Garage services for mates??
03 May 2008, 09:12 PM
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Garage services for mates??
After a bit of advice here guys/girls.
After doing quite a few 'odd jobs' on mates cars for free, I have decided to start asking for 'donations' for my time spent. Do you think £20 for the first hour, £10 every hour after is fair??
The work tends to be of the mods kind, arb's detangos, exhausts, brakes, etc.
Any advice welcome.
After doing quite a few 'odd jobs' on mates cars for free, I have decided to start asking for 'donations' for my time spent. Do you think £20 for the first hour, £10 every hour after is fair??
The work tends to be of the mods kind, arb's detangos, exhausts, brakes, etc.
Any advice welcome.
03 May 2008, 09:16 PM
#2
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I think, if they haven't given you anything, ever - that you are being used and I would absolutely start charging!!!!
Just give a quote for the job rather than an hourly rate.
Just give a quote for the job rather than an hourly rate.
03 May 2008, 09:31 PM
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Thanks for the comments guys.
One offers their time back (I'm always in need for some labour!), but others don't.
The whole point of me charging is to raise some cash to improve my garage, buy some tools, etc. Hence they benefit in the long run.
I'm hoping to start my own project one day after seeing what some of the guys can produce on here!
One offers their time back (I'm always in need for some labour!), but others don't.
The whole point of me charging is to raise some cash to improve my garage, buy some tools, etc. Hence they benefit in the long run.
I'm hoping to start my own project one day after seeing what some of the guys can produce on here!
04 May 2008, 11:30 AM
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even a cheap garage in cornwall is £35 plus vat per hour and most of those give you a funny reaction when you tell them what car you need work doing on
SEEMS LIKE MOST DONT HAVE A SCOOBY DO WHAT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT!
SEEMS LIKE MOST DONT HAVE A SCOOBY DO WHAT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT!
Last edited by El Cat; 04 May 2008 at 11:40 AM. Reason: mistake
04 May 2008, 11:36 AM
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That's how I started out years ago, everything for mates rates and ploughed all the money back into the garage to improve it.
I didn't do the £20 for the first hour etc, it was more of a "how much of a ball ache was it" and charged something sensible according to that.
Most mates handed the cash over as they were glad to have the car sorted, however there was the odd one that looked shocked and never came back (suited me fine
)
Keep a note of those who don't pay, see if they can do you a favour in return if not tell them to take a running jump.
2 or three years of that and I had quite a little customer base, paid for my college anyway...
Then I went out and got a real job.
I didn't do the £20 for the first hour etc, it was more of a "how much of a ball ache was it" and charged something sensible according to that.
Most mates handed the cash over as they were glad to have the car sorted, however there was the odd one that looked shocked and never came back (suited me fine
)Keep a note of those who don't pay, see if they can do you a favour in return if not tell them to take a running jump.
2 or three years of that and I had quite a little customer base, paid for my college anyway...
Then I went out and got a real job.
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04 May 2008, 08:21 PM
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That's how I started out years ago, everything for mates rates and ploughed all the money back into the garage to improve it.
I didn't do the £20 for the first hour etc, it was more of a "how much of a ball ache was it" and charged something sensible according to that.
Most mates handed the cash over as they were glad to have the car sorted, however there was the odd one that looked shocked and never came back (suited me fine )
Keep a note of those who don't pay, see if they can do you a favour in return if not tell them to take a running jump.
2 or three years of that and I had quite a little customer base, paid for my college anyway...
Then I went out and got a real job.
I didn't do the £20 for the first hour etc, it was more of a "how much of a ball ache was it" and charged something sensible according to that.
Most mates handed the cash over as they were glad to have the car sorted, however there was the odd one that looked shocked and never came back (suited me fine
)Keep a note of those who don't pay, see if they can do you a favour in return if not tell them to take a running jump.
2 or three years of that and I had quite a little customer base, paid for my college anyway...
