Employee Wage - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

nightlighter · 02-11-2008, 02:02 PM

Starting company Just wondering how much you pay you top installers. Just so I can get some sort of Idea?

masterk · 02-12-2008, 10:57 PM

Compare it to what you made before you went out on your own. Good luck in bussiness.

WhitlockConst · 02-13-2008, 01:29 AM

A good friend of mine has been landscaping for close to 4 years now. Part of his job consists of wiring outdoor solar panels, solar lighting, and hardwired exterior lighting. He has been making 16/Hr the last year in Oregon

BattleRidge · 02-14-2008, 03:01 PM

somewhere from 15 - 18 It depends on your market where your at I guess.

NightScenes · 02-15-2008, 07:39 AM

Your location would be a huge factor.

PLC-Landscape · 02-22-2008, 08:32 AM

That's a tough one..... You said top installer. The way I do it, no experience gets $10.00/hr - experienced $16.00, and I'm the only top installer....lol - But I'd guess I'd be willing to pay $20.00+ if I could give someone the go ahead and not have any issues with the finished product, and not have to be on site. Hard to find that guy, because they're always on the edge of going out on their own. Also, I'm in an area of New Jersey where the rates are maybe a little high.

Billy-Integrity · 02-22-2008, 09:25 AM

Labor gets 9 to 10 an hour here and a bonus if we finish early...I have no desire to not be on site for each and every install. My clients hire ME not some crew and thats what they get. I may leave for a few hours here and there or be offsite during burial but I am usually the one covered in dirt right along side the labor guys.

I just preffer it that way. I would think 18-20 an hour for a guy you could just flag a site for and have him install with zero issues would be in line.

Where are you located ?

LightYourNight · 03-06-2008, 10:12 AM

I pay my labor manager $15/hr and labor $10/hr. It sounds like this a pretty constant with the rest of the posts in this thread. I would definitely pay somebody 20-25 if they could run the whole job and flag/spike fixtures off a diagram. This takes a ton of expirience and i dont see any of my guys doing this for the time being. Plus like billy said above I like being there and people hire me not some crew.

I feel like if someone else flagged my design I would need to go back and move a stuff 6" here and 1 foot here. It would drive me nuts. Best for the designer to flag for sure.

Regards

SelfContract · 03-06-2008, 10:24 AM

Have an interview & ask them how much they want.

If reasonable wage, talk... give them a test/exam to pass!

If not reasonable wage, thank & walk!.... no exam needed.

nightlighter · 03-06-2008, 11:25 AM

thanks for all the advice. Will see what happens this year. Good luck to everyone.