SSandyBeach

I have been a paid housesitter/petsitter for a few years now. In my area in and around Seattle I get paid $50 per overnight or $20 per visit, if I go in to feed animals or do things during the day but don't stay there as long as they are close to my neighborhood. I could be getting more for the overnights. My fee usually includes anything to do with watching out/securing the house and animals (if there are any, which there usually are), watering plants and bringing in mail. Normally I will water for them as well if their garden needs watering. If they ask me to do some "gardening" like pulling weeds, trimming, etc I charge $25/hr (its hard work that they don't want to do!)

There are people who say they think this service should be for free but my feeling is if they want a reliable, reputable, responsible person to watch out for their property, plants, animals and anything else it should be worth what I am charging. They are assured that I will be there and the house is lived in and thus keeping it more safe. I will take care of their things and leave their place clean and well cared for and notice if there are any issues like leaks or storm damage or whatever. Also, they can call me if they need something from their house or if something comes up I can call them and it doesn't get left undone. Its a large responsibility and I think people should be willing to pay for that kind of care to their property and most reasonable people are happy to do that for their peace of mind.

SSandyBeach

I have been a paid housesitter/petsitter for a few years now. In my area in and around Seattle I get paid $50 per overnight or $20 per visit, if I go in to feed animals or do things during the day but don't stay there as long as they are close to my neighborhood. I could be getting more for the overnights. My fee usually includes anything to do with watching out/securing the house and animals (if there are any, which there usually are), watering plants and bringing in mail. Normally I will water for them as well if their garden needs watering. If they ask me to do some "gardening" like pulling weeds, trimming, etc I charge $25/hr (its hard work that they don't want to do!)

There are people who say they think this service should be for free but my feeling is if they want a reliable, reputable, responsible person to watch out for their property, plants, animals and anything else it should be worth what I am charging. They are assured that I will be there and the house is lived in and thus keeping it more safe. I will take care of their things and leave their place clean and well cared for and notice if there are any issues like leaks or storm damage or whatever. Also, they can call me if they need something from their house or if something comes up I can call them and it doesn't get left undone. Its a large responsibility and I think people should be willing to pay for that kind of care to their property and most reasonable people are happy to do that for their peace of mind.

Dukey1

Since the original post is several years old I would hope the original poster figured out that

you do NOT take a job like this without being told up front how much you are going to be paid

watering a garden daily? weeding? that is not house-sitting; that is landscape and lawn work

Christina

interesting post, I presumed someone topped this due to the other thread asking how much they should pay for a house sitter and to take care of cats. And this is five years old and already people were saying $50 a day, it seems.

So it does fit right in to that other question, if they can find this.