Hello I'm new to the forum. I've been back and forth to the DR a few times and have been here a few months. I worked in construction back in the US and was wondering if there is much demand in this area (I know construction workers don't earn much here). I've been surprised at how many for sale signs there are. I mainly worked painting, but am a bit of a jack of all trades. Any advice would be appreciated.
- Thread starter Sameul11
- Start date
Construction Work?
Welcome to the DR and DR1. You'd earn less in a month on construction than you can in a day back in Florida. So work there for 6 months and come play here for 3 or 4 and go back and hit it again on the mainland!
Der Fish
I think we pay our handyman 500 pesos a day plus a meal. That's good pay. The Haitians work for maybe half that?
If you are responsible and work hard you can make more than minimum wage. I can get a painter and pay him 500-1000 pesos a day. I prefer though to call the guy who charges us 3000 for a morning. (if he only needs to paint two or three rooms). Then I know he works clean, he doesn't paint the outlets or the borders of the window frames. Same for a plumber. I have tried several and the one charging most is also the one most responsible and doing a good job.
But to get an image like that as a worker would take time of course.
But to get an image like that as a worker would take time of course.
But one cannot always assume that the guy that charges the most does the best job. I've met more than one conman who charges more than anyone else!
Der Fish
True, those I end up paying more are often being referred, especially by one of my wife's aunts that miraculously always has the right guy for any job.
Yeah I remember a friend of mine in Argentina who did great work, who I made more than finishing my coffee in the morning than he did all day. Its very humbling to know you make so much merely because of where you are. I thought there might be a few people who wanted straight lines, and who didnt want their concrete covered with drips. I'm kicking myself for not bringing my sprayer, it makes you worth 4-5 people.
For me, first and foremost the tell is whether the person has the right tools for the job. A tile installer who doesn't have a tile cutter speaks volumes. Second is some exposure to what constitutes best practices. An AC installer with two 110V circuit breakers in their hand instead of a single 220V breaker should be shown the door.
When dealing with installs and construction in this country, you don't need to be good at doing the job yourself, but you do need to know how the job should be done and what materials should be used. You have to supervise everything. 5 minutes of inattention is more than enough time for someone to really bugger up a job.
More and more, I'm opting to pay for transplanted trades people. No guarantees, but at least they usually know how they should do the job and I don't have to ask them to put their hands in their pockets until I come back from the bathroom.
When dealing with installs and construction in this country, you don't need to be good at doing the job yourself, but you do need to know how the job should be done and what materials should be used. You have to supervise everything. 5 minutes of inattention is more than enough time for someone to really bugger up a job.
More and more, I'm opting to pay for transplanted trades people. No guarantees, but at least they usually know how they should do the job and I don't have to ask them to put their hands in their pockets until I come back from the bathroom.