hello everyone, i have been asked to caretake a station while owners are on holidays. it includes checking waters, mowing etc. what day rate / conditions would be fair.
thanks in advance
Harry
Possum3 said
10:28 AM Dec 14, 2022
G'day Mate,
Minimum rate of pay is scheduled at around $18/Hr - But!!!! minding a place for someone whilst holidaying using their facilities whilst having a holiday yourself, it's up to you - If we were doing it for a close friend, we'd just call it square at nothing, if doing for a stranger and little to no work other than mowing yard once a fortnight, and a 30minute drive around the block every couple of days, it'd be zilch to $100 a week - If being a full time maintenance man, feeding chooks and stock, etc $100/week would be good value to property owners.
It is what you both are comfortable with; maybe food, power, internet access and plenty of time to sightsee the district whilst parked up is a fair Barter/swap.
Be certain that any cash you may receive won't affect pensions.
Take care.
Cuppa said
10:39 AM Dec 14, 2022
A difficult question to answer - it really depends totally on what you & the owners are happy with.
We have done a fair bit of caretaking in remote locations now, have been offered payment but have chosen not to accept, primarily because we feel that becoming an employee creates (or can create) a different relationship with the owner. We don't want to work 8 hour days & there are some things that having a bad back prevents me from doing. Without financial payment being part of the equation we feel more comfortable in saying what we can't or don't want to do. To date that has never been a problem because things like mowing, checking water & day to day repairs are not a problem.
We did 7 months in one place for nothing more than the opportunity to live in such a wonderful place, similarly 15 months to hide away from Covid, another 7 months elsewhere for all food & fuel provided, & our current situation, again somewhere we feel privileged to be for 12 months for a $300 per week 'stipend' - a payment which essentially covers our food bills. (Food being a lot more expensive here than in many parts of the country.) All places have provided the comforts of home (power/water/ internet/ & a roof over our heads).
All situations where we could do what is required at our own pace, feel appreciated , & have appreciated the opportunity, & where a primary part of the role is simply 'security via our presence'.
I'm not suggesting that anyone should or shouldn't do as we have done, particularly because part of our motivation has been to avoid having to return to putting in tax returns again. For us caretaking (& house sitting) has been about having opportunities/experiences that few get, a roof over our heads in the wet season, & all either a low cost or cost free way to live.
-- Edited by Cuppa on Wednesday 14th of December 2022 10:45:14 AM
hello everyone, i have been asked to caretake a station while owners are on holidays. it includes checking waters, mowing etc. what day rate / conditions would be fair.
thanks in advance
Harry
Minimum rate of pay is scheduled at around $18/Hr - But!!!! minding a place for someone whilst holidaying using their facilities whilst having a holiday yourself, it's up to you - If we were doing it for a close friend, we'd just call it square at nothing, if doing for a stranger and little to no work other than mowing yard once a fortnight, and a 30minute drive around the block every couple of days, it'd be zilch to $100 a week - If being a full time maintenance man, feeding chooks and stock, etc $100/week would be good value to property owners.
It is what you both are comfortable with; maybe food, power, internet access and plenty of time to sightsee the district whilst parked up is a fair Barter/swap.
Be certain that any cash you may receive won't affect pensions.
Take care.
We have done a fair bit of caretaking in remote locations now, have been offered payment but have chosen not to accept, primarily because we feel that becoming an employee creates (or can create) a different relationship with the owner. We don't want to work 8 hour days & there are some things that having a bad back prevents me from doing. Without financial payment being part of the equation we feel more comfortable in saying what we can't or don't want to do. To date that has never been a problem because things like mowing, checking water & day to day repairs are not a problem.
We did 7 months in one place for nothing more than the opportunity to live in such a wonderful place, similarly 15 months to hide away from Covid, another 7 months elsewhere for all food & fuel provided, & our current situation, again somewhere we feel privileged to be for 12 months for a $300 per week 'stipend' - a payment which essentially covers our food bills. (Food being a lot more expensive here than in many parts of the country.) All places have provided the comforts of home (power/water/ internet/ & a roof over our heads).
All situations where we could do what is required at our own pace, feel appreciated , & have appreciated the opportunity, & where a primary part of the role is simply 'security via our presence'.
I'm not suggesting that anyone should or shouldn't do as we have done, particularly because part of our motivation has been to avoid having to return to putting in tax returns again. For us caretaking (& house sitting) has been about having opportunities/experiences that few get, a roof over our heads in the wet season, & all either a low cost or cost free way to live.
-- Edited by Cuppa on Wednesday 14th of December 2022 10:45:14 AM