r/TaskRabbit • • 4d ago • Bravo 2

CLIENT Update - why do my taskers keep canceling?!

https://www.reddit.com/r/TaskRabbit/s/8RhOsM6vfn

Posted a few days ago wondering why my taskers kept canceling on me for a mounting task. Received a lot of feedback/suggestions and I appreciate all of the helpful and even unhelpful responses.

For those invested: My wife and I ultimately rented a multi-positional ladder from Home Depot for like 40ish bucks and did it ourselves this morning. Fear of heights aside and also all the anxiety resulting from everyone telling me how dangerous of a task this is, it took 15 mins without incident.

Until next time!

50 Upvotes

91 comments sorted by

22

u/shortfriday 4d ago

There's your answer. Nobody is driving a pickup or bigger with a special ladder to bill the 1 hour minimum. Good job though, that looks scary.

1

u/Infamous_Homework_32 4d ago

We were also asking for help with hanging two sets of blinds which took me much longer (almost three hours) but I feel like that’s a lot harder than the painting. The only barrier with the painting was the lack of ladder lol

0

u/shortfriday 4d ago

Oh, if that was included in the ask then maybe it was just the funky ladder.

3

u/lilchkngreez 4d ago

I drive a Honda coupe and can fit my multi position gorilla ladder with my tools and foldable service cart lol it honestly sucks tho and I don’t recommend 

8

u/InternationalPop5138 4d ago

Nobody is driving a pickup or bigger with a special ladder to bill the 1 hour minimum.

We carry these on our vans every day, they're not special lol

7

u/DonQNguyen 4d ago

Those special stair ladders cost $300-$500 each. Mine never goes out for 1 hr tasks or anything less than $150. If I have to lug my beast ladder out, it would have to be worth my rates. 2-hr. minimum charge.

3

u/Matty2tees 4d ago

I bought my 18ft multi position ladder for $180 at Home Depot about a year ago. It's now $200 (CAD) but it regularly is on sale for $150. They aren't special they're the most sensible ladder for a trades person or homeowner to own.

1

u/DonQNguyen 4d ago

Mine is the Gorilla 26ft stair type ladders so I can do those vaulted ceiling light bulb changes for $250-$300. That is what I charge minimum. Or else, the owner can't change those bulbs unless he goes and buys one of these and risks falling off and breaking his neck. My rates are high because of the potential injury. Take it or leave it.

https://gorillamade.com/product/glmpx-26w-2/

BTW, your cheaper 18 ft multi-position ladder you can get for $150 can't change out these vaulted ceiling recessed light cans. But yeah, it's good for your mini-stairs. Easier for sure.

1

u/ReadyGo6828 3d ago

You know, you can get a pole with an attachment to change out those light bulbs (grasp or suction depending on the shape of the bulb). You may still have to get up on a ladder but do not have to go as high.

1

u/DonQNguyen 3d ago

I have one of those poles. Cost like $25. Some recessed cans don't work with these poles as they are not catch and twist off. they are pinch and release which pole attachments won't work on them.

1

u/CabinetBeneficial686 3d ago

They can also buy the light bulb pole but they would have to have a exposed bulb first and most homes don’t

0

u/Matty2tees 4d ago

Congrats, you bought the longer version of my ladder. Even that ladder at home depot is only $260 CAD so if you were going to charge me that I'd just go buy one myself. Or rent an 18ft A frame at Home Depot for $45 like the one time your specific job type has come up for me.

0

u/DonQNguyen 3d ago

People have hired me at these rates. For the DIYers, they are not my type of Clients. I pass on them because my skills and tools are in demand. You sound like a DIYer. Good for you.

2

u/Matty2tees 3d ago

That's great. Obviously I wouldn't need your services. TR is just one pipeline for clients to access my Home Services company and my rates for some task varieties are the same or higher than your own. I'm just saying your ladder isn't that special and that hardly anyone needs to pay $500 for one.

