Ever hire a day laborer?

[VaSteve]

I have some weeding and mulching and fence staining I want done. It's a lot of work for just me with the mowing and watching the kids. I thought I might be able to hire a guy from in front of the Home Depot. Anyone ever do this?

My concerns...I don't speak spanish....he/they aren't riding in my car. I won't let them use the bathroom inside. Do I have to feed them...it's not like I'm close to food ( a couple of miles away). I suspect there is the potential for some kinda of casing my house or something. I'm not out to cheat anyone or anything, I just don't feel like getting a lawn company to come out and give a ridiculous estimate, etc, etc.

[Noah930]

Originally Posted by VaSteve

I'm not out to cheat anyone or anything, I just don't feel like getting a lawn company to come out and give a ridiculous estimate, etc, etc.

Right off the bat, I'm going to apologize for hijacking your thread. I have nothing useful in terms of answering your original question. But I just have to respond to this line in your post. It might be a small thing--and I'm not saying you're some gawdawful criminal--but by hiring a day laborer you ARE cheating the system. It's a little white lie. And I'm not saying I'm some moralistic super dude who wouldn't do the same thing. But there's a reason why Jose can/will do the job for $x a day, whereas a "real" licensed, insured, and tax-paying company charges a lot more.

I understand where you're coming from, but I don't find your particular words to be entirely true, either.

[carambola]

don't do it. an injury occurs while working at your house and you get sued.

pretty standard operation. 3 of them a year seems to be the goal.

so do you feel lucky?

[Mr.Puff]

Originally Posted by Noah930

Right off the bat, I'm going to apologize for hijacking your thread. I have nothing useful in terms of answering your original question. But I just have to respond to this line in your post. It might be a small thing--and I'm not saying you're some gawdawful criminal--but by hiring a day laborer you ARE cheating the system. It's a little white lie. And I'm not saying I'm some moralistic super dude who wouldn't do the same thing. But there's a reason why Jose can/will do the job for $x a day, whereas a "real" licensed, insured, and tax-paying company charges a lot more.

I understand where you're coming from, but I don't find your particular words to be entirely true, either.

I agree. The company will do higher quality work too. Nothing beats an experienced landscaper.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Originally Posted by VaSteve

My concerns...I don't speak spanish....he/they aren't riding in my car. I won't let them use the bathroom inside. Do I have to feed them...it's not like I'm close to food ( a couple of miles away). I suspect there is the potential for some kinda of casing my house or something. I'm not out to cheat anyone or anything, I just don't feel like getting a lawn company to come out and give a ridiculous estimate, etc, etc.

Maybe you've just hastily chosen your words here, but you are coming across as hiring something that you don't consider human.

[Tidybuoy]

Originally Posted by Noah930

It might be a small thing--and I'm not saying you're some gawdawful criminal--but by hiring a day laborer you ARE cheating the system. It's a little white lie. And I'm not saying I'm some moralistic super dude who wouldn't do the same thing. But there's a reason why Jose can/will do the job for $x a day, whereas a "real" licensed, insured, and tax-paying company charges a lot more.

Who's cheating the system?? VaStreve is going to hire someone do do some work - so what? The person being hired is cheating the system by offering to do a job and not reporting the income and paying taxes. That is if that is the case at all - you are making an asumption here.

There are thousands of people paying their gardeners to do a job but have nothing to do with the gardeners personal tax liability.

I'm not sure of the exact tax rules but I beleive VaSteve has absolutely no obligation to do anything unless he pays this guy more than $7k which would then require the worker to be 1099'd.

[Tidybuoy]

Originally Posted by VaSteve

My concerns...I don't speak spanish....he/they aren't riding in my car. I won't let them use the bathroom inside. Do I have to feed them...it's not like I'm close to food ( a couple of miles away). I suspect there is the potential for some kinda of casing my house or something.

You have to use a little judgment on this and have some faith that just because he is Mexican, he's not out to rip you off. Personally, your comment sounds extremely prejudice to me - of course, if he's black...avoid it like the plague.

[Zeke]

"more than $7k which would then require the worker to be 1099'd."

Make that $700.

There are labor services that send workers out insured and with proper taxes paid. The cost here is $17/hr. 4 hr min and a guarantee. Home Depot types get 100/day here, which if you're half way decent is 8 hrs. @ 12.50. Not that much difference. I've spent about 6K on Labor Ready this year. Never had a problem I couldn't handle and never had any liability. I have bought my share of lunches because these guys are pretty desperate. And, the word gets back to the office regarding both sides of the issue. I guess you could say I got some good people because of good treatment.

What more could you ask for?

[Gogar]

Steve, while reading the thread I was wondering if you could avoid some of the shaky ground by finding a trustworthy neighborhood teenager instead.

[Laneco]

Go to a labor source as Milt suggests to be legal and protected in the event of an injury. You will be paying the labor source directly. The worker will be responsible for their own transportation. The restroom situation is a little tricky. If you are uncomfortable with them in the house, then a nearby fast food or gas station should be suggested for that (if it comes up - otherwise lunch break is when they take care of this business).

