There’s no denying that hiring a contractor can dip into your bottom line and the thought of hiring Home Depot day laborers (also called day workers) might seem like the way to go.
They can help complete any remodeling tasks that you need help with while saving a little bit of money in the process.
We see the wheels turning in your head as you’re trying to decide if hiring Home Depot day laborers is worth it. After all, you don’t know these people.
You don’t know their qualifications. You don’t know their skill level. Heck, you don’t even know if they’re honest workers who’ll treat your property with respect!
Fear not, dear investor, we’ve got you covered. We’ll go over the pros and cons of hiring a day worker, as well as answer the most common questions people ask about the topic. By the time you are done reading, you’ll have the insight to make an informed decision.
Who Are Home Depot Day Laborers?
Day laborers are people who work on a day-to-day basis for a short period of time. They’ll usually find work through a temp agency or they’ll gather at a designated spot (like Home Depot) and wait for an employer to come by and hire as many workers as needed for the day.
What Services Do Home Depot Day Laborers Offer?
You can find day laborers who have experience doing different types of work. People usually hire temporary day workers for the following types of labor:
- Cleaning: Often times you’ll find day workers who will clean up a construction worksite, office spaces, warehouses, and so on.
- Machine and tool operation: Skilled day workers can be hired to operate machinery like forklifts, excavators, and cement mixers. You can also find day workers if you’re doing a project that requires the use of specific tools that you don’t know how to use like a pneumatic nail gun, a miter saw, or a wet tile saw for example.
- Transporting materials: Sometimes day workers are hired for nothing more than transporting materials from one place to another. They can transport building materials, furnishings, and appliances. They can also help you move into a new home.
- Remodeling: Home Depot day laborers are often hired to help people who need help with small remodeling projects like hanging drywall, painting the interior or exterior of the home, landscaping projects, and installing fences.
- Specialized skills: For those bigger projects where you need people with specialized skills, like installing hardwood flooring, carpentry, and other technical tasks that require experience.
Where to Find Day Workers Other Than Home Depot
If you don’t want to hire a day worker from Home Depot (or there aren’t any day workers gathering at a store near you), there are other ways you can find them.
Online: There are numerous websites where you can hire a day laborer. Craigslist is probably one of the first sites that come to mind, but other options include:
Hire A Helper – Hire someone (with or without a moving truck)to help you move.
Hire A Day Laborer – A small resource for finding day labor work centers.
Labor Jack – Find skilled laborers last minute or for the same day.
Wonolo – An app to find workers and even rehire favorite workers for future tasks.
Day labor work centers: Other than the online resource center, Hire a Day Laborer, you can find brick and mortar centers in certain areas that will help you find qualified and experienced laborers.
Temp agencies: You can find construction temp agencies that can provide you with resources to find qualified day laborers and other independent contractors if you prefer to forego the heavy price tag associated with general contractors.
How Are Home Depot Day Laborers Paid?
Typically a day worker prefers to be paid in cash at the end of the day or project. And although you’re hiring someone on the fly, they are still protected by employment laws and you must comply with a day worker’s rights as outlined by the US Department of Labor.
You are expected to:
Pay the workers at least the federal minimum wage for all hours worked.
Pay for all work the worker performed, even if you approve of the work in advance.
Pay time and a half of the agreed upon rate for any work performed over 40-hours in a 7-day workweek (aka overtime).
Note: If you’re hiring a day worker via a day worker temp agency, the temp agency will usually handle the payment. Also, if you’re hiring a day worker to complete a construction project, they should be paid a “prevailing wage” — the average wage that is paid to workers in a similar position for a given occupation.*
Pros and Cons of Hiring a Home Depot Day Laborer
Hiring day laborers is like a double edge sword and it can be a little overwhelming trying to decide if they’re right for your particular project. Here are a few pros and cons of hiring these temporary workers.
Pro: You Can Hire People as Needed
Sometimes we like to think we’re more capable of doing handy work around the house, be it painting the living room or installing carpet. However, when you get into the thick of it and you realize you don’t know what you’re doing, you can hire a day laborer to help.
Con: You Don’t Know Their Skill Level
The unfortunate side of hiring a random worker on a whim is that you can’t vet the worker prior to hiring. Sure, you can talk to them in the Home Depot parking lot, but you have to take their word for it.
Pro: You’ll Save Money
When you hire a general contractor for a project, they’ll have a team of workers that need to be paid, permits to buy, and other expenses. The average cost to remodel a kitchen can range between $25,000 to $40,000 -or 20% of the budget.
You can reduce that cost significantly by doing some of the work yourself and then hiring a couple of skilled day laborers to finish the rest.
Cons: You Run the Risk of Hiring Someone with Dubious Intent
Although any employer runs the risk of hiring a shady character, hiring a day laborer directly makes you’re vulnerable to being the victim of theft, vandalism, or assault. Granted, this is a very low risk, but it’s still something you should keep in the back of your mind.
How to Hire a Home Depot Day Laborer
Hiring a day worker is more than just walking up to someone and saying, “You’re hired!” You need to talk to the workers and explain your project, your expectations, and other details. Once the terms are agreed upon, then you’re ready to go!
Before hiring a day worker, you should ask them a few questions first. These are just a few questions you’ll want to ask:
Do you have any experience doing [your project]?
Do you have any experience working with [special equipment used for your project]?
What is your hourly rate for a project of this size?
Are you comfortable working on a day-by-day basis?
Do you have reliable transportation to and from the worksite?
Do you have certifications or licenses do you have for this type of project?
How to Hire a Day Worker from a Day Labor Center
Hiring a day worker from a day labor worker center is going to be a little different than hiring a Home Depot day laborer.
First of all, when you’re hiring through a non-profit organization, it’s important to treat the worker as a professional and not a charity case. The day worker has a lot more experience doing the work you’re hiring them for and this type of working arrangement.
1. With that out of the way, the first step to hiring from a labor center is to contact a representative and give them pertinent details that will help the center match you with workers.
When you’re going over the details of the project with the center’s representative, be sure to add at least 30 minutes to the overall time needed for the project.
You can treat the additional 30 minutes as the introduction period where you’ll get to know each other, go over the details of your project, and so on.
2. Next, you’ll need to arrange transportation to your work site and back to the center. A labor center may arrange transportation for you, but for a fee.
3. After the workers arrive and the 30-minute introductory period is over, the workers can get started. It’s recommended to check in periodically to ensure the project is going well.
4. When the work day is over, you’ll pay the workers (in cash is preferable) and send them on their way. If the work has been done well, feel free to give them a bonus if you’d like. If the job isn’t complete or you have other tasks you need help with, you can extend an offer to have them come back.
Is Hiring a Home Depot Day Laborer a Good Idea?
It doesn’t matter if your intent is to buy and flip property or get a new investment property ready to be rented, hiring someone to do projects around the property is going to be costly. Hiring a day worker can be a good way to cut costs, to be sure, but there are some risks involved that you shouldn’t overlook.
With that said, you can find excellent workers who are reliable, skilled, and ready to go whenever you need them — if not at Home Depot, there are other ways to find them!
If you found our advice about hiring Home Depot day laborers helpful, you can check out our blog for more great information! New Western is your source for all things related to real estate investing.
