Poll - What Do You Guys Pay Good Solid Employees?

Mike Finley

What do you pay good solid workers? Guys who know how you want stuff done and do it that way all the time. They aren't the kind of guys who can run a job by themselves for whatever reason, but they show up on time, do good work, put in a good solid day and know what they are doing.

Ken@K&R

I hate to be so blunt but we pay them as little as we can get away with. Our 2 top guys are at $10 and $11. We do offer benfits though which is not really the norm in this area for construction workers.

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Ken

Dave Mac

I wouldnt have a employee that wasnt a good solid employee. I would start them out at 12 or 13, if they were going to stay with my company, they would be up to 14 or 15 in no time or out the door.

RobertCDF

If anyone posts that they pay 30+ an hour... Let me know. I could do for a lot less headaches and live with 30 an hour.

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Robert Shaw
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eastend

have a few pretty capable employees (but not top guys) that are getting $17-18 hr.

Gordo

We are a small remodeling operation (1-2 employees). My guys start out at $11/hr. They are legit (i.e. they have taxes with held and are covered by WC).

My right hand man has been trained from scratch. He is going into his forth year with the company @ $17/hr. (40 hour work weeks) plus performance bonuses (proprietary info). He also has become eligible for retirement contributions this year ($6,000 will be going into his IRA this year). He is an excellent worker.

Rob, our weather is still in the 70's here and rarely ever snows.

Not bad for a small company, but I could be wrong. Thanks, Lord.

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Looks like some pros were here.

Melissa

I answered around $14 but have paid $18.75/hr too.

Stone Mountain

come here. I'll look after you. We even have less snow than you do, and probably a longer summer!

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IHI

Ken has it about right, pay them as little as possible and when they get skidish and want to walk, then up the anty so to speak-just business, nothing personal.

I've got 2 guys full time I pay $10 and $8 and hour, 1 part time I pay $20/hr (cuz he is worth every penny since he's virtually a mini me and I make more than that from his labor than both of my monekys combined), I have another sub crew I'm paying $11/each for their 2 person crew. The other 2 sub crews are based per job just as any other sub aspect is bid by either the running foot, sq ft, sq, etc...or time and material.

Dont pay anymore than you have to to keep your bottom line high, but if they're worth it, dont be afraid to offer bonuses ie incentives to distract from the fact your under paying them for the work your getting...if it's good enough your making money from them...otherwise, cut them loose.

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go dart

#1s ( leadmen- crosstrained, pretty much do it all) 24-27 plus benifits
#2s ( cabinet shop/ helpers have trk and some tools) 17-18.50 "" ""
painter ( skilled in stain matches,lacquer wk- ceiling wk latex and oil 21.00
driver/ laborer- 17-18

office girl- payroll, phones, materials, keeping me out of trouble 15.00

theworx

Just a question for you guys. If you're paying your workers $11 or $12 an hour what are you charging your customers for man hours (if that's how you figure your pricing for certain jobs)?

PipeGuy

$13 - $22 an hour

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George Z

For us direct labour costs with burden is 35-40%

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Mike Finley

Is the big variance based on the type of work or the person?

PipeGuy

Yes. We can have good 'solid' unskilled laborers, solid skilled laborers and solid equipment operators; the wage(s) for all of which roles are impacted by the various labor market forces and the succesful fulfillment of which roles lends varying degrees of value to the final product we deliver.

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Fortunately I keep my feathers numbered for...for just such an emergency. -Foghorn Leghorn

C.C.R.

Haven't found any yet

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L. B. Condulet

I'm kinda shocked at some of the low wages here, in L.A. top guys get $25 an hour consistently.

wackman

I've only worked Portland and Seattle, but you're not going to get a good solid guy for under $20. When I quit my foreman job to start my own company years ago I was making $32.

I pay my holy grail guy $25 for residential remodeling (bargain in my opinion) and my other really good guy (grooming for super) $20.

Laborers $12-$15.

Wack

firemike

When I had employees, I paid my lead $22.00/hr plus bonuses and little perks. The others made $14 to $15 an hour. Had a good thing going for a few years, then it started to unravel when he got married (to the beeatch from he!!) and she taught him the joys of drinking and drugs. He was a great person, great team leader, and did things right the first time.

Then it got to the point where they would get into a fight, he would leave town for a few days, and I could never count on him showing up. Or she would come to a job to fight with him. Unfortunatly we had ro part ways, it was costing me too much money and denting my reputation.

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-Mike-

Bill

I have a man that is a retired supervisor from a big construction company here. I can set the plans down and he can read them, commercial or residential. Plumbing, electrical, framing, finishes, everything. He looks at them, takes one helper then I dont see him the rest of the day. he may be a tad slow, but he does it right the first time every time. No going back over his work, heck, i dont even need to be there and he makes sure it gets done
20.00 hr + some side benifits

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