# Neighbors and friends



## suzie (Sep 1, 2010)

How do you handle neighbors and friends when they ask for your expertise?

I charge them the same as any other client. It is business. And I extended that I appreciate the work and ask for referrals.


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## retired rooter (Dec 31, 2008)

I am now retired and most family is dead and gone ,but being honest I did a lot of freebies over the yrs and don't regret it. Most of the time they paid for material and helped me with the jobs. The work was top notch and I got plenty of referrals from their neighbors and friends when they saw the new kitchens and bathrooms. We all gotta do what we have to do, all situations are different, when relatives or anyone try to take advantage of ya let um go ---- Do the right thing everything else will fall in place!!


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## MTDUNN (Oct 9, 2011)

Most of my neighbors don't know that I own a plumbing shop and I want to keep it that way


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## myakka (Jun 15, 2011)

Depends. Some neighbors have something to trade like...the shelves my wife would like. All others cash. Unless it is a known tough situation. Then we help with what we can.


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## suzie (Sep 1, 2010)

myakka said:


> Depends. Some neighbors have something to trade like...the shelves my wife would like. All others cash. Unless it is a known tough situation. Then we help with what we can.


Trade in kind is nice but in business it can be tax evasion. How does one equate what customer does for x versus what you need to make. Buck?


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## Plumb Bob (Mar 9, 2011)

suzie said:


> How do you handle neighbors and friends when they ask for your expertise?
> 
> I charge them the same as any other client. It is business. And I extended that I appreciate the work and ask for referrals.


I live and work in a small town. Most all of my customers are friends and neighbors.


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## myakka (Jun 15, 2011)

"Trade in kind is nice but in business it can be tax evasion. How does one equate what customer does for x versus what you need to make. Buck?"
How is two neighbors helping each other out tax evasion if each buys their own material and no money is exchanged?


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## PathMaker (May 10, 2013)

suzie said:


> Trade in kind is nice but in business it can be tax evasion. How does one equate what customer does for x versus what you need to make. Buck?


Thankfully the gubb-mint hasn't figured out how to tax the barter system. It IS still legal to barter.... for now. :gunsmilie:


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## PathMaker (May 10, 2013)

suzie said:


> How do you handle neighbors and friends when they ask for your expertise?
> 
> I charge them the same as any other client. It is business. And I extended that I appreciate the work and ask for referrals.


But to answer the OP..

Depends on the neighbor. I have one neighbor that I have a couple things in common with, and he tried to get me to come over and install some fixtures he bought at the bigbox store.. presumably for free. I responded that I would love to help him, but Id have to check my schedule and I'd call him to set up a time for an estimate before the work begins.. He got the point. 

I have another neighbor that is a skilled electrician and an all around good guy. Shares his beer, helps me with ceiling fans etc.. I dont charge him a thing. Turns out he needed me one day when he realized that 35 psi was lower than it should be and he (and his wife) didnt have to live forever with crappy pressure in the shower. Turns out his builder didnt think one PRV was enough and decided to add a second, and hid it real good in the crawl space. After I fixed them up I was their best friend for a while. 

TL;DR some neighbors are worth giving free help to and some aren't, choose wisely.


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## victoryplbaz (May 19, 2012)

I always tell them to call the shop and set up a appointment. Once you do one thing free they expect you to help redo the bath they tear apart on a weekend. When I'm off I don't want someone thinking I'm going to waste a weekend redoing their house for free. Less they know about me owning the company the better.


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## Eric3950 (Mar 16, 2012)

In my experience the job you do to help for free is the job that goes wrong, no good deed goes unpunished


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## hotontheleft (Jul 28, 2013)

Eric3950 said:


> In my experience the job you do to help for free is the job that goes wrong, no good deed goes unpunished


 Sadly I learned that statement is absolutely the truth.


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## ironandfire (Oct 9, 2008)

Will I help ? Sure. 
Will I do their plumbing for free ? Depends on their attitude.


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## plumberinlaw (Jan 13, 2010)

never touch anything your not getting paid for


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## crown36 (May 21, 2013)

Had this happen last year with a neighbor a few doors down, after examining his non functioning, leaky water heater-

Neighbor: How much would this normally run one of your customers?

Me: With Labor, Water Heater, materials, shop supplies and permit, about $1350.

Neighbor: Well, how much is it going to be for *me*?

Me: About $1350


I'm friends with nobody (not even employee's) when I plumb. We can be buddies when the work day is over. The moment I forget this is a business, I'm out of business. Harsh stance, but it works for me. I'm always polite, but it's all about the business.


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## PlungerJockey (Feb 19, 2010)

I work for family for free. 

I would do free work for my best friend, but he owns his own plumbing business.

I fight with my neighbors,everyone else pays.


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## SewerRatz (Apr 25, 2009)

My father says never work for free. Give them a percentage off labor (he does 20%) it's your livelihood. If your grandmother owned a bakery and every friend and family member came by for free bread, she would go out of business.

I agree with him 100% and when I fix stuff for him I hand him a bill.


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## OnTheLevel (Jun 27, 2013)

victoryplbaz said:


> I always tell them to call the shop and set up a appointment. Once you do one thing free they expect you to help redo the bath they tear apart on a weekend. When I'm off I don't want someone thinking I'm going to waste a weekend redoing their house for free. Less they know about me owning the company the better.


^ This. Always a referral to the company. Licensed and Bonded is the way to go, in my opinion. If they want a cash side job, they should have scoped their project before hand.


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