FabSwingers.com forum: Fellow tradies...

By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

I've spent the last 2 days working on my neighbours car as they were desperate to have it fixed before going away for the Bank Holiday weekend. I didnt want to say no to doing the job and we didn't even speak about money before I started the job because I was more concerned about helping them out and getting them back on the road in time for their holiday. Any way upon completion they took the keys back and said they would sort me out for it. They've come back with a crate of beer and some chocolates and said that's all they can afford to give. Obviously I'm not very happy about spending 2 days in the pissing rain for effectively £20 and feel that I've been taken advantage of.

My question is how would you deal with this situation? I don't want to sound ungrateful but at the same time want paying for what my knowledge and skills are worth any help would be massively appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

You didn't discuss money beforehand. They've paid you with what they can. Chalk it up to experience or post shit through their letterbox. The choice is yours

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Should have sorted out payment ball park figure before doing work just have to suck

It up and learn from

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By *annaBeStrongMan
over a year ago

Learn yoir lesson

Legally there’s nothing you can do

So learn your lesson. Never do a job without discussing money unless your happy to do it for free

Had it done plenty of times to me. Especially mates. Do £1000s work on a house and get a few beers and a few £20s. “Mates rates”

Don’t ever sell yourself short, remember this quote

Even if the job takes 15 minutes. The reason it costs £300 is because I spent 20 years learning how to make it take 15 minutes and doing it perfectly. Your not paying for my time. Your paying for all the years I spent on shit money, all my tools, all the experience I gained by messing up and losing money.

Never sell yourself short!

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

Yeah that's how I thought it would end up just wanted to check where I stand on it. I'll put it down to a bad experience and move on thanks

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By *harpDressed ManMan
over a year ago

Here occasionally, but mostly somewhere else

Remember.

That's what you do.

And then next time, you make an informed decision.

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By *ikem9805Man
over a year ago

leicester

Ill always go in with a quote before I’d start any works even with mates. And then take a small deposit before starting at least that way you’re not getting totally shafted

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

If you didn't quote them they probably thought you were just doing them a favour, and so the gift was more than they thought they owed you.

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By *rad670Man
over a year ago

South Lakes

Just put it down to a lesson learned, I've done this many times due to my want to help nature mostly with nothing more than a thanks in return, I do believe in karma and I hopefully have a lot of positive karma coming my way when I'm in need. Unless money is discussed at the start you have to be happy with whatever you get I suppose, it's nice to be valued but also nice to have helped someone in a fix.

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By *aui.Man
over a year ago

around here

They could afford a holiday but not to pay you? Personally I think they are taking the piss, especially if they know you was on it for 2 days.

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By *elvet RopeMan
over a year ago

by the big field

And this is why the only friends and family i really do stuff for is my parents- cos i have a lifetime of help to refund them and my mom makes fucking awesome cakes

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By *ryandseeMan
over a year ago

Yorkshire

I think you have to let it go and not fall out with your neighbours. They may be under the impression you were just helping them. I often help neighbours and vice versa with no expectation of payment. If I did a job for them for payment, I would discuss it before like I would with any client. I am sorry as perhaps it sounds harsh but ...

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

You get it at selco

SELCO

its where the trades go

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By *adetMan
over a year ago

Ipswich

Judge Judy

The people are real

The cases are real

The rulings are final

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By *icecouple561Couple
Forum Mod
over a year ago

East Sussex

You assumed they would pay.

They assumed you were doing it as a favour.

You can either tell them they got it wrong or let it go but never do them another favour. I'd opt for the latter myself

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Experience has shown me discuss before hand. If it’s just labour, let it go and never help them again. If they ask, tell them it’s your trade and you can’t work for what they expect you to again. It’s your trade. Mates rates take the piss when you hardly know people.

My best mates give me beer, neighbours can pay the going rate -20a%

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By *eeman1Man
over a year ago

liverpool

Yeah just gotta take this one on the chin I think.

With mates and neighbours etc it’s difficult but to spend 2 days working and get a crate is a piss take. Different if it was a couple of hours.

Just let it go and make sure future work is given an all park figure or at least talked about you’ll do it cheaper for them than normal rate.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"Learn yoir lesson

Legally there’s nothing you can do

So learn your lesson. Never do a job without discussing money unless your happy to do it for free

Had it done plenty of times to me. Especially mates. Do £1000s work on a house and get a few beers and a few £20s. “Mates rates”

Don’t ever sell yourself short, remember this quote

Never sell yourself short! "

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Never sell yourself short!

Never a truer word spoken.

I can sit on my ass in my underpants all day and earn no money.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Never do homers or anything for mates rates

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I don’t do favours anymore, been taken advantage of too many times unfortunately. Being nice gets you nowhere most of the time. It’s probably just me

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By *inky-MinxWoman
over a year ago

Grantham

"If you didn't quote them they probably thought you were just doing them a favour, and so the gift was more than they thought they owed you."

I agree

And as others have said, don't fall for it again

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By *Xtriple7Couple
over a year ago

Commiserations there mate, I'd be royally pissed off too especially as they can afford to go on holiday.

My dad was very handy with cars and was always fixing colleagues cars for beers, eventually he stopped doing it. I've helped neighbors with various DIY projects and had nothing in return. They don't even say hi.

No good deed goes unpunished.

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