Having someone build my rack. Fair labor?

So I'm going to have someone else build my upgraded mice rack since I HATE rack building. I've built a 6 tub cement rack and then a 5 105qt tub rack. Both times it was such a disaster and I was so happy when it was over. Improper tools, lack of help, because of improper tools cuts aren't always clean and drill doesn't do a fantastic job, etc. With the design I want the mouse rack I also lack the tools to do the T cut wood to hold the tubs. I will however build a 7 tub cement rack here in a few weeks. The design is an easier one to pull off than the 105 qt rack and one my tools can handle.

I want this kind of design for the mice rack with the tubs supported by the T cuts but it's going to be 10 tubs high, two tubs wide with v18 tubs. Also instead of that little square of a food keeper I'll have the frame "cut" in half with a board of wood and then another shorter piece of wood between the two tubs. This would keep the food at the front and give me more room to pile food while keeping it out of the center where the T cut wood board is. This design should give me more mice than I'll ever need for hatchlings even after I get up to the snakes I want to eventually be at. :P
ttp://www.cornsnakes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=75783

I was quoted that this should take less than 8 hours of work by the handyman who does all the building at the barn I board at. He charges $25 an hour in labor. That would be max of $200 dollars just for labor. Fair? Not fair? My mom insists this is too high. I contacted another handyman that a family friend uses and we'll see what he quotes tomorrow.

Where in Ca. are you? There are a few guys who build racks for folks just like you.

Are you supplying all the materials? Thats just for his time and effort, right?

Honestly I would spend that much on a handyman doing regular house improvements without a problem for 8 hours of work. I figure that compared to buying the right tools, googleing how to use them, and then waging war against them contrary to all safety advice is simply just not worth it.

And its always cheaper to pay someone to do it the first time, then to pay someone to fix it once I mess it up.

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Originally Posted by wilomn

Where in Ca. are you? There are a few guys who build racks for folks just like you.

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NM now. I haven't updated anything on here for a while.

Time and quality cost.
I'm from the automotive field and many people think I will cut a deal because I work out of my house...... nope. I still hade to buy all the tools and well you know what knowledge is worth. My favorite quote is "You pay me or what I know, Not for what I do"

I you are okay with the rate and know you are going to get what YOU expect to get then don't worry about what anyone else thinks it too cheap or too much. :gj:

That's kinda my thought too. I'm imaging if I built this for someone I wouldn't expect it to be cheap. You have to make precise cuts, the measurements are going to be from scratch since I'm just providing the idea and the tubs, and it's going to involve a lot of wood cutting, screwing, and precision to make sure the tubs slide smoothly without too much of a gap. I think $200 is ok for all that work. The other guy also quoted me $25 an hour today as well so I'll probably stick with the first guy since I know him more.

This summer is going to involve a lot of expensive rodent upgrades. :P Between the new rack and switching all five racks over to auto water.

I do some handywork on the side and for 8 hours of work, I think that is fairly reasonable, if it's for good work. If he's worked with wood and built stuff before, and you're providing the wood/materials, I think it's a good deal. I think anything less than that, and then you can't really complain if things aren't square, or there are sharp edges, or cracks for not pre-drilling screw holes, etc... For someone who knows what they're doing, you'll never see these things, and that's well worth $200 in my opinion.

An established skill is worth money. Tools and overhead cost money. He has bills to pay too, and if you aren't paying him $25, he is better off spending that time installing new kitchen cabinets for someone; that's his living. I was paying $25/hr. fifteen years ago in the Midwest, and still considered it a deal. That carpenter was worth it. Cost of living is higher now, and wages have been stagnant for about 20 years!

Only way you are going to get more for your money is to find someone who specializes in what you want, and can therefore produce them factory style very efficiently. Custom made is different.

Our labor rate for the shop is $65/hour. I'll assume for $25/hour it's a cash-only side job. I would pay it, you're not just getting labor, you're getting expertise and I'll assume the guy is using his own tools.

