Hiring labor from craigslist question

[Sam1]

When someone mentioned hiring labor for a move in that moving thread, it got me thinking of how many things I'd rather be doing than this landscaping project that has been getting put off for 6 months now.

 

Question I have, is has anyone hired general labor from CL & had issues with them?  It's not a complex job, just menial work of cleaning up some stuff, dropping some weed block in, mulching and planting grass.  But my concern is hiring some shiesty dude or dudes that get out there on flat ground with a rake and claim they tripped over an imaginary rock, suffered a concussion and faces a lifetime to pain and suffering then decided to make a claim against me or the insurance.

 

Is this reason enough to stick with an an insured company or is it even a concern?  If there was a signed release form or whatever it's called, would that make a difference if the person made a claim?

 

Pondering the options because I need to get moving with something pretty quick and I despise any yard work above mowing/trimming.

 

Side note, anyone around Fairview want to make some extra $? lol

[56FordGuy]

I'd be way less concerned about insurance fraud than I would folks casing the place to come back later.

Considering how hard it is to find good help to start with, and the high number of scammers, flakes, and otherwise shady folks on Craigslist I would steer clear.

[Spots]

My father in law has hired guys to help us on Construction jobs, he is a general contractor. Your best bet is to find ads of people looking for work, instead of posting one looking for people. If they are posting an ad looking for work then that means they want to work and probably have bills to pay and a family to feed. You could get them to sign a paper, though I have no idea how much it would help if you did get sued. If they start asking about workers comp and insurance first thing, then run away. They are probably hunting a payout. What do you need done specifically?

Sent from the backwoods

[TrickyNicky]

Dude where you at? I can come by on a weekend and we can get it done over a 6er. Shoot me a PM, at least if I run off with the beer you're only out like $9.00

[KaNaPaPi]

I have hired laborers and the moving help (as mentioned in the other thread). Yes there are crooks out there. However, most are just common folk trying to make a dime.

I found someone on craigslist to build a fence for me. I found someone to unload a truck. I found someone to paint my house.

Do I have concerns at times, Yes. However, I generally have faith in people until they prove otherwise. Always best to ask for references.

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

[raildog]

I found a guy on Craigslist one time that did hardwood floor refinishing had him come out and give me a free estimate three weeks later he came back broke into my house and cleaned it out so you never know what you're gonna get he was a really nice guy at least that's what it seemed Edited September 15, 2015 by raildog

[Dolomite_supafly]

I had a neighbor who had some work done prior to putting his house on the market. Some of them came back a few weeks later after the owner moved out and cleaned him out.

[McGarrett]

Go with Nick or someone you know, otherwise ask for proof of insurance. 

[R1100R]

Ive used neighbors teenagers for that. It has worked out well and they are always looking to make some money..

[GlockSpock]

Craigslist....love and hate relationship....worse than Ebay. Worse meaning I hate them more than I love them. Ebay I hate them about as much as I love them.

 

I've had 1 bad transaction (buying and selling) on Ebay out of 184. The main reason I hate them is because of the amount of fees they suck up; I use them anyway because there isn't a market as large as Ebay's anywhere in the world really to reach as many people buying used stuff. So I generally have positive feelings for Ebay. The bad experience was essentially someone not (or claiming not) to have received their item. I refunded them simply to keep my 100% rating as I could not prove they had received it as USPS First Class does not include international shipping. My mistake, their gain, lesson learned.

 

Craigslist. Once I bought a $300 iPhone 5 from a guy. It seemed to be mint. Before I got it back to work I realized that the screen glitches in and out, I think there is a post here somewhere. Contacted the guy, even got into stalker territory by finding him on Facebook, etc. Found out where he lived. Did a drive by (as in driving by, not driving by and shooting). Ended up at that moment deciding $300 wasn't worth any amount of issues that might come up by pursing it further. Sent the guy one more text, politely telling him I felt scammed but wasn't going to message him again, but gently asked for my money back. The whole time of course he was claiming it was a month old phone, even though Apple showed it was nearly 2 years old (didn't have Applecare).

 

The second Craigslist issue was when I purchased an 85mm 1.8 lens from an asian guy at Starbucks. Now, it was entirely my fault that I did not both research pricing more as well as inspect the lens more, but it was the lens that ended up having debris that was inside the lens. Didn't really affect the optics of the lens much if at all, but the part of me inside that wishes I had spent an extra $50 to buy brand new caused to me sell the lens to buy a new one. I tried contacting the guy back seeing if he would give *most* of my money back if I gave him back the lens, no reply. My mistake because I was more concerned with getting a really good deal on a lens that I didn't weight my options enough as well as overlooked the condition of the lens. Coincidentally, it was me selling this lens to an asian in Cambodia that led to my only bad Ebay experience.

 

My point being that Craigslist isn't filled to the brim with top notch experiences. Both of those could have been prevented had I done my part a bit better. That being said, I still try and use Craigslist. I try to use it to find a side job or two, just today I "applied" to be a photographer of the Color Fun Run in Chattanooga in October. Will I get it? Probably not. But I figured I'd message them to see.

