[groundwork]

Hello, I'm new to the forum and new to the business. I opened my business last year and have made a pretty good go of it despite some difficulties.

Currently I am doing all of the field work which is very slow and quite tiring for me as I have been doing design and install as well as maintenance. For some reason, I find setting 100 lb. stones into a patio all day without help to be somewhat tiring!

So, I'm ready to hire some part time labor. Here are my questions:

1. How do you find good labor that is willing to work part time with a somewhat irregular schedule (depends on the job) and wants to hang in there through the growing pains? If I can, I would love for this person to become an integral part of my business.

2. How does one find out about labor laws in Washington state? I've checked out Labor and Industry's web site and have not been able to find out what processes I need to go through to hire. I also need to know what this is going to cost me. Is there a book? I already have an FEIN, but that's about as far as I've gone.

Thank you in advance for any advice! It seems like there are a lot of smart people with great ideas in this forum!

Sue

[Stonehenge]

Hi Sue -

For labor issues, you can start with your local SBA office, or contact your local SCORE office (Service Core Of Retired Executives), usually affiliated with the local chamber of commerce.

Re: part-time help with an irregular schedule - I wouldn't try too hard to find someone willing to have spotty work now in the hopes of a full time job later. Good people who need full time probably won't settle for part time, unless the job market is really bad in your area. Just try to find part-timers now, and when the time comes for full-timers, go find full-timers. As for sources - you can likely find just summer helpers at the local HS or community college, or you can try the fire and police dept for part timers, as they often work 3-on, 4-off types of schedules.

[mdvaden]

There are temp labor places that seem to cater to contractors.

The low dollar wage places may have 1/4 of the guys from off the street - but even with those joints, almost every guy earns his keep. Especially if all you really need help with is moving dirt from here to there, and digging that trench, and moving all the plants to the back yard.

Then there are better individuals at other temp places. Even the low dollar places get some very good workers who tend to get asked for by name after a while.

It's a great resource because you are not obligated to keep them employed 5 days a week, 8 hours a day.

If you request hispanics, like two, and don't speak Spanish, ask that one of them speaks English. Those guys have always been excellent workers.

I specifically ask for men, because many of our jobs (the pruning ones) are one day - no porta-potty and I don't like going in customers houses with dirty clothes.

In that case, all they are doing is dragging limbs from back to front.

It's not quite as ideal as having your own employee, but it's an excellent stepping stone and a great physical relief.

Even when you have regular employees, the temps can be a real aid on certain jobs to keep your employees from burning-out.

[groundwork]

Thanks for your replies. I knew I'd get some good advice! I had totally forgotten about SBA and SCORE. What a no-no! They were very helpful last spring when I was just starting up.

As for not getting my hopes up too much with this first employee, probably also good advice.

[pineapple]

You might talk with small (2 guys and a truck) landscape maintenance companies.

They may be available to work on a Monday or Tuesday. Not many people want their lawn done on those days, everyone wants Thurs or Friday.

I know a designer who works like this.
She pays the company an hourly rate per person and they use their own trucks and equipment.

[LandArts]

I'm going full-time with my labor now but what I have done is use weekend help. Over the years I was able to "borrow" entire crews from other landscapers. Set everything up on the job site the day before and it's surprising how much you can do in a day or two. It helps to pay a couple of dollars an hour more than they get on their regular job. Keeping labor flexible helps to make it through the startup years.


www.land-arts.net

[pineapple]

You have a great website!
I envy you your location. Did you go to NCSU? I did.

[groundwork]

Thanks! It is still very much under construction as I have to have my husband chip away at it because I can't afford a professional designer. It will actually be changing a lot here in the next few days.

No NCSU for me. Here's the list: I went to Sterling College in the NE kingdom of VT, NAU, UMASS Lowell and Amherst, and the Harvard Extension School.

Thanks for your advice about the small mowing crews. I run into them all the time. Next time I'll ask if they are looking for any extra work.

I would really like to free myself up a couple of days a week so i could get some marketing done, but I guess I'll just have to take a couple of days off here and there to do it.

[LandArts]

No NC State for me. I moved up here from La. and went straight to work

groundwork- you might also ask workers at the wholesale nurseries.

[pineapple]

Ooops, sorry I was talking to Land-Arts, I thought that was the original poster.

I haven't seen your website, but would like to.

It is hard to get time in the office.
I work with my installation crew on Monday and Tuesday. Stay in the office on Wednesday. Meet clients and prospects on Thursday, and run errands, etc on Friday. Office on Saturday. It doesnt always work out like this, but office time is critical if you have to do design, contracts, and run the business!

My crew does maintenance on Wed, Thurs, Fri.

[groundwork]

I thought perhaps you were crazy thinking my web-site was great! And had no idea where you got the idea that I went to NSCU :P

This explains things.