of me understand why some business owner can't say "XX amount of $$, and you are 6 months' out." That's all they had to say. Freaking sorry people.

Those type are sorry excuses, just move on.

 

[JB0704]

Those type are sorry excuses, just move on.

I have. I am building a dock right now that I didn't even bother trying to hire out given the way the world is right now, but I am a no good carpenter. I don't trust myself to do the basement job. Guess I will get some buddies over who know a little bit about this stuff show me how to do it and trade beer and ribs for labor, it'll just take a bit longer than if I hired the job out.

 

[earlthegoat2]

I remember walking into one and walking out with several Makita saws, hand sanders, drills, etc. $5 each if I recall. I felt bad for the guys who had to sell them. I just can't for the life of me understand why some business owner can't say "XX amount of $$, and you are 6 months' out." That's all they had to say. Freaking sorry people.

Here is something I got from there at work with me right now.

$100 back in 09. $4800 brand new today from the truck. About $1500 average used street price.