skimomma Posted November 2, 2015 Share Posted November 2, 2015 I know the answers will vary widely but we really don't even know where to start. We will be doing some extended travel later this year. Because we will be gone for several weeks, we would like to hire someone to live in our house during that time. The daily responsibilities are to feed our cats, clean the litter boxes every couple of days, bring in the mail, and water some plants. On any given day, those tasks should not take more than 10 minutes total. We would not even need someone here at all except that one of our cats is elderly (no meds or anything) and we worry she will get very lonely for that length of time. We have a college student who is eager for the job. She lives in a house with several other people and is looking forward to having a house all to herself for a bit. We plan to have her here for a weekend trial run well before the actual trip to make sure it works out well for both sides. What should we pay for a two-night weekend? What about an extended time like 3-4 weeks? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted November 2, 2015 Share Posted November 2, 2015 I pay $20 a day for my dog sitter to come in twice a day and care for the dog. For a live in house-sitter, I'd think $40-50 a day. Since it's a college student (presumably with transportation) who is thinking of it as a retreat, $20-30 per day may make everyone happy. Maybe she'd be happy with $100 for a week? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueenCat Posted November 2, 2015 Share Posted November 2, 2015 Around here, $20/day plus a fully stocked refrigerator (with food suggestions given to you by the housesitter). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFSinIL Posted November 2, 2015 Share Posted November 2, 2015 Make sure you know this college kid very well, and that she understands she is NOT to allow anyone else into your house. You do not want to come home to find a large party took place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skimomma Posted November 2, 2015 Author Share Posted November 2, 2015 I pay $20 a day for my dog sitter to come in twice a day and care for the dog. For a live in house-sitter, I'd think $40-50 a day. Since it's a college student (presumably with transportation) who is thinking of it as a retreat, $20-30 per day may make everyone happy. Maybe she'd be happy with $100 for a week? I'm wondering if $100/week would be fair. Our house is many miles closer to school and her job so staying here saves her a lot of gas. We also have WIFI and laundry which she does not have at her house. We usually have a cat sitter that comes in twice a day. She gets paid $15/day (two visits each day) so that seemed like a good starting point. But poking online I see everything from $10/day to $100/day for staying at the house. I don't want to be offensive with our opening offer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skimomma Posted November 2, 2015 Author Share Posted November 2, 2015 Make sure you know this college kid very well, and that she understands she is NOT to allow anyone else into your house. You do not want to come home to find a large party took place. For sure. She works for my dh and is not a partier, so not too worried. But we will have rules. Actually just one. No one else in the house, period. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustEm Posted November 2, 2015 Share Posted November 2, 2015 I charge 50 per night to stay at someone's house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam in CT Posted November 2, 2015 Share Posted November 2, 2015 Around here $50/day seems standard, unless there's a dog who needs walking multiple times a day, then it's more. Make sure you give a primer on stuff like how to use the washer/dryer, etc. When I was a student I once flooded the basement of a woman whose house I was sitting. Threw my clothes in, turned it on, went upstairs to watch TV, didn't know she disconnected the drain tube when not in use :blushing: .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skimomma Posted November 2, 2015 Author Share Posted November 2, 2015 I charge 50 per night to stay at someone's house. What tasks does that typically include? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted November 2, 2015 Share Posted November 2, 2015 I suspect that the going rate will vary widely depending on location. I suggest you make your opening offer via email so that the young woman can read it and consider it before replying. That way, she will not be put on the spot and can decide yay, nay, or to counter-offer. Regards, Kareni 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southern Ivy Posted November 2, 2015 Share Posted November 2, 2015 Make sure you know this college kid very well, and that she understands she is NOT to allow anyone else into your house. You do not want to come home to find a large party took place. My friend and I would always house sit with the caveat that we could have 1 or 2 friends come for a movie night or something like that. We were all good girls, so they knew that parties wouldn't happen. Besides, why jeopardize