 Poster: A snowHead
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James the Last, he will not, however, be in the habit of doing his own cooking and cleaning. 
The deal is: "Typically we would arrive most weekends on a friday night, and leave Sunday evening. We would expect you to do regular household chores, cooking, cleaning, occasional child minding and pre grommit teaching, and other helpful activities ensuring our stress free weekend."
So what does he mean by regular household chores for example? Beds made on arrival, rooms serviced daily, fire lit for return from skiing etc, or just linen left out and cleaning done at the end of the stay?
Cooking: plain family food or three courses with canapes and cheeseboard plus hot breakfast and afternoon tea?
Child-minding; how occasional? For how long at a time? Teaching what to whom?
The description above is open to all kinds of interpretation, and frankly I suspect his standards are going to be higher than yours. Which is why it would be essential to sit down with the family beforehand and sort out a very clear description of what's required.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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pam w, Thanks for eloquently stating what I had read into the original "ad", you make the point well that people are well rewarded for this range of services in true high end private arrangements. nixmap seems to have taken the feedback in good humour but perhaps does not want to spill his guts on precise reqirements in a public forum as it will eventually be a matter for negotiation between him and any potential "employee". For example I would want a clear definition of what tasks were and weren't expected , precise quantification of number of "non weekend days expected over the season, details of insurance and liability cover etc when looking after kids etc etc. Its clearly not a "mates" deal taht can be left flexible.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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I don't mind debating the ad. I do object to the repeated statements that I live in squalor.
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| frankly I suspect his standards are going to be higher than yours. |
Would you please desist from making assumptions about my own standards. 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I think its a fair add. If you are interested contact him find out what he whats rather than making assumptions as to whether he wants Mary Poppins/ and the two women on tv that do the cleaning programme. What he actually wants will reflect whether its a good deal bad deal
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| Quote: |
Would you please desist from making assumptions about my own standards
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Well it was you, James the Last, who suggested that 20 minutes with a vacuum on a Thursday evening would take care of the cleaning What were we supposed to assume about your own standards?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| pam w wrote: |
| Well it was you, James the Last, who suggested that 20 minutes with a vacuum on a Thursday evening would take care of the cleaning |
Again, you put words into somebody else's mouth. I did not write that at all, which if you paid any attention to detail (rather than being addicted to fantasy which might be charming in an 8 year old, but less so in an OAP) you would know perfectly well.
[Edited to make read more clearly]
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| James the Last wrote: |
5 days solid skiing, with a luxury chalet where friends can come to stay.
Cooking 2 dinners and 2 breakfasts a week for 4 people (and doubtless wealthy bankers will eat out sometimes), and shoving a hoover around for twenty minutes on a Thursday evening in exchange for free accomm. Or... working in a bar until 3am - standing up, pouring beers, being sworn at by drunk Brits, feeling like death warmed up for months as a result of late nights, and sharing a one-roomed studio between 4, and still paying thousands for the privilege. Hard choice that one.
I assure you, a full-time girlfriend makes more work than the job described above... |
are your exact words.
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Cooking 2 dinners and 2 breakfasts a week for 4 people (and doubtless wealthy bankers will eat out sometimes), and shoving a hoover around for twenty minutes on a Thursday evening in exchange for free accomm
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..... was what you said. Can't see where Pam's 'fantasy' is.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Ditto above - perhaps it wasn't what you meant, but it IS what you wrote.
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brian
brian
Guest
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| James the Last wrote: |
No doubt, as a successful expat, OP will be in the habit of managing expectations, managing people and managing their time in order to achieve exactly what he wants. |
Dearie me, touching faith in REWs everywhere. I can assure you I know several people who could comfortably afford the chalet but get nowhere near any of that.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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They are indeed my exact words. 20 minutes with a hoover, not 20 minutes cleaning!
You'll notice I didn't mention washing up in my list of duties... perhaps Pam expects her meals on paper plates.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Is the horse dead yet?
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brian
brian
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Hurtle, nay.
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You know it makes sense.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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It is a fun topic but it is tosh!
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Mike Pow wrote: |
Don't feel too sorry for nixmap.
I replied to the offer via the TGR forum and asked for a response via this thread.
To my knowledge the position hasn't been filled and yet I've not received a response.
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Sorry Ive been busy, I am planning to reply to you privately
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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We would like to find a chalet helper/ chalet couple to look after it (and us) for the winter season, not just as house keepers but people who love to ski as well.
What that means is you work on weekends then get to ski or do your own thing for the other 5 days of the week of the week.
Typically we would arrive most weekends on a friday night, and leave Sunday evening.
