What is a fair price?

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knittnponder
knittnponder Posts: 1,954 Member
in Chit-Chat
I need a little help and figured what better place to ask than a forum full of random people on the internet? ;)

My two daughters have been asked to house/pet sit for a friend and we have no idea what would be fair compensation for this. The property is very rural and the girls will be pretty much house bound there because we don't have an extra car for them to take. It would be from noon on a Thursday to noon Saturday of that same week. My girls are in their upper teens and very responsible. We also have other friends who live close by in case the girls need them.

The responsibilities they will have are: "it would be feeding the horse, goat, and chickens twice a day which takes about 15 min. each time.Then I have two big dogs that eat once a day, both sleep in the house at night one stays out during the day. Then I have a little 10 lb. dachshund that thinks he is human and will be very lonesome for me when I am gone needing lots of love. Cleaning the house is optional, the stove downstairs would need to be kept going but that is about it."

So what do you guys think would be fair to charge? We are in Western Washington if that makes a difference. Thanks!

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  • ldalbello
    ldalbello Posts: 207 Member
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    Is food provided ?
  • eatcleanNtraindirty
    eatcleanNtraindirty Posts: 444 Member
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    Is food provided ?

    Very good question.

    And I think $350 for each girl. Comes out to be a little under $8/hr.
  • _DaniD_
    _DaniD_ Posts: 2,186 Member
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    I would say $150.00 per girl.
  • dmpizza
    dmpizza Posts: 3,321 Member
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    We pay about $80 per day for a live in dog sitter when we are away. Technically food is not included, but we are OK with them eating from our fridge and pantry.
    If we don't want someone staying over, then we pay about $25 per visit for a 45 minute visit, 3 or 4 times a day.

    These include "wet swiffering", the floor to clean up any dog messes.

    Hope that helps.
  • KrystalLight03
    KrystalLight03 Posts: 119
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    Whenever we have had a house sitter for our four dogs, I believe my mom paid $300 to $400 for the week, and food was provided. This is in Northwest Indiana, if the area makes a difference. I think that rate is more than fair, but it sounds like your girls will have a lot more responsibilty than letting a dog outside and feeding it.
  • odusgolp
    odusgolp Posts: 10,477 Member
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    Holy Crap. I would not have thought that high, as others suggested. But I've never had to tend to horses and goats. I would have thought $150 tops.
  • Jacwhite22
    Jacwhite22 Posts: 7,012 Member
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    Is food provided ?

    Very good question.

    And I think $350 for each girl. Comes out to be a little under $8/hr.


    Way way way too high. It's not like they are working the whole time.........






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  • _DaniD_
    _DaniD_ Posts: 2,186 Member
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    I would say $150.00 per girl.

    Actually I'll change this to $200.00 for them to split. I'm sure they only technically need one girl. I'm assuming it's your daughters who wanted to do it together, not the home owner.
  • Jacwhite22
    Jacwhite22 Posts: 7,012 Member
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    I would say $150.00 per girl.

    Actually I'll change this to $200.00 for them to split. I'm sure they only technically need one girl. I'm assuming it's your daughters who wanted to do it together, not the home owner.

    I think this seems adequate and reasonable.








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  • odusgolp
    odusgolp Posts: 10,477 Member
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    I would say $150.00 per girl.

    Actually I'll change this to $200.00 for them to split. I'm sure they only technically need one girl. I'm assuming it's your daughters who wanted to do it together, not the home owner.

    Yeah, I'm on the same page.

    And legally, if someone is working 24 hours (a legit payrolled position), you can deduct 8 hours of pay per 24 hour period if they are allowed the opportunity to "sleep." In a nutshell anyhow.... So $8/hour/girl the entire time is way over the top. My opinion...
  • AuddAlise
    AuddAlise Posts: 723 Member
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    Here it could easily be 50 a day for housesitting alone! Add in the horses and you're looking at 100 - 150 a day. So I would say for 3 days for 2 girls it would be 600 on the low end and 900 on the high end. I live in SoCal though so everything is more expensive.
  • Alex_is_Hawks
    Alex_is_Hawks Posts: 3,499 Member
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    I agree with the $200 dollars....for the same reasons above. it seems reasonable for the amount of work they will actually do.
  • knittnponder
    knittnponder Posts: 1,954 Member
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    Wow! I had no idea what the fees would be! She is providing food and it was my request to have them do it together since she's so rural and they are just teens. My older one is 18 but they've never been overnight alone before so I prefer them together. Thank you for your input! I at least have an idea of what to tell my girls.
  • now_or_never13
    now_or_never13 Posts: 1,575 Member
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    I would say $100 for each girl. Maybe a bit higher if food is not provided.

    It doesn't sound like there is a lot of work to be done so I don't see the need to pay them a lot. If they were doing cleaning, other work in the house, or other yard/animal work maybe a bit more but I would bet $100 is good for each girl.

    Are they your girls? You could always tell them they get $100 or whatever you decide and you will bring them on a little shopping trip once they are done.
  • sozisfitnow
    sozisfitnow Posts: 209 Member
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    Is food provided ?

    Very good question.

    And I think $350 for each girl. Comes out to be a little under $8/hr.
    Disagree lol $350 shared because they are company for each other an one person can do the job!
    I do think that but have only quoted you as a wind up lol
  • eatcleanNtraindirty
    eatcleanNtraindirty Posts: 444 Member
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    Clearly many of you have not had the opportunity to take care of livestock like horses and goats. Sometimes there are many more "unseen" things that need to be taken care of for these animals.

    $80 a day would be fair like a few have said... if they were only looking after the dogs. But they are also responsible for expensive livestock. Notice I did not say responsible for feeding... like they show up, feed the animals, and leave. But they are there the whole time looking after them. Making sure no harm comes to them... this alone is grounds for higher pay.

    I don't think it's unreasonable to ask for $350 per girl for the entirety of the stay. $80/day (for just dog sitting) comes out to be $160... add on a couple horses/goats and another $90 is definitely not too high.

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