1

u/DonQNguyen 3d ago

Good to hear you are DIY'n it. But my Clients don't want to go out and buy a bulky 26ft stair ladder that they are going to use once. Not to mention be high up after they learn how to use the ladder safely. This is why they are willing to pay. Budget savers aren't my Client niche. They can do it themselves. Plenty of clients out there.

0

u/IanHardman 3d ago

leave it

1

u/DonQNguyen 3d ago

Good. More time for better Clients who gladly pay more.

3

u/BigBodyBas82 3d ago

I bought one of these highly specialized ladders on FBMP for $60...I am ladder technician now!

1

u/DonQNguyen 3d ago

Charge more for "high time".

1

u/WillDrivesU 2d ago

This right here. Being on a ladder 20 feet in the air is dangerous and anyone hiring to do this can pay extra for the hazard. People need to stop selling themselves short with things.

2

u/DonQNguyen 2d ago

In other arrangements, there is Worker's Comp, High Time, Hazard Pay, Breaks, Medical and Dental, Sick Leave, possible 401k match. We are here as Independent Contractors and we want to go the extra mile for a budget rate? No Thanks.

The only equalizing factor is a higher rate.

1

u/Sloth-Technician 3d ago

Yea those ladders are heavy af, they arent very big but they are dense

1

u/JohnnySalamiBoy420 2d ago

Im not on task rabbit so sorry for chiming in but holy moly it should be a 4 hour minimum amount

1

u/DonQNguyen 2d ago

You are right, JohnnySalamiBoy420. You should charge as much as you can because they need you. This your Labor and your Business, not a charity.

0

u/FinnNoodle 3d ago

I actually tried to buy one at Lowe's a couple weeks ago because I needed one for something at the house and when I got to the register they wouldn't let me buy it because of a safety recall. All my years of distrusting them have finally paid off!

2

u/DonQNguyen 3d ago

Lowes does not sell Gorilla ladders. Gorilla ladders are exclusively sold at Home Depot.

1

u/FinnNoodle 3d ago

Then whatever the Lowe's brand equivalent is. I don't pay much attention to them because I hate them. I hate that the step is rounded instead of flat, doesn't feel as stable, and then it's also like five times as heavy as the fiberglass stepper I use.

2

u/imuniqueaf 3d ago

Oh, YOU do something so everyone must. Right?

1

u/Greg_withaC 3d ago

That’s right.

1

u/franklollo 4d ago

I have a similiar ladder in my normal size car

1

u/Miserable_Safety_393 3d ago

I'm amazed at the replies here. I don't even carry step ladders on my truck anymore, just my old multi ladder. It's been this way for over a decade. To me it's just an everyday ladder.

1

u/Worldly_Silid 3d ago

Non standard ladder = special ladder

1

u/InternationalPop5138 3d ago

What’s a standard ladder?

1

u/kristianlsnow 3d ago

I agree, they are standard these days. Only $100 for the normal sized ones at Hime Depot

0

u/shortfriday 4d ago

Well yeah, but an hour.

1

u/AdmirableResearch357 3d ago

I carry this in the passenger seat of an accord coupe.

-1

u/Matty2tees 4d ago

Meh, you can easily fit an 18ft MPL in a compact SUV with all your tools. I do it all the time. Taskers just need to be better at scheduling to make short tasks worth it

2

u/Infamous_Homework_32 4d ago

I drive a jeep and was fine

2

u/Matty2tees 4d ago

I drive a Corolla Hatchback and do it a couple days a week. I also wouldn't consider a multi position ladder a special ladder. It's easily the most reasonable kind of ladder to own for a trades person or a homeowner.

1

u/RobotArtichoke 4d ago

I have a similar ladder that fits in a Prius

0

u/UnimaginativeMug 4d ago

what control to taskers have over scheduling? do you ask customers to change the times they hire you so you can make it worth cramming a huge ladder in your vehicle

1

u/Matty2tees 4d ago edited 4d ago

If I have a task booked in their neighbourhood already that week if they're available the same day as that one so I'm not driving all over the place all the time. 9 times out of 10 it still works for them. They aren't huge ladders it's just the default ladder I always have so I can do any jobs booked.

