What to charge for services?

[Kris in MI]

Not purely hypothetical, but let's say I knew someone who wanted help with keeping up with stuff around their home/farm.

Things like:
pulling weeds/maintaining flowerbeds
tree trimming
trimming/shaping their bushes and shrubs
fence repairs (wooden posts and 1" x 6" x 16' oak boards, no wire)
cleaning outdoor porch
cleaning screen porch
occasional dusting, vacuuming and mopping inside the house
occasional grocery shopping

What would you charge for those sorts of things? Because in this not-quite hypothetical instance, the person wanting help is thinking along the lines of minimum wage to $10 an hour in payment for services is a reasonable amount. I'm thinking, however, that if you broke each of those services down and hired someone in the business of doing them (ie lawn service/landscaper, personal shopper, fencing company, housekeeper) that $10 an hour is baloney.

[hercsmama]

I think it all depends.
My son works for a fencing company, he doesn't have to carry the overhead of insurance, equipment expenses, payroll, taxes and such. He gets paid, 10.00 an hour.
Now another boy of ours, who I swear just started with a landscape company, is also getting 10.00 an hour.
They are thrilled to be getting that much, and having full time work.
If you don't have the overhead, it seems that's a fair wage. But, if you're going to be carrying insurance and other costs, maybe charging per job would be better?

[Wanda]

Just walk away before you get mad! If you are going to compare some part time jobs with the services of a professional with all the equipment and knowledge they will never be equal in service or pay.

[sisterpine]

I think 15 per hour and you take care of the taxes and insurance seems fair to me.

I charge 60 per hour for therapy services and that is to pay my overhead, insurance, taxes and education etc so I broke it down from there. Hope this helps

Also, in Tucson, my DB charges 25 per hour plus mileage for general maintanence and remodeling services.

[mnn2501]

Handymen are getting $65 - 80 an hour here in the Dallas area.(they are insured and they work is guaranteed - however they are far from experts in everything)

Maid service runs $25-50 an hour.

[DAVID In Wisconsin]

$10 for unskilled general labor sounds about right to me.

[Steve in PA]

What it is worth to whom? To them it is worth $10/hr. To you the time is worth more than that. If it's not worth $10 to you it may be to the next person. That's how a market works.

[Kris in MI]

Originally Posted by hercsmama

I think it all depends.
My son works for a fencing company, he doesn't have to carry the overhead of insurance, equipment expenses, payroll, taxes and such. He gets paid, 10.00 an hour.
Now another boy of ours, who I swear just started with a landscape company, is also getting 10.00 an hour.
They are thrilled to be getting that much, and having full time work.
If you don't have the overhead, it seems that's a fair wage. But, if you're going to be carrying insurance and other costs, maybe charging per job would be better?

Originally Posted by Wanda

Just walk away before you get mad! If you are going to compare some part time jobs with the services of a professional with all the equipment and knowledge they will never be equal in service or pay.

Originally Posted by DAVID In Wisconsin

$10 for unskilled general labor sounds about right to me.

To give a few more specifics--

--to me, there is a difference between being a teen/young adult working for a company and getting paid $10 an hour and being an "independent contractor" and earning $10 per hour for a job.

--also, I don't exactly consider these as unskilled labor, since they are all things I have many years experience doing even though I have never done them "professionally", mainly because they aren't anything I desire to have a career in. It's not like she is hiring a person with little knowledge or experience (or even a company who's workers are all people doing this for the very first season), to me that would be unskilled labor. The shrub trimming specifically she has 'trained' me in exactly how she wanted them done when I helped her several years ago during a time when her health didn't permit her to be able to do the job herself.

Also, guess I should say there are other people around that she and I both know who would jump at the work, but she wants me to do these jobs rather than hire any of those other people.

Not trying to be argumentative, but I think I should been less vague in my question. More like: if you had years of experience in any of these areas but chose not to do them professionally, what would you consider a fair rate for these jobs when requested by a friend/neighbor/associate to do them?

