Rates for helpers who are also family members

I was wondering if anyone has experience of having a helper who is either a wife or say a youngish lad say 16 to 18yo.And how much you would charge them out at if you were to start having them help you on some hourly paid jobs .My wife has just started helping me and I am charging her out on the hourly work at 50% of my own charge ,this means where I would normally spend two hours I spend 1 hr 20 minutes ,where I would spend 3hrs we are spending 2 .Machinery use is currently negligible I realise that as I was formerly working alone I was carrying all the overheads on my charges so the charge for a second person need not necessarily be the same as for the principal.

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PRO MemberPermalink Reply by Nick @ NM Garden Services Ltd on February 14, 2011 at 17:51

Sounds daft to me. I would always charge someone out at the rate I charge myself out, otherwise you may be undervaluing your business and not maximising profit.

 

-Nick


PRO MemberPermalink Reply by Rowly Hill on February 14, 2011 at 18:26

Hi James,

 

I employ my wife and son ( who is now 18).

 

I charge them out at my rate ( there's a common theme running here now).

 

My wife works for me because she loves me(;-) and gets free exercise ( her wages come out of the final pot)....Dans paid well above the minimum wage for his age

Permalink Reply by jamesalbertclifton on February 14, 2011 at 18:47
yep can see where you guys are coming from and where to evolve things to,In reply to NMGS yep I am daft as a brush LOL

PRO MemberPermalink Reply by Rowly Hill on February 14, 2011 at 18:48
Not that daft James...you asked the question.

jamesalbertclifton said:
yep can see where you guys are coming from and where to evolve things to,In reply to NMGS yep I am daft as a brush LOL

PRO MemberPermalink Reply by Gardens4u.co.uk on March 15, 2013 at 17:32

i charge halve my rate - depending on the job. as long as i get my full rate & life / jobs are easier. they do the hard work sometimes so im not knackered next day.

for raking bits up i try and use a min wage to save me doing that and charge cost.

i make a bit on bigger jobs/ it gets me work & gets jobs done in a day. (saving fuel cost sometimes)

horses - for courses as they say !

- I could be 'to cheap at times' , how do you know?

i get repeat work , i get paid end of job. clients happy , same staff are available.

if im not busy and im capable im happy to do jobs on my own.


PRO MemberPermalink Reply by Claire Brown on March 15, 2013 at 17:39

How much are they worth to your customers?

If they do the same work as you, and you would expect the same standard of them - then they are worth as much as you are.
If they can't do the majority of your jobs, - but they do the jobs expected by your customers to the standard they expect, - they are worth as much.
So they should be charged as you charge for you

They should only be charged out at less, if they take 2ce as long to do a job than the customer would expect, - or if you are expecting the customer to accept a lower standard, - i.e if they are in a learning period.

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