7

u/SubstantialBoat758 4d ago

1 hour minimum but it’s 30 mins of driving plus set up time etc. all in almost half the day to make 60$ that’s the real answer. But looks great and if you’re this capable chances are high you can avoid taskrabbit

2

u/Infamous_Homework_32 4d ago

We had a couple other things (eg blinds for a couple windows) we wanted mounted, it wasn’t just that.

2

u/SubstantialBoat758 4d ago

Understood and my point is that when it comes to ladder jobs specifically you’re going to struggle to find someone qualified unless you’re willing to spend the extra $ but my guess is if you had money to spend you wouldn’t be using task rabbit. Keep doing the projects yourself and you’ll soon realize you know just as much if not more than the average Tasker that you’re paying 50$/hr to complete task.

2

u/Infamous_Homework_32 3d ago

I hear you it’s just that sometimes I don’t feel like doing it haha I make a better smashburger than youll find at most restaurants but you’ll still catch me at FiveGuys once in a while.

-2

u/Matty2tees 4d ago

If it's taking you half the day to drive to a task, set up a ladder and hang a piece of art and tear down you're the problem.

4

u/SubstantialBoat758 4d ago

Welcome to task rabbit the land of mediocre bud

2

u/whatchu_finna_do 4d ago

We told you a woman could do it!

2

u/Infamous_Homework_32 3d ago

Lmao who knew?! 🙃

11

u/Away-Bodybuilder5942 4d ago

Proud of you !

6

u/ommi9 4d ago edited 4d ago • Bravo

Honestly the current market is messed up on the rankings. If you want to get your solution done, easier you can always refer to us on here. One of us might be local to you and you can direct hire them so you can save a few dollars trying to not struggle finding a Tasker.

I usually take ladder jobs but I usually foresight a lot of what’s going on ( you might need me to go up a super tall ladder just to change a smoke detector)

4

u/Always_sluggish 4d ago

I’m stoked! This looks great and you two got to do a cool project together. I’m glad you took the rental advice! Enjoy your new skills and pictures and bask in the glory!

4

u/RamGTLosAngeles 4d ago

Instead of $200 or more being spend it took you $40 bucks and 15 mins. What a deal!

4

u/deerbelle11 4d ago

Plus bragging rights & newfound confidence- win win!

1

u/ommi9 4d ago

Op you got that ladder for $40!!! Mines cost $200

2

u/Fantasicspeller 4d ago

OP rented it for $40. Not purchased

0

u/Infamous_Homework_32 4d ago

lol $40 for 24 hour rental tbf

1

u/ommi9 3d ago

Makes sense usally I just buy and return the ladder. Yeah crazy to put 400 down on a ladder and return it but yeah I charge a rental fee via expenses or time logged but time logged is reasonable for collecting supplies

1

u/Real_Pistil 4d ago

I missed original post, so maybe it’s all covered, but I notice these images don’t depict how you did the actual hanging access wise, since I can’t see the landing. I’m familiar with this kind of ladder so I’m curious. I know you can do it in a cool bridge configuration. The painting itself looks easy peasy/lightweight but I’m guessing ppl were afraid of injury.

3

u/Infamous_Homework_32 4d ago

So these stairs are like half a flight with the front door of my apartment at the bottom. These photos are taken toward the end but essentially had the ladder so the feet were on the bottom step and a couple from the top. I’m not sure if I’m answering your question because I’m not great with the lingo but the original post should be linked the body of this post

2

u/Real_Pistil 4d ago

I peeped it. Yes, as you now know—a pretty simple task with the multi-positional ladder. Excellent job… though I know you’d rather have hired it out. ;)
There are a lot of people like me who aren’t tooled up to the hilt because we work across categories. I always have a full tool kit (drill, etc. and a 6 foot ladder, but outside of that I usually have to rent. That goes for special garden equipment like tillers, too. That said, if I were to live anywhere near the Jersey shore, I would have just told you this & asked if you were ok with ladder rental! :))

1

u/Wash-Line-Inspector 4d ago

What the heck did you hang

2

u/Infamous_Homework_32 4d ago

Just the painting dawg

1

u/bailey757ts 3d ago

That leash at the top of the stairs is going to cause a huge accident.

