What’s Fair? Laborfair announces Bay Area first quarterly Wage Report

How much to pay for a job well done is a concern and frustration for just about everyone who wants and needs household, personal and family care. As our name suggests, we help you as the consumer make informed decisions about what is a fair hourly wage for your job request.

At Laborfair we create a transparent marketplace that ensures both consumers and providers are fairly charged and compensated for work performed.

Rate Guidance:

Our rate guidance table (visible in the What's Fair section of this blog) can be used as a benchmark for average hourly rates per category in your local area. Use this to help you determine what is the fair wage for your job. The information is a summary of real time data collected across our site on September 22, 2007. Of course, your agreed-upon rate with the provider varies depending on the specifics of your job. We will release these quarterly.

These numbers clearly show that savvy consumers can save money by contracting directly with a qualified and experienced service provider. At the same time, the report gives us a unique window into what people in business for themselves are earning as a living wage instead of what they would earn as a minimum wage at a larger company or agency. The report also highlights some interesting variances around the Bay Area in the costs of services by region. For example, the average fee charged by a handyman on the Peninsula is $33.68 while San Francisco is much less at $22.15. Hmmm, interesting. Other averages across big categories here at Laborfair are:

• Child Care: $19.24/hour
• Housekeeper: $17.83/hour
• Handyman: $25.75/hour
• Adult Care: $17.00/hour
• Gardener: $17.37/hour
• Painter: $22.29/hour

So, now that you are getting your house or apartment in shape for those holiday parties, you know what it might cost you. Enjoy, Jenna