I have a small building project I'm doing on my property and need to hire some construction laborers for about a weeks work or so. This wouldn't be a real job, it is just temporary work. I know that when I worked out in CA you could just go by Home Depot in the morning and there was kind of an informal labor market of sorts where you could hire people to work on a day by day basis. I've never noticed this in OKC. Is there such a place here? Where do people look when they need temporary help? I don't like temp agencies because I think they are exploiting people by skimming their wages...wages which aren't high enough already. Does anyone have an answer? Thanks.

craigslist is the Home Depot of Oklahoma City.

Just a friendly suggestion from a former remodeling contractor:
Be sure that you are insured to the hilt in case of any work-related injuries . . .
(in order to cover my uninsured sub-contractors, i paid into what was then the State Insurance Fund for 20 years with zero claims. Safety First!)

Oh! And is the current limit still $600 in payouts to an individual before you have to file a 1099?
(and does any part of the project involve a domicile built before 1978? if so, you need to consult a qualfied lead inspector. EPA Bureaucrats Second!)

P.S.: Back in the day I once calculated how much I actually put in my pocket if I charged $20 an hour. It was $6.00. An hour. In the clear. Not nearly enough. Hence "former remodeling contractor".

I'm not a buidling contractor. I'm just trying to put up a building on my own acreage and need some hands to help. I believe the 1099 limit is still $600... But I don't anticipate that this will come into play.
As for Craigslist, I've looked on it but I don't really see a section for people looking for labor positions, just some "small biz" type adds with people offering various services. What I need is just a couple of laborers to lend a hand for a few days. Essentially a classic day labor situation.

The area around Sheridan/Reno and Walker seems to have folks looking for day laborer jobs in the early morning hours--probably some with some questionable immigration situations.

Those are the best

I know there are a couple of labor finder type agencies in town that will fill temporary day labor positions.

When I owned a t-shirt business i would occasionally call them when i had really big jobs. It was like $15/hr and they covered the insurance and tax reporting. Been awhile, but i assume they are still around.

If insurance and temp agency wage-skimming (not to mention taxes and environmental dictates from D.C.) aren't really at the top of the list of primary concerns regarding the "git 'er dun" concept, you might try every intersection on north Penn. There seems to be a host of folks with signs apparently looking to earn a buck or two.

(be careful not to confuse any or all of these folk with the legitimate "fund raisers" using the Official Fire Department boots in hand along the same road =).

all kidding aside >>>>

i recall with a certain amount of amazement, amusement and nostalgia the "good old days" when the simple ['truck 'n dog' "contractors"] who stole the downpayment from MY potential clients at least had a version of english as a first language and didn't require a green card to legally work. or is that "work legally"? =)

btw: The Rules where you live don't require the washing down of tires so as not to leave any mud in the street do they? =)

sorry . . . just watched an exposé of a local awning contractor on tv so . . . and some firemen enter into the construction market on their days off . . . =)

Amended to Add:
No Local Laborers Union to call?
Join a Local Church Family--Be ready to voluntarily share and repeat the personal blessing received as a true experience of Joy.
(just because you are from CA doesn't mean you have to be "Catholic" =)

I know there are a couple of labor finder type agencies in town that will fill temporary day labor positions.

When I owned a t-shirt business i would occasionally call them when i had really big jobs. It was like $15/hr and they covered the insurance and tax reporting. Been awhile, but i assume they are still around.

I've seen plenty of them around as well, one on Britton just east of Western comes to mind. Also, I'd echo Craigslist as an option. There are plenty of people looking, but also you can post the job under "gigs" under the subcategory of "labor".