the life of a caretaker

being a caretaker...

A property caretaker is an umbrella term i suppose, under which several specific types of caretaking fall. In my case i would define a property caretaker as someone who possesses management, maintenance and administrative skills and who is capable of working without supervision for extended periods of time, sometimes in remote, off the grid locations and in all types of weather. However a caretaker may also be someone who provides security for a property or simply a house sitter to watch over a home while the owner is away. There are also caretakers for light houses, castles, private islands, estates and more.

Because the caretaker is often on their own, operating unsupervised for extended periods, a high level of trust between the caretaker and the employer is paramount and frequent communication is often necessary, regardless of whether the job consists of simply watching a private property or managing a full-blown commercial facility.

about me...

Much of my working life has been spent in the construction, demolition and surface mining fields though i later spent some time working for a company that developed and sold unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV's). All in all, i figure haven't been overly friendly to the earth on which our continued development depends and somewhere along the line i decided a change in direction was in order. Surfing the net using keywords like "adventure", "fun" "outdoor" and "jobs" quickly yielded what i didn't know i was looking for; a caretaker position, and i soon landed myself a job!

For the past few years i have worked for a wonderful family as a lead caretaker for their lake-side cabin rental facility. My responsibilities included all phases of repair and maintenance such as foundations, painting, plumbing, firewood, grounds upkeep and constructing new facilities (swings, sheds, etc.) and furniture (chairs, benches, tables), as well as checking on guests, handling reservations and basic administrative tasks.

Being a property caretaker has been a rewarding experience for me and one in which i am able to put to use many of my skills as well as develop new ones. I enjoy living in secluded areas away from the clutter of civilization and working outside in the fresh air among the trees, the water, the wind and the sun, a life style i find preferable to a corporate cubicle or typical construction job.

my skills...

As a hands-on, logically minded, inventive and mechanically inclined male in my mid 40's i have acquired a rather diverse and perhaps unique skill-set. Though i would not consider myself particularly talented in any one field, my experience includes the following:

property caretaker
property security
"MacGyverism" - ability to solve problems and improvise
plumbing, drain and septic including copper, plastic and PEX
roofing (shingles, roll roofing)
carpentry, framing and construction including vinyl and wood siding
basic small boating skills
heavy equipment operator including loader, dozer, backhoe, excavator, off-road trucks and tractors
painting (brush, roller, spray - building and automotive)
basic mechanical skills (automotive, heavy equipment, general)
MIG and stick welding, plasma cutting
basic metal working and fabrication
moderate PC skills including basic CAD, website design, blogging, graphic manipulation, word processing and security
basic electronics skills
aerial and ground based robotics platform design, modification, maintenance and payload integration
photography, remote RC/UAV/RPV photography, darkroom production, television production and graphic arts production
some experience with horses

my ideal property caretaker job...

Ideally i am looking for work in a remote camp, lighthouse or island location. I am comfortable living simply and my preferred style of living consists of a small cabin, yurt or maybe even a well outfitted tipi, preferably near water. This is not to say that i would be adverse to more modern conditions however. Internet access is a plus. The position could be a seasonal, long-term or permanent.

Although i am not looking for a solid 30 or 40 hour work week, i am willing to plug in extra hours when the need arises. Also i am not looking for a construction job where primary day-to-day duties consist of roofing, framing or construction in general. Although i have these skills to some extent, i do not wish to make a living using them.