Housesitter questions

[clutter]

Anyone have someone "sit" their house while away? What's the going rate? (Since I'm in dc, I may as well double whatever you all pay, my jaw's still sore at how little you pay for daycare!)

TIA!!!

 

[RUDisney]

A friend of mine has house-sat for me. She lived in an apartment over a bar so she was happy to come into my house, eat my food, use my W/D, and take out my dogs (because she couldn't have any in her apartment and could play with mine.) We just bought her a lovely gift from our trip.

She got married and bought a house, so she's not an option anymore. Luckily, now my next door neighbors watch our house for the satellite TV and hot tub. We bring them something home from our trips, too.

Sorry, I can't help you on price.

 

[cherylp3]

my pet sitter was $10 a day - she included checking mail and watering plants.

One thing I recommend is get someone who is bonded and insured.

Cheryl

 

[GEM]

Well, I live in a small town in Arkansas, so things around here are WAY cheaper than D.C., but here is what I usually pay -

If I want someone to just stop by once a day to water plants, bring in mail, etc. - $5 per day. This is what I do when I take my doggies someplace with me. It's usually one of our neighbor's teenage kids, so they just walk across the street or whatever.

If I want someone to actually live in my house while I am gone to take care of everything, including my dogs - $15 per day. When I do this, I usually get a student from the university where I work. That way I can check them out with the other faculty members, etc. to make sure they sound responsible. Also, part of the "payment" for the college students is to get out of the dorm and stay in a real house for a while. It gives them a nice, quiet place to study, a real kitchen to cook in, etc. Whenever I start looking around for college student to "housesit" for me, I have TONS of interested kids! We've been doing this for years and have never had any problems at all, but, like I said, I do check them out pretty well in advance.

My husband and I sometimes "housesit" for our friends when they go out of town. We go over once a day to feed their animals, get the mail, etc. They don't pay us, though. We enjoy doing it because they have an indoor pool and hottub and a HUGE projection screen T.V.

 

[clutter]

Thanks!!

Actually, it's my nephew that's staying, and he owes me for free rent last summer! But since it's for 10 days (taking care of a puppy and a cat), and I'm planning to ask him to drive us to/pick us up at the airport, I figured I'd offer him some money. (He's getting married next year, I'm sure he can use it!)

But if he can't do it, I'll have to find the college student, so I was wondering what I was getting into!

thanks, all!

 

[Kermit]

We pay the guy who usually does it for us about $10/day. We have a guinea pig, bird, and dog that he has to take care of, but really I think he just feeds the first 2 and only plays with the dog. (That's fine with me. I play with them, but they have big enough cages to get enough exercise in their cages for a few days.) We also usually bring him a nice gift from wherever we go. We would pay him more, but he likes to be able to stay at our house since he lives with roommates and likes the privacy. He also eats our food, so I guess we're pretty even.

 

[Boots]

My son just did this. He slept at their house, got the mail, watered flowers, fed their dog, walked her, and took out the garbage. He could eat whatever he wanted. He stopped in at lunch, stopped in after work, came home for supper, and then went back. He was paid $20 a day.