So I broke down and violated my prime directive of not doing paid work for friends and relatives…..
Of course I under priced it, a 2 1/2 day trim/paint morphed into 3 3/4 day “while you are here” fest. We agreed some additional money, again barely enough, but, with great lunches and dinners thrown in tolerable.
Until… I started switching out the second of 4 electrical fixtures… ” that was fast, easy huh”. Heard that again when I finshed the last (grrrr).
I finished up hanging some blinds and again… “easy, huh?” I climb down from the ladder, looked him in the eye, and said “I’ve done this hundreds times, I only make it look easy. If it was truly “easy” you could have done it yourself”. He nodded and walked away.
He helped me carry my gear to the truck handed me an envelope and said “com’on back in it’s happy hour” the best venison kabobs followed by billiards with Basil Hayden after–got home at midnight.
This
is gonna kill me when I do their kitchen next month (at least I have a detailed contract for that).
&
#160;
The awful thing is that beauty is mysterious as well as terrible. God and the devil are fighting there, and the battlefield is the heart of man.
– Fyodor Dostoyevski
Replies
I am also doing some work for some good friends in my "spare time"at the "friendly rate". First it was just the kitchen, then the laundry,now the spare bed. Now they are planning the bath and master bed.
I used to have a social life...
The husband is a killer cook though. Makes spaghetti sauce from scratch, even makes his own pie dough.
Supposed to be over there right now...
Mike
Small wheel turn by the fire and rod, big wheel turn by the grace of god.
Edited 3/7/2009 11:47 am by ruffmike
I used to have a rule against doing work for family or friends; that was based on one bad experience early on. (Best bud's GF needed something done and I did it for her and she didn't like it and went ballistic and refused to pay and yadda, yadda, yadda....)
So I stuck to working for strangers after that (and some of 'em were really strange but that's another story)....
One day about 15 years ago, I looked in the mirror and said to myself, 'Yo, Ugly: You've been working for a-holes for most of your life and where has it got ya? Mebbe it's time to smarten up before ya die, ya think...?'
So now, I only work for people I like. I maybe make a bit less money, but I need to buy a lot less Pepto Bismol....
Dinosaur
How now, Mighty Sauron, that thou art not brought
low by this? For thine evil pales before that which
foolish men call Justice....
You need to nicely explain to them that you cannot do "while your at it's" for free. This is your business, and while beer is nice, few mortgage companies accept it as payment.
Family.....They're always there when they need you.
made a policy a long time ago for charging. No friends in business, no business in friends. It's all business. I'd give a quote to a 'friend' and they'd get bent that it was full price. Well, that's the going rate, I'd tell them. Lot's of times I'd get the work. others the jobs never got done. Very rarely did they hire someone else.
Good that you got dinner and some billiards though.
I have 2 rules when it comes to working for family and friends.
1) I don't charge family or friends. There are 5 billion other people out there to make money off of.
2) I don't do work for family or friends.
It sure has helped a lot.
sully
It's a good policy but I'm grateful for those that do. A couple of years ago we had our house on the market. A/C was kaput and furnace almost there. I'd just gotten laid off. BIL did HVAC for cost ............ saved us big money, got the house sold ........... I'm still grateful.
"It is hardly too strong to say that there are men in all ages who mean to govern well, but they mean to govern. They promise to be good masters, but they mean to be masters." -- Noah Webster
Don't like working for neighbors but...the morgage comes due every month. Can't stand when they call you "handy". Told one neighbor that having over 25 years experience and over 25k worth of tools on the truck moves me out of the "handy" catagory into the professional catagory. I should ask him if "handy" in his disipline.
Can't stand when they call you "handy".
That begs the question: why are carpenters so defensive?
Handy is a compliment. I know a lot of people that aren't handy.
Hey Blue-I doubt any of us mind "handy" as long as the money is there and word isn't being used as a shoehorn for a bunch of freebies.The other blue eyed Jim
The awful thing is that beauty is mysterious as well as terrible. God and the devil are fighting there, and the battlefield is the heart of man.- Fyodor Dostoyevski
Handy inplies jack of all trades-master of none. I just don't like the connotation. I consider myself a professional. Don't want to sound mad at the world but that's my two cents anyway. I'm off to yell at the neighbors now.........
Once I was changing out the engine in my PU. Neighbor lady asked me what I was "tinkering" with. To me "tinker" means to play around or similar. She was a nice lady and well meaning so it let it go... But it made me think about that some people just have no concept so sometimes you have to look beyond the words and try and discover the intent.
I tinker with my truck all the time, so why would it be wrong.
>>Can't stand when they call you "handy".<<
Just tell them you prefer the title "housewright".
Works everytime :)
Jim Never underestimate the value of a sharp pencil or good light.
I am another who dislikes the moniker 'handyman'. When I've done up business cards, I use the title 'craftsman/carpenter'. It is much more fitting for the work I do, even though my abilities befit a 'jack of many trades'.
"
Just tell them you prefer the title "housewright".
Works everytime :)
So would these two majic words: "Thank You!"
i have done a ton of work for friends and family some paid some for trade and some out of friendship or neighborly duty. the way i see it they need the work done and i can do it. i find i make money by being in peoples comfort zone meaning they are comfortable having me in their home and that is equally true for friends and family.my inlaws just paid some big company 8 grand for 9 replacement windows while i sat at home watching the kids i could have done the same job for a third of that and we all would have come out ahead. just my 2 cents
Noah
Smile. You could be one of the 8% that is sitting at home waiting for the phone to ring.
Nearly everybody is a potential friend---
nearly everybody is a potential customer.
They are ALL going to pay the same-FULL PRICE.
this bit about people giving someone a six pack of beer as a "thankyou" for saving them hundreds or thousands of dollars is sooooo unbelievably insutlting !
I am trying to think of my closest friends occupations--computer expert, pharmacist, nurse( several), physical therapist/rehab specialist, lawyer, accountant, college instructor, college professor, landscape contractor,painting contractor/real estate investor, doctor, PHD/toxicology, and many teachers---
I can't begin to imagine asking any of those friends to give up any of their "spare time" to practice THEIR trades on my behalf--and then say" thanks--here's a 6 pack of beer"-- It would demean us both.
We might all have various conversations that touch on each others areas of expertise- because we share similar intrests--- for example the physical therapist/re-hab specialist and I are both interested in biking, running, distance running, whole foods, athletic training
etc.---- but If I ever need to consult with him on having a knee re-habbed professionally-- I wouldn't dream of having him do it professionally in exchange for a 6 pack !
Best wishes,All
stephen