We would expect you to do regular household chores,
cooking (as required more likely the wed like to eat as a family, we rarely get the chance.)
cleaning (theres just no escaping some things, bathrooms being the most obvious, i have no idea how often laundry is done once a fortnight for weekend use? I dont expect crisp linen every night with a choclate on my pillow),
occasional child minding and
pre grommit (ski) teaching ,
and other helpful activities (Going to the shops? fixing broken toys/ clothes/promises)
ensuring our stress free weekend. (youre there for the winter - be creative)
Occasionally we may have house guests, (cooking standards should be higher for this not sure of how to rate it.)
and school holidays mean we would stay for longer periods which is an extra work load, but not a disaster.
In return you get a whole week to do what you like. (Ski).
This is not a salaried position
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Assuming that you would be required to get the shopping in etc, this would require regular trips out of resort to the nearest town, how would you get there !!. Suppose the owner is expecting someone who is coming for the season to arrive in their own car and this would be the means of transport or maybe their is a nice shiny Audi Q7 left at your disposal, need's to be clarified.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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nixmap, bet you wish you'd never asked!
We'd consider it if it weren't for the fact that we need to be paid, what with the mortgage and the cats and all that. You could also make the position a lot more attractive if you threw in lift passes. Or give your hosts some kind of contract which will show the pass office that they work in resort so that they can buy passes at a discount. (This is just a completely random piece of gratuitous advice.)
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Nixmap could do a lot more to clarify and explain if he wished. For example, he doesn't expect crisp linen every night, but does he expect it every Friday night - or are they happy to use the sheets for several weekends in succession (which I certainly would be). Clearly the major cleaning has to be done during the week, and the shopping and some food preparation. Also, there are clearly stated to be extra stays during the holidays (Christmas/New Year? Half term? Easter?) So to keep banging on that it's a 2 day a week job is disingenuous and that isn't a good start. I would think that it would be absolutely essential - for both sides - to have a contract, as Lizzard suggests. This should specify either the output (tasks to be done) or the number of working hours in the week. The original advert includes both, but as I said above, the words and numbers don't begin to add up. I am a rapid and not very thorough housekeeper (with experience of end of let cleaning) and to keep a big chalet clean to a reasonable, though not fanatical, standard would take one person a working day a week. Half a day a week would just about keep the worst of the grime at bay. People who pay cleaning ladies will know that they don't do the house from top to bottom during their 2 hours on a Thursday morning.  If they did, I'd get one.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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We need to charge between 100 and 150 euros to end-of-let clean a 4/5 bedroom, 4/5 bathroom chalet. This is the minimum charge from the cleaning ladies in resort, as it IS a labour-intensive job. IME people who choose not to order the cleaning at the end of their stay, and do it themselves, do underestimate the time it takes to thoroughly clean a large house after a week of use.
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| pam w wrote: |
| Also, there are clearly stated to be extra stays during the holidays (Christmas/New Year? Half term? Easter?) So to keep banging on that it's a 2 day a week job is disingenuous and that isn't a good start. I would think that it would be absolutely essential - for both sides - to have a contract, as Lizzard suggests. This should specify either the output (tasks to be done) or the number of working hours in the week. The original advert includes both, but as I said above, the words and numbers don't begin to add up. |
Theres always a difference between an ad posted on a forum and the terms and conditions given to genuine applicants wishing to get more information.
As you can expect terms and conditions may vary according to the nature of the application and the number of people applying.
I dont think Ive overestimated the workload, remember we have advertised for ideally a couple. Id be extremely surprised if the "numbers failed to add up".
Naturally school holidays would be more intensive, I guess it doesnt take a rocket scientist to work that out.
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Maybe posting a slightly more detailed response giving examples of the level of service you expect would stop the arguing and shut everyone up? Just a suggestion 
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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mark_s, Its his negotiation and most people inputting on this thread aren't going to be taking the position so why should he? If it sounds interesting to someone surely it becomes a personal negotiation, while it may not be a totally cushy "free lunch" position nixmap (despite being a REW ) has shown that he is a bit flexible and has a sense of humour so I suspect it would work for someone.
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| Anniepen wrote: |
| We need to charge between 100 and 150 euros to end-of-let clean a 4/5 bedroom, 4/5 bathroom chalet. This is the minimum charge from the cleaning ladies in resort, as it IS a labour-intensive job. IME people who choose not to order the cleaning at the end of their stay, and do it themselves, do underestimate the time it takes to thoroughly clean a large house after a week of use. |
This is not quite the same as a family chalet, as its likely that you have to clean for a differnent set of guests, every changeover.
