House Sitting, kinda, how much?

[Saddlebum]

Last year my new neighbors went down to Florida for 2 months and I watched their house for them. Walk my dogs by there nearly everyday and I walked up to the house 2-3 times a week, went inside once every 3 weeks to check plumbing etc. They paid me $200.

This year, my neighbor and I have been walking together a lot with my dogs and she waited till 2 weeks before they left to ask me to house sit. She also asked me to keep track of my time (we did not talk money). I said I couldn't keep track of my time as I simply walk up to the house porch to check the thermometer for inside temp, around the house to check the windows in case birds fly into them and break'em, doors to be sure no one's been around. Also, I have to be able to start their generator in case of power outage. But to keep track of my time is too much trouble for me. It just does not take that long. It's a responsibility and we did agree on that.

This year, they are not having the driveway plowed out so it's a pain to walk through the deep snow up hill to the house. Personally, I would not want to do it for anything less than $200 because of the responsibility. Don't know if she thinks she's paying me too much or not enough and I did not think to ask her.

Last year, we did not have any power outages except for 1/2 hour. We have had them for up to 5 days without power. They want me to run their generator for a few hours then go over and turn it off. Thinking is, heat the house up and leave it over night and run the generator again in am to heat it up. Oh well, has not happened that I have had to run it.

I'm wondering how much people pay for this service. I've never done it before.

P.S. no pets or plant to care for. it's on my walk with the dogs.

Thanks.

[Tarlo Farm]

I think $200 is fair.

[Quelah]

For two months? No way in hell would I do that for $200, on my daily walk or no.

[Josette]

I think $200 sounds reasonable - comes to $50 per week. Just to walk up to house and go inside once every 3 weeks is ok for $200. The difficulty is the weather snow conditions to walk to the house. Maybe mention this fact and she may pay you more or ask for more. I certainly would not take less. She should certainly pay you more if you have to run her generator and turn on/off at set times. But more involvement/effort means more money IMO.

[Tarlo Farm]

I am imagining this is a neighborhood where you're walking on a sidewalk and the houses are close together? Or at most on lots of an acre or so? And I agree, if you have to do more due to a problem, they should pay for the extra effort. But if it is as I am imagining, I'd do it for nothing, just to be neighborly. And hope they would return the favor when needed.

[PaulaO]

I agree with Tarlo. I'm going out of the country and a 20 year old woman from the barn will be staying at my house to keep my cat company, take in the mail, and futz with Miss A. I'm paying her $200 for the 2 weeks.

[Fatcat]

I think you need to tell her what you just told us, that for $200 she gets what she got last year. If the snow isn't plowed and the generator needs to be run, then the choices are: she find someone else or you will do it for $200 + $x. You decide what X will be.

[Tarlo Farm]

I agree with Tarlo. I'm going out of the country and a 20 year old woman from the barn will be staying at my house to keep my cat company, take in the mail, and futz with Miss A. I'm paying her $200 for the 2 weeks.

Now THAT would cost me $20/day. In this case, she's just walking her dog in a different trail and becoming a bit of a Peeping Tom.

[piedmontfields]

I have paid $25 per visit for a quick swing by check (including going inside house).

If you are happy with getting $200 for 2 months of activities, the owner is getting a deal.

Years (10+) ago when we used graduate students as house sitters/dog sitters, we paid $50 a day.

[Saddlebum]

Thanks everyone. I kinda agree with all. Houses are on 5 & 10 acre lots. I walk past their house on my way out to the two-tracks where the snowmobiles pack down the snow. Walk is about 2 miles. I am wondering if she is thinking she's paying me too little.

If I have to run the generator and she does not pay me anything extra, next year I will specify extra $ for that chore.

The responsibility is definitely a burden. I worry about the house every time I walk by it. I walk up to and around about 3x a week as they feed the birds until they leave and there are a Lot. I worry about a bird crashing into a window. It's a 2700 sq ft. home, 8 yo.

As for being neighborly, we are all good neighbors who help one another WHENEVER there is a need. This is business. I know she would have to pay a lot more for someone else to do it as to just drive here is an expense - out a ways from town.

Besides, I have a dog she cannot deal with and have always had my cow farmer on the other side of me help with feeding my critters when I cannot. I pay him $10 a day. Never even thought of that. He helped me out when I had surgery and when my mother passed. Everything is always measured out and ready. He just has to dump into bowls, fill water, toss pre-measured hay out for horse and donk and leave. I'm one minute from his house via truck. He wouldn't take more than that, I've tried.

Well, when they get back from the sunshine state, I will find out her thoughts/feelings.

Our houses are surrounded by trees and years ago, in my last home which was surrounded by trees, I had a real large bird (think it was a woodcock?) fly through my large living room double pane window at such speed, it hit the wall on the far side of the living room nearly at the same height as it went thru the window where it broke it's neck. Nearly ALL the glass from the very round hole it left in the window traveled across the living room and was all up against the wall on the floor on the far side as well. My 20 yo cat had dragged that bird into the kitchen and was hugging and kissing on it when I got home.

I have a feeling she has looked into what it would cost her to have someone else do this and that may be why she mentioned keep track of my time. Yes, she is getting a deal. They also know I am very ethical and would NOT peep into drawers, etc. I buzz in and I buzz out and actually, I'm uncomfortable with that but it is what it is. I know T.F. you where joking .

[myleetlepony]

Maybe mention to them that while having the driveway plowed is an extra expense, an unplowed driveway is a tip off to burglars that no one is home and likely not to be home for a while. Kinda like leaving newspapers to pile up.

So, paying for that would not only make their absence less obvious, it'll make it easier for you to access the house.

[Saddlebum]

I know. They had that in mind last year and had it plowed regularly. I drove my pick up down their driveway to put tracks in it also and make it look like someone was living there. Left footprints next to the mailbox.

Oh well, it's on them.

[Tarlo Farm]

Regarding birds crashing into windows: Fish line strung vertically every 10 or 12 inches works wonderfully to keep birds from committing accidental suicide. They are almost invisible from inside, but enough of a deterrent when viewed from the outside.