No one answered the crew rate question. How about a crew chief at $25+/- Per hour.
Richard,
I'm guessing the reason that you're not getting a response on that last post is that any answer provided might be construed to be by some as price fixing. I can't see any harm in providing you with what the wages for a party chief in that area are but I haven't a clue as I am located on the opposite side of Texas from the Houston area. Right now I would say wages would have to be high seeing as you'd need to bring a boat and scuba gear to get any surveying done.
Cyril
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Made a joke about survey wages and decided it was inappropriate as I have no local knowledge of Texas. From what I have heard the money in Texas is made not off the hourly but off per diem etc.
I have no idea what the going rate is there, but every time we look at a new to hire an experienced chief we take 2 to 2.5 what a person could make at the local superstore or jobs like that for a base starting wage and offer the opportunity for some overtime and a solid benefits package. It gives us room to feel the employee out and gives room for a raise if they are solid and looking to stay. It gives them a living wage with the chance to move up. Its not scientific at all, but it has worked well for us. It all depends on the candidate. A good party chief can be worth his weight in gold and a bad one can be worth his weight in lead.
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That is one of those fringe benefits the crews expect these days.
per diem
It depends... some pipeline companies don't have the highest hourly rates but you're guaranteed 45 hours a week - and on a construction job you might make 70. And per diem can definitely add up under the right circumstances; instrument men and rodmen will usually find a cheap room and double up. When my son got out of the Army he spent time on a pipeline; he only made $10/hr as an entry level rodman but he was grossing about $800/week and was banking every penny of it and living off the $875 tax-free per diem.
You're in the ballpark.
:good: