How much for starting pressure washing position?

What do you pay per hour to start as a pressure washer for your company?

  • $6.00 per hour

    Votes: 2 1.8%

  • $7.00 per hour

    Votes: 1 0.9%

  • $8.00 per hour

    Votes: 23 20.2%

  • $9.00 per hour

    Votes: 11 9.6%

  • $10.00 per hour

    Votes: 51 44.7%

  • $11.00 per hour

    Votes: 3 2.6%

  • $12.00 per hour

    Votes: 7 6.1%

  • More than posted above

    Votes: 16 14.0%

  • Salary

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    114
Ron Musgraves

Ron Musgraves

Exterior Restoration Specialist
Staff member
How much for starting pressure washing position?


What do you pay per hour to start as a pressure washer for your company?

$6.00 per hour

$7.00 per hour

$8.00 per hour

$9.00 per hour

$10.00 per hour

$11.00 per hour

$12.00 per hour


More than above

Salary
 
Last edited:
Pointers, cleaners and caulkers union costs me $19.87 per hour plus $9.90 per hour for fringe benefits
 
Get around all of it and hire them as subs. 1099 them every year. My 2 part timers and my 1 full timer loves it. They get to use the trucks, our equipment and go from there. My 2 part timers are my paint/stain/seal crew. They work together. They maybe put in 20 hrs a week right now and have been helping with exterior cleanings the full timer is exactly that a full timer. I guarantee him 40 hrs a week regardless of work. He has had a very nice winter but works well for me. I also let him use the truck for personal use.

Anybody else out there do this. We have been doing this for 4 years now and no problems.
 
"MY two part timers...MY 1 full timer...let him use the truck"

The 1099s won't cut it. Sorry, but you are a calamity waiting to happen. Could result in 4 years tax recapture plus severe penalties. You won't like it. You may want to see a good tax attorney to be sure you have protections in place ('C' corp; 'S' corp; LLC; LLP, etc etc).

Richard
 
What Richard says is true.The IRS has strict guidelines as to the classification of sub contractors.What you state are classic employees,especially using your vehicles,working just for you,and being directed to work just for you.Many people think the same way and just 1099 their employees to get around paying payroll,workers comp etc.and when they are audited or turned in by a disgruntled employee("says he thought you were taking out taxes"when he knew you were not and he does not have the money to pay at the end of the year)The fines ,penalties and back payroll taxes are huge.Like I said many people do this because it is alot cheaper(they think)and less hassle,but when audited it can wipe you out.
Jim
 
Maybe, I need to be a little clearer. Your right, shold not call them my employees. All three have set up their own companies complete with tax id etc.... Before we did this, we consulted with a tax attorney, the IRS themselves and of course our accountant. The tax attorney with the help of IRS came up with several forms that the guys had to fill out and sign. One of the forms deal strickly with disclosure and use of our company assets. The other two forms deal with the 1099 issue and so forth.

Needless to say, its legal and ligit. But yes, have to be careful of me calling them my employees, they are not they are subs.

If you want more info on how this works and the forms, email me.

onecallpowerwash@comcast.net
 
arizona will not let a sub use your equipment. you cannot even lease it to them and then call them subs. tuff laws in arizona about whos a sub and whos not.

I have subd but them have there own trucks and equipment. they make way more money, i have less hassel sometimes.
 
Before we did this, we consulted with a tax attorney, the IRS themselves and of course our accountant. The tax attorney with the help of IRS came up with several forms that the guys had to fill out and sign. One of the forms deal strickly with disclosure and use of our company assets. The other two forms deal with the 1099 issue and so forth.


Gordon how about posting all those form numbers and titles here so others can get them.
 
I am gettin there. I have had so many emails about this that I need a couple of days to scan and post or scan and email.
 
Here are the factors the IRS uses to determine a subcontractor

The IRS has developed a list of 20 factors it uses to test employee or subcontractor status. The Department of Labor and state boards will normally follow these as well. Here are the twenty factors you should be aware of before deciding to call an employee an independent contractor.


Does the business require the worker to follow their instructions on how work is to be performed? If yes, this indicates employee status. An independent contractor will generally decide how the project should be completed and use his own methodology.

Does the business provide training to the worker? If you're hiring a person for a job they are not trained for and providing them with the training to carry it out, that person is probably an employee. There can be exceptions based on the facts and circumstances, but if you fail this test, you might lose no matter how many of the others you pass.

Are the worker’s services a substantial or integral part of the business? This indicates employee status because it indicates the business maintains direction and control over the worker.

Does the business require the worker to perform all services personally? Independent contractors may have their own employees or at least should have the option of hiring other contractors to perform their work. Agreements for personal services indicate employee status.

Does the business hire, supervise and pay the worker’s assistants? If so, this is a strong indication of employee status. Let the independent contractor pay his or her own assistants.

