Is it unreasonable (a vent)?

TheVirgoddess
TheVirgoddess Posts: 4,535 Member
in Chit-Chat
My husband is a plumber, and we own our own plumbing business (mostly new construction, some house flipping reno's).

Lately, almost everyone in our neighborhood has found that fact out. So, at LEAST once a week we have someone pop by, asking for help. Neither one of us are very good at saying no, especially since it's always a leak or some other emergency that has the potential to destroy property (this is actually rarely the case).

90% of these people do not offer to pay.

I don't mind helping someone in a jam - especially if it's a true emergency, but wouldn't you at least offer to PAY for those services? Especially when he has to use parts that we buy to order to fix them? After hours rates for plumbers are generally pretty darn expensive (going rate here is around $135 just to show up, then $135/hour). It's not even the money that matters - it would be the gesture.

I realize we probably put ourselves into this situation and that ultimately we're to blame. I get that. Just needed to vent.
«13

Replies

  • sentaruu
    sentaruu Posts: 2,206 Member
    Whenever anyone asks for a service to be performed they should expect to pay. Especially if you are supplying parts
  • elprincipito
    elprincipito Posts: 1,200 Member
    I would say "Well it'll be (state your lowest charge amount for job) for the job."
    Nothing's free in our capitalist society :P
  • allaboutthecake
    allaboutthecake Posts: 1,535 Member
    Come and live by me.....:laugh: :laugh:

    Seriously, does your husband ENJOY working EXTRA? If he does, then get a barter-system going. Say, yea I'll fix your leaky toilet for say this Saturday night of Babysitting my Ten Bratty kids! :wink:

    Or, my husband doesn't have time to MOW the lawn now because he's working on YOUR problem, perhaps YOU can come over and MOW while he's doing that? :wink:

    Or, this is my fav....have your WIFE come and CLEAN MY HOUSE while he's fixing your stinky broken pipe? What time will she be here? OH, you say she CAN'T? Well, I'm sorry....then my husband CAN'T cux he's helping me clean my house.

    :drinker:
  • TheVirgoddess
    TheVirgoddess Posts: 4,535 Member
    I could live with a barter system - or even just drop off a thank you for saving me $300 card.

    We can't really price the job out before he goes, because people often have NO idea what is wrong it's just "there's water coming from xyz".

    He doesn't mind doing side jobs - he doesn't even care that people don't pay.

    I think it might have more to do with the fact that he's REALLY busy, so when our at home time is interrupted I get fussy. But I can't really say no to these people, either.
  • WhatAnAss
    WhatAnAss Posts: 1,598 Member
    Not unreasonable at all. They should totally offer to pay especially knowing that is your source of income. Maybe you guys could make up flyers with a price list on it and hand it out around the neighborhood. That way you dont have to come out and ask for somethiing that should already be offered.
  • elprincipito
    elprincipito Posts: 1,200 Member
    You charge them after the job is done obviously. I didn't know there were really people this inconsiderate about.
  • WW_Jude_V2
    WW_Jude_V2 Posts: 209 Member
    My husband is a plumber, and we own our own plumbing business (mostly new construction, some house flipping reno's).

    Lately, almost everyone in our neighborhood has found that fact out. So, at LEAST once a week we have someone pop by, asking for help. Neither one of us are very good at saying no, especially since it's always a leak or some other emergency that has the potential to destroy property (this is actually rarely the case).

    90% of these people do not offer to pay.

    I don't mind helping someone in a jam - especially if it's a true emergency, but wouldn't you at least offer to PAY for those services? Especially when he has to use parts that we buy to order to fix them? After hours rates for plumbers are generally pretty darn expensive (going rate here is around $135 just to show up, then $135/hour). It's not even the money that matters - it would be the gesture.

    I realize we probably put ourselves into this situation and that ultimately we're to blame. I get that. Just needed to vent.

    One of my friends is a race car mechanic (and a driver). He has been the only person to ever work on my Prelude. I would never in a million years expect him to do it for nothing. Really? I don't pay him the same as he gets at his job, but we agreed on $25 an hour plus parts/supplies.

