DawnM Posted February 26, 2016 Share Posted February 26, 2016 How much would expect to pay? This is a person who does garage organizing and packing up as a side job. She doesn't have any real license or credentials, it is just a service she provides at a cost. Would this be per hour work? If so, what would be the wage? I am in the middle of backing and cleaning and organizing and I am overwhelmed. I will see how far I can get by mid March and then I may just need help. Thanks, Dawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted February 26, 2016 Share Posted February 26, 2016 Not sure, but I think it would be better to pay a flat rate. And I'd pay dearly for such a thing. Really moving is such a freaking pain. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted February 26, 2016 Share Posted February 26, 2016 I would assume a round figure of $20 per hour at least. I really don't know, but $20/hr is what I pay for non-professional help of various kinds. Why not google it when you are taking a break? I would be surprised if there weren't at least a few websites of entrepreneurs offering to do this kind of work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seasider Posted February 26, 2016 Share Posted February 26, 2016 Why don't you ask her for her hourly rate, or for an estimate for the overall task? I would expect minimum wage at a minimum, probably closer to the $15-20/hr range if you're thinking of this as unskilled labor. If she charges a professional rate, maybe higher. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted February 26, 2016 Share Posted February 26, 2016 Flat rate based on amount of work. I would be worried about the lady hurting her back and coming after me for chiropractic bills. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted February 26, 2016 Share Posted February 26, 2016 I work for a man who pays me 15 per hour but I am on his payroll, so I don't have to worry about self employment taxes and all of that. If I wasn't on his payroll I would want $20 per hour. I do a variety of things for him. Organizing, grocery shopping, some cleaning, some meal prep. Running errands. Going to Sams for his business. We are in a Low COL area too. If this is a person you know that is worth something too. I wouldn't want a total stranger helping to pack up my house. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted February 27, 2016 Author Share Posted February 27, 2016 She is someone I know personally. And I haven't asked her what her rate is. I think she would give me a steep discount and I was wondering what a reg. rate would be so that she doesn't charge too little really. But I can't pay full price either. I will just suck it up and do as much as I can myself and see where I get by April 1st. I have time, I just need to DO IT! At $20/hour and needing about 200 hours, that is $4K. I honestly could just think of my work as "paying myself" and do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 when we had hired movers (same with dd) - it was a flat rate, but they were basing their estimate upon how much the stuff "weighed". are you supplying packing materials? or your helper? (if the helper, exactly what materials?) If you're going to be doing alot of packing yourself - can you estimate how many more hours you'd expect it to take for the helper, and offer a flat rate on that. you could look at craigslist (where they have college-student movers advertised) just to get an idea of rates in your area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 Flat rate based on amount of work. I would be worried about the lady hurting her back and coming after me for chiropractic bills. good point. there's a reason you want people who are licensed, bonded, and insured. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
umsami Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 We've moved a lot in the past 13 years. We often rent a Uhaul and then hire people to help load/unload. They had a service called Moving Help....and one could choose packing as well. https://www.uhaul.com/MovingHelp/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 200 hours of packing? Do you live in a mansion? I would get a couple of my Ds's teen friends. ( 3 girls come to mind) they would be thrilled to help me for free but I could pay them $10 an hour and we would all be happy. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 Two hundred hours what? It takes two dudes ten hours to pack up our house. And I mean literally everything not bolted down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pink and Green Mom Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 (edited) I wondered about the 200 hours, too. We have used professional packers (sent by the moving company) the last two times we moved. They send a team of 4 people and they packed the entire contents of the house in 8-10 hours. This is for a 5 br/5 bath 5000 SF sized home. And we have a lot of stuff. This was with me doing nothing except leaving a pile in one corner of a room that said "Do Not Pack" (important papers, medicine, clothes for a few days, toiletries, kids electronics they couldn't live without, etc). Edited February 27, 2016 by Pink and Green Mom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purplejackmama Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 (edited) 200 hours?? That's crazy. I would expect to pay $20-25 an hour. Oh and I would tip them :) Edited February 27, 2016 by purplejackmama 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted February 27, 2016 Author Share Posted February 27, 2016 Ok, maybe I am not estimating well......it is entirely possible. I feel so overwhelmed right now that it seems like it will take that. But maybe not. My friend said she packed up her house in 3 hours per day for 3 weeks, by herself. That is about 75 hours give or take....maybe that is a more realistic amount. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted February 27, 2016 Author Share Posted February 27, 2016 200 hours of packing? Do you live in a mansion? I would get a couple of my Ds's teen friends. ( 3 girls come to mind) they would be thrilled to help me for free but I could pay them $10 an hour and we would all be happy. Yeah, I have boys. A couple of girls come to mind, but not sure about transpiration, they live 20 miles away.....WHICH IS WHY WE ARE MOVING!!!!!!! We live about 20 miles away from every single thing we do!