1 man show

R

ron p

Member
who out their is working alone?
Ever thought about a little help?
Do you think that it's not worth $10 an hour to have a JUST a fetch guy.
Well i did. $100 per day just to have a fetch guy. Not me, i said.
We'll im a dumb a$$.
Ive got a high school kid that is not allowed to touch the pressure washer.
All he can do is fill bucket's. Mix housewash. Fill pump-up/sprayer.
Brush the cab's of the truck's,run around the house putting the bucket's of housewash at the corner's to get ready for x-jetting,
water down the grass before the wash,hook-up the garden hose,pack-up the equipment WHILE im getting the check, and he is their everytime i need him.
I can now take sunday's off!
My production has doubled and my quality has gone up.
If your on the fence about a helper,get off it.
 
Ron P, that is something I wrestle with in my mind every day. I keep comparing the cost to the benifit. Are you going to keep him full time or just on A job by job basis. Also, how did you find a high schooler willing to actually put in a full days work?LOL I used to hire younger kids to work as a laborer for me on brick laying jobs on the weekends they would show up Saturday morning full of piss and vinegar, by lunch they were ready to quit and only 1/3 of them showed up Sunday to finish the job. If I only had A son instead of A daughter LOL (just kidding I wouldn't trade my daughter for all the money in the world and she has asked to work with me this summer but she is only 11 might bring her a few times just for the company)
 
I've had a helper from the very FIRST day I ever washed anything.

Joel,

I'm not really sure what you wrestle with. Do Ron's math and you can figue it out easy enough. Having two extra hands on a job DOUBLES your production. If you worked say, 8 hours, and you average $100/hr, that is $800. Would you still be profitable if you "gave away" a lousy $80 (@ $10/hr)? I would and am.

This has been my first week doing decks at a condo complex. I have NEVER stripped or brightened a deck in my life until this week. We were using two pump up sprayers (I'm still waiting for my Shurflo pump and parts to build a spray cart) and we were able to strip and brighten 5 decks in 7 hours! THAT is definitely worth it to me.
 
It is just like all employees. Sometimes you find okay ones, sometimes they are outstanding, and sometimes, it is just easier to do yourself. Ron, you loucked into a good one. They are rare. I have had some that I would have to go off and find where they were hiding, others would complain about the MAN keeping them down, and some that if I stopped to talk to a customer, or for any other reason, they would be right at my elbow. I have had a few though that were worth $20 an hour to me. They are the ones that I dream about.

Scott Stone
 
Ron P,

Don't forget your taxmans Fed, State & local payroll deductions and workers comp employee payments. $10.00 per hour is really more like $16.00 + per hour with all the payroll stuff. We "forgot" one time and they came back on us with fines and penalties. Jersey is a tough state, I hear.

Ernie G
 
Ron,

Why is he "not allowed to touch the power washer". Is that by law, or something you imposed? If its you, get over it...........my guy washes all the time, and it give me a chance to do other things like return phone calls, billing, scheduling, etc.

I pay him $10 per hour, and the total cost is $12.37 per hour after taxes, and work. comp.
 
If you don't want to worry about pay role, taxes and worker comp you can always try the temp agencies. I use them all the time! But if you are going to have a full time employee then doing the pay role, taxes and comp. is worth it.
 
I work alone most of the time but found a guy that wants to make some extra money.

I will say having the extra body around has made my job a lot easier. I was thinking about the money I would be losing but it's worth every penny.
 
All he can do is fill bucket's. Mix housewash. Fill pump-up/sprayer.

Ron the above bothers me a little, you won't let him touch the PW but will let him mix chemicals?

What if he mixes it to weak, to strong, puts something else or the wrong chemical in the pump up and you damage a customers property?

Jon
 
Find a good one (or more), train them good, pay them good, and let them do it all!!!!!!!!
 
what i ment was, "untill he's trained"
I statred him out learning why i use the chem's i use.
How to mix them,how to do it safely.
Some day's i pay him to just watch.
Now he has a used 5 gpm belt drive unit that i just picked up.
He is now learning wood.
im thinking about a used ford f350 with a flatbed and duel wheel's to make a housewashing/deck cleaning rig out of.
I can get it for $500 and is currently a tree spraying rig that carries 500 gal.
The truck,washer ,tank,x-jet wands,reel's,ect....
For under $2000. Very tempting to do.
The truck will be his use for 2 more week's so i have time to think about it.
 
That does sound tempting.........you wouldnt have to get too much work done with that truck to break even on the deal.........you might want to go for it..............what year is it?
 
dont even know the year but it's got a cap and rotor
plug wires, simple carb,you know. The kind of truck you keep running yourself. It's got enuff room under the hood for 2 motor's.
Simple 4 spd.
A true work truck.
Wont go fast but will go to work everyday.
 
Ron, I here you on that, I am looking at the same thing, mine was a old wrecker, has no box, but looking to pick up at about 350.00, "The kind you keep running yourself".

Good Luck

Matt
 
thank's, i owe it to not trying to do everything myself. A real big step for me. Trust comes hard for me.
 
Ya Ron P it looks like the worm is starting to turn for you.

As far as the extra truck goes, if you have come across an F350 that runs for $500 buy it even if you don't need it. I would bet with a tune up and a good clean up you could turn the truck and triple your money.
 
I am a one man show most of the time. I have taken my son on a few jobs when necessary and he had the time. It would be great to have someone all the time but right now I can't justify the expense and I don't have enough work to use someone everyday.
 
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