I’m seeing already that I’m not going to be able to do the kinds of work I enjoy entirely on my own , but I don’t have enough yet to be able to carry someone on a payroll. Any of you other guys in the same situation? Any source of good, reliable, occasional workers that’s worked well for you? I’ve used friend’s kids, brothers, etc with pretty mediocre results..
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Replies
In general or you looking for muscles or skills?
Sorry Bill, I know I was a bit vague. I'm just frustrated at the moment. I'd like someone with some very basic knowledge at least, but mostly eager, attentive, willing to work as hard as I do. I've been paying a few kids 10-12.00/ hr cash and getting veryyyyyyyy mixed results doing things like just helping hang DW, shlep trash, run to the store etc.
You might want to look for student help. Don't know what is in your area, but a high school with votech classes. A CC with votech.A CC or universtiy with anykind of engineering/building/arch classes.
Ive used a university student for a few years now . He's off from next week till first week in sept. Fed govt here kicks in about $1.00 hr if you use fulltime student. I find at that level they arent as stuped as the high school students.
We have two college students now. One has all his classes on Tuesday and Thursday and works two days a week and a third if he doesn't have to study. The other is 1 1/2 days a week. They will work full time in the summer. Both are good but not all students have worked out in the past. It probably depends on you as a supervisor, your patience and the nature of your work.
college. I have one at tech school,works 2-3 days per week. Works out great for both of us. I just plan my week around knowing when I have help,and he has a good part time job for more than $7 / hr
From:
ADM - "....I just plan my week around knowing when I have help,and he has a good part time job for more than $7 / hr"
It interesting the kind of "occasional help" you and some other here are referring too is very different from the kind of "occasional help" I was referring to coming from an agency such as Tradesource
The Tradesource personnel I hired (and this was a few years ago now) I was getting for something like $40 to $45 per hour. Admittedly I was looking for Journeymen level carpenters not beginners but I know Tradesource also supplies lower level personnel too albeit they will cost a lot more than just $7 per hour. Especially in NY and CT (where Paul is).
But then again while you're hiring tech school students at $7 per hour there are other costs attached to that that you are still paying for such as workers comp SS FICA Unemployment etc. which add probably at a bare minimum 25-30% to that number. The personnel I got from Tradesouce all that stuff they took care of. Also other than writing the check out to them I wasn't spending time computing payroll since they performed that on their own personnel.
Plus there is another "soft" costs that you can add in there too. There is:
the time it takes for you to find and interview the prospects
the time it takes to secure insurance on that new temporary personnel
the cost of your lost productivity having to direct the unskilled or under-skilled labor
the cost of rework on any work they perform that is not up to snuff.
etc.
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Thanks guys...
I think I'll explore the student idea a bit.
Paul
Hey Paul...if your paying 10-12 an hour it seems like you might be able to find somebody decent, I agree with the vocational school approach. Back in the "day" (1978) I was enrolled in carpentry and masonry at the vocational school and I went to work for a company that was looking for help rather than go to Vocational in the afternoon...it was a good deal for me and I had a job lined up with them after I graduated in June....stayed with them for 2 1/2 years till I joined the Marines....Down here (OKC) 10-12 is more than they want to pay experienced carpenters, much less kids for all the schlep work....I see a lot of ads looking for "experienced carpenters" in the 8-9 dollar an hour range.....If you aren't one of the one's I'm talking about,you shouldn't have any complaints....
Well, I think 10ish an hr is a bit much (but not way too much in this area). But I've always been a believer in paying a little extra to try and get top notch people. Now if I could only get that side of the equation to work ;)
Working someone in school occasionally probably won't work. Part of their grade is based on their work and work ethic, It really does not lend itself to occasional employment.
3 suggestions. Check the dept of aging they have very capable candidates that may be 55 and older that aren't looking for full time work but just something to do. I've hired drivers from them, very reliable people for the most part. Second I have built a network of people that do exactly what I do. We have a pre-set rate between us but for the most part we trade days. Having a pool of highly skilled help gets the jobs done faster with no training or supervision. Third if you're looking for grunts call the local labor pool and only expect to get a strong back.
Paul you might want to check out Tradsource they have an office in Norwalk that services your region. I've used them in the past and for the most part have been very happy with the people they have provided me. They are certainly a better bet than kids, friends, and relatives in terms of getting personnel with skill although you still have to be careful regarding who they send you although then again they do have a pretty good guarantee that I have taken them up on occasion with.
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