Author Topic: Part-time job as Mover  (Read 7752 times)

Jacob1234098

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 17
Part-time job as Mover
« on: September 11, 2014, 02:25:26 PM »
Hi guys,

I was helping my girlfriend move her furniture to her new apartment yesterday and realized I really like helping people move. It's good exercise and fun for me. My day job pays $40/hour sitting at a cubicle, but I thought this would be an awesome side job I could do on Saturdays/Sundays (weekday nights maybe, but probably pretty difficult).

*Does anyone have experience doing this?
*Was it a good or bad experience?
*How much did you charge? I'm thinking $20/hour for my labor (more if I need to rent a truck but may just leave this responsibility to them). I plan to work very efficiently as my goal is to get good exercise doing this -- so quick moves for them.
*How did you advertise? I'm thinking just Craigslist with a 25 mile range limit from where I live.
*Anything else I need to consider (insurance, liability, taxes, legality, etc)?

Please let me know your thoughts. Thank you!



citrine

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 85
Re: Part-time job as Mover
« Reply #1 on: September 11, 2014, 02:38:06 PM »
I hope you have great health insurance....find a good chiropractor and massage therapist...you will need them!  As for the side hustle...you will definitely need to have insurance and I am not sure if you need to be bonded.  Also, are you advertising yourself as an "extra pair of hands" or a "moving company"....the latter would have a lot more things to worry about.

frugaliknowit

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1686
Re: Part-time job as Mover
« Reply #2 on: September 11, 2014, 03:01:09 PM »
Try more like $50.  Not worth it.  Your personal health insurance will not cover you for injuries if they know you got hurt while working for someone.

TeresaB

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 139
Re: Part-time job as Mover
« Reply #3 on: September 11, 2014, 03:07:28 PM »
Can you get a job with a local moving company?

Bakari

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1799
  • Age: 44
  • Location: Oakland, CA
  • Veggie Powered Handyman
    • The Flamboyant Introvert
Re: Part-time job as Mover
« Reply #4 on: September 11, 2014, 03:25:20 PM »
This has been my primary source of income for the past 8 years:
http://www.biodieselhauling.org/


I charge $40 an hour, but then again, I have a truck.


The majority of my first time clients come from Craigslist (starting to get more from Yelp), though the majority of jobs overall are repeats and referrals.


I strongly disagree with the health insurance comment (not that you shouldn't have it anyway).
People who hurt their backs are people who DON'T do regular strenuous activity.  It leaves you weak and soft and vulnerable the times it occasionally can't be avoided. 
Also chiropractic is a scam (albeit one with sincere believers doing the hawking - kind of like priests).
Doing real work consistently, especially with aging, is the best way to keep strong muscles and bones, which is what keeps you from getting hurt.
« Last Edit: September 11, 2014, 04:41:42 PM by Bakari »

Angie55

  • Guest
Re: Part-time job as Mover
« Reply #5 on: September 11, 2014, 03:44:39 PM »
Yeah I would work through a company so you don't have to worry about the insurance aspect. Part of the reason I hire movers is because they should be way better at moving my crap without damaging the apt or my stuff. I wouldn't trust some single guy on craigslist offering help. I depend highly on reviews for the companies before selecting them. There's so many out there.

makinbutter

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 56
Re: Part-time job as Mover
« Reply #6 on: September 11, 2014, 08:41:36 PM »
Charging $20 an hour is not nearly worth it.

If you're serious about this and it's just purely going to be a side hustle thing [e.g., you're not setting up your own company to do it], sign on with a local outfit - you'll probably get $20/hr after taxes are accounted for, and you'll probably pull some tips on top of that.  You should be able to pull $100 on a given weekend day with no problem.

vagon

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 238
  • Location: Sydney
Re: Part-time job as Mover
« Reply #7 on: September 11, 2014, 10:08:49 PM »
This has been my primary source of income for the past 8 years:
http://www.biodieselhauling.org/


I charge $40 an hour, but then again, I have a truck.


The majority of my first time clients come from Craigslist (starting to get more from Yelp), though the majority of jobs overall are repeats and referrals.


I strongly disagree with the health insurance comment (not that you shouldn't have it anyway).
People who hurt their backs are people who DON'T do regular strenuous activity.  It leaves you weak and soft and vulnerable the times it occasionally can't be avoided. 
Also chiropractic is a scam (albeit one with sincere believers doing the hawking - kind of like priests).
Doing real work consistently, especially with aging, is the best way to keep strong muscles and bones, which is what keeps you from getting hurt.

+1

I would also make sure to incorporate something strength training during the week to make sure you keep your muscle groups balanced.

Tai

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 79
Re: Part-time job as Mover
« Reply #8 on: September 12, 2014, 07:37:37 AM »
You want to protect your back. You sit at a desk for 40 hours a week, and that itself is not good for you. Combine that with heavy lifting on the weekends and you may end up needing a surgeon not a chiropractor. My brother blew a disc lifting a car engine at the age of 19 and needed emergency surgery. He was strong enough to lift the engine, but his disc couldn't take the weight.

If you do want to do this I suggest that weeknights you work on building and maintaining core strength, you find out how to lift correctly to protect your back and maybe wear a weight belt when you move heavy items. Disability insurance might be good too.

