First, we set up the situation. A Good Troll has a fence around his yard. A little over half an acre or so of backyard but not true square, so we will call it about 800 linear feet of fence. This fence is not pre-stained, because pre-stained fencing sucks.
Now, I'm a lazy guy, but I'm allowed to be. I don't want to stain this fence again like I did on my own several years ago, so I figured I'd hire some derp-derp high school student to do it for me. The first one I had out to my house a couple weekends ago I told him I would pay him $10 an hour and $100 bonus when he finished the entire thing. This is front and back of the fence, so I imagine it is about a 24 hour job to finish - so kid stands to make $340 cash, under the table so no IRS crap. Not so bad, right?
Wrong. He does four hours, says he has ball practice in the afternoon. Alright, sounds legit. I pay him his $40 and I never hear from him again. On second glance his work sucks so I touch up the areas he screwed up and figure I'll find someone else. I chalk that up to him being a bad apple in a pile of good ones.
Next try, couple days later. A girl offers to do it. I offer her $12/hour with $100 bonus to finish. More money means she'll do better, right? She lasts one day too, although at least she did it in a bikini top so I felt like I got something for my money.
Third kid this weekend failed as well. This one at least lasts two days, but still disappears on me never to be heard from again. Do I need to start including pension benefits in my offer? Health care and 401(k)? If someone offered me $12/hour when I was in high school I would have jumped at the chance.
So what is the deal? Any one of you Bungie dudes want to stain a fence?
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$12 an hour? I'll take that for as long as you're prepared to offer it, so long as the weather in Yankeeshire is better than it is over here.
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Calling kids crazy but not doing the job yourself? Right ok
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I'd stain your fence.
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Those kids were not raised by strict, old-school parents that taught them old-school values. I tend to see rural kids exhibit better work ethic than city-kids. At least that is what I grew up around.
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[quote]although at least she did it in a bikini top so I felt like I got something for my money. [/quote]How old are you OP?
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Edited by Onion Beetle: 4/29/2013 5:46:46 PMShould have hired a mexican to do it, they'll get the job done. [i]one way or another[/i]
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Edited by Expunge: 4/29/2013 5:44:11 PMThey are. Spoiled off the success of captialism. Also, video games don't help matters.
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pic related On topic, yes, I've stained a fence before. I spent 4 years of my high school life in Woodshop. Find a high school student that took woodshop. That should yield results.
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[quote]More money means she'll do better, right?[/quote] You of all folks here should know better than this. Also, WTF. I was a lazy kid, but FFS, I finished jobs I started.
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icwutudidthar, OP.
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Edited by Cultmeister: 4/29/2013 4:58:41 PMyou should only give them the money after they finish. otherwise they're only going to do it for a bit of quick cash
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Edited by Oneironaut: 4/29/2013 5:02:13 PMI have no idea how to do such a thing, but for that amount of money? You can bet your sweet aspercreme I'd try my absolute best and wouldn't stop until finished.
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that's wy I make sure there's quality contro when hiring teens, I make sure they do it well or the pay is cut in half for them. it makes them a lot more prescise and clean in their work for sure.
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>Hiring High School students. There's your problem. Hire a professional, it doesn't matter if they cost more. You're not being ripped off with the quality of the work with them.
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Depends, you live in central FL? On topic I'm pretty lazy when it comes to house work, but I jump at the chance to do outside work. Just depends on the person.
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I agree. But then I live in San Diego. I have inexpensive Mexican day laborers hanging out in lawn chairs just outside Home Depot. You could have it done in an hour, professionally, for $200. Clearly the kids in your area suck, and just feel entitled to everything just handed to them.