Working party idea

[aussierogue]

Im not sure if this has been suggested before but what about the idea of somesofters in each city willing to do some free labour - intense 1 day sessions...maybe once per month and we rotate people houses, invesment properties.

Eg. I need some help with some painting, sanding, outdoors stuff etc and 10 somersofters turn up for say a 6-7 hours day on a saturday or sunday. I dont pay you but i put on some grub, some softdrink (followed by beer and a laugh at the end) and we knock of a fair bit of work and I save 10 grand!

Next month "I MUST" comit to doing same at someone elses house efor free. This is important...the person receiving the labour cannot then do a runner. Ideally in the perfect world a newbie cannot get the 'GANG" until they have helped in 2 workshops within the last 12 months...

What i think is attractive about the idea apart from saving money is that i guess all of us will leanr some new skills every time we get together, and thirdly not a bad way to spend a day...meeting some people and getting fit. But by far and away the biggest advantage is manhours...

If we can get 10-15 people into a house for 7 hours - that is = to 70-100 hours of labour (2-3 weeks)..

Labour cannot include anything to dangerous or specialised. So must manual type jobs like painting, gardening, sanding back, maybe helping put together a flatpack or beds etc etc..maybe even helping to unload a truck if someone moves...

The reason against specialists is because it is probably not fair on them. I get someone giving me free carpentry or plumbing and in return all i can do is paint...is not fair...

Just an idea...im not sure its really a goer....but i just thought id throw it out there...

cheers
aussie

 

[wylie]

Sounds a good idea to me. I'd be in that.

 

[Corey Batt]

Communism doesn't work.

Would kinda be sucky for the last of the ten people, who have had to work an extra day every weekend for a bit over two months before they get help. Could have just spent the time on their own properties.

Bit difficult to tell people what to do, how to do things, work faster etc. if you're not paying them.

Pretty difficult task to achieve, but I get the idea. I'm just cynical of people I guess! :O

 

[aussierogue]

@cjay

people only have to do 2 workshops to qualify...or something similar - we work out an optimal amount. But yes you cant sign up to this purely for the idea of saving some cash. There needs to be a large part of you that doesnt mind spending the occassional day helping someone else oout.

And yes whoever hosts the working party is required to submit a list of jobs prior to people arriving. The day before they should have numbers and when we all arrive 20 minutes is takes outlining whose doing what...but yes once again people need to be flexioble. If needed have a data base where people can list the types of jobs they are prepared to do....

Some organisation is needed.

But the common element is that when you rock up you are there to work, help and be merry...

 

[wylie]

I like the idea because it is something we have always done within our family. And hubby is always helping a friend. Problem is, he never asks for the favour to be returned.

My mother used to say that his friends that he helped often were perhaps not real friends because they never returned the favour. Problem was that hubby never asked them. He's a bit old fashioned in that regard. A couple of times I called and asked for their help because I knew he would not .

To be honest, probably ten people is too many, depending on the work required, but two or three people with appropriate skills would be great.

We once painted two coats in a day (internal plaster walls) on a three bedder IP belonging to my parents. There were probably six of us painting from memory. I do recall we did that twice in the space of one or two weeks. I remember posting about it here.

I see it a bit like a babysitting club (though I've never been in one). You work up credits to be called in when needed.

 

[aussierogue]

I like the idea because it is something we have always done within our family. And hubby is always helping a friend. Problem is, he never asks for the favour to be returned.

My mother used to say that his friends that he helped often were perhaps not real friends because they never returned the favour. Problem was that hubby never asked them. He's a bit old fashioned in that regard. A couple of times I called and asked for their help because I knew he would not .

To be honest, probably ten people is too many, depending on the work required, but two or three people with appropriate skills would be great.

We once painted two coats in a day (internal plaster walls) on a three bedder IP belonging to my parents. There were probably six of us painting from memory. I do recall we did that twice in the space of one or two weeks. I remember posting about it here.

I see it a bit like a babysitting club (though I've never been in one). You work up credits to be called in when needed.

perfect...

 

[goonandtell]

would be interested to watch, at the moment i am using my spare day a week to reno my mums place, but once thats done i might have a bit of time since i am in a transition phase at the moment with finance.

I agree points are probably best, while its fine to go in expecting to help there will always be someone willing to ruin it for the others a little.

 

[vaughan]

Communism doesn't work.

Would kinda be sucky for the last of the ten people, who have had to work an extra day every weekend for a bit over two months before they get help. Could have just spent the time on their own properties.

Bit difficult to tell people what to do, how to do things, work faster etc. if you're not paying them.

Pretty difficult task to achieve, but I get the idea. I'm just cynical of people I guess! :O

I kinda agree. I'd also be concerned about public liability issues.

IMHO this sounds a bit like early access before settlement: the risks outweigh the benefits.

Not to mentions quality of work: I want things to be done right, and to have a warrantee that I can call on to get it fixed.

Having said that, I love hard work. I could sit and watch it for hours.

 

[The Y-man]

I believe this concept has been tried and tested and continues today in some communities - "barn raising"

The Y-man

 

[fokas]

Some organisation is needed.

Understatement. I don't work in construction however I can forsee a mammoth amount of organisation needed.
Some other things to think about are ensuring there are enough tools for everyone to be working at the same time (nothing worse than having people underfoot and distracting you/getting in the way when you're trying to get things done), having the same level of attention to detail as other people helping out (wouldn't you be kicking yourself if a job was done poorly and you had to spend time/money redoing it), and the common decency to not sue someone if you hurt yourself whilst working on their property (how many people here have their own public liability insurance?).

I definitely like the idea in theory and would love to put my hand up to help out a few mates from the forum, although seeing as I've hard a hard time finding the time to help my own family with their renos, doubt I'd be able to swing into organised SS working bees as this. But good luck all the same and post pics!

 

[Ergophobia]

I was thinking of the same system the other day (after my 3rd weekend straight painting my latest ip )

I'd sign up to some kinda property investor club to share the pain.

Are there any established systems like bartercard we could piggyback on?

 

[travelbug]

Sounds like Bartercard (which works very well).

Any system like this is always open to abuse unfortunately. I think the concept has merit but I don't know that people would be willing to do it. People generally do not value things they get for free.

When we did a major reno I posted here that people interested could call around (help or look). No-one bothered. 2 months later people paid quite a bit to look at one of Nathan's reno's. Now I'm nowhere near Nathan's scale but I know my way around a reno and our last reno increased equity by $85K after a $25K reno so we're doing something right. If someone had made that kind of offer to me I would have been there like a shot.

I've also offered to call out and look at people's reno's and to give a hand. I love renovating. So there you go. I offer free labour and no-one is interested. So I don't know how feasible it would be if they actually had to pay someone back.

 

[aussierogue]

thanks for comments guys...ok ill check out barter card..

interesting psychology travel bug...sounds spot on.