I've seen all of the suggestions used above, and unfortunately several times they result in hard feelings. Some people pay what they think is fair, and it is very low, resulting in them thinking they had to pay you and you thinking they paid too little. If you charge what is even a fraction of the going rate, most neighbors, family, and friends think you are over charging because they are out of touch with what equipment costs to buy and maintain. I usually choose to do it for free if I can. In the end, I feel good about using my time/skills/equipment to help someone. They feel thankful for the good deed. And they are more inclined to pass it on, helping someone else when they can.
Neighbors and favors.
- Thread starter ror105
- Start date
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todd walker
New member
Mine is different when I first bought my place no tractor and neighbors offered help by the hour, other would help for beer and lunch, now that I have a tractor keep it the same ones that offered help by hour get charged by the hour others beer.
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
As a contractor, i get paid for what I do for others. A lot of the time those clients turn into friends that we do things with outside of projects. I have to remember that if I do something for them for free, then I am not making a living and losing out on income that I need to pay my bills. I've run into some issues when I was married to my ex and her parents expected me to work on their places for free. I explained to them that I don't work for free, or even for a discount. My rates are fixed and if they wanted to hire me, they should know that I would work extra hard to to the best job possible, but it wasn't fair to me to not earn a living so they could save money.
Having said that, I will from time to time do something for a friend or neighbor for free. One neighbor had a horse die, and I buried it for him for free. Another had a break in and needed a new front door. I did that for him for free also. Other things like helping haul a few loads of dirt, or running over with the bulldozer to help push a dead tree out of the way are also just being neighborly and I would never charge for that. One time I got my dump truck stuck in my pond and he just showed up with his backhoe and chains to help pull it out. I didn't ask, but I sure am glad he saw me working on it and stopped what he was doing because with a load of wet dirt in the back of it, and no way to dump it, I really needed the help!!
Having said that, I will from time to time do something for a friend or neighbor for free. One neighbor had a horse die, and I buried it for him for free. Another had a break in and needed a new front door. I did that for him for free also. Other things like helping haul a few loads of dirt, or running over with the bulldozer to help push a dead tree out of the way are also just being neighborly and I would never charge for that. One time I got my dump truck stuck in my pond and he just showed up with his backhoe and chains to help pull it out. I didn't ask, but I sure am glad he saw me working on it and stopped what he was doing because with a load of wet dirt in the back of it, and no way to dump it, I really needed the help!!
MMagis
Veteran Member
Using a backhoe to bury an electrical line is overkill. Tell him it’ll cost him less to rent a ditcher for 4 hours than it’ll cost in fuel to run your tractor that long if it'll in fact take most of the day. Offer to smooth out the dirt after he’s done.
tractorshopper
Veteran Member
I pretty much help mine for free whenever I can. I feel blessed with my life and finances and if I can help my neighbors, I'm happy to do so. I only charged someone one time for tractor work and only charged diesel. Wife told someone I didn't even know that I would till their yard at their new house for them to prep for seed and sod. I was a little upset because I needed to do my own projects, but even more upset to learn that their new house had a 3 acre yard. All-in-all, though, I was happy to have helped. It was a family with young kids and I remembered myself how hard it is starting out and trying to stretch a budget. IIRC, the diesel cost him about $25.
The way I see it, sooner or later, I'll need some help and someone that I helped before may have a skill that I don't and can make my life a little easier too. If not, still no loss on my end being a helpful person.
The way I see it, sooner or later, I'll need some help and someone that I helped before may have a skill that I don't and can make my life a little easier too. If not, still no loss on my end being a helpful person.
davesl708
Elite Member
I do projects for neighbors for free. Have removed several dead trees and clear one neighbors drive (200ft.) of snow. Removed an old fence for a third.
Makes for nice neighbors. Two offer to pay but I have only accepted $20 for fuel for the snow removal.
Makes for nice neighbors. Two offer to pay but I have only accepted $20 for fuel for the snow removal.
gladehound
Veteran Member
This is a very interesting subject! I moved into this neighborhood 10 years ago and most the residence are older. People quickly came to realize that I was the most capable person on our road. I removed many trees, a lot of snow, cleaned gutters and I even pulled out a neighbors car that went over a bank in a snow storm at 1AM on a week night after I had already gone to bed.
