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Any ever hired a day-laborer from the Home Depot parking lot?

Posted on 4/16/16 at 9:09 am
Posted by gorillacoco
Baton Rouge
Member since Oct 2009
5320 posts
Posted on 4/16/16 at 9:09 am
If so, how does that usually go down? Do you have any tips or do you recommend it at all?
Posted by I Love Bama
Alabama
Member since Nov 2007
37715 posts
Posted on 4/16/16 at 9:12 am to
I have many times. I wouldn't take a chance on them for skilled labor but for doing some yard work or something like that its pretty safe.
Posted by Panny Crickets
Fort Worth, TX
Member since Sep 2008
5596 posts
Posted on 4/16/16 at 9:15 am to
Same as Bama said.

Tell them what you want done, what you are going to pay. Pretty easy.
Posted by gorillacoco
Baton Rouge
Member since Oct 2009
5320 posts
Posted on 4/16/16 at 9:17 am to
How much do you usually pay? And how long of a 'day' do they work?
Posted by AutoYes_Clown
Baton Rouge, LA
Member since Oct 2012
5176 posts
Posted on 4/16/16 at 9:20 am to
I have a spinoff question. What do you do when you only need 2-3 out of the two dozen? Do they have a pecking order, first come first hired, or by task required?
Posted by I Love Bama
Alabama
Member since Nov 2007
37715 posts
Posted on 4/16/16 at 9:26 am to
Normally $10 per hour cash but they earn every penny. Your market may be different.
Posted by Hammertime
Will trade dowsing rod for titties
Member since Jan 2012
43030 posts
Posted on 4/16/16 at 9:46 am to
I have a couple of times. They usually understand English, but if not, I use Google Translate on my phone to tell them what's up
Posted by Sparkplug#1
Member since May 2013
7352 posts
Posted on 4/16/16 at 10:08 am to
You're better off hiring temp workers for a few dollars more an hour. That few dollars saves your arse if anyone gets hurt and tries to sue you. It's all on the temp services insurance.
Posted by Tiger Ree
Houston
Member since Jun 2004
24554 posts
Posted on 4/16/16 at 10:15 am to
quote:

I have a spinoff question. What do you do when you only need 2-3 out of the two dozen? Do they have a pecking order, first come first hired, or by task required?


I'm sure you can choose whichever ones you want but when a car/truck pulls up there is a definite rush for them to get to the vehicle first.

When I had my sprinkler system installed a friend of mine who had done it a few times was going to be the supervisor so we hired a few to do the manual labor.

I got my day laborers at a bar parking lot before it opened. A suburban pulled in before we did and all the laborers made a dash for them. I got the slowest three who were just kind of walking towards the suburban.

It turned out to be a blessing in disguise. As the installation was getting started my friend was explaining to Pedro how to do the funny pipe from the conduit to the sprinkler head. Pedro said "No-No this is better" and my friend's eyebrows raised and he got a look on his face like he had just heard fascinating news.

Turns out Pedro worked on a contract basis for a landscape company installing sprinkler systems and one of the other two - Ricardo worked with him doing all the pipe work. Ricardo's brother wound up digging all of the trenches.

We drank beer and watched Formula One racing in the garage all day while they put in my sprinkler system. No supervision needed although I did have to get them some Popeye's chicken for lunch. They did one hell of a job - six zones, 56 heads and going under the sidewalk three times (corner house). Started around 6:30 and they were done at 2:30.
Posted by Hammertime
Will trade dowsing rod for titties
Member since Jan 2012
43030 posts
Posted on 4/16/16 at 10:23 am to
All of the ones I've met and worked with here are not sue happy whatsoever. They'd rather work hard. They actually hate people like that.

Maybe that's a West coast thing, or just paranoid thinking
Posted by OleWarSkuleAlum
Huntsville, AL
Member since Dec 2013
10293 posts
Posted on 4/16/16 at 10:33 am to
quote:

You're better off hiring temp workers for a few dollars more an hour. That few dollars saves your arse if anyone gets hurt and tries to sue you. It's all on the temp services insurance.



