HI,
I’m being forced to take on some work that is a bit farther than I prefer.
Actually it’s only 20 miles but at rush hour here in north San Diego inland area that equals about 3 hours of driving! So it’s close to a 12 hour day, probably 5:30 am to 5:30 pm.
Looks like I’ll have to do it but I’m still hoping not to.
So where do you draw the line? Obviously I’ll go farther for more money but there is a limit.
Notrix
Edited 2/19/2005 12:34 pm ET by Notrix
Replies
You're being forced? Who's forcing you? If it's a company or boss, then I would ask for travel time. Anything over an hour has to have dollar signs attached. Most of my work is within a half hour. I could make more $$ working in the city, either NY or Philly, but it's not worth it to me. I value my time for other things. Some folks have no choice I realize, but if there's a choice, I would say no. We are a driven people.
I don't understand your use of that word "forced" either. Are you a slave? Most of the country got away from that system a few generations ago.
After living and working in many different places, I have never been to a location where they do not at least pay you for transportation time one way at least.
I really pity you, being forced to live and work to live in such a terrible place. Are any of your comntemporaries talking about a revolution or a jailbreak?
Welcome to the
Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
where ...
Excellence is its own reward!
Perhaps he means "forced by economic necessity" as in, this is the only job on the table right now?
At any rate, I try to limit things to a 60 mile radius. In my old work truck (10 mpg) I refused any thing over 30, but I upgraded recently (if a used Toyota is an upgrade) to 24 mpg, so I can afford to go farther. Of course, I figure travel time and fuel into my bid, too. And I live in a rural/small town area, so traffic congestion is never a problem.
I did one job a couple of years ago that was 90 miles away. It was a room addition on a house that the owner had just bought but hadn't moved into yet. I packed a sleeping bag, Coleman stove, cooler and groceries and stayed at the site for most of the job.
"You couldn't pay me to run into a burning house. I'm a VOLUNTEER!
"Perhaps he means "forced by economic necessity" as in, this is the only job on the table right now?"BINGO!Seems all the contractors in my town are out of towners and all the contractors here-Escondido-are from out of town.It's stupid ridiculus!!In about 8 months of off and on-as economic issues dictate-job seacrhing I've been unable to find ONE job that is within 20 miles and that's a long drive.I am seriously considering a relocate. I keep getting great small jobs that don't last. Custom cabinet sorta deals I parlay into a rfemodel with a GC friend. But the funds trickle away beofre I find "local" work.Not complaining.N
At one time I traveled from Georgia to Washington, Maine, New Jersey, Oklahoma, and other places to work, so I guess, depending on the job, I'd go anywhere. But as far as driving time to the jobsite, about an hour is the max for me. I actually enjoy a 20 or 30 minute drive in the morning, but don't care much for the longer ones. Where I live now it's not so much how far, but where. I'll drive further on this side of "the hill" rather than drive over the hill to work in San Jose.
This reminds me of a story a friend from somewhere in Central America, I can't remember exactly which country, told. This guy has his contractor's license in California and speaks fluent English. He had applied for unemployment, and the woman asked him how far he would travel for work. He said, "3,000 miles." She thought he misunderstood and repeated the question, and he said 3,000 miles. He finally told her he traveled from his native country to Northern California to work...3,000 miles.
and the best we can find in our travels is an honest friend."
....Robert Louis Stevenson
Allen in Santa Cruz
I try to keep it around a half hour but occasionally up to 70 minutes if the job suits me.
Right now and for the next two months I have a 20 minute commute
If it goes over 30 minutes for anything but a one- or two-day job, I charge time on travel to recuperate the wear/n/tear on the truck and pay for my gas. Got no choice: gas here is close to $4.00 a gallon, and trucks cost about $55,000. Plus, why should I throw in what is equivalent to a free hour (or more) every day?
I grew up in NYC, so I know about daily rush-hour commuting. If I had to deal with that again on a daily basis, I think I'd charge twice my labour rate for the time I spent on the road. No way would I spend 3 hours each day on my nickle, especially in stop-n-go traffic.
Dinosaur
'Y-a-tu de la justice dans ce maudit monde?
Not to mention the cost of transmissions per mile...
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
"I really pity you, being forced to live and work to live in such a terrible place. "...I agree, the rain is just enough to get everything wet and then it clears up and I still can't see the right edge of my computer screen until Ellen...
But I think about one hour is about the limit. Or 40 miles given the speed of my Gastropod... Your problem is you live in Escondido. Is the job in San Diego? I live downtown and the "commute" is always reverse. In the morning, little traffic out. In the afternoon, little traffic back. ...Can you set your hours???? Maybe 10 am to 6 pm?.?. 5:30 am should give you a head start on the traffic. Where is the job? [x^2/a^2 + y^2/b^2 = 1] = ...
~Peter
Plans for a trebucket are needed for a highspeed transportation device in West Virginia...
Yeah, that alone is responsible for me raising my rates 10 bucks an hour....
Dinosaur
'Y-a-tu de la justice dans ce maudit monde?
Move
The secret of Zen in two words is, "Not always so"!
When we meet, we say, Namaste'..it means..
I regularly do jobs 65 miles or so from home base. But for me, that is only a little over an hour's drive. I calculate driving time into the budget and bids also. With gas as high as it is now, I have to.
I also regularly do jobs within 10 minutes driving time.
I had a chance to go to Florida and work for about 6 months on remodels and rebuilds after the hurricanes this past summer, but that is way too far for me to go.
James DuHamel
He who dies with the most toys.... Still dies!
"For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his soul?" MARK 8:36
http://www.godsfreemusic.com
I like 30 minutes minimum, 60 minutes maximum. Of course, I don't always get what I like, but when I have a choice, I do.
I always figure all my commuting time as work time.
blue
Just because you can, doesn't mean you should!
Warning! Be cautious when taking any framing advice from me. There are some in here who think I'm a hackmeister...they might be right! Of course, they might be wrong too!