Doing a small garage office conversion for an old high school friend of mine. Still is a friend but I just moved back to my hometown and we are getting reaquainted. MY problem is that I am always worried about charging too much and he is probably worried about sticking it to me, ( he is a reallly nice guy) so I have entered into this job with the attitude that no matter what, I will not let anything F#%k this up. I wont lose my
and I will still do him a good job. He knows alot of people so I feel that even if I dont make as much as I would with a REAL client, this could be helpful for me. I cant do 80% anyway. It just isnt in me. I like the client smiling when I leave the job.
What is your take on working for friends. Some I will do for free..like a ceiling fan or even cut a door…but this is a $7000.00 job.
pipe in if you like..I am curious how you handle freinds as clients.
Replies
I personally don't like working for friends and in-laws. Not that I have in-laws any more. <bg> But anyway, as long as you are able to seperate business from friendship, I think you will be ok.
One of my experiences with the ex-in-laws was this, I'm remodeling their living room after they got some water damage. I'm doing the job and I'm not making a lot, just basically covering my supply costs and some compensation for time. The next thing I know my ex-brother in law is helping me out cause he "wants to learn". Well, after trying to "teach" him that a hammer is not used for dry wall screws, I learned that his "best" lesson would be to go get lunch and not screw it up. When the job was finally finished my ex-monster in law tries to cut my "pay", because her son helped me out. Last job I ever did for them, besides giving their daughter back to them. <bg>
Just my thoughts,
Barney
IMO, theoretically, if you have a clear-cut arrangement from the outset, with all assumptions and conditions spelled out as well as possible, it makes no difference about the nature of the relationship. What is more important is the personality of the client -- clients from hell aren't just family members.
Difficult situation.
I try to avoid doing work for friends/relatives for money if possible. Bad things can happen. Should be better working for friends/relatives in theory, but in reality there can be a lot of excess baggage brought to the party.
That said, it really depends upon the friend or relative in question...
work is work. Dont take advantage of your friends and dont let your friends take advantage of you.
being a friend you can show them where they can save money and waste money.
wow. I'm glad I'm not the only one who struggles with this. I've actually lost friends over this. One dear friend(who was getting a great price) blew me off after giving me the job (verbally) and I heard later he ended up paying $1,000.00 more and hates the job. Its difficult dealing with friends. My new policy is NO DEALS. Everyone is priced the same and if you want the work done great. If you don't its probably for the better. I'll keep a friend and some other fool will have them as an enemy.
good luck
Price it the same as any other job. I'm an architect and I tell my friends that if they want a special deal see someone else. I explain to them that I still need to make a living but if they use me they get priority in scheduling and that they can trust me to do a good project. Typically when I work for friends I may (depends on the project and contractor) spend more time than I would with a non-friend client). My partner has worked on one new house and three remodels' for his family and I have done two remodels' and one commercial job for both family and friends. They all worked out in the end but the process does strain the relationship (none have broken (yet)).
Its a funny thing almost every job I do is a potential friend and most jobs have turned into long term friendships where I go back and do several other jobs for them. Several of my clients are my racing buddies or dirtbike riding buddies . I treat them like any other clients except I keep a better eye out for them, try and find good deals on materials and just go that extra yard so that they feel good about the whole deal. Also , to keep from losing a friend I'd eat the whole deal and tell him he owed me one. I've found that as hard as it is to find a good friend there worth what ever it takes to keep.
ANDYSZ2
I MAY DISAGREE WITH WHAT YOUR SAYING BUT I WILL DEFEND TO THE DEATH YOUR RIGHT TO SAY IT.
I love working on my friends projects. If I need a massage, sheetrocking, banking advice, travel help, cooking, engineering, wineing, architecting, arboristing, a ride to the Gulf Stream, or when to hit the Outer Banks, I call one of my friends. They help me out. I'm lucky that most of my friends know what they're doing, and I wouldn't want anybody less helping me out, no matter what the charge.
I am flattered when they call me for a building concern, be it advice or doing it. And I give my friends a deal, they are my friends. Clients that I get close to also get the same. You can't have too many friends. Treat 'em right.
Aquaintances and certain relatives are dealt with in a business-like manner, no if's and's or but's. I let them know the charges and limitations up front and smiling. If they don't like them, we can both move on like it was a joke.
I am one of the biggest aholes to come down the pike, but good family and friends are a large part of what puts me in my happy place<G> EliphIno!