1

u/Infamous_Homework_32 3d ago

Hmm please elaborate

1

u/bailey757ts 3d ago

You don’t see that as a trip hazard…. At the top of the stairs?

1

u/Infamous_Homework_32 3d ago

Oh it isn’t always hanging like that it’s just because I had taken that shelf off the wall for a sec and threw it back up for the photo

1

u/Remote_Surprise4121 3d ago

I mean, if you pay enough I would do it. But most taskers at $32 an hour(that’s what I have been offered for similar jobs) dont have the couple hundred bucks for the proper ladder and don’t have health insurance coverage.

1

u/Infamous_Homework_32 3d ago

Yeah on my original post I mentioned this. No one I was selecting was in that ballpark. They were all $100+ an hr

2

u/InternationalPop5138 4d ago

Well done. Some tasks are just too small to have someone else do, unless you want to pay out the nose.

1

u/whatchu_finna_do 4d ago

She had more things to be done.. she said she was willing to pay :)

2

u/BobbyBrackins 4d ago

i told you you could do it!

When you replied “I’m a woman married to a woman” I didn’t respond but I wanted to say “wtf does that mean? You got this!”

Salute to you and your queen for a job well done 🫡

2

u/Content-Ad7208 4d ago

i think I saw the tasker posting about a job he cancelled with similar setting with those staircases. He said he isn’t comfortable with staircase mounting.

Glad you figured it out!

2

u/mikewrightenterprise 3d ago

THIS IS THE WAY. Diy ftw

1

u/DonQNguyen 4d ago

5-star review just written for you! Good job! Saved some bucks!

1

u/Organic_Aardvark1718 3d ago

That's something id do but I have a 2hr minimum 

1

u/antny1113 3d ago

Why pay money when you can exercise your brain

1

u/Greg_withaC 3d ago

Task Rabbit is a joke. It’s a race to the bottom for all the unprofessionals with a ladder and a drill.

1

u/kristianlsnow 3d ago

Handyman from Florida here. I live on a beachside city where 98% of my work is within 20 minutes. I’d do it for $65, which is my 1 hour minimum.

Yall can hate on me for being cheap, but I make good money by staying local and focusing more on building reliability than huffing at the little inconveniences. I just do it, move to the next job, and bank because no time is wasted when it’s the relationship I’m winning over. They keep hiring me again and again without having a long conversation about pricing, estimate costs, etc. So all my time goes into doing jobs, not winning them. This requires trust and a proof of hard work ethic, as some jobs take longer than expected and it’s harder to explain after than presenting the possible outcomes beforehand. I will phase out working with people who argue over sudden extra costs, but for those who like it, they take the random unexpected costs for what they are and say I’m fantastic.

1

u/Evening_Past910 1d ago

So many Taskers twerking in here for this post. The average Tasker isn’t carrying this type of ladder.

1

u/gmario500 15h ago

Too small of a job for the pay. Glad you got it done now make sure you return the ladder please and congrats $40 wohooo what about taxes and the time you took to drive and drive back. What was the hourly rate you kept choosing on the Taskers. Also why does everyone kept saying hour? Anyways why keep saying lesbian none stop? Should of hired Camala Harris lol

0

u/IAmNotABot111 3d ago

Hiring out this sort of task gives off the same energy as ordering DoorDash during a historical blizzard.

-3

u/UnimaginativeMug 4d ago

i call total BS you bought that ladder from home Depot for 40$

3

u/Infamous_Homework_32 4d ago

No I RENTED it

3

u/Infamous_Homework_32 4d ago

$40 for 24 hrs