So allowing for you profit margin on the cleaners, that sounds between 4-6 hours work.
Its intensive because you have to be ready for incoming guests the following/same? day.
In ourcase this may be split between a couple and you can schedule this as you like as your deadline is more than likely only the following weekend.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Well I can't be to unkind otherwise ill never get anywhere.
Besides as i mentioned elsewhere.
Having a battle of wits with unarmed combatants is a pointless exercise.
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You know it makes sense.
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nixmap, Being an armed combatant can also prove fatal, some may say with acerbic wit you may have just shot yourself in the foot
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| fatbob wrote: |
| mark_s, Its his negotiation and most people inputting on this thread aren't going to be taking the position so why should he? If it sounds interesting to someone surely it becomes a personal negotiation, while it may not be a totally cushy "free lunch" position nixmap (despite being a REW ) has shown that he is a bit flexible and has a sense of humour so I suspect it would work for someone. |
Quite agree.
Instead of argueing pointlessly, does anyone care to put up a "guestimate" of how much work they think is involved and how much it would cost had he hire indenpendent party to do the job? That would make it interesting.
In any case, I hope nixmap finds someone qualified. As I said earlier, he's left the search rather late. Snow is already starting to fall. So any serious ski bum who're willing to work for free in exchange for lodging probably already found it and already skiing! Of the half-hearted choosy ones out there, they'll be picking over the terms very carefully.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Will be out early December, hope it is landing in the Haute Savoie also.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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And just to add, I'd be very much interested if it wasn't for university. Sadly no matter how few lectures I attend to begin with, I doubt they'd like me disappearing off to the Alps for 4 months and missing the exam period 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Perhaps a key piece of information would be how large the chalet is. 5 beds, 5 baths (all used every weeK!) is quite a different prospect to 3 beds 1 bath.
| nixmap wrote: |
| i have no idea how often laundry is done once a fortnight for weekend use? |
seems to anticipate Pam's question:
| pam w wrote: |
| Nixmap could do a lot more to clarify and explain if he wished. For example, he doesn't expect crisp linen every night, but does he expect it every Friday night - or are they happy to use the sheets for several weekends in succession (which I certainly would be). |
End-of-let cleaning for a party of 8 who have lived in a strange house, partying for an entire week is quite a different prospect to cleaning for a family of 4 who live in their own house and only spend two nights a week there. e.g. the fridge doesn't need to be cleaned weekly (which somebody mentioned as a chore).
This is turning into a really interesting discussion of domesticity! I thought this place was all about fun...
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| James the Last wrote: |
| I thought this place was all about fun... |
It's just that the expectation levels for the winter are high and the satisfaction levels for most of us are low...
therefore people are obsessing over a minor thread..roll on the start of the season...
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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nixmap, Thanks, I like you a lot! Maybe I should come and work for you! Not sure my wife, kids and employees would agree though!
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| James the Last wrote: |
| Perhaps a key piece of information would be how large the chalet is. 5 beds, 5 baths (all used every weeK!) is quite a different prospect to 3 beds 1 bath. |
3 Double/Twin Beds
1 Bath/shwer/wc
1 Guest WC
One self contained 2.5 room appartment. with kitchenette, shwr WC etc.
Thats your domain, but i expect it to be treated with respect.
Maximum guest capacity couldnt really be anything more than 4 adults 4 children and even that would be pushing it.
Assuming the appartment was filled.
| James the Last wrote: |
End-of-let cleaning for a party of 8 who have lived in a strange house, partying for an entire week is quite a different prospect to cleaning for a family of 4 who live in their own house and only spend two nights a week there. e.g. the fridge doesn't need to be cleaned weekly (which somebody mentioned as a chore).
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Isn't it just.
I guess you have to balance the likelhood, of a REW wanting to trash his own holiday home every weekend, against 'Brits on Tour' trying to cram every last piece of entertainment into the six day break have in the Alps - and think about how much work each one would really be.
Of course in a commercial TO chalet you might get £400 worth of ski pass and £1000 worth of pay and live in a dire little bunkroom with all the other hosts for 100 days. I bet you wont set foot out of the resort you start in.
Lifes full of decisions.
I mean what the hell you you do with 4-5 days off every week in the heart of a Bernese Oberland winter anyway.
Naturally not everyone makes the same choices.
There are hundreds ot TO jobs to go for. This is not one of them.
At the beginning I said the offer was different - and for people who love to ski - and i meant it.
Although I learnt a lot from this thread - I dont think my opinion on that has changed.
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FAQ
