Ungrateful people

[Psycho Chicken]

Only direct family get free labour. Everyone else has to pay. Sure I'll do it cheaper, but I'm not doing it for free.

[EL XR8]

I'm a sparky, and i'm the same to friends of mine. I'll do them a favour, and only charge them for the cost of the materials and a little labour on bigger jobs.
I've just completed wiring up and new sun room, and a shed at a mates parents house, and for about 43-4 days full labour, i'm only charging them about $500. They're great people but you still have that thing in the back of your head going, geez i hope they're happy with the price, cause the material costs add up really quickly.

My best mate, who's a plumber, was around my mum's place with me and his apprentice on saturday digging up a 2.5mx1.5m hole, thats 1.5m+ deep in our concreted pergola, because we have a blocked drain. I asked what he wants for the job, and since his apprentice was there digging for 4-5 hours, he said he's happy with $100, and he said he only wants $200 to cover his material bill. I told him, we'll give his apprentice $150, as he did some hard digging with us. As there's no way he's only taking $200 for his material bill. So he's getting $500, as he worked with me from 10am until 9pm. As well as the bottle on Canadian Club i gave him to drink with his missus on saturday night after he left. I still appreciate all his help, and will probably end up giving him more $$, as in the end, it has saved us thousands for the work he's done.

[Yaw]

Honestly people have no idea of what repairing cars is worth. I hear it every day doing claims for an insurance company, things like "it's only a small scratch I can't see it would cost more than $200" Well hrmm ok lets see that small scracth is actually a dented door, so lets see $200 pay for someone to remove all the door trim, panel beat, sand, under coat then sand again, repaint, then add 2 coats of clear coat, then polish to suit the other panels, reassemble the door and guarantee the repairs for life. That "small scratch quickly turns into a $1000-$1500 dollar job and then they winge about thier excess they have to pay. Oh yeah I forgot about 7 weeks after the thing is repainted you need to get the paint protection reapplied as well.

[redranga]

I used to help out a few people with mechanical jobs or house reno's.

Come time for me to do my place there was no helpers about the place, despite being owed a few days labour by a couple of people.

What really me the most was I injured myself at work and was unable to do even easy things for a few months like mow the lawn and whippersnip. I never recieved any help from mates and family that owed me a few favours.

These days I just say no when asked or I recommend someone to them to do the job for them.

[Skotty]

in good time ya get what ya give...

At the start of the year, when my ex and I broke up, I was left with nowhere to go, i felt bad could't really afford much and was staying at my mates, he was taking me to/from work and all..

Now ive sorted stuff up, i've been helping him build up his drift car - Nissan 180sx, I've lost count of the nights i've spent on it till 11 - 12 at night when i've gotta be up for 6am the next morning for work

[Falchoon]

It works the other way too. I wanted a spare bonnet I had, modified and fitted with a vent for my XR6T. I have a mate who's a qualified panelbeater and I know he does excellent work so I asked him to do it. No price was really discussed, I just wanted it done, not in a hurry, and was prepared to pay whatever he wanted to charge me (within reason of course). Over a year went past and he hadn't started it so I said thanks anyway and went to pick up the bonnet from his house and he said to leave it and he will do it. Haven't seen him for a couple of months but I'll bet he still hasn't touched it. I have already given him some money in the form of shouting him a ticket to Bathurst 1000 last year.

[ebxr8240]

Ahhh just take a star out of petty cash...

[wasa]

You might get lucky and they will sell it for $3,700 and give you the $3000
Its just a wild thought

[wasa]

I tell ya what I've just had a brain storming thought how to solve all the problems that arrive re working for friends at cost

Lets start a list of all the friends ( in question here ) and give it to our friends as they ask for a favour ,or cheap job or discounted job or job at cost .

We could call it the

"Freinds at cost list for Free"

[wasa]

you might get lucky and they will sell it for $3,700 and give you the $3000
Its just a wild thought

:

[XRated]

I've been burnt more often than I care to remember too..

