bigdogger wrote:
HelloImDavid wrote:
bigdogger wrote:
As a business owner, I will only deal with local tradesmen, because they are going to be there should problems arise. Since most workamping positions seldom pay much over minimum wage, I doubt many businesses are going to offer $40 an hour, barter or not.
For a larger upscale C.G. to have all their heating,cooling, refrigeration equipment thoroughly inspected and serviced professionally in exchange for some free nights stay... has no bearing on future breakdowns and calling someone in locally for that. Theyd have to do that in any case.
If theres a lot of equipment to service....I would be willing to do a fair and equitable Barter even as low as $15 per hour on my end . That's considerably cheaper than the going $85-120 per hour from a local Contractor. I found a 5 star RV Park in Arizona that has a few buildings, café, etc... and im going to propose my professional HVAC services and non-professional services to see if they are interested . If their concern is liability, then id be pleased to sign a waiver releasing them of any possible injury to myself (which they most likely have everyone sign in any case who does workamp grunt work for them) .
Say you replaced a fan on an Air conditioning unit. Usually the replacement is guaranteed for a period of time, both parts and labor. Should that fan fail, no fault of yours in 4 weeks, how are they going to get that labor portion handled? Liability is usually more towards injury to others. Things like you carrying a vent pipe and accidentally slice open the forehead of a kid. Or, you are in the attic and accidentally put your foot through the ceiling of the office. For some, those incidents would be enough to motivate them to get in their rig and drive off, never to be seen again. Therefore you are going to need a business liability insurance policy. Also, don't many states require licensing of HVAC contractors?
As for the cost, it isn't as big a deal as it may sound. I wouldn't sell out my local contractor, that has probably done thousands of dollars of work for me, to hire someone who walked in off the street, who I have no idea of their actual skills and abilities, who have no local references in order to save a couple of hundred dollars. I don't intend this to be anything personal, but I wanted to offer you the viewpoint a business person on the other side of the transaction.
Doing business locally is very important to most businesses. I use the local contractors, they refer business to me. It adds up to a lot more than the $200.00 I could save.
I can respect your view and that is fine . Maybe many CG's wouldn't want me to barter in this manner for professional services...and that's fine. Im also available to barter for general grunt maintenance work and/or my musical talents including Guitar and leading large groups of people in Gospel Music singing or Folk Music around the Bonfire.
As to your repair scenario, if the CG Owner didn't want me to perform that Fan repair and instead opted to hire his normal HVAC Contractor for that specifically, then that works for me too. What I can offer primarily, is meticulous and professional maintenance on the HVACR systems from a 40 year Veteran who was not only an Owner/Tech but taught and trained young Men coming into the Trade. As for licensing, many States are reciprocal to the State I got licensed in ... IF they require licensing at all. Many don't. As for Me putting my foot thru a drywall ceiling, etc... its never happened in 40 years of being in business and if it does, then ill fix it or surrender a free nights stay .
I realize that my Barter proposal wont be for every C.G. Owner ... but I suspect a fair amount will see the advantage and especially after they see my qualifications, unsolicited testimonial letters, awards, certifications , and graduating from Trade School with high honors . Im pleased either using my Trade experience or being a general maintenance Laborer for whatever needs they may have at the time.
