|
July 2005 Vol. 24. No. 7
Published by the Humboldt Senior Resource Center in Eureka, California. HSRC is a non-profit community-based organization offering services for senior citizens, multi-generational families and caregivers.
|
|
|
Humboldt Senior Resource Center Back issues Table of Contents
Plus in this issue catch more news, opinions, features, book reviews, and event calendars.
Pick up a copy today! Better yet, subscribe and never miss an issue! Brought to you by 
|
Mckinleyville: Hiring Help Around the House by Barbara Ogden During the summer months, many of our seniors need a lot of help around their homes. They need help with yard work, painting, repairs and general maintenance. One big problem is finding good people to do these jobs. Most of our seniors hire from notices posted around the center or the community. Some get referrals from friends and neighbors. Others check out classified ads, and a few will see a truck with a sign and stop to ask. The very best people to hire are the ones licensed by the state. Anyone performing work valued at $500 or more must be licensed. These folks charge more to do job, but if the job isn't done, seniors do have the Contractors License Board to help them. A lot of seniors can't afford these higher prices, so they elect to find someone who isn't licensed and will do the job for less. This can be a problem, because you never know what kind of a person you've hired or how good the work will be. There are some do's and don'ts we recommend to our seniors when hiring folks to do work around the house. Do • In hiring someone, look at the vehicle and the person. If either looks dirty and unkempt, you probably won't be impressed by the work. • Pay by the job, not by the hour. If you pay by the hour, a person can work so slowly that it keeps costing you. Make a written contract with the person's name, the job to be done and the amount agreed on and your name. • Know what is in your yard or garage so you can tell if anything is missing. Be home while the work is done. If your equipment is used, be sure it is returned before paying. • Beware of door-to-door solicitations, high-pressure sales or scare tactics. Beware of a person demanding cash for the job up front or large down payments. Don't let these solicitors into your home or give out any information about yourself. Don't • Don't give cash to buy supplies - you buy them. • Don't pay until the job is completed to your satisfaction. We aren't saying you can't hire someone to work around your house who will do a fine job for you. What we're saying is to be aware and protect yourself. Be prepared. If you hire someone and things don't work out, your recourse in McKinleyville is the sheriff's department; and there isn't much they can do. One of our seniors did everything wrong and some unscrupulous folks took her for more than $32,000 - a lesson learned the hard way. Barbara Ogden is director of the McKinleyville Senior Center. Editor's note: the Humboldt Senior Resource Center maintains a list of local workers in a Job Bank for household jobs. Staff recommends its own Senior Home Repair staff workers who are hired to do work under a Eureka city program for low-income people. These workers will do projects outside of the city of Eureka. For more information call 443-9747, ext. 240. |
Senior News