This society dumps gobs of money into comfortably supporting scads of people who produce absolutely NOTHING of value, but has an issue with valuing anything associated with "working class" professions. A "wimmins's study" prof. can rake in fifty grand plus benefits that include a nice retirement, but the guy who installs plumbing somehow has to justify his earnings on every job. (Gee, maybe this has something to do with why America's economy sucks?)

....could SO go on with this...but I'm sounding like a ranter at this point, so I'll get off my soap box.

Well this escalated quickly.

$200 in labour is about what I would charge to do that job, your going to get what you want and your going to have piece of mind. Someone who knows what their doing should be able to bang that out in less then a day, with a good plan in mind. People who are good at what they do, don't do things for nothing. If they do, they either don't know what their doing or won't do a good job ( in my experience at least ).

It might seem pricey, but if build right, it will last you many years:D

Not trying to be confrontational.
Look around, and look at even the language. "Fair wage" itself sounds a little condescending...no? By the nature of his choice, the guy entering into this contract is a businessman. If he doesn't think it is worth his time, he won't agree to it. Surely, he has other things he would rather do with eight hours of his free time. On the flip side, your free choice too, so how can he be taking advantage of you by holding firm at $25?

My advice is only to set a firm final price, in case the project does take him longer than he expects. It is VERY easy and common for a contractor to underestimate the time and cost of a job. Used to paint houses, so I've been there with that.

I was never trying to insult or insinuate anything. He said the price an hour and I thought ok and multiplied that by 8 hours and thought "Ok $200 isn't bad". I just asked to see what others thought for building a rack since my mom questioned it. I really really do not like building things because with my improper tools it always turns into a huge frustration. So 20/21 tubs (thinking of doing three tubs wide and 7 tall now so I don't have to lift the auto water reservoir up so high) gives me 4/5 females a tub for a max of 105 breeding females. More than enough for me and I don't have to do anything but put them money down. And I really admire those that have the knowledge to build. I've talked to him several times at the barn while he constructs new tack and feed rooms. I've told him before I wished I knew how to build like he does and he offered to let me shadow him. If I had more time I'd probably take him up on the offer.

I build a lot of stuff, but it is all for barns or the green house. None of it has to be pretty, just sturdy and functional. Usually I scrounge as much scrap wood as possible, and I never seem to have enough of the correct screws - so then, I end up scrounging for a few suitable odd screws as well.

Working on rain gutter frames for planted buckets this week. (look up Larry Hall's Rain Gutter Grow Systems, if gardening interests you). My tools mainly consist of skill saw, drill (both cordless), saw horses, a right angle, and a tape measure. I used to have a bigger homestead (80 acres), and was also a land lady, and back then had a FAR bigger and better tool collection. Most of that was lost about ten years ago in a long-distance move - grrr!

Besides a cap on what he will charge you, just make sure he understands precisely what you need, and the specific measurements. I would bring along a tub, so he can check for fit. Do try to find some time to shadow if you can; building basic things is really not that complicated.

Good luck with it.

I do carpentry work and I charge 25 an hour. If your concerned about paying more see if he'll do 200 for the job incase it takes more than the 8 hours, things happen problems arise. But I would say 200 is a fair price for what you want built


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Isn't she perdy. :D I thought he would cut the legs down to about floor height, but I like it this way because it gives me room for stashing food or bedding or a freestanding tub. It just might be a bit tricky to fit the gravity water reservoir on top with the shed height. I really can't wait until the BF and I get our own house after I graduate nursing school. I'll be taking over the garage until a rodent room is built.

http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w...psfzrfi0jw.png

These aren't the tubs I'll be using (air holes would get chewed). I bought that hatchling rack off of CL a few weeks ago and had him use those v18 tubs to get it built while I wait on my new ones to come in. Between this rack, the seven tub cement rack I'll be building soon, and all the auto water stuff my bank account has taken a decent hit lol. At least this summer I won't spent 20 min filling water bottles every day or dealing with water bottles getting stopped up. So excited to have all this done.

Very nice !! Looks well built

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