    I would be embarrassed to assume someone would work for me for free!
  • Oi_Sunshine
    Oi_Sunshine Posts: 819 Member
    At the very least they should pay for the parts used. You shouldn't be losing money by helping people.
  • SwashBlogger
    SwashBlogger Posts: 395 Member
    They are being presumptuous beyond belief! We were raised to know that if someone does a trade to feed their family, their work is NEVER expected for free. For example, I pay my carpenter brother to tile my bathroom. He pays me for therapeutic massage.

    Drop off your husband's card in each mailbox with a "Neighbor's Deal" attached for $50 off of your first call. Then, when they ask for help, deliver a bill the next day.

    This sort of thing pisses me off.
  • TheVirgoddess
    TheVirgoddess Posts: 4,535 Member
    You charge them after the job is done obviously. I didn't know there were really people this inconsiderate about.

    I had no idea either! Our friends ask for help often, but they ALWAYS pay.

    We've discussed charging them after, or even invoicing them - but it's really not about the money.

    I don't think there's really a solution to my butthurt :wink:
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
    I have a law degree and worked with computers. Welcome to my world. At least once I stopped doing continuing legal education I could tell them my license wasn't current so I couldn't help them.
  • eric_sg61
    eric_sg61 Posts: 2,925 Member
    I know the feeling. When people found out that I had an IT degree and worked on computers and networks for a living everyone suddenly had computer issues.
  • gromithere
    gromithere Posts: 172 Member
    My reply would probably be, "sure I can come by and give you a quote." I'll give you a discount of course since you're a friend/neighbor.
  • Lofteren
    Lofteren Posts: 960 Member
    That's really rude of them to ask that. Even among close friends reciprocation should always be offered.
  • bd0027
    bd0027 Posts: 1,053 Member
    They sound like a bunch of cheapo's. Don't allow that to continue, especially when you're losing money. There's plenty of things more valuable in life than saving a couple dollars, but they'd have to pay anyone else.
  • TheVirgoddess
    TheVirgoddess Posts: 4,535 Member
    My reply would probably be, "sure I can come by and give you a quote." I'll give you a discount of course since you're a friend/neighbor.

    This is something that we could maybe do, thank you :)
  • Laura732
    Laura732 Posts: 244 Member
    My husband used to work on Sat. TV systems. Every neighbor in the subdivision has shown up at one time or another! We started telling people up front, "If you need parts can you pay for it?" If we were doing something he'd think a minute and then say he probably didn't have the part to fix that on the truck. Could it wait til ___________?"
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    Yup, this. If your neighbors are chatting with each other. The story goes around about the nice plumber who fixes things for free. Put a stop to it now.
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
    My reply would probably be, "sure I can come by and give you a quote." I'll give you a discount of course since you're a friend/neighbor.

    :drinker:
  • lynn1982
    lynn1982 Posts: 1,439 Member
    This makes me so angry. You/your husband has a service. These people should ABSOLUTELY be paying. I do translation work and I am always astonished at how many people think that they shouldn't have to pay for my service.

    My dad was an accountant and whenever someone would ask him for free accounting advice, he would give it but always say "just remember, this advice is worth as much as you paid for it."

    But seriously, these people should be ashamed of themselves. You/your husband need to start telling them at the beginning what you charge. Nothing in life is free.
  • Derpes
    Derpes Posts: 2,033 Member
    Offer a small "neighbor discount" - this way they know that they have to pay but you are still be neighborly, as this seems to be important to you.
  • williams969
    williams969 Posts: 2,528 Member
    Your neighbors are ungrateful, selfish oafs with no sense of social convention.

    On our block, we have the "neighborhood" plumber, carpenter, and mechanic (seriously, our zombie apocalypse team is almost complete--no, you cannot join), and everyone helps each other out. Sometimes, services are paid in cash (at whatever mutually agreed upon price). Mostly, though, services are paid in trade (with other services, food, beer, babysitting services, or even one time, we got a free TV).

