I am ready to bill out a job for a shop, this is my second job for shop. I am installing 2 3/4 Bruce Kambala wood onto slab, routering in a osh kosh 30" medallion and 5' x 8' square of borders around medallion in the entry. I am not a contractor. It took me almost two days to do borders with herringbone in center with medallion. I was looking for advice on how much it would be worth to you guys. It probably shouldn't have took 2 days, it was my first time. I layed herringbone 5' x 8' then routered out compass medallion and routered border (4 1/2" x 30") w/corners around it. Maybe someone can help me with what its worth, has to be worth more than just laying normal wood by square feet. They haven't even told me howe much is in it yet. Medallion was $1000 and is prefinished. any info will help. How much would you do it for? $2.25 a ft(thats $90.00), hourly, $1000 bucks

In CA., if you are working in a specialty trade without a license, you are breaking the law and I for one, will not help you. I have worked hard to pay my dues, learn my craft, and pay taxes on my income. Personally, I do not like to compete with unlicensed and illegal workers who work for cash under the table. As far as I am concerned, you can get lost!

I work for a shop with a license, is that illegal. Its not cash, its a paycheck, I pay my taxes too. You don't have to worry about me I won't come back to this web site ever again. Thanks for your help. Being so friendly makes me feel sorry for any customer that uses you. I did not know you can't work out of a shop under there license. All I know is that you judged a book by its cover, thats where you messed up.

FYI, I do not make the laws that govern the state of California. In your question, you asked how much to charge "your" shop. If you are an employee, you do not work that way. You are to be paid hourly and the employer is required to follow all the laws set forth by the state of California. What you and your shop are doing is illegal and the business owners of that "shop" know it. They are trying to save money by declaring you a "subcontractor" so they don't have to pay worker's comp insurance or FICA taxes plus they can hold you responsible for the work. But to be a subcontractor in California, you must hold a license for the classification you are working in. And you don't. It isn't about being "friendly", it is about being legal. Why should I help someone break the law? If you read my many posts, I have helped more DIYers and other pros than almost anyone else here on this board. But I draw the line at illegal activity, especially in my home state. I suggest you talk with an employment attorney or check out the state labor laws and see for yourself. I've been doing this for over 25 years and have hired employees, paid taxes, insurance, run my own business, and contracted to numerous customers. I think I am fairly qualified to judge the situation correctly. You can only "work under your employer's license" IF you are an employee. And if you are an employee, you do not tell your employer how much you are going to be paid to do a project. It doesn't work that way. Ask your shop if they are paying their share of FICA taxes for you, if they are paying for worker's compensation insurance for you, if they are with holding state, local and federal taxes as required by law, if they paying state and federal unemployment taxes as required by law, if they are with holding state disability insurance payments as required by law. If the answer is no to any of those questions, then what you and your "shop" are doing is illegal.
Sorry you think that is unfriendly.

Gary, I have to say well said. tmckenzie be careful sounds to me like the shop you are working for is setting you up for the kill it wouldn be the first time. I have seen a lot of installers get burned by these type shop once something starts to go south you suddenly are no longer that employee but a sub responsible for the screw up.

The answer is yes to all those questions, I have a sheet of paper that says how much my labor is worth(kinda like the page you find on this web site) When I am done with the job I fill out a piece of paper( I call it a bill book, its carbonless, kinda a invoice book). On there I take the work tag and things that pertain to my job and fill it out to be paid. This particular job had the borders and medallion, if I look at labor sheet it says bid under it. They asked me how much I think its worth. I had never done one before. I knew it took 2 days labor. They didnt really say how much they were going to pay. Thats why I asked here, I didn't know it would be this complicating to get an idea of how much they might pay out. For the whole illegal thing.... I know that there is nothing illegal about what I do, maybe it should be illegal for me to do job without knowing if it is worth my time, 2 days labor I think I should get, I do piece work floor a well known flooring retailer. The way the shop does things may be wrong, I don't know, but there is one thing I know and that is I pay everything tax there is to pay, sometimes I think to many taxes, but I don't do anything illegal. I am going to start taking steps to go earn my contractor license.

Let me ask this...

Come tax time, do you get a W-2 or a 1099?

I find it very hard to believe that an employer will pay you, an inexperienced flooring installer, $90.00 an hour PLUS pay workers comp, 7.125% FICA taxes and about 4% in state and federal unemployment taxes. That would bring your hourly cost to them to over $100.00 per hour. Why should they pay you that much? Your employer may be skirting the law by getting you to "bid" on the work instead of paying you hourly. It sounds as if you are young and inexperienced about the ways things work in the workplace. Many shops take advantage of people just like you, hoping you do not understand the law and your rights. One more question. If there is a problem with the work you perfoprm for this shop, are you paid to go back and fix it OR are you expected to go back and fix it on your own time and pay for any materials needed to make the repairs? Here's just a few of the State of California Labor Laws that pertain to you and the shop you are working for.
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displ ... =1020-1024
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displ ... =2750-2752
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displ ... 400-6413.5
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/calaw ... y=&hits=20

I am sorry I meant $2.25 a ft times 40 sq ft = $90.00 total by the foot. Or they pay hourly like $15.00 to $20.00 an hour. I was inquiring because if they were going to give me 90.00 bucks for my two days, I wanted to know if they can do that. That is basically the topic I was trying to get help with in the beginning.

I recieve a w-2 at the end of the year.

Not trying to sound conceeded but I have not had a repair for this shop. According to employee handbook, it says "if the customer allows original installer to do repair,the original installer has the first option to either complete the repair, otherwise installer will be charged for repair". I don't really understand that.

Sounds like you'll either make it right or the shop will get someone who will and will charge you back for it.

If your employeed, they cannot deduct from your check for this, and you are to get paid for doing the repair on your own work!!!!


They have someone that knows nothing about employee subcontractor laws, and they like it like that so they can exploit you!!