Do you pay your employees enough?

Thats what I was trying to say Pgriz. One could do a lot with $200.00 a day if you cut out the crap we buy for connivance. Give you an example of myself, Compare my wage from last year (which was not my best) to date and this year to date with being disabled and unable to work steady. 2008 gross wages $84,756.00 2009 gross wages $18,886.00 Now the funny thing is today I'm debt free except my mortgage

We cut out the dinning out, the new gadgets,travel,stay home and enjoyed our home and property for a change. Stress level today low stress level last year very high. Go figure.>>>

Lessee, now. I, as a basic roofer, make about $20/hr. In a 10-hour day, I should have made $200. Give a little away to the government, and I'm left with maybe $150. So, I like to have a coffee on the way to the job, 'cause it is just sooo early. That's $4.50 at Starbucks, and I tell the barrista to keep the change. I smoke two packs a day. That's $20 bucks. I buy my lunch. That's another $10. At the end of the day, I like to relax a little with the guys. That's $12 plus maybe $6 tip to that lovely lady that served me. Oh, and I'm feeling a little lucky, so a couple of lottery scratch cards, and that's another $10. Darn, gotta put some gas in the car as I wanna drive and see my honey... Oh, well, I'll put $20 in. Honey doesn't want to cook tonight, so it's another $30. So, I've worked all day and all I have to show for it is $30 measly bucks. I ain't being paid enough!!!

The "I" in the previous scenario is imaginary. However, it's not what you make, but what you end up with that counts. And lifestyle determines whether you keep or give away most of what you make.>>>

From Olympia to Tacoma piece work starts out $15 per square for 4/12 roof, larger companies pay a little more up to as much as $20 per sq. In Tacoma, You can command between $17-$25 and hr for an experience lead man or service guy. The worker is responcible to supply his own tools and truck and gas

You live or die depending on how busy or slow it gets.....NO WAY ENOUGH TO BUY A HOME!!!>>>

It's amazing at the amount of people that just don't get it.....

1983; $ 15/hr.....House $ 50K....Truck $ 6K 2009; $ 18/hr.....House $ 250K....Truck $ 20K +20%...... + 500%.... + 330%....Food, clothes fuel, taxes, etc.....

How is that indifferent? I realize "Perception = Reality"...But come on now.....

I'm surprised at the little amount of discution on this topic.....Or is it pretty-much a "given" to most?>>>

Eco,

$30/sg for 4/12?....Holy poop!......That's actually a fair wage for these times...works out to $48-$60/hr. for the avg. shingler(s).....I sure would like to be able to pay my guys that!>>>

What one makes has little bearing on what they can buy with it. You could make $100,000.00 a year and still not be able to buy a home and a car. I've seen people that never made more then $8.00 there whole life and own a home and when they died had $800,000.00 in the bank. What I'm trying to say is most young guys today want NOW what there parents have and worked for There entire lifetime to get. If people would buy what is in there budget instead of over buying and living above there means they can get what they want in due time.>>>

Fifteen bucks an hour for a roofer in '83 is some serious cash.>>>

Truth be told when the powers that be collect a near equal amount as what a guy gets paid who would want to swing a shovel for minimum wage with possibility to advance into a position as a roofer that is still making the same wages as a guy did 10 years ago...but really it is all perception. Take pride in doing a good job at what most people refuse to do and you are set in the right direction to make money. I love what others hate and because of that I always have work...funny story is going from Seattle piece rates of roughly $30.00 per sq. on 4/12 install to Olympia where the average high paid foreman gets $15-$20 per hour and is expected to produce the same, when I was the roofer piece worked rocked now I own this beast and if I paid sq. work in Oly I would be ran out of business in the land of the 4/12 rambler prices are odd.>>>

TomB.....AMEN!! Then throw in all the state, county and local employees and teachers, firemen and policemen......I bet 60-70% of the population mooches a payday from the tax payers!!

Makes one wonder where all the money comes from....well, I guess it is just printed :woohoo:

Believe in your country, have trust and faith.....the Indians did :dry:>>>

Do I pay my employees enough?...I pay them as much as I can and stay afloat.....A more appropriate question might be..."Do your employees make enough?"....

The answer is; Of course not; Just consider this: I'll go back to 1983. Let's compare; I was paying a journeyman roofer $ 15.00.hr.,($ 31,200/yr.) (I'm using the same town/demoghrapjhics mind you) Salary Typ.new 1st home New pickup 1983....$ 31,200....$ 50,000...........$ 6,000 2009.... 37,440.... 250,000........... 20,000

Not to mention the resultant higher costs of just about everthing...The working man in this country hasn't got a chance....

In 1983, I had employees buying homes, new cars, supporting families....Can't happen today. What happened? Illegal immigrants, liberlism & a worthless gov't....That's what happened.....

The scale has tipped the other way.....Our community was adjacent to a large military base. There wasn't much desire to take a civil service job, as one could do much better in the open/competitive market.....Now the opposite is true....There's guys knocking down $ 100K a year sitt'n on their arses, working, (taking up space), for the gov't, while the really productive people are eeking out a miserable existance on the same wages they made 25 years ago! And I don't need snoopes to confirm it...I've lived it!>>>

You can't really tell anything by looking at the house someone lives in and judging by their car. My wife used to sell Real Estate way back when the info was in confidential listing books. Those things were an eyeopener. Very often the existing owners of the expensive houses would have enough equity and an old enough mortgage that they would be paying lower monthly payments than someone that recently got into 'the average house'. I know of many employees that I've had that have been paying more in monthly vehicle expenses for three or four year old vehicles than I pay for new trucks. You get someone with poor credit, that trades in a vehicle they're underwater on, factor in insurance problems and you could lease a new Mercedes (not that I would) for what the poor guy is paying for say, a used Ranger. But you can't live their lives for them, you've got to let them make their own mistakes.>>>