 

That being said, I have read many stories, especially from the photography world, that suggests to be very careful with Craigslist particularly. People meeting up with photographers and robbing them of their gear, etc. Also, I just suspect but do not know for a fact, but there have been a time or two I've almost "applied" to some of the postings on Craigslist about photographing properties for national property reality companies. However, the last time I almost did it I noticed that they were requiring a W9. Now, this could be legit. But I also realized that it could simply be a scam to get you to send them your personal information on a W9. I decided it simply wasn't even worth the risk. So now I just try and find local things such as races, sporting evens, etc. That being said, it hasn't worked out once so either I'm not a good Craigslister or something.

 

Be very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very,  careful with Craigslist. A lot of thieves, scammers, crooks, etc use it.

 

In terms of buying/selling, I generally only use Craigslist now for things less than $50 unless I'm feeling lucky.

[NextExit]

Lots of people looking for work but good luck getting a response. Years ago, I needed some landscaping done. Searched Craigslist and made 5 calls. 2 responded, only 1 showed up.

[Sam1]

I'm going to get an estimate from an actual landscaping company to see what it'll run me.  Spoke with them on the phone at length, he said he would stop by in between one of his jobs this week and look at things to look things over, take some pics and draw up some designs.  if it's $1500 or less, think I'll do them, if not I'll probably tough it out and do it myself, although it may take another 7 years to finish.

Edited September 16, 2015 by Sam1

[Gun Smith]

I have had great success selling and buy on Craig's List.   Cars, tools, and equipment.   

 

I have had terrible success hiring help using Craig's List.   Every single one has just plan ole stunk.   If someone is seeking employment on CL,   from my experience,  they are the bottom of the barrel and no one else will hire them.   Outlaws,  crooks,  pill heads,  drunks,  liars, you name it  (sounds like a bunch of politicians, eh?).  

 

You are better off asking friends and family  if they know someone you could hire.  Somebody will know someone you can get to help just about always.

[MountainDewed]

I used to hire help moving furniture all around the country from people that waited outside the agency. Most agencies would line us up with help if we needed it(which was rare). Sometimes they would be hard workers and sometimes not so much. It's pretty much a crap shoot any time you hire help. You could try a big moving company because most these guys want to make cash and am sure some yard work would be an ok change of pace. All you gotta do is drive up to a well known(big) moving company and you'll see them out front early am. This is just an idea and just touching base on hired help being a "you never know" until you use the guy type dealio... 

[Sam1]

After a $1700 estimate for doing the whole thing, then a $750 estimate for everything being prepped (the hard part of the job) and coming to lay sod only, I just done the stuff myself.  $195 for 675 sqft of sod $20 for some fertilizer and viola.

 

 

 

 

 

Putting the extra $500 towards a Calhoun pistol, so in the end, glad I sucked it up and finished everything myself.

[Ted S.]

You missed some trash on your HVAC unit.

[Sam1]

You missed some trash on your HVAC unit.

 

 

That was my two liter bottle of go juice.

[TrickyNicky]

Came out looking great Sam!  Good work! :up:

[hipower]

Awesome!!! Will you do my back yard?

[raildog]

Awesome!!! Will you do my back yard?

Make me second in line that looks awesome you really did a great job

[Sam1]

The sod part was easy, it took maybe 4 hours total to lay and roll it.

The cleanup, raking and tilling and raking and raking and... took about 20 hours.

I would recommend everyone do their own if you can suffer through the prep work

[Dolomite_supafly]

That was my two liter bottle of go juice.

Hope you didn't buy it from this guy.

 

 

Boone County resident, Jasper June, 72, was arrested today on felony charges of manufacturing and distributing homemade “energy drinks” containing the powerful stimulate methamphetamine. The Boone County drug task force raided June’s tree fort (June lives in 200 sq. ft. tree fort on his brother’s property) to find Jasper wearing only an adult diaper and reading an Arabic pornographic magazine.

 

Police seized approximately 25 2 liter bottles of June’s “energy drink” found in a cinder block pump house on the property. The bottles tested positive for methamphetamine.

June came under suspicion when he sold four bottles to several high school girls who hours later were checked into a hospital with internal bleeding. The children’s parents phoned authorities.

 

A police report contained several statements from June:

“They’re just energy drinks like Rockstar or Monster. It’s not meth in there. It’s just lemonade, caffeine, sugar and a couple drops of gasoline. I swear to God I didn’t put meth in there.”

 

Customers would come to June’s home to buy the energy drinks for $20 per bottle. One customer spoke on the condition of anonymity:

“I’m shocked Jasper put crank in his energy drinks. I didn’t know nothing about that. I just knew they worked good to keep me awake for a couple days. Stuff way better than Monster [energy drink].”

 

Hours after June’s first statement, he confessed:

 

“Okay, I put just a little meth in there to get them addicted and keep customers coming back. I know they’ll all testify against me so let me make something else clear: I pissed in every bottle.”

 

June also faces child endangerment charges for ‘poisoning’ the girls who drank his homemade concoction

http://stuppid.com/meth-energy-drinks/

[Sam1]

Dang, I could've shaved 10 hours off the prep time with this stuff!