Phat Cat

As for business owners, I cannot see why you would want to do a side job for friends or family for money. Business is business and costs are what they are. So in this case, offering a 10% discount is a courtesy due to friendship/relationship.

Prior to being in business, my husband did three plumbing jobs outside of work. He was not even plumbing in the field at that time. He was full time in the office running the commercial division.

1. A partial bathroom remodel for me! He did it for love.
2. A bathroom remodel for my parents. We were engaged to be married and he did not want to accept any money. My parents asked me what would be a 'fair' amount as they did not want to insult him. He was grateful for what they gave him.
3. A water line break at my Uncles. Again for free. My Uncle paid him and my husband was grateful.

All of the above has been paid back tenfold - every time we needed help moving or needed a sitter, they were there for us. When our home sold and our new home was not completely built, they let us move in at no cost for six weeks. This is the way it is with close family.

Employees doing side jobs - here's my point. Employee makes $20./hr. working during the week. Friend hires you to do a job on a Saturday that takes three hours and you tell him, pay me what you think it's worth.

Friend thinks if you were working overtime, you would be paid $30/hr. So, he thinks 3 x $30. = $90 would be fair, but you are a good friend and he knows you saved him a lot of money. He pays you $150.00 and feels that he is being very generous and that you should be very appreciative.

On the other hand, you know your employer would have charged him $450.00. You feel insulted because your friend only gave you $150.00.

So why are you insulted? You are not a business and you do not have the same expenses as your employer. Remember, your cost plus a fair profit? In this case $150.00 seems very fair to me.

JJBEX - What I think is hurting the industry is those who do side jobs for two reasons:

1. It drives down the going rate if there are enough side jobbers.
2. Side jobbers who collect a fraction below what businesses are charging believe that they know the score and soon believe they are smart enough to go into business. They go in to business and eventually realize that they cannot afford to do plumbing at the same rate because now they have ongoing expenses that they did not have as a side jobber.

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All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. – Edmund Burke

TheMaster

I've given away atleast 20 grand worth of work to friends and family. People give me stuff all the time....thats just how it is I cant explain it.

SlickRick

Give and it shall be given?

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"I believe human-beings and fist can co-exist peacefully....."

GW

Herk

Leave your money laying around and it shall be taken.

ROCKSTARPLUMBER

1/2 a **** earned, is 1/2 half a **** given. Thats what grandpa says anyways.

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stillaround

Theres a lot of proverbs here..hard to know which one to follow. I used to be a give and help and free advice type. Times are too tight and I've been noticing the lack of appreciation and expectation to the point Im gonna tell them that I do diagnostics for a charge,,its my living,,sorry I just cant give it away anymore.

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SlickRick

A workman is worthy of his hire...

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"I believe human-beings and fist can co-exist peacefully....."

GW