[SpamDeleted]

This is not a Las Vegas problem. I have the same issues in New Jersey.

[Tek_Freek]

Originally Posted by NLVgal

A friend of mine owns his own local handyman service. He has a license and is honest. I referred a couple of people from here to him. He spoke with the person and made an appointment.He showed up and they said they found a couple of Mexican day-laborers to do it cheaper. Nice of them not to call and let him know before he wasted a trip. I don't give out his information anymore.

He has plenty of business from referrals anyway.

There are scumbags on both sides of the equation.

[Tek_Freek]

It's common. We thought we had found someone to rely on for work I can no longer do. Had him replace some windows and repair some siding. Did a good job at a reasonable price. Had him back to do some more windows and some refinishing.

Then tried to double bill us. We're looking again...

[ScoopLV]

I had a guy drop off the (not at all cheap) materials for a job, then disappear into thin air. It's been four years now. Ended up doing the work myself and getting free materials out of the deal.

[kttam186290]

There's something about cities in the desert Southwest and hustlers; Vegas, Phoenix, Albuquerque, El Paso, Tucson, Yuma, Kingman, Bullhead/Laughlin...like proverbial moths to a flame.

There's lots of hustling going on out in the desert cities of California too, it seems.

The hustlers just weren't cutting it in LA (or some other place) and these desert cities are their last refuge. Whether its some sort of MLM scam or a straight-up ripoff as many have described here.

I think the lower income tax levels, and low tax levels and less regulation in general, in some of the Southwest states inadvertently promote all of the hustling...?

[NLVgal]

Originally Posted by Tek_Freek

It's common. We thought we had found someone to rely on for work I can no longer do. Had him replace some windows and repair some siding. Did a good job at a reasonable price. Had him back to do some more windows and some refinishing.

Then tried to double bill us. We're looking again...

I always suspect incompetence before dishonesty. Did you ask him about the billing error?

[modhatter]

Well, I agree with the OP. I recently posted a similar post, and I previously lived in Phoenix, Ca. and Florida. Got two electricians to house for bid. Materials mostly wire, some junction boxes and some caned lights. Not more than $300 in material (and that's retail cost) Both said about two days to complete. Bid $3,800.00. Maybe I'm crazy, but even considering overhead and insurance, seems a little high. If I wanted the light fixtures or fans installed that would be another $600 +. What's a fair labor cost for 15 hours work for electrician? $65 an hour x 15 is $975. At $75 an hour is $1125. At $100 an hour, it is $1,500. When two people are used, it is usually one electrician and one helper ($15 hr. for helper)

Painting estimate for a 1600 (single story house) with some drywall repair and ceilings $4,860.
Then there's the guy who wants me to give him $2,600 for materials up front for trim materials and just trust him.

Other than some things I found like home inspection, Angie's List contractors who have good ratings seem very over priced. At least where trades people are concerned. I think what the OP would like, as I would like, would be to find some reliable, honest people (medium priced) guys who don't carry large overhead buildings who would be happy making $250-$300 a day themselves. I know electricians and plumbers demand more, but not other trades, unless you have a large union shop. The last two handyman I used in a good area of Florida, and in Phoenix, both charged $30 an hour (full day minimum). They could do most anything, and I had to book him and wait till he finished his jobs, and it was my turn. He was never without work. No bids or running around town wasting gas and time.

He got a solid $1,200 a week every week. Not rich, but not poor either.

[WestieJeff]

John Bridge, who runs a well known tiling site (is now retired) said he would work 30 hours a week and would net 3k-4k/week after expenses. That's an extremely experienced tile setter.

The RV repair shop charges $120/hr book time to repair my RV + extremely overpriced parts (compared to purchasing online). Any electrician, plumber, etc. is doing work at least as hard as the RV repair shop.

A guy charging $250-$350 a day if he is licensed, insured, etc. would probably net out 45k/yr once you factored in expenses, employer FICA, and inevitable downtime between jobs.

Don't kid yourself, the guys charging $250-$350 day are usually not paying any licenses, insurance, and mostly no taxes either by not reporting any income.

Originally Posted by modhatter

Well, I agree with the OP. I recently posted a similar post, and I previously lived in Phoenix, Ca. and Florida. Got two electricians to house for bid. Materials mostly wire, some junction boxes and some caned lights. Not more than $300 in material (and that's retail cost) Both said about two days to complete. Bid $3,800.00. Maybe I'm crazy, but even considering overhead and insurance, seems a little high. If I wanted the light fixtures or fans installed that would be another $600 +. What's a fair labor cost for 15 hours work for electrician? $65 an hour x 15 is $975. At $75 an hour is $1125. At $100 an hour, it is $1,500. When two people are used, it is usually one electrician and one helper ($15 hr. for helper)

[modhatter]

Originally Posted by WestieJeff

John Bridge, who runs a well known tiling site (is now retired) said he would work 30 hours a week and would net 3k-4k/week after expenses. That's an extremely experienced tile setter.

The RV repair shop charges $120/hr book time to repair my RV + extremely overpriced parts (compared to purchasing online). Any electrician, plumber, etc. is doing work at least as hard as the RV repair shop.

A guy charging $250-$350 a day if he is licensed, insured, etc. would probably net out 45k/yr once you factored in expenses, employer FICA, and inevitable downtime between jobs.

Don't kid yourself, the guys charging $250-$350 day are usually not paying any licenses, insurance, and mostly no taxes either by not reporting any income.

RV Repair shops make almost as much as doctors. No argument there. A tile man making $3,000 to $4,000 a week has got to be a rare exception. There are lots of one man show trades people out there.

Most don't make anything like that. Or back to original post I made on subject. I don't think anyone who knows what they are doing and has halfway decent skills in a trade, should be out of work here. It is a good place for skilled trades people to move to if they are looking for work.

[Exaday]

Many of the contractors in this town who are liscensed, simply bid the job and then hire day laborers/illegals to do the actual work, why not cut out the middle man?

I speak Spanish and so I speak to the workers. I can just as easily hire my own Mexicans. Learning the language was the best thing that ever happened to me.

I have made friends with many of these people, I respect them and they respect me in return. I would let people know who they are but most people don't seem to feel comfortable with it.

I don't understand why though. Those tile setters making 4k a week are doing it by bidding many jobs, charging you prevailing wage but actually paying illegals under the table.