how long does a sitter stay at a house sitting job?

Since you offer house sitting, Lynnette, I assume you want to know whether other sitters: (1) stay in the house 24/7, (2) stay in the house from x time in the pm to about the same in the am (say 8p-8a), or (3) come and go, using the house as a base of operations in which to provide services to other clients.

If you look through this board, you are going to find all of the above and maybe even other interpretations. Rover states that each night of house sitting is good for 24 hours of care, just like a boarding engagement. You, however, have the ability to do whatever you'd like so long as you communicate this to customers.

Remember, if a customer wants you to stay in the house the entire time, you wouldn't be able to do walks or drop-ins. Therefore, your house-sitting rate should reflect the loss of income. As far as I'm concerned, house sitting should always be priced as a premium service because of the inconveniences and the added responsibility for the customer's home.

I personally move into the client home for the duration of the stay and operate my normal routine, just at their house. I'm retired with no family or personal pets, so I don't have a lot of claims on my time. I tell the client I would like to leave every couple of days for no more than a couple of hours at a time. Most clients work so they are okay with me not being there 24/7. For 24/7 care I would double my rate because it pretty much puts my life on hold.