Just when you think you’ve got things organized/all set

Yes, but it’s maintenance free.

The “for whatever reason” would be tax evasion!

Technically, you could switch cleaners every $599, as the threshold for issuing the 1099-NEC is $600.

Grossing up for FICA would be for an employee. You can treat the cleaner as an independent contractor, with no FICA employer/employer tax obligation, if they meet that criteria. It’s subject to interpretation, but if they bring their own equipment and supplies, have control over carrying out the job, do not have fixed hours, are not supervised, etc. they can generally be classified as contractors.

For discussion purposes only, not professional tax advice.

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Lol. It’s not uncommon in coastal areas however I believe in my area they won’t let you put plastic down, just black landscape fabric. It facilitates better drainage.

Also in my area, small barrier island, They’ve started requiring stone for many of the first and second row coastal build driveways and pool surrounds as there was so much concrete we were having massive flooding issues.

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Yes. It was the plastic part of it that I was commenting on. The plastic causes all kinds of issues.

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Depending on the area, I have also found the website Nextdoor (if there is a group in your neighborhood) to be helpful when looking for services. Lots of people post reviews of services they use. And, people will post when they have kids looking for work. Seems to be a different sort of crowd than those that use FB and other social media so different services and people…

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This is true @Keugenia. If I needed a cleaner or yard/garden help, Nextdoor is the first place I would look. There are tons of both types of professionals that will respond if you say you’re looking for someone.

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As was suggested, cover all those flowers and bricks with plastic and dump stones on it…
:exploding_head:

I know, the idea of landscape fabric/plastic is mortifying to some. But here in Colorado it has become common, due to the drought. I’m fortunate to be on the “drain/waste” water end of the irrigation ditch here, so we get free (nonpotable) water from mid April-October. Thankful for that! But I still have around .5 acre that isn’t close enough to the ditch to get water from. So, we’ve graveled it, & it really keeps the weeds out. Not soft & green, but practical.

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Regarding the garden…it’s not an issue. I have someone who does that.

I think we’ve got the mowing handled now too. The cousin of the guy who was doing it is going to do it.

So someone to help with the cleaning is the main issue now. I had forgotten about Nextdoor. I’ve never used it to find help but it sounds like a good idea.

Putting down plastic with gravel on top would result in the property becoming uninhabitable due to mosquitos as we average 42 inches of rain a year.

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No, you don’t get it. Landscape fabric isn’t an issue- it allows water to pass through it. It’s covering the earth in plastic that is gross.

I’d rather have a yard full of weeds than plastic and gravel. At least weeds expire oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide.

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Sorry, I just want to settle this once and for all because I’m getting a lot of responses from that one grimace, lol.

I grimaced because of the plastic, landscape fabric is preferable to plastic. It’s not “landscape fabric/plastic”. The only reason I know the difference is because I did research before we put down our very own landscape fabric. I’m just down on plastic in general. But none of it rises to mortifying. And I have little to zero opinion about landscaping.

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Your garden is BEAUTIFUL!!

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MAGNIFICENT!!

Yes, it looks like a LOT to clean.

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I know, poor choice of words on my part, possibly after a cpl glasses of wine. But we are in agreement, I have a huge roll of landscape fabric in the garage that gets used often. Subject closed! :joy:

Have you looked at the TurnoverBnB app for finding cleaners ?