Chile Forum

I'm going to guess that this is an answer that will vary by region just as it does in the US. I am told for instance, that the labour in Santiago is far cheaper than at the coast (Vina/Valpo region). I'll be following this thread with interest.

In addition to what MikeO said I would also guess that it would depend on the level of quality you want.

You could probably hire someone with very little experience for a luka an hour or something. But you aren't going to get a good job. And chances are you could fine someone for 10 times and get something that actually adds value to your project.

But I will be watching this thread as well. Especially since it looks like you are based in Valdivia... we are looking to build there so it will be interesting.

Jason Roesler

During my time in Vitacura in Jan 2007 and talking to a couple of contractors and friends I was told
that the average wage was about $300/month for like a super, the guy who has the
over all experience and about $200-$250/month each for the rest of the workers. Doesn't
nearly seem enought to live off of. In US $ that doesn't seem even close to fair but that was the
averages at the time there.

Normally what you want to do is hire a "maestro", with a few references at hand and take it from there. That is what I have done for my house in Serena.

Once thing that I would advise is to do your project in Autumn, that is the time that construction winds down and prices get more competitive.

The fellow that rents my house in Serena is a contractor, if you tell me what you are looking to do I may be able to get you an idea, of course they will be Serena prices, but presumably will not be all that different from Valdivia

jsgrovers wrote:I was told that the average wage was about $300/month for like a super, the guy who has the
over all experience and about $200-$250/month each for the rest of the workers.

Are you sure he didn't mean mil pesos? Just based upon my understanding of Chile's average income, I'd say those numbers as mil pesos would be reasonable. But, as USD, it sounds low.

Can anyone else confirm construction worker wages?

Mark

About 160,000 pesos is the minimum wage in Chile. That would be about $300 a month.

Now that said, about 200,000 pesos would be more common for grunt labor.

A "maestro" is just someone who owns a hammer in Chile; regardless of what they tell you.

Honestly, I would not pay anyone anymore than I absolutely had to in Chile until I really seen them build and the quality of their work. Start with part-time trial work and jobs, and then talk about more money. I would also very carefully dangle the possibility to cut their wages at anytime in the contract, because Chilean workers can very predictably start getting sloppy after they get the job.

There is very very good reason that Chilean construction workers do not make international wages. In general they are simply not worth it. The "maestro" that has been building for 20 years plus can be just as worthless or more worthless than hiring someone off the street that has never held a hammer. They simply do not have the skill or experience overall. Big "quality" projects get done by dumping a bunch of management on top of every worker.

In the States I would hire one guy to say hang drywall in a house. In Chile, I would need that drywaller, two mangers, and then another drywaller, and two more managers to fix what the first drywaller and two mangers screwed up because none of them have ever hung drywall. So, basically I would be paying the same amount of money for the same amount of work, only it would take 10 times longer to do all the way around, and I would still be very prepared when it was all done to accept a lower quality of work because my expectations are so low to begin with.

So, I am not paying US union wages and health care benefits to unqualified workers until they are really really proven to be what they say and think they are.

As stated before I have use maestros in my house in Chile without problems although for minor jobs, I consider those guys handyman.

For bigger jobs entailing "brick and mortar" or erecting an structure I would also recommend that instead of paying a crew a weekly salary that you bid the job to several contractors and do it "obra vendida" that means that the price is agreed before you start the work, shell some money up-front, and the rest when the job is completed.

I have been able to find good contracting reference at Sodimac and Easy stores

yea, asking around Sodimac or Easy might be good idea.

I would add, if you do find a good one pay him well. They are hard to find.

Thanks Gloria. I got your email, and sent you a response.

Yea, back in the days when I ran construction crews in the States I would have never hired a Chilean construction worker. In fact, I can not ever remember seeing a Chilean construction worker that would have lasted 24 hours on a crew in the States. I don't think I would have even hired one to do demolition.

I joke about going and recruiting a Mexican crew of construction workers at the INS jails in the States and flying them to Chile. Someday I might really recruit a crew. They are perfect. They speak Spanish, have worked in the U.S. building markets, and so on. Give them a work visa, housing, and you are good to go. In spite of all the negative stereotypes in the States about Mexican construction workers, I can not remember ever firing any that worked for me or really having any serious problems.