    Seriously, just break up. A neighborhood that cannot operate smoothly in a simple service/labor barter system? Animals, the lot of you:laugh: :tongue:
  • RekindledRose
    RekindledRose Posts: 523 Member
    My reply would probably be, "sure I can come by and give you a quote." I'll give you a discount of course since you're a friend/neighbor.

    :drinker:

    Especially this.

    Since your husband is a licensed plumber it is also okay to tell them that he cannot do work that is not on the books (in other words, not paid for) because of liability issues. If he gets hurt while helping them and is not officially working then workman's comp won't pay for it in our state. Also, if something goes wrong and he is sued for 'faulty' work then his work insurance won't pay for it.
  • TheVirgoddess
    TheVirgoddess Posts: 4,535 Member
    Yup, this. If your neighbors are chatting with each other. The story goes around about the nice plumber who fixes things for free. Put a stop to it now.

    But it's not even that they don't pay - it's that they don't OFFER to pay. We have this cute little retired nun neighbor and we never let her pay - she offers every time.

    These aren't huge jobs - like changing hose bibs, or determining where a sewer leak is, or snaking a toilet.

    I feel like getting upset over a lack of a gesture is really, incredibly silly on my part.
  • devil_in_a_blue_dress
    devil_in_a_blue_dress Posts: 5,214 Member
    I own a business and my dad does as well. We both tell people when they have an "emergency" that we can tell them what's wrong, but that we can't fix anything for insurance reasons unless we have a signed work order, which always includes a quote.
  • KandGRanch
    KandGRanch Posts: 131 Member
    My husband is a plumber too! He looks at the issue for free but gives them an estimate. Only free work he does is things that cost <$50 in parts, and then only for close family or elderly. Tell them a number. The end.
  • TheVirgoddess
    TheVirgoddess Posts: 4,535 Member
    I own a business and my dad does as well. We both tell people when they have an "emergency" that we can tell them what's wrong, but that we can't fix anything for insurance reasons unless we have a signed work order, which always includes a quote.

    Okay, this is perfect.

    Thanks for letting me vent, all :)
  • gypsy_spirit
    gypsy_spirit Posts: 2,107 Member
    You charge them after the job is done obviously. I didn't know there were really people this inconsiderate about.

    I had no idea either! Our friends ask for help often, but they ALWAYS pay.

    We've discussed charging them after, or even invoicing them - but it's really not about the money.

    I don't think there's really a solution to my butthurt :wink:

    Of course there is. If someone asks for services, you give them a bill. You've set a precedent that he will do the work for free. I'd just tell them up front - "We try and help everyone in the neighborhood, family and friends, but the parts and labor are costing us money and I'm afraid we will have to charge you from now on. I'm sure you understand. "

    Boundaries are important in life, but critical in business - especially when this is your family's paycheck.

    Good luck.
  • Myhaloslipped
    Myhaloslipped Posts: 4,317 Member
    They are taking advantage of you. It would be one thing to ask someone for help who is just handy around the house, but this is your business. Charge them! I have never asked someone to do home repairs for free outside of boyfriends and family members, and I will at least cook them a meal or something. I have had people whom I just barely met ask me if I can get my dad to do free dentistry for them. Um...eff no!
  • TheVirgoddess
    TheVirgoddess Posts: 4,535 Member
    You charge them after the job is done obviously. I didn't know there were really people this inconsiderate about.

    I had no idea either! Our friends ask for help often, but they ALWAYS pay.

    We've discussed charging them after, or even invoicing them - but it's really not about the money.

    I don't think there's really a solution to my butthurt :wink:

    Of course there is. If someone asks for services, you give them a bill. You've set a precedent that he will do the work for free. I'd just tell them up front - "We try and help everyone in the neighborhood, family and friends, but the parts and labor are costing us money and I'm afraid we will have to charge you from now on. I'm sure you understand. "

    Boundaries are important in life, but critical in business - especially when this is your family's paycheck.

    Good luck.

    In this area I lack a backbone for sure. Something to improve upon :)

    I feel guilty taking money from our neighbors, which is silly - another thing to improve upon!

Categories