[Wanda]

Price them on a per job basis and maybe you can meet in the middle. If not walk away because it will only make both of you upset over a few dollars!

[||Downhome||]

The professional services have overhead Involved.
They do not pocket the whole check.

I knew a painter that grossed 150,000 dollars per year, but once you started taking out expenses he was only netting 40,000 and had all the headaches and worked more then 40 hours a week.

My Father was also a painter and the hired help always thought they deserved more money once they knew what a job payed. But Dad covered the tools (expense) Advertizing (expense) Material (Expense) Insurance,Employ costs,As well as the Foot work to get the Job.

This is why everything cost more!

Even if some one calls for a quote you may not land it, every 10 jobs you may get 3.
Thats an expense that comes off the Job you do get..
Somtimes you won't have a job for a while.
Then add on to that the Years to become established and skilled as well as all the Liability and well there is a reason he made more then the hired help.

I help a neighbor hay for some spare cash, he started me out at 5.00 last round I was paid 8.00
which was nice, I loaded a few thousand dollars in hay for him. But I think 8.00 is an hour is more then fair. Hes has money tied in fertilizer,seed,fuel,land,delivery,equipment.

Those are considerations that need to be factored.

10.00 and hour under the table, here in Michigan for menial labor, more so in some areas of Michigan is tremendous!

Tell me where its at I will do it!

If she really wants you to do it ask for 12.00 or have a sliding scale for various jobs.

as far as by Job unless you can pad it for some comfort room, or you know full well you can meet your expectations per hour is the best rate of pay.

[Taylor R.]

I do many of those things for my cleaning clients, and I charge $10 an hour, plus mileage and supplies. It amounts to about $15 an hour. I don't feel underpaid in any way shape or form. Nobody pays me to do those things at my house, so I'm thrilled to have the $15 an hour. If you (or whoever) isn't happy with the hypothetical wage, I just wouldn't do it. If they don't want to pay what you feel your time is worth, there's no sense in it.

P.S., I do a little dance when my clients ask for help in the garden. I LOVE getting paid to do something I enjoy so much, and nobody at my clients' homes bother me while I garden there.

[Kris in MI]

Thanks, everybody. I appreciate the feedback. It pretty much tells me what I was feeling but wasn't sure if I should. . . that if the job isn't worth it to me, I should pass on it.

Wanda, you described what I thought I'd attempt to do: put a reasonable price on it, then let her decide if she wanted to pay that much. If not, it's her decision rather than me just saying "NO." without a 'good' (ie acceptable to her) reason.

Downhome, I sure wish the person in question would hire you! She needs someone to do a large variety of tasks. She used to have an on-call handyman and that is what she really needs. Problem is she wants me, and I don't want to be at her beck and call for that amount of money or those tasks. I have way too many other things at my own place I need to be or could be doing with the time spent.

Taylor R. part of why I am reluctant to hire myself out for these tasks is that the person in question hovers. Gives you a task, with details down to the minutest instruction, sometimes taking 30 minutes or more to tell you exactly how they want a 10 minute task done, then pretty much stands over your shoulder while you are doing it. No thanks. I can see the first or second time doing a particular job for a person, but after you've done the same job every few months for them, or annually for 8 years?!? I don't need it.

[jwal10]

$10.00 sounds about right for most of those jobs IF they furnish everything, I just need to show up.
I get $15.00 an hour for light construction jobs with MY tools. Also $15.00 an hour for yard work with all MY tools. (lawn install, tree trimming, etc) BUT I will, and do many things for $10.00 an hour. I also donate many hours for little or no pay, just helping my friends and neighbors....James

[||Downhome||]

Originally Posted by Kris in MI

Thanks, everybody. I appreciate the feedback. It pretty much tells me what I was feeling but wasn't sure if I should. . . that if the job isn't worth it to me, I should pass on it.

Wanda, you described what I thought I'd attempt to do: put a reasonable price on it, then let her decide if she wanted to pay that much. If not, it's her decision rather than me just saying "NO." without a 'good' (ie acceptable to her) reason.