Bakari

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1799
  • Age: 44
  • Location: Oakland, CA
  • Veggie Powered Handyman
    • The Flamboyant Introvert
Re: Part-time job as Mover
« Reply #9 on: September 12, 2014, 07:45:46 AM »
You want to protect your back. You sit at a desk for 40 hours a week, and that itself is not good for you. Combine that with heavy lifting on the weekends and you may end up needing a surgeon not a chiropractor. My brother blew a disc lifting a car engine at the age of 19 and needed emergency surgery. He was strong enough to lift the engine, but his disc couldn't take the weight.

If you do want to do this I suggest that weeknights you work on building and maintaining core strength, you find out how to lift correctly to protect your back and maybe wear a weight belt when you move heavy items. Disability insurance might be good too.


This comment I agree with.
Winter time, when work is slow, I try to get in extra gym workouts so I stay strong enough for next season.

Also, being a mover doesn't take a huge amount of strength the majority of the time.  A good dolly, lifting straps, body mechanics and leverage - raw strength is really only required for getting furniture and appliances around really tight corners in narrow stairwells, where lifting it straight up is the only option

vagon

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 238
  • Location: Sydney
Re: Part-time job as Mover
« Reply #10 on: September 14, 2014, 07:13:37 PM »
Any tips on a good dolly Bakari?

jawisco

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 194
Re: Part-time job as Mover
« Reply #11 on: September 14, 2014, 07:32:47 PM »
I think it is a good idea.  I do think you should charge $30-$40/hour - you will spend a fair amount of time answering inquiries and giving quotes and wasting time otherwise - you need to account for that time, so that in the end you will make $20/hour.

I don't think you need to worry about insurance, but that is personal preference.

I don't see anything keeping your health insurance from covering you if you are working - not sure what other poster meant.  Just say you were helping a friend move.  I also think folks are overdoing the risk to your back - I think the work will be good for your back/body as long as you don't do stupid things and lift correctly.

I think it is a good idea and encourage you to pursue it - put a shingle on craigslist and see what turns up - pretty low risk from your end... 

Ricky

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 842
Re: Part-time job as Mover
« Reply #12 on: September 14, 2014, 07:43:26 PM »
Why not charge for the job? $20/hr is far too cheap as others have said.

usmarine1975

  • Guest
Re: Part-time job as Mover
« Reply #13 on: September 14, 2014, 07:46:05 PM »
You need to be aware of the liability you are taking on by putting a shingle up even on CL. 
If you drop or damage an expensive piece you are liable.  Liability insurance is a must. Having a client sign a no liability clause is worthless.  Lawsuits abound these days.

Bakari

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1799
  • Age: 44
  • Location: Oakland, CA
  • Veggie Powered Handyman
    • The Flamboyant Introvert
Re: Part-time job as Mover
« Reply #14 on: September 14, 2014, 07:51:46 PM »
Any tips on a good dolly Bakari?


I use one almost exactly like this:
http://handtrucks2go.com/Harper-Nylon-Convertible-Hand-Truck-Senior.html


Large pneumatic tires allow it to roll over rough terrain and go up and down stairs easily; its very light, body made of plastic; can move 500lbs; converts to a hand truck.  I also have the folding nose option.  I got it at a local ace hardware for about $80.
I have a couple other types of dolly, but I use this one almost exclusively.

vagon

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 238
  • Location: Sydney
Re: Part-time job as Mover
« Reply #15 on: September 14, 2014, 07:54:57 PM »
Thanks!

Cinder

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 468
  • Location: Central PA
Re: Part-time job as Mover
« Reply #16 on: September 15, 2014, 02:09:50 PM »

Also chiropractic is a scam (albeit one with sincere believers doing the hawking - kind of like priests).

Mostly it is a scam, but I do have some anecdotal evidence.  When my brother was very young, he hurt himself playing, and was in lots of pain, seemed depressed and wasn't moving around as well as he should have been.  The pediatrician just prescribed pain pills.  My Father took him to a Chiropractor, and he put him on the table, gave him a good pop, and he was literally back up bouncing off the walls like a normal active kid again.

Situations like that are few and far between, but if something really is wrong and pinching something, getting it moved back into place can make a difference.  I agree that 95% of the time they are a scam though, and most of what they do is just 'relax' the area and wait for it to 'work itself out'. 

Bakari

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1799
  • Age: 44
  • Location: Oakland, CA
  • Veggie Powered Handyman
    • The Flamboyant Introvert
Re: Part-time job as Mover
« Reply #17 on: September 15, 2014, 02:56:19 PM »
well, yeah, to be fair - the one place where some independent trials have found some effectiveness is lower back pain.
Its just that when the issue is general pain which can't be definitively attributed to any specific thing, its really hard to objectively distinguish treatment from placebo.

But its really those chiropractors that claim they can treat things other than just spine problems that one should be especially wary of...

usmarine1975

  • Guest
Re: Part-time job as Mover
« Reply #18 on: September 16, 2014, 06:55:25 AM »
Chiropractic care can be a scam but so can anything, it largely depends on the individual.  I had an accident almost a year ago and ended up with some lower back pain.  I can honestly say that the treatments at the Chiropractor have taken care of that pain. 

MrFrugalChicago

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 340
Re: Part-time job as Mover
« Reply #19 on: September 16, 2014, 08:57:12 AM »
I have totally considered this as a weekend gig. I mean I spend 10-12 hours a week working out (for free). What if I cut that down to 8, and did 8 hours of paid moving @ $30 an hour. 4 extra hours of heavy labor a week, and $240 in my pocket.

The trick would be I don't want to spend a lot of time finding clients and setting up appointments. If I am putting effort into finding clients, I am better off finding clients I can do programming work for and make $50-$100 an hour...

It's almost like we need a business, weekend movers inc.