Independent Contractor Operations

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2011

Independent Contractor Operations [Abstract]

Independent Contractor Operations

8.    Independent Contractor Operations

The Roto-Rooter segment sublicenses with 64 independent contractors to operate certain plumbing repair and drain cleaning businesses in lesser-populated areas of the United States and Canada.  We had notes receivable from our independent contractors as of September 30, 2011 totaling $1.2 million (December 31, 2010 - $1.1 million).  In most cases these loans are fully or partially secured by equipment owned by the contractor.  The interest rates on the loans range from 0% to 8% per annum and the remaining terms of the loans range from 2 months to 5 years at September 30, 2011.  We recorded the following from our independent contractors (in thousands):

	Three months ended  September 30,				Nine months ended  September 30,
	2011		2010		2011		2010
Revenues	$	6,575	$	5,507	$	19,614	$	16,724
Pretax profits		3,236		2,530		9,625		7,634