Downhome, I sure wish the person in question would hire you! She needs someone to do a large variety of tasks. She used to have an on-call handyman and that is what she really needs. Problem is she wants me, and I don't want to be at her beck and call for that amount of money or those tasks. I have way too many other things at my own place I need to be or could be doing with the time spent.

Taylor R. part of why I am reluctant to hire myself out for these tasks is that the person in question hovers. Gives you a task, with details down to the minutest instruction, sometimes taking 30 minutes or more to tell you exactly how they want a 10 minute task done, then pretty much stands over your shoulder while you are doing it. No thanks. I can see the first or second time doing a particular job for a person, but after you've done the same job every few months for them, or annually for 8 years?!? I don't need it.

There you Go!

I don't do hoover though, I will accept a set of instructions, but if hired to do a Job I expect to be left to do it.

Just tell here thanks for the offer but My life is just Too full at the moment.

[Pugnacious]

In todays climate, I wouldn't get out of bed for ten dollars an hour. My skills and knowledge are worth more. 20 dollars may cut it if I am bored. If it's a helping a neighbor thing, it would be free. If she has plenty of money and just really wants you, find out how bad. There is a price to pay for being a nag and standing over someone's shoulder.

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[Yvonne's hubby]

In my way of thinking 10 bucks an hour for basic unskilled labor is a bit high. Having 30 years experience at pulling weeds, and dusting really doesnt make it any more complex a task. From what I read in the OP we are looking at minimum wage at best, and whoever is doing the work best be hustling if I am going to pay them that much. I worked a lotta years as an auto mechanic, and was good at it, never charged anyone more than 10 bucks an hour. I also did a lot of carpentry over the yeas, which is considered by most to be a skilled trade, furnished all my own tools and equipment... top dollar charged was 8 per hour. I recall a young feller once who hired on as a handyman for an old widder woman living up the road from me. She agreed to pay him 4 bucks an hour to rake leaves. After working for a couple hours he went to her and wanted a raise..... seems as though being a college graduate made him more valuable in his mind! She didnt see it that way, and just to be honest.... neither did I. Try to put the shoe on the other foot, what would you be willing to pay someone for performing these tasks? Ten bucks an hour for weeding the garden soon makes your veggies quite expensive.

[Taylor R.]

Oh goodness, I've had hoverers before. It is...mentally exhausting. I drop those sorts of clients, telling them my schedule has gotten too full and I'd be happy to recommend someone.

If she wants to pay enough to make it worth the mental onslaught, it'd be a different story. Is she ever not home? I do my best to schedule clients when they're not home, 'so I won't get in the way,' of course.

[Pugnacious]

Less than 10 bucks an hour for a good mechanic? I've never seen it. I'm not a young kid either. You get what you pay for. All of the mechanics I have hired charged 80 dollars an hour and I was happy to pay for their skill. My company charges customers 100 dollars an hour for me and there is a 12 hour minimum for me to show up. Even if it's 5 minutes. Granted, there is a difference between oil companies and the little old lady up the street. Usually the little old lady is more of a pain to work for. I know my grandparents were.......

[Molly Mckee]

If this is the lady that has taken advantage of you before, or a friend I wouldn't do it. That type of wide ranging, jack of all trades job can be too nebulous and both of you will end up upset. It's a good way to loose a friend.

[irondale]

Originally Posted by Kris in MI

--also, I don't exactly consider these as unskilled labor, since they are all things I have many years experience doing even though I have never done them "professionally", mainly because they aren't anything I desire to have a career in. It's not like she is hiring a person with little knowledge or experience (or even a company who's workers are all people doing this for the very first season), to me that would be unskilled labor.

Unskilled labor has nothing to do with how many years you have been doing something, it has to do with the type of work being done. All of the task you listed above would fall under unskilled labor even if you have been doing them for 30 years. So I guess you need to find out what unskilled labor in your area is going for and that would be what you should charge (of course after other variables are factored in).