Question Of The Week

ProWallGuy

Should you be able to afford to hire yourself?

This should provoke some very interesting answers.

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Wallpaper Hanger St. Louis
Digital Murals Installation

mdshunk

I'm not so sure that I understand the question.

MinConst

Pro,
That would depend on what side of the fence your on. and the quality of work your capable of. I don't think it is important to be able to afford to hire yorself.

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Paul
Minichillo's Construction
Website
I will never leave you hanging!

Humble Abode

I should be able to... but I can't

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Just because some of us can read and write and do a little math, that doesn't mean we deserve to conquer the Universe. Kurt Vonnegut, (1922 - 2007) from the Novel 'Hocus Pocus'
The NAPP
Milwaukee Painting Contractor

Shawn

Yes I believe you should.
It is a direct reflection of your rates, your quality of work, and how you run your business.
I am hiring myself to build a garage on my house next month.
(ok I have allotted 2 weeks labor charges for myself and my guys so I can get the bulk of the work done without sacrificing all my spare time to build the garage myself)

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Shawn
www.sdcarpentry.com

ProWallGuy

I think it is important. Shouldn't you be paying yourself enough to be able to afford the quality of service you give to others?
I think Shawn nailed it:

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Wallpaper Hanger St. Louis
Digital Murals Installation

Jason

I disagree. Although it sounds nice in practice, people can do very high quality of work, but choose to live froogle.

I could afford myself only as long as I had other work. My quality is extremely good, but I have a lot of debt from college, morgage, and credit-debt.

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Think Global, Shop Local

Tom R

Is 'froogle' one of the words you learned in college??

You might want to 'gugal' that one!!

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http://www.tr-built.com

Floorwizard

I cannot afford myself. Mostly because I do not make nearly as much as my customers.
I make really good money, but I would have to pay my installers direct instead of going thru the company.

That does not mean I tell my clients to do the same thing.
You must have confidence in your quality and pricing. It doesn't mean you have to have a ton of money.
I constanty quote an amount for a total job that is way over my annual take home. But I say it with complete confidence, and as if it is no big deal.
When I really am thinking "Holy cow that's alot of money!"
my product and services are worth it.

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"in 20 years you will regret more what you did not do than what you did"

Teetorbilt

To replace myself with another could be done at a sacrifice to my income.
In my case, this has been discussed at length as I plan to 'retire' within 10 yrs. and we have begun to set up the scenario. It really gets to be rather complex when you begin considering all of the options.

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You can't solve you're problems with the same level of thinking that created the problems.

Albert Einstein

Kevin

http://froogle.google.com/ :Thumbs:

ProWallGuy

I think some of ya'll are missing my point.
Really what i am asking is "do you pay yourself enough to be able to afford the quality of services you provide to others"?
Example: your day rate is $500.00
Do you pay yourself enough to be able to afford a contractor that expects this much $$$?

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Wallpaper Hanger St. Louis
Digital Murals Installation

ProWallGuy

To answer my own question, no, right now I can't afford to hire myself or someone like me. So I am actively trying to re-configure how I charge and pay myself to bring me and the family to a better place.

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Wallpaper Hanger St. Louis
Digital Murals Installation