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Author cost plus with a client who is a family friend
chang

2007-06-13, 8:25 pm

the hardest to work for are friends. there's a bit of tiptoeing, otherwise
it's straightforward with stranger clients. a struck cord could jeopardize
the relationship. and there's how much to charge. what percentage is just
right?

chang

2007-06-13, 8:25 pm

chang wrote:
>the hardest to work for are friends. there's a bit of tiptoeing, otherwise
>it's straightforward with stranger clients. a struck cord could jeopardize
>the relationship. and there's how much to charge. what percentage is just
>right for cost plus agreement, that is?


longshot

2007-06-14, 9:25 am


"chang" <u35051@uwe> wrote in message news:73a8f56692d7a@uwe...
> the hardest to work for are friends. there's a bit of tiptoeing, otherwise
> it's straightforward with stranger clients. a struck cord could jeopardize
> the relationship. and there's how much to charge. what percentage is just
> right?



if you have other work you could be doing, that's what you should charge for
x amount per hour, than that's what you should charge. It shouldn't cost you
money to help the guy out. he gets piece of mind knowing you are doing it
right. If you want to give him a break than you could work that part out
after he sees what it would have cost if he wasn't your bestest friend



Mike

2007-06-14, 9:25 am


"longshot" <longshot@aol.com> wrote in message
news:1R8ci.5919$hp5.4476@trndny05...
>
> "chang" <u35051@uwe> wrote in message news:73a8f56692d7a@uwe...
>
>
> if you have other work you could be doing, that's what you should charge
> for x amount per hour, than that's what you should charge. It shouldn't
> cost you money to help the guy out. he gets piece of mind knowing you are
> doing it right. If you want to give him a break than you could work that
> part out after he sees what it would have cost if he wasn't your bestest
> friend
>
>

Whenever freinds of mine do work at my house I tell them "you are a
professional and don't do me a favour charge me what you would charge anyone
else". Usually they don't and i just add a few hundred to the price and dont
tell them when i give them the cash (makes for a great day when you see them
at the bar next day haha).


CWatters

2007-06-14, 1:25 pm


"chang" <u35051@uwe> wrote in message news:73a8f56692d7a@uwe...
> the hardest to work for are friends. there's a bit of tiptoeing, otherwise
> it's straightforward with stranger clients. a struck cord could jeopardize
> the relationship. and there's how much to charge. what percentage is just
> right?
>


The best plan is to have the friend get other quotes. Then you can match the
lowest if you like. At least that way he knows everyone else is more
expensive.


Glenn

2007-06-14, 1:25 pm

Back when I was doing a lot of remodeling, the cheapest cost
to the client because of the unknowns you have to allow for
in a bid, was cost +. Most of these were acquaintances of
other previous clients and trusted me. I supplied copies of
all invoices used on that job and a rundown of labor hours.
I never cheated a client in the 40 years I contracted and
everyone knew that. I was doing 1/4 m to 1/2 m jobs 20 to
30 years ago that way.

I had a clause in the contract that I could be fired at
anytime there was dissatisfaction by bring current costs up
to date. I never had that clause invoked. Know your
contractor and you will be all right. (But have an out.)

A memory. I was doing a large remodel when this architect
who knew my work brought his client out to the job, laid out
a set of plans for a house out on his trunk lid and said can
you build this for 200 k? Well hell, I had just seen the
plans and he should know what it would cost to build it so I
said yeah probably.

Got the plans and there was no way it could be built for
less than 300 k. That scared the client off of me and they
got another T & M contractor who ran the job up to over 450
k. He had a clause in it that if he started it that he
couldn't be fired until the job was complete. Be careful
out there.





"CWatters" <colin.watters@turnersNOSPAMoak.plus.com> wrote
in message
news:46715214$0$8720$ed2619ec@ptn-nntp-reader02.plus.net...
>
> "chang" <u35051@uwe> wrote in message
> news:73a8f56692d7a@uwe...
>
> The best plan is to have the friend get other quotes. Then
> you can match the
> lowest if you like. At least that way he knows everyone
> else is more
> expensive.
>
>


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