What To Do????? Help!!!!!

[Gatewayuser]

My brother wants $19.50 per hr he worked a little for me last year and did a good job. He was supposed to become a pest applicator like me and study some books so he knows what he is doing better, the problem is he has done none of this. What should I do should I tell him he will make only $15 per hr which is what I paid him last year, not hire him at all and get someone else, or go ahead and pay $19.50(by the way this is after taxes). What do you pay for someone with his experience? Thanks!

[JB1]

just what will he be doing for his $21 or $22 hour ?

[Gatewayuser]

Treatments, mowing, trimming, landscaping and I would have liked for him to do design too.

[JB1]

He would have to get his certification before i'd pay anymore. nothing like working with family.

[Gatewayuser]

Thats what I think and he said thats not what we agreed upon even though I know we did.

[Jason Rose]

Do you know just how much per hour YOU are netting??? I would think that your net profit, after all your overhead, business related, and taxes, that realistically you as the owner is probably making 20 to 25 and hour tops. That's only if you are working a full 40 hours a week.

For your brother to want the same you are making (bascally) is nuts. I'd tell him that if he wants to make the same money, then he's going to have to PUT IN the same money. Problem is, that gets into a partnership and that's a whole new nightmare. But I guess I feel like 15 and hour is very high for labor. Now if he was running a whole crew as a foreman and that crew brings in big profits, then 15 an hour would be justified.

Is it necessary for him to become a licensed applicator? In most states you just need to pay some extra for each "unlicensed applicator" you have and as long as you are within direct communication at all times with that person then they can apply. There is training available usually for them as well, just less cost and they don't get the license themselves.

[Littleriver1]

I would run an add in the paper for job applications. Tell him for legal reasons you need him to fill out an application also. Pick out 2 or 3 apps. that you would really hire and ask him for his advice on who he would hire and what he thinks they should be paid. At the end of the meeting place his app. next to the one he picked and ask him if he really believes hiring him instead of the one he picked was a good business decision. I'm sure between the two of you the correct decision will be made. You already know the answer or you wouldn't be asking. The real problem is how do you tell him.

[Gatewayuser]

He can spray under me but I want it that if I feel like going on a trip he could do anything including invoicing. At first he was going to run a crew but with not enough snow which = less money I can't buy the mower I need but I have everything else including an extra truck.

[kc2006]

Tell him get the applicator license or he gets 15 an hour. If he doesn't like that, find another job.

I used to have one of my brothers help me, then they started complaining because they saw what the man hour prices were (gross not net). So it was "why do you make 45 an hour when I only make $15"

[Team Gopher]

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Hi Gatewayuser,

If you want him to still get the license I would suggest doing what kc2006 said as well to motivate him.

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[Gatewayuser]

Thanks everyone! I will let everyone know what I do.

[cwlawley]

I think that you should hire him at the $19.50 probationary. Let him know that he has 90 days to get his applicators license and x number of say, new accounts. If he does it then he's proved he'll work hard for you. If he doesn't then he is prbably like my brither and will do nothing all day.

I am a huge believer in hiring your family. I have two businesses and I hire everyone from my dad , sister, mother-in-law, etc. Yes we have problems, but I can trust them more than anyone and I wouldn't think of hiring someone else over them, if they continue to be trustworthy. I would rather keep the $19.50 in the family then to send it away when they need it.

[YardPro]

if u pay him that u are crazy...

[QualityLawnCare4u]

Paying 19.50 per hour! Damn!!! Im in the wrong part of the country! I would be tickled to offered 10 an hour for a decent job tommorow. In my area an employ that sprays or even a lco foreman is dang lucky to get 10 an hour and thats after he has been employed for awhile.

[Gatewayuser]

My brother also has a lot of connections and has gotten me 2 jobs and he also has a whole lot more business knowledge then me and I took business management too. He also is great at CAD and designing houses but he's not done landscapes yet. He knows the main of the main people at certain sub divisions and developers that most comps would kill to know, he even knows a ton from all over the US. I think I will have a VERY serious talk with him in the morning when he comes to his office which is next to mine he owns 2 companies.

[officeguy]

No offense but I think Blackshear, GA may be under the national average for wages. Most fast food jobs pay close to $10/hr in the midwest.

[Green-Pro]

Tell him get the applicator license or he gets 15 an hour. If he doesn't like that, find another job.

I used to have one of my brothers help me, then they started complaining because they saw what the man hour prices were (gross not net). So it was "why do you make 45 an hour when I only make $15"

Just flat out won't have any family member (wife and kids exception) work for me. I tried it it was a disaster, not gonna go through that self-inflicted misery again :gunsfirin I will only hire outside the family.

I will wager you this complaining you are hearing now is only the beginning. My advice? Cut bait and run you can find somebody a heckuva lot cheaper IMO.

[Trinity Lawn Care, LLC]

What is someone of his experience worth to your market? What is someone with his experience worth to you? How much time does he save you? How much money does he make you? With that said, if he is not worth $19.50/hr to you without the the cert than you give him the choice. $15/hr or get certified. Family member or not you are in business. You are in business to make a living, and if someone is not worth a certain dollar amount you do not pay them that. I too have ran into situations with family members like Green-Pro stated. It is a difficult thing to do working with family members. Not highly recommended in my book.

[QualityLawnCare4u]

No offense but I think Blackshear, GA may be under the national average for wages. Most fast food jobs pay close to $10/hr in the midwest.

No offense taken and you are correct, our national average is around 13k per year. To the original poster, hiring family member is BAD business, I would/will never hire a family member or close friend:nono:

[hole in one lco]

My brother also has a lot of connections and has gotten me 2 jobs and he also has a whole lot more business knowledge then me and I took business management too. He also is great at CAD and designing houses but he's not done landscapes yet. He knows the main of the main people at certain sub divisions and developers that most comps would kill to know, he even knows a ton from all over the US. I think I will have a VERY serious talk with him in the morning when he comes to his office which is next to mine he owns 2 companies.
so if you dont hire him at 19.50 he wont give you business. That sounds like di%$ head brother to me............................. He ant going to make that any where ells with his experience

[John from OH]

"I think I will have a VERY serious talk with him in the morning when he comes to his office which is next to mine he owns 2 companies."

Not to doubt you, but if he has 2 companies,

? #1. why is he wanting to work for you?

? #2. how would he have enough time to commit to working for you?

[Gatewayuser]

He would still send me business its just he won't sit down for a day to do that. It makes sense to me.

[Gatewayuser]

His companies only take a couple days a week to run, the rest of the time it runs itself. Also he says he likes landscaping and wants something to do when he's not working on his own. Last year I let him take a truck by his self on a couple of cleanups and he did a good job, what I like about family is that they know what the quality level is.

[Hollywood Services]

I think the idea of a probationary period of $19.50 an hour is a good one ... make sure he knows what goals he needs to achieve in that time or it's back to $15 an hour!