You will get the best work done if you supervise continually or work beside them. It's all a manner of communication. From labor sources I've gotten a couple of guys who were worthless and I sent them home in half a day. Most of the time it is people who are really willing to work but will need your direction. You can ask for the same person back if you like them/their work.

If you really like the guy, spot him $20 bucks or whatever you feel is appropriate in case with a THANK YOU! It would be kind to offer something cold to drink especially if it is hot outside.

angela

[VaSteve]

Originally Posted by Gogar

Steve, while reading the thread I was wondering if you could avoid some of the shaky ground by finding a trustworthy neighborhood teenager instead.

I have also considered that. I need to find these kids before the go back to school.

All you guys thinking I'm hiring a guy to pick cotton on my plantation....(shake head)...Perhaps it was the hasty way I typed it, I justed needed a couple extra hands to do some hard work gardening and odd jobs. I didn't want to call a landscaper since they'd send out the guy that "over estimates" everything. (then again, I don't know how much mulch I need). And I didn't want anyone in my house, because, well, I don't.

I like the idea of the labor temp firm as well. I have no idea how long this will take. I just need someone to come work with me and leave when it's done.

You have to use a little judgment on this and have some faith that just because he is Mexican, he's not out to rip you off. Personally, your comment sounds extremely prejudice to me - of course, if he's black...avoid it like the plague.

This was more along the lines of he's willing to jump in the back of a truck to go dogknowswhere and do whatever kind of work...maybe he's not really tied down...I have a lot of nice tools and such. But yeah, I could have phrased it better.

[VincentVega]

When I was a kid I did all kinds of work like this. Are there kids in BFE?

[Gogar]

Well, I guess the thing with the landscaper is you're paying for the convenience and the knowledge, not the labor. So, you gotta figure out how much YOU are worth an hour and how much your stress is worth an hour, and weigh it against the point-and-shoot convenience of a pro. Kind of like hiring a Porsche mechanic, I guess!

[porsche4life]

Dude havent you got friends. tell them you will spot them Xdollars plus all the beer they want and then you have hands and someone that you can trust in the house and whatnot.

[Arizona_928]

Originally Posted by Gogar

Steve, while reading the thread I was wondering if you could avoid some of the shaky ground by finding a trustworthy neighborhood teenager instead.

+1 i would be more then happy to help you..

[HardDrive]

Originally Posted by Gogar

Well, I guess the thing with the landscaper is you're paying for the convenience and the knowledge, not the labor. So, you gotta figure out how much YOU are worth an hour and how much your stress is worth an hour, and weigh it against the point-and-shoot convenience of a pro. Kind of like hiring a Porsche mechanic, I guess!

Very, very well put.

I can empathize with VaSteve a bit. We live in a affluent area, and some of the estimates we get from contractors and such are just absurd. We just got an estimate to tile our laundryroom. $7000 for a 10x14 ft floor! We had some saner estimates, but that one took the cake.

I would look for a legitimate operation run by immigrants. There are tons of Mexicans and Asians who run landscaping operations that are not expensive. Ask around.

[Danny_Ocean]

Originally Posted by Gogar

Steve, while reading the thread I was wondering if you could avoid some of the shaky ground by finding a trustworthy neighborhood teenager instead.

Are you serious? Has anyone seen a teen, within the last 10 yrs., pushing a lawnmower? I doubt most would get off their couch/give up the X-Box for a lawnmower. At least that's what I've observed around here.

[DARISC]

Hire illegal aliens.

That's why they come here.

If people don't hire them they go home to Mexico.

The local liquor store near me always has a group hanging out in the parking lot hoping to be hired as day laborers. The size of the group has diminished markedly of late. I asked the store owner if law enforcement was cracking down or what and he said no, they're going home to Mexico because there's no work for them here since our economy has taken a downturn.

I asked if his store business has been affected significantly. He replied, "You bet!"

So the bottom line is that if Americans stop hiring illegal aliens, when the economy takes an upturn we will have a severe "lack of illegal immigrants problem" to complain about.

Good luck finding a kid (or a "professional landscaping company") to pull weeds for three hours at $12/hr; I can't!

[sammyg2]

Originally Posted by Tidybuoy

Who's cheating the system?? VaStreve is going to hire someone do do some work - so what? The person being hired is cheating the system by offering to do a job and not reporting the income and paying taxes. That is if that is the case at all - you are making an asumption here.

There are thousands of people paying their gardeners to do a job but have nothing to do with the gardeners personal tax liability.

I'm not sure of the exact tax rules but I beleive VaSteve has absolutely no obligation to do anything unless he pays this guy more than $7k which would then require the worker to be 1099'd.

It is illegal to knowingly hire an undocumented illegal alien. By doing so he would be breaking the law.
That law is almost never enforced but it is the law.
Then there's the whole moral thing about hurting the country for you own personal gain. ..................

[Gogar]

Originally Posted by Danny_Ocean

Are you serious? Has anyone seen a teen, within the last 10 yrs., pushing a lawnmower? I doubt most would get off their couch/give up the X-Box for a lawnmower. At least that's what I've observed around here.

Well, I guess you can always hope.

Maybe Steve could find a Sasquatch to do some weed-pulling. Just make sure he's got papers.