House & Pet Sitting
In a struggling economy and uncertain job market, many resourceful people are marketing their skills and abilities in the personal service industry. This includes jobs like childcare, elder care, house sitting and pet sitting. These jobs are great for responsible teens, college students, stay-at-home parents or retirees because they generally require little to no overhead cost and have flexible or unconventional schedules.
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House Sitting
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Many people use house-sitting services when they go on vacations or business trips. Having a house sitter decreases the likelihood of a break-in during the owner's absence. House sitters also water plants, collect the mail and newspapers and maintain the home with light cleaning. They may offer additional services such as pet sitting, providing childcare or comprehensive house cleaning. Rates vary depending on location and services offered but average about $20 per day for a daytime sitter and $40 for an overnight sitter.
Pet Sitting
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Pet sitters may offer their services separately from house sitting, but house sitters often care for pets as part of their daily responsibilities in the owner's absence. Pet sitting usually involves feeding the pets, cleaning a cat's litter box and walking a dog. Responsibilities may also include grooming and taking the animal to the veterinarian if needed. For many pet owners, hiring a pet sitter is a preferable option to boarding the animal at a kennel. Basic pet sitting services average $10 to $25 per day and may cost more if the sitter provides additional services or special care.
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Becoming Bonded and Insured
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Pet owners or those seeking house sitting services should look for caregivers who are bonded and insured. Liability insurance helps protect pet sitters or house sitters in the event of a lawsuit for bodily injury, property damage, personal injury and slander or false advertising allegations. Many insurance agencies offer liability insurance as a small business service. If you work independently as a pet sitter or house sitter, you may also want to consider becoming bonded. Bonding is a form of insurance for referral services in the event that an employee steals from a client, but it also provides a great deal of credibility for independent caregivers and can give you a competitive edge. You can apply for a surety bond through a bonding company. Bonding usually involves a credit check.
Referral Services
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Some people, rather than directly providing house sitting or pet sitting services themselves, may be interested in running a referral service. This type of business matches care providers with clients. An owner of a referral service should obtain a surety bond. This protects the business owner in the unfortunate event of employee theft from a client. It is also a good idea to require a criminal background check for all employees. Referral services often offer employee-client matching through a website.
Advertising
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Whether you are working as a care provider or a referral service, advertising is crucial to your small business. Have your business listed in the yellow pages. Creating a website for your business is also a good idea, as many people look online for these types of services. Purchase ad space on websites that cater to your target clientele, such as local interest sites or pet care pages. You may also wish to take out ad space in the local paper or on a billboard, depending on your advertising budget.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit house image by kruszek from Fotolia.com
