OT: I hope you can help me with this

[Amanda]

This is not about home but about my care, washing and waxing using my supply..

There is a 28 year old needing some work - he posted on a website. At first I was going to ask him to help me disassemble my L-Shape desk and take the parts downstairs. Then carry a folding table - adjustble

- upstairs to be used as my desk. (My brother - the older one, has had serious foot injury. So, I don't him to move this bulky desk which can ge heavy moving downstairs.)

In the mean time, I need my car washed (by hand) . I don't like using cotton cloth; I use microfiber cloth. I usually wash myself or do touchless wash. The place where they do hand wash + other work, the boss was ok about my request to use my Perma Plate supply and instructed me to tell the people there. But when I went there early one morning, the manager said "there would be no garantee of the work". I interpreted as the worker would probbaly ignore my requst. Beside, those workers would not be able to read instruction on the bottle.

So I asked and the kid wants to do car wash + applying the Perma Plate following the instruction on the bottle. I would do the vacumming.

If he doesn't want to, I'll wash the wheel too because I use a different cleaner that should not be left for more than 15 seconds. But he will dry the wheel after washing the car.

Needless to say, I have all the supply. He doesn't to bring anything. This will be done at my place.

He tells me to come up with the price but I don't know how much to charge. I want to be fair. Any suggestion how much I should offer to pay him?

[JoeSpareBedroom]

Call a couple of local places that do this sort of doll-up work on cars and find out what they charge. That should give you some guidance. And, hope he knows what he's doing.

[buffalobill]

$60.00 ? wages vary widely. car detailing and cleaning varies widely depending on the local competition. perhaps double the minimum wage with a four hour minimum to include roundtrip travel time to and from his home. sometimes grouping work chores for visits so the trip is worth it to him and you. outdoor car work is weather sensitive. inquire of your town regarding its handyman licensing. also see dept of labor minimum wages by state:

[marks542004]

If he is using supplies that you provide and is only supplying the labor , and if he is basically unskilled in the job you want done , then you negotiate from minimum wage of %5.15 an hour up to $10 or more.

It would be a good idea to find out what your insurance covers for this kind of work.

[Amanda]

Well.. my thinking is that if he is patient and follow instruction, he would do the job I wanted in applying Perme Plate. After all, I was supposed to be doing it follwing the instruction on the bottle but after washing the car, my hands would be tired to give that pressure in applying.

Now, I am concern whether he can do it or not. If he is any like when I was his age, just went to college and didn't know much about anything else, he ould get very imaptaient like I was when I was that age. I never bothered washing my car tthat age. I heard that that how girls were. May be he likes cars and would treat mien as his but I doubt it. Mine is only a little over a year old.

You mean, for putting Perma Plate? It's basically like wax. It is referred to as Glorified Wax by an autobody place.

[Amanda]

The place I mentioned would do is for $79.99 but that was last year spring and summer. That would include vacuuming inside and tiretreatment.

Now you are scaring me. After all, when I was his age, I would be impatient with this kind of work. I think this kid is more of a computer geek than anything.

- Hide quoted text -

[Amanda]

He doesn't live close to my area; he live 25 - 30 mins one way and I feel guilty if I don't pay him well.

I doubt that he does this kind of work on regular basis.

state:

May be I should wait till the weather is a little warmer (we are in CA) and get help from my brother to doll it up.

[Frank]

No idea. Try posting in alt.autos.subaru ;) Frank

[Amanda]

Where did you learning to spy?

[mm]

I don't know if bad application of the product will damage anything or not. (Personally, I would never use paste wax near a light or trim stip or anything, because it really looks cruddy to have that light brown stuff stuck in all the cracks. And it seems really hard to get off. That's what I mean by damaging something.)

But if there is a chance, I would start him off with something that he can't damage, or which will grow back pretty quickly, and see how well he does.

If you don't have work like that for him to do, I''d just go to the car wash and accept whatever crummy spray-on wax they have.

[JoeSpareBedroom]

Example: Kid begins washing car from the bottom up, using the same sponge he's going to use on the top. Wrong. The lowest parts of a car often have abrasive grit stuck on. Guess what happens if you work from the bottom up.

[Amanda]

Good point. I have never doen or supervised anythign like this before.

Yeah..

True.

I am not that rich to give me other as a test:) And being single, I don't have work that others can do for me.

[Amanda]

That reminds me of what I read about car washing, to rinse out with water often. Icould explain to him what guarantee do I have that he would follow the instruction. And I don't want to be rude watching ..

I should wait till Srping and get my brother help me apply that Glorified wax.

[Frank]

Unfortunately, we happen to have similar ng interests. I, of course, was hoping to draw you out and expose you ;) Frank

[JoeSpareBedroom]

Is there some reason why YOU can't do the job?

[terry]

using (my?) supplies..............??????????????? . Suggestion: quit wasting time posting and wash it yourself. Sounds as though there is some doubt that the 28 year old, about whom you are so concerned, will a) understand and b) follow exactly your detailed instructions. If you want expert work go to professionals who have all the gear, the experience and proper location to do the work. BTW when I go outside shortly in this minus several degrees Celsius temperature (it's about 26 degrees Fahrenheit at the moment) I may be able to kick off some of the accumulated frozen slush under the fenders of my 4+ year old pickup, so it doesn't interfere with the wheels turning or steering! That will be the extent of my washing the vehicle in this winter weather. Washing a car doesn't warrant 14 postings (seems a bit paranoid?) on a home repair group IMO!

[mm]

Seems right to me.

Why is it one is supposed to wash walls from the bottom up? IIRC. I've never understood that.

[JoeSpareBedroom]

Are you saying it seems right to wash a car from the bottom up?

[mm]

using (my?) supplies..............???????????????

You make a good point there. OTOH< there is no car washing group. :)

[frank.logullo]

Amanda is a drama queen. Last time she visited alt.auto.subaru she almost caused a riot with her/her alter ego getting torqued off. She does have some good questions and all the guys want to help the poor helpless girl ;) Frank