Does the business have an ongoing relationship with the worker? This one is a stretch since many businesses maintain lifelong relationships with contractors whose work they like. But the IRS views this as an indication of employee status.

Does the business set the worker’s schedule and hours? Independent contractors generally set their own work schedules. If the contractor must work certain hours because of required interrelationships with your employees or to take advantage of down time for computer-related work, document these facts.

Does the business require the worker full-time? This is an indication of employee status because the business controls their availability and prevents them from working on other clients.

Does the business provide the workspace? Contractors who work off-site are more likely to be classified an independent contractor.

Does the business determine the order or sequence in which work is completed? Indicates employee status. If specific schedules are required, document them in the contract with the reasoning for doing so.

Does the business require oral or written reports? The IRS believes regular written or oral reports detailing the work completed indicates employee status. In reality, this is, and should be, expected from independent contractors as well.

Does the business pay by the hour, week or month? This indicates employee status. See our comments at the end of this article on this issue.

Does the business pay expenses? This is an indication that the business is directing the Independent contractor's business activities. Make sure the independent contractor pays the expenses and bills you for reimbursement.

Does the business provide tools and equipment for the worker? Independent contractors would normally provide their own tools and equipment.

Does the worker have a significant investment in their own facilities? If the contractor maintains his own office space, computer equipment, tools, etc., this is a good indication that they are an independent contractor.

Does the worker have profits and losses independent of the business? This is an indication that the contractor is running his own bona fide business and is an independent contractor.

Does the worker have multiple clients? Working with multiple clients generally indicates independent contractor status.

Does the worker market their services to the general public? Employees do not generally market their services to the general public.

Does the business have the right to discharge the worker at any time? This suggests employee status. An independent contractor would only be discharged for failure to meet contract specifications.

Does the worker have the right to quit at any time? An independent contractor is under contract and cannot quit until the project is completed.
 
Well, Well, Well,

Its seems as if the Government has done it to us again. Spoke to our Tax Attorney and the IRS has come out with what is exactly posted above (dankes). This is the format to follow for new IRS guidelines for 2004 and so on. So in short, forget about me sending any info until our attorney works out the kinks. I will be more than glad to send out what he comes up with. This seriously puts us in a bind. Thanks for the post dankes, According to our attorney, IRS just put this out in December. But I am doing some checking also. So much for TAX ATTORNEYS LOOKING OUT FOR YA. Here it is going on March and I had to call him. Anybody ever heard of pissed off.
 
That list of 20 guidelines has been in place as long as I can remember - and I have been an independent contractor for decades. There is something wrong the notion that this is a recent concept. Probably a misunderstanding.

Richard
 
The bottom line is with that kind of criteria, it is impossible for us to continue with what we have done for four years now, impossible for us to do anymore work for the few General Contractors that we do work for etc......

This is ridiculous.
 
Ok, just received another call from our do not give a sh.. attorney. It seems as if these things are balanced between statutory non-employees and how they are classified. He of course states that we need to make some amendments to our paperwork but so be it. He also claims the guidelines were not changed in its entirety but just some aspects. As soon as this is done, I will share it with you all.

Made myself look like a fool on this one.
 
Gordon,

You didn't make yourself "look like a fool". You have demonstrated real wisdom in seeking legal clarification. Thanks for the offer to share - may you tribe increase!

Richard
 
It always amazes me that folks are surprised by IRS guidelines on sub-contractors. MOST do not do their homework and others choose to go underground. When it catches up with them it will be costly!

The other item that will catch up with folks is hiring illegals - rules are tightening and while it may take a few years, the ones that are caught will not be very happy.

I'm all for tightening enforcement, since the businesses that are complying to laws are competing on uneven grounds.
Also, the underground folks just do not realize how much they are hurting the economy.

I've posted on this subject several times on several BB's.
Although the test for sub-contractor seems extremely difficult to meet, it's actually fairly straight forward after you understand the concept of a sub-contractor. It was put in place to ensure that taxes are paid.

There are a few other items that were not mentioned, such as:
- The business has burden of proof for a subcontractor relationship.
- The business is required to file 1099 form each year for any subcontractor it paid over $600.
- By not filing the 1099 form, this person or entity is automatically considered an employee for that year.
- If a person was considered an employee the previous year, they can not be considered a subcontractor, if they do the same work.
- Is there a written agreement or contract between the business and the subcontractor.
- How does the business represent the worker to its customers.

I know I missed at least a couple of others so it's best if people read for themselves.
The document at this site: www.irs.gov/pub/irs-utl/emporind.pdf is a study course for IRS employees on determination of small business Section 530 tax relief qualification. In other words, this is the guide which is used in determining if a business is qualified to NOT pay federal taxes because the individual is considered to be a sub-contractor.
This is a 160 page document with study and precedence cases.
 
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