working for friends

[hernando]

i do custom commerical tractor work .. does anyone else do this and if so how do you charge your friends ?? i have done alot of work the last 2 yrs for some friends...they paid me what they thought it was worth ,,,hahaha,,but i let it slide ,,which i should never should have done the last few weeks i put in over 40hrs at there house tore down a old house burned it then covered it with top soil,,,the first day i had 3 flats,,,, when i was finished they ask how much it cost for fuel and to fix the flats...i told them 137.00 they gave me a check for 150.00....they said i know it is worth a little more than that but we will give you more latter...when they offered more money i gave them a bill for the full price i would charge anyone i subtracted the 150.00 and then cut that in half ,,i thought that was fair,,,now it really made them mad,,,,how would you deal with this ?? thanks for leting me ramble on,,,,,bruce

 

[MrJimi]

Bruce, I will not work for friends,relatives or neighbors. that is the best way I know to lose good friends that I know of
Jim

 

[Squeak n Itch]

Bruce
While I don't work for others, I do have friends who work for me from time to time. Give anyone you plan to work for a total cost estimate, or $/hr figure up front and stick to that price. That way everyone knows the approximate cost.

 

[AlanB]

We work for freinds all the time, and we handle them all a bit different.

Couple of real close freinds, I ask what they want, I go do it. I do not want ANY money from them. It always comes back around too me later.

Folks that are good aquaintances more then close (and I do mean close) freinds, I just make sure a price is set up front, before anything starts. Either, by the hour or by the job. If by the job and I seriously underbid, I eat it, seriously overbid, I reduce my charge, makes them stay freinds.

Folks that want to "pay me a little" etc. I would rather that they just do not pay me. It often leads to hard feelings on both sides.

That said, every now and then I get caught short, but overall, I have been real lucky, and the work my freinds have done for me in return, has been priceless.

 

[dirtworksequip]

Bruce, it seems to me you always feel you end up on the short end of the stick when you do work at a reduced rate. For all your troubles initially you made $13.00. I would leave my tractor sit before I went through all that work and plus the tires that went flat. Seems like your so called friends want you to work for almost nothing. Just ask yourself how many times have these friends helped you out on a project of your own,that will give you the answer to the ones you help. In years past I was always more than happy to jump in and give someone a hand with whatever project they had and either ask for nothing or very little. Also over the years I have had many,many projects on the 68 acres that I owned. I can only name a couple of people that ever offered to help me. So now I give everyone the help they gave me. Which is none. Let them struggle through it themselves. The only people I help now are some elderly neighbors that can't do it on their own. I never ask for anything except a "thanks". The sad part is some people won't even take a couple of minuites to phone and tell you thanks. Needless to say I never go back.

Sincerely,Dirt

 

[davitk]

I am a remodeling contractor, built a wall for my sister a few years ago with the understanding that her landscaper husband woud reciprocate. Never happened. Now they want to hire me to do more work, "for money" to pay me back.... at the reduced "family" rate, of course . Funny thing, I've just been too busy to fit them into my schedule. Puts a funny taste in your mouth....

 

[MtnViewRanch]

This is how I handle working for people that I know. I tell them that I have two prices. The normal price that costs you a lot of money, I make money and you have all rights that go along with that, whining, complaining, warranty, etc. Or the price of you get it at my net cost, now you have given up all rights, you get it when you get it and what ever shape it is in, no whining, no complaining, no warranty, it is what it is. This is what has worked for me, most but not all people pay the money, they want to be able to complain I guess.

 

[Aquaman]

Real easy....Just tell them to decide for themselves what it's worth and then put it in the plate next Sunday.

 

[TC29-dude]

Bruce, I will not work for friends,relatives or neighbors. that is the best way I know to lose good friends that I know of
Jim

+1

I have seen many good friendships go south once business got in the way.

 

[rtdiggr]

This is a can of worms, for friends you need to decide how good of friends they are. Is it someone you see once a year when they need you, or do you get together with them a regular basis. When i first started out i was told not to work for free.
I think a fair price is half what you would normally charge, and say it up front. Having said that i have bartered with people including a lawyer.
I am big on thank you's if i do a job for free and i get no thanks or something stupid like is that all you can do? then for me that only takes one time.
At the very least your tractor is worth something, that is why i figure half, you don't have to pay for my but you do have to pay for my tractor. If you are working for free you can't make anymoney on other jobs.
That house you tore down, that job should be anywhere from $5000 to $20000.