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 Yeah, I have boys. A couple of girls come to mind, but not sure about transpiration, they live 20 miles away.....WHICH IS WHY WE ARE MOVING!!!!!!! We live about 20 miles away from every single thing we do!!!!!! Well boys can help too. Plan a couple of long days, go pick up the girls and let them help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxbridgeacademy Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 Movers, a 3 man team, are coming tomorrow morning(yes I'm freaking out a bit). They expect to have our 1500 sq. ft. 3 bedroom packed, loaded, and moved all in one day. I think if you pack what you can then have her come a couple days in a row you'd be surprised at what gets accomplished. Just be sure whether or not you're in charge (directing, assigning tasks) or if she is, due to more experience in moving. If you really want to make it go quicker and have the $$ hire a couple College age kids to act as gophers/pack mules. They can move boxes from the peripheral rooms to an already cleared staging area/room. So, friend 2 days (15-20 hours) at $15-$20 per hour ($250-$400) student helper at $12-15 for about 6-8 hours X 2 = $150-$250. It's important to make sure you have all the stuff you need, boxes, bubble wrap, tape, food/drinks so no one needs to leave during the crucial time. If I had the $$ I'd probably offer the friend $500(2 days work) and pay each kid $125 (1 day work). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 (edited) At $20/hour and needing about 200 hours, that is $4K. I honestly could just think of my work as "paying myself" and do it.If you need to 200hrs then get a moving company. It might work out cheaper. Some gives no obligation quotes. When we moved here, the relo was paid by his former employer. It took 4 guys and 5-6hrs to pack and move all required stuff from our 1024sqft house. When we moved here from rental apartment to this condo home, hubby did it over three days using a minivan with both 2nd and 3rd row down. We had two cribs and a play yard to transport at that time. We needed the elevator on both ends. Edited February 27, 2016 by Arcadia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 200 hours..wowsers! It should not take that long unless you really want to go crazy and be super organized and clean every little crack and crevice. It took a lot for us when we've moved because we have a lot of books. You can't put too many of those in one box because they are heavy, but it still no way took 200 hours. The shortest notice I had to pack up and move was 2 weeks. It was 2 weeks of almost constant working minus sleep and breaks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 I'd probably throw out the number $20/hour, but you could do a flat rate too. Maybe you could just say you'd pay her $500 for doing as much as she can in one long weekend, starting bright and early each day. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmrich Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 It will not take that long with another person helping, escpecially someone who is not emotionally attached. I know when I pack up, I also am going through stuff, purging some, reorganizing others, and flooded with memories. She will just pack it. Plus there would be two of you so the work would be cut in 1/2. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BooksandBoys Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 COL is such an amazing thing. I expect I'd pay $50 an hour here for that kind of service, but $20 an hour or less in the small Midwestern town where I grew up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TechWife Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 I think an hourly rate is appropriate unless she knows exactly what she has to pack up. When we have packers, there is an hourly rate and an estimated total time. It is understood that If they go over time, they will get paid for the time they work. I do not hire lazy moving companies and I am constantly moving around checking on things so I know they are working. If you don't think she will work diligently, then don't even let her start the job. It isn't worth the hassle. The going rate for professional packers here is $50 per person per hour. You need to check your homeowners insurance to see if any accidents or injuries by this packer would've covered. We only hire professionals and liability is one of the reasons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T'smom Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 It will take you much longer than it will take anyone else. You will worry about what gets packed with what, organizing, purging, etc. Movers will just put everything in a box. Even the trash can. We paid a flat rate. They were done in less than one day (but that was when we only had one kid and a smaller house) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ausmumof3 Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 Check out the flylady moving guide if you are feeling overwhelmed. I founding super helpful. And I agree others will be far more efficient because they will just fill and seal whereas you will be wanting to sort and process. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted February 27, 2016 Author Share Posted February 27, 2016 If you need to 200hrs then get a moving company. It might work out cheaper. Some gives no obligation quotes. When we moved here, the relo was paid by his former employer. It took 4 guys and 5-6hrs to pack and move all required stuff from our 1024sqft house. When we moved here from rental apartment to this condo home, hubby did it over three days using a minivan with both 2nd and 3rd row down. We had two cribs and a play yard to transport at that time. We needed the elevator on both ends. Oh wow. I guess if you have all the supplies and just hurry along it could be done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieZ Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 You know, I'd never hired packers until I had to pack and move my mom's house. The packers were INCREDIBLE. Three people, 1 day, and the whole dang condo was packed. Not one item broken. I guarantee that work would have taken me at least a couple weeks, even with a helper. After seeing that, I will hire professional packers if I ever move again. It was INCREDIBLE. I've moved a full house many times. I know how many hours and days and weeks it takes us to pack up . . . Pros are the way to go, IMHO. (Unless you have a very small household or simply can't afford it . . .) I'd hire an hourly helper for several days over a few weeks prior to the move if I had a good helper, just someone to help sort give aways, purge crap, haul stuff out from closets for me to sort . . . (assuming I was purging as one normally does before a move). I'm thinking the moving company charged maybe only 30-40/hr per packer. I'm guessing they probably get paid under 20/hr. I tipped EACH packer $50/day as well. So, if I were hiring someone, I guess I'd use 40/hr as a VERY top rate, but that's assuming they were as incredibly efficient as these pros. If it were just some helpful efficient person, maybe more like 15-20/hr if they were independently able to "pack up this storage closet" .. . or 10-15/hr if they were just more like a spare pair of hands that needed to be guided in more detail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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