Then I went out and got a real job.
Totally agree, It's amazing how many mates you have when they they need there car fixing, I charge everyone but Family and close Friends, I,ve got a mate that I look after is Cupra R he is an engineer and helps me out when need be, I guess it's down to your discretion, favour for a favour and all that.
05 May 2008, 09:05 AM
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After a bit of advice here guys/girls.
After doing quite a few 'odd jobs' on mates cars for free, I have decided to start asking for 'donations' for my time spent. Do you think £20 for the first hour, £10 every hour after is fair??
The work tends to be of the mods kind, arb's detangos, exhausts, brakes, etc.
Any advice welcome.
After doing quite a few 'odd jobs' on mates cars for free, I have decided to start asking for 'donations' for my time spent. Do you think £20 for the first hour, £10 every hour after is fair??
The work tends to be of the mods kind, arb's detangos, exhausts, brakes, etc.
Any advice welcome.
Are you setting up as a business?
Do you intend to pay Income Tax on your earnings?
Protect yourself and workmanship with insurance?
Offer customer guarantees on your workmanship?
Etc etc.
Sometimes a couple of pints down the local are the best option.
05 May 2008, 09:21 AM
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The reason I started asking for money was because I had enough Vodka to open a russian drinks bar, and the only reason I asked for vodka was because I needed to get rid of my beer gut!
05 May 2008, 10:31 AM
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il kinda try put it in comparison...
as a few on here know i do some commission work on a first come first served business. as i have a full time job, i ask the potential customers (some friends on here ive made) what they want specifically doing, and then just give them a rough price. but il always say if i need more materials, i may have to charge a few pounds more.
thing is in my situation, the people i do it for know generally theyre getting a good price, as i like drawing as a hobby... obviously you do this as a hobby/practise too.
so when a mate asks for some work to be done, try figure out a price in your head, and stick too it, then if anything goes wrong or is unexpected, charge accordingly, obviously mates rates etc.
as a few on here know i do some commission work on a first come first served business. as i have a full time job, i ask the potential customers (some friends on here ive made) what they want specifically doing, and then just give them a rough price. but il always say if i need more materials, i may have to charge a few pounds more.
thing is in my situation, the people i do it for know generally theyre getting a good price, as i like drawing as a hobby... obviously you do this as a hobby/practise too.
so when a mate asks for some work to be done, try figure out a price in your head, and stick too it, then if anything goes wrong or is unexpected, charge accordingly, obviously mates rates etc.
05 May 2008, 09:25 PM
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Once again cheers for the comments!
I done the work today, it involved :-
Removing rear silencer and heat shield to fit rear ARB.
New disks and pads up front.
Braided brake lines all round.
All ths took 5 hours, so cost him £50!! (I think need to charge per job rather than per hour!!!)
Chocolate o brian, how much do you charge per A4 illustration? Not too keen on caricatures.
I done the work today, it involved :-
Removing rear silencer and heat shield to fit rear ARB.
New disks and pads up front.
Braided brake lines all round.
All ths took 5 hours, so cost him £50!! (I think need to charge per job rather than per hour!!!)
Chocolate o brian, how much do you charge per A4 illustration? Not too keen on caricatures.
05 May 2008, 09:44 PM
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Once again cheers for the comments!
I done the work today, it involved :-
Removing rear silencer and heat shield to fit rear ARB.
New disks and pads up front.
Braided brake lines all round.
All ths took 5 hours, so cost him £50!! (I think need to charge per job rather than per hour!!!)
Chocolate o brian, how much do you charge per A4 illustration? Not too keen on caricatures.
I done the work today, it involved :-
Removing rear silencer and heat shield to fit rear ARB.
New disks and pads up front.
Braided brake lines all round.
All ths took 5 hours, so cost him £50!! (I think need to charge per job rather than per hour!!!)
Chocolate o brian, how much do you charge per A4 illustration? Not too keen on caricatures.
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