Another idea is get the "friends" to get quotes from other companies, and then you can discount from there. 2 things will probably happen 1 they will not have alot of people show up, and or 2 they will be blowen away by the price. MOST people truly have no idea how much construction costs are. I gave a quote on a stump last year [not a friend] the price was $140 the women almost passed out, i don't ever say what things cost to my clients but i told her, i said they will be $60,000 worth of equipment, not including gas and insurance sitting in her driveway. So i said HOW MUCH SHOULD I CHARGE YOU. needless to say i didn't get the job.
I think i have said enough for now.

Shane

 

[capt_met]

rtdigger, that is a good idea on getting them to get estimates from others first. may have to start using that one.
for me it depends on how busy i am. it seems the more i am out and the machine wirking the more jobs i get. when i slow down i don't mind helping out a friend for free.. especially if they live in a high vis area. lol. in the neighborhood i give a reduced rate and don't charge a minimum. if i can run down the street pop a couple stumps and be back home at my conveniance its no problem and i think keeps me on folks mind more.
good luck,

 

[Rara Avis]

i do custom commerical tractor work .. does anyone else do this and if so how do you charge your friends ?? i have done alot of work the last 2 yrs for some friends...they paid me what they thought it was worth ,,,hahaha,,but i let it slide ,,which i should never should have done the last few weeks i put in over 40hrs at there house tore down a old house burned it then covered it with top soil,,,the first day i had 3 flats,,,, when i was finished they ask how much it cost for fuel and to fix the flats...i told them 137.00 they gave me a check for 150.00....they said i know it is worth a little more than that but we will give you more latter...when they offered more money i gave them a bill for the full price i would charge anyone i subtracted the 150.00 and then cut that in half ,,i thought that was fair,,,now it really made them mad,,,,how would you deal with this ?? thanks for leting me ramble on,,,,,bruce

Your mistake was NOT telling them the real costs up-front with a proper estimate...
Then, they could have rejected or accepted you as the worker without any misconceptions...

 

[Farmwithjunk]

In the rare cases where I've worked for a friend or relative, it's either a free-bee or they pay full price. And for the record, I don't do much for free. No "reduced rates".

No matter what the charge (or no charge), my risk is the same. The operating cost per hour is the same. I'm sure my insurance company wouldn't differentiate between regular jobs and "cheap price for a friend" should there be the need to file a claim.

 

[Red55]

Ever notice your "BEST" friends always call when they need you? I am kinda slow with noticing that until the wife pointed it out. And when you need them they're busy? I've just stop answering I hate to saying no to anyone

Been roped into a few friends jobs with my brother and the best ones were where they had gotten a few estimates. When your a friend and are the first to give a price you're the bad guy.

Ever notice that your friends have no problem giving a stranger top dollar for sometimes questionable work but think you should work for $5 an hour with a lifetime warranty? -Ed

 

[MrJimi]

Some of my friends have streets named after them
ONE WAY
DEAD END

Jim

 

[Egon]

An age old corundum. There is no specific answer that keeps all happy.

Do what you gota do when you gota do it. It may not be easy the first time but practice makes it easier.

 

[chh]

You've got a real sticky situation there. I have done jobs for relatives and friends. It pays to be picky about who you have time to do work for. Generally it's much better to have an understanding up front or be willing to do it for free. I have a friends/neighbors and a family member that lives close to me that will always one way or another repay me what a job is worth. I wouldn't give my relatives a bill the last time I helped them. They suprised my by having my 500 gallon fuel tank filled the next time it was empty. They knew how much the job would have cost and ended up paying me right at my going rate.
On the other end of that I have another neighbor that would let you work full time for him and think nothing of it. He is always going to pay you back in kind. Doesn't ever get time though, so I don't have time for him anymore.

 

[john_bud]

Simply tell them that the amount you charged is what your costs are for running the tractor for that amount of time. Fuel, depreciation, insurance, maintenance, etc. If they are still upset, tell them fine - cancel the bill AFTER they come you your place and perform 40 hours of manual labor.

Some people don't know paper plates from the good china...

jb

 

[ToadHill]

My neighbor asked me one day if I could help him with his tractor. It was an old Massey and hadn't had any work done on it since it was new. I rebuilt the engine for him and when he asked me what he owed I told him he was a good friend and I wouldn't take anything from him.

About 8 years later I got my 8N stuck and asked him if I could borrow his Massey to pull it out. He tossed me the key and said he'd given up farming (he was 83) and told me to park it in my barn when I was done, if he ever needed it again for something he'd know where to find it.

His parting shot was "you fixed it and wouldn't let me pay you so as far as I'm concerned it's yours".

 

[KennethBrown]

For me it mainly depends if I'm helping them or if I'm doing a job. If their down in the dirt with me then its a gimme. I won't charge anything but will accept lunch and drinks and a can or two of fuel. If there sitting in the house and I'm slaving away they better be ready for a bill.