Yeah I'm sure an illegal is going to try to sue me.
Posted by CHEDBALLZ
South Central LA
Member since Dec 2009
21933 posts
Posted on 4/16/16 at 10:33 am to
My buddy works on a contract basis installing aluminum handicap ramps. He pays them $10 hr plus lunch. Normally orders pizza for them. He also biys them a case of beer when done.
Posted by Sparkplug#1
Member since May 2013
7352 posts
Posted on 4/16/16 at 10:38 am to
quote:

Maybe that's a West coast thing, or just paranoid thinking


It's smart thinking and that money runs through the tax system and helps the state of Louisiana and USA, along with a tax write off for me.
Posted by SportTiger1
Stonewall, LA
Member since Feb 2007
28504 posts
Posted on 4/16/16 at 10:43 am to
My question is, why have I never seen any at hd or lowes in shreveport? I know we've got enough.

This is a service I would use lol.
Posted by Tiger Ree
Houston
Member since Jun 2004
24554 posts
Posted on 4/16/16 at 10:44 am to
quote:

Do they have a pecking order, first come first hired, or by task required?



There was another time when I had some fence work done. I went to Lowe's and 3 guys came to the truck. I was telling them what I needed done and the oldest guy basically asked if it was just taking off the old pickets and putting new ones on. I told him some of the cross boards and maybe a post or two would need to be replaced.

He told me they wouldn't do it and pointed out a guy with a truck who had started walking over and said I needed to hire him. The guy had a generator, air compressor, nail gun and every other tool needed to do the job in his truck. Actually, everything but saw horses. They did a great job so I had them replace the gate also. They made the gate and got it square and level with the rest of the fence.
Posted by rsbd
banks of the Mississippi
Member since Jan 2007
22171 posts
Posted on 4/16/16 at 10:58 am to
Brought one home to pick up all the dog shite in my yard before we had a big Easter egg hunt. Best 50 bucks I ever spent. I have 3 labs.
Posted by Tiger Ree
Houston
Member since Jun 2004
24554 posts
Posted on 4/16/16 at 11:14 am to
quote:

My question is, why have I never seen any at hd or lowes in shreveport? I know we've got enough.



They don't hang out by the front door. The Lowe's and Home Depot are right next to each other in my neighborhood. The day laborers hang out between the two under some trees that are next to the sheds that are for sale. Some hang out in or by their vehicles.

You almost have to be looking for them to even notice they are there. But if you get close enough and stop you definitely know they are there.
Posted by Manchac Man
Member since Dec 2014
1508 posts
Posted on 4/16/16 at 11:53 am to
What do you pay for temp labor? Last I checked it was double what I can pay cash for. Plus the temp labor guys are usually worthless.
Posted by Spankum
Miss-sippi
Member since Jan 2007
56041 posts
Posted on 4/16/16 at 12:34 pm to
I have hired them a couple of times and had good experience.

my advice is to remember that they are perfectly intelligent people...folks who are willing to travel to another country to work are generally pretty high quality people.

there will generally be a few in the bunch who speak English and kind of head the whole shite up...just go by and tell them what you are looking for and they will sort through the deal to find who is available for you.

be respectful and don't expect them to work all day for $5 or any kind of shite like that...you are generally going to pay $10 or so per hour for someone who will work hard and can speak a little English.

buy some lunch for them and act respectful and you will have a good experience...
Posted by wickowick
Head of Island
Member since Dec 2006
45814 posts
Posted on 4/16/16 at 4:10 pm to
I picked them up once, great as a force multiplier, not great for really skilled labor (framing, painting, masonry, etc) unless you can come communicate with them and the confirm that they can do specialized work. I kept the number from the first group and have called and used them many times over the years,
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