People think I actually enjoy spending hours fixing their computers and getting nothing for it. Or driving people home late from work that is clearly out of my way, and what do you get in return? Hmm maybe one lift when they finally get their licence, and then never hear from them again (happened way too many times). Working on people's cars and having the same happen... Going out for your mates when you financially can't afford it, and they bail on you at the last minute with bullshit excuses.

My kind days are over :P Only people who deserve and have proven themselves now.

[JG66ME]

Originally Posted by XR6Stu

Jesus ungrateful really P&&S me off! Ive spent the last 6 months straightening out and giving a general tidy up to some close friends daughters car, for only the cost of the materials, $700, and they are whingeing and moaning and complaining like there is no tomorrow! As from now, I am not doing any more work for friends, because all you get in ungrateful cr@p in return. Sorry, but damn Im angry. Its getting a full respray and has had every panel repaired, work which would in general cost $3000 or so all up. The panel work would be be around $1400-ish. VERY DISSAPOINTED!

I learnt this lesson many years ago. My skills are my hobby, not my Job. I work on my cars or drink beer. I feel for you. I to was taken for granted to many times.

Steve

[XTGT Code Z]

XR6Stu... i feel for ya mate.
been there many many times.

these days, i pick and choose what i do.
burnt far too many times.

god, some people dont even have the decentcy to say a simple 'thanks mate' for the hours and f-k-n hours u put into a job for them and wouldnt except anything else for the work (as in, wouldnt think of getting paid for it), and then wonder why the next favour they ask for is met with a firm 'NO!'

1 thing ive been paying more attention to is the amount of people that dont give a sheet about u until they want somthing, and then they are ur best mate.
u know how it goes... the phone rings, its a number u havent seen in a while, the convo starts with the usual 'gday mate. how ya been? havent seen ya in a while... pause... btw, just wondering if u could do something for me...?'
then when im in need of a hand, they all disappear into thin air. funny that...

good luck with it, and as said earlier, if they dont like it, tell them to take it elsewhere. then they will see how much things really cost!!

[merlin]

Maybe they are just complaining/being critical to your face but are really gratefull on the inside...I do it all the time (its a bad habit I am trying to break out of).

[red_hotxr6]

Originally Posted by paule11

in this world your lucky if you have one true friend

How very true..... :

[Ringo]

I find it intersting that depending on your occupation some people expect you to do it for nothing for them on weekends

I used to be a mechanic - so the stories here I can relate to

I know someone who is a computer geek - he gets asked all the time to fix stuff on other people's pc

yet my Sister is a primary school teacher....what sort of 'love job' can I ask of her?....I have no kids for her to teach!

I know an Accountant who works in finance.....but I would never think of asking him to do my tax

Do doctors get asked for a free check up on the kitchen table?

Do you call you mates wife who a nurse to come over and care for you when your crook?

[Tote]

I learnt long ago not to charge money for foreign order jobs, Its easier to get the people who you are doing the work for to pay for materials themselves and then barter or specify grog for your labour. Little jobs I'll buy the bits and adjust the size of the bottle of Bundy to suit. Stops a lot of arguments as it seems to be easier for people to come to terms with owing you a carton of beer etc that they can put on the plastic than giving you cash which in turn you are going to budget on getting.
By the way I'm an electronics tech and computer nerd so I dont often do jobs on the scale of a respray.
Regards,
Tote

[RUQ1KA]

Damn! Some of these stories are bad!

I Guess I have been lucky with my choice of friends, we've known each other since high school and when ever anyone needs something every one is willing to help out, If I'm installing something in my car and need help all i need to do is turn on msn and get in contact with a few people and i have every one there to help out in no time, same goes for all my friends as well - when ever they need something i'm always there and I ask nothing in return

[redef]

i am a mechanic by trade so people try to get love jobs all the time.
the first thing i say is what i will charge them and that normally scares the wood ducks off.
if they drop the car to me i reconfirm the price and cash must be paid on pickup.
i never work for free ever so have not been burnt yet and if they ever complain about the job or cost i just say i am not interested next time they ask for said reason look on there faces is priceless.
people always want everything for free.