At first I was happy to do these things and would didn't accept tips. After a few years, people expected it but it was getting harder and harder on me as the requests piled up (there is only so much one person can do). One year I hit my tipping point. I had spent 6 hours clearing driveways with a 19hp open station manual tranny in a very wet 3ft snow storm. I was on my forth and last pair of gloves and they were soaked through. My core was cold and I went inside at around 11PM and sat down shivering next to the stove as my wife went to get me a warm drink. Then the phone rings. A friend who had just spent the whole day skiing was calling because he couldn't get home and wanted me to pull his car out of a bank and over the last hill so he could make it home (he was within walking distance of home already). He was a good friend so I helped him out. But really began to question why I felt compelled to respond to every request!
The next day a neighbor calls and is kind of rude to me wondering why I didn't clear his driveway. I went on a rant and told him it's not my problem and that he will have to pay a contractor the going rate of $150 to clear it. From that point on, most the people in the neighborhood starting giving me nice tips when I helped them out (I guess they talk). I accept the tips and I also say no when I don't have the time and I am much happier for it. I get enough tips each year to buy a new implement which everyone in the neighborhood benefits from and I feel less like I'm being "used".
I still do way more for my neighbors than they do for me and I fully expect it will always be that way. The tips are just enough to cover fuel and wear / hours on the tractor. But I don't stress about not helping. If I'm busy I say no. And when there is a big storm, those who tip best get the first service (well, right after the widows) - I figure they must be the ones who appreciate it the most. The ones that don't tip - I may or may not get to them.
The point is, don't let it get out of hand. If it's just a few requests then no big deal. If you get to the point where these requests are stressing you out, squash it before you flip out on someone. In my case, flipping out on someone didn't hurt any relationships but it could have. They apologized and went out of their way to patch things up. After-all, I'm still the only guy in the neighborhood that people can call when they need help. And people seem much more appreciative when I do help them.
At first I was happy to do these things and would didn't accept tips. After a few years, people expected it but it was getting harder and harder on me as the requests piled up (there is only so much one person can do). One year I hit my tipping point. I had spent 6 hours clearing driveways with a 19hp open station manual tranny in a very wet 3ft snow storm. I was on my forth and last pair of gloves and they were soaked through. My core was cold and I went inside at around 11PM and sat down shivering next to the stove as my wife went to get me a warm drink. Then the phone rings. A friend who had just spent the whole day skiing was calling because he couldn't get home and wanted me to pull his car out of a bank and over the last hill so he could make it home (he was within walking distance of home already). He was a good friend so I helped him out. But really began to question why I felt compelled to respond to every request!
The next day a neighbor calls and is kind of rude to me wondering why I didn't clear his driveway. I went on a rant and told him it's not my problem and that he will have to pay a contractor the going rate of $150 to clear it. From that point on, most the people in the neighborhood starting giving me nice tips when I helped them out (I guess they talk). I accept the tips and I also say no when I don't have the time and I am much happier for it. I get enough tips each year to buy a new implement which everyone in the neighborhood benefits from and I feel less like I'm being "used".
I still do way more for my neighbors than they do for me and I fully expect it will always be that way. The tips are just enough to cover fuel and wear / hours on the tractor. But I don't stress about not helping. If I'm busy I say no. And when there is a big storm, those who tip best get the first service (well, right after the widows) - I figure they must be the ones who appreciate it the most. The ones that don't tip - I may or may not get to them.
The point is, don't let it get out of hand. If it's just a few requests then no big deal. If you get to the point where these requests are stressing you out, squash it before you flip out on someone. In my case, flipping out on someone didn't hurt any relationships but it could have. They apologized and went out of their way to patch things up. After-all, I'm still the only guy in the neighborhood that people can call when they need help. And people seem much more appreciative when I do help them.
PAGUY
Gold Member
I have helped family and friends my whole life and discovered that some take advantage of your good nature. It seems there is always that person who thinks nothing of asking for help or borrowing your tools. This person never thinks about offering help in exchange for what you do for them. One person not only borrows my tools but also looks for me to supply him with groceries he needs for a meal/dessert that he is making. The killer is the stores are not far from where we live and that he has money to buy things from E-Bay that satisfies his hobby. I let him get away with his actions because I feel it is the Christian thing to do to help others. I have been blessed to want for nothing my whole life so never been jealous of others good fortune.
Garycw
Platinum Member
- Joined
- Sep 23, 2014
- Messages
- 677
- Location
- Oh-Ky-Fla
- Tractor
- JD 1025R w/ fel, Farm Pro 2425, ford 841 & 851
It's hard to put a price on good neighbors. Within reason. I'm quick to offer "free" help, but reluctant to ask for. If I did really need help though, I'd feel better asking if I had helped them before. I DONT. Like to loan tools, thus never borrow them either. If I do loan one, it may be the last if I have to go there to get it back, or not in the same or better shape when I loaned it. I'd rather do it for them than loan out equipment
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