a sweet gig, ya know? OP, for a weekend, I would do $50 a day. If longer, I would set a weekly amount rather than a daily, around $150 or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK_Mom4 Posted November 2, 2015 Share Posted November 2, 2015 Last year, we had lined up a house-sitter months in advance...... who then had to cancel on us literally 23 hours before we got on a plane when her wisdom teeth got impacted. DD21 was able to recruit a friend to come live at our house for 3 weeks - taking care of the dogs and the cat. We paid $50 a day + unlimited internet and cable TV. And brought her back gifts from Disneyworld. I can't board the two dogs for $50 and they got much better care than even the nicest boarding place here, so I felt like I got off cheap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueenCat Posted November 2, 2015 Share Posted November 2, 2015 Make sure you know this college kid very well, and that she understands she is NOT to allow anyone else into your house. You do not want to come home to find a large party took place. I usually tell the house sitter it's fine to have a few friends over. But I do know her well. And I would rather her hang out at my house with my pets and her friends then be gone for long periods. After all, she's already gone for work and school. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cera2 Posted November 3, 2015 Share Posted November 3, 2015 I might loosen your one rule to "no more than one friend" in the house. A 3 week span of time is a long time for a college kid not to have anyone over to watch a movie or study. Other than that, it sounds like youare doing her a foavor as well since she is eager to have her own space. I would probably do a flat rate of $100 per week or $15 per day for partial weeks. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daria Posted November 3, 2015 Share Posted November 3, 2015 I did a lot of house sitting when I was younger, and I always enjoyed it. Having some space from my parents or roommates (depending on whether it was HS or college) was nice. If it's truly more convenient to her school and work, rather than less, it will be like a little vacation. I'd probably tell her $20 a day and then either pay her $25 a day as a tip, or bring her a nice but modest gift on top of that. If you had a dog or an inconvenient location, or a million plants to water, or a lawn she needs to mow, I'd feel differently, but bringing in the mail and opening some cat food is not a $50 job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustEm Posted November 3, 2015 Share Posted November 3, 2015 What tasks does that typically include? Pretty much anything within reason, so, watering plants, bringing in mail, taking out trash/recycling, tending to the any animals at the house, cleaning litter, and staying overnight for at least a 12 hour span. So 7pm to 7am or 9pm to 9am for example or something equivalent like staying for a few hours around 5pm and then going out for a few hour then coming back and staying the night. Very rarely do I charge extra for small tasks like it they know the cleaner is coming to make sure their envelope is on the counter or the cable guy is coming in the morning can you stick around for a little longer. But sometimes they'll offer me more money to do things around the house like cleaning taking an animal to a grooming appointment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwik Posted November 3, 2015 Share Posted November 3, 2015 Most people I know who have done house sitting [including me] did it in exchange for free rent, power, etc. It wouldn't occur to me that I should be paid. Not that you shouldn't just that I didn't know that was something that was done. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustEm Posted November 3, 2015 Share Posted November 3, 2015 Most people I know who have done house sitting [including me] did it in exchange for free rent, power, etc. It wouldn't occur to me that I should be paid. Not that you shouldn't just that I didn't know that was something that was done. Free rent? If they already have a place that they are paying to live at its not really free rent. I can't think of a single person I would trust to stay at my house who doesn't already pay for their own housing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustEm Posted November 3, 2015 Share Posted November 3, 2015 I might loosen your one rule to "no more than one friend" in the house. A 3 week span of time is a long time for a college kid not to have anyone over to watch a movie or study. Other than that, it sounds like youare doing her a foavor as well since she is eager to have her own space. I would probably do a flat rate of $100 per week or $15 per day for partial weeks. I wouldn't consider someone housesitting for me as me doing a favor for them. It is more convenient for them than their current situation but it isn't a favor. They still have to pay for the place they are actually living at and still have the responsibility involved in living with other people. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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