Neighbors and favors.

[bamboozled]

... He tells me I tore up his grass and then tells me since I do not operate equipment for a living, he did not need to pay my anything. Hmmm So, do I write it off and never help him again??? Or, give him back his trees (BTW- this is what my wife wants me to do).

I can barely comprehend that guys logic. I'd give him his trees back. You aren't a logger/landscaper/arborist/etc so you don't have to dispose of his trees, right?

 

[dadster4]

Couple of other threads on neighbors. This is one of them.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/rural-living/344708-time-another-good-neighbor-thread.html

A few months ago I taking down some large pines and cleaning up stumps with my excavator next to a neighbor whom I have had some property line issues with (he moved survey pins), he came over and asked if I would take down some pine trees on his property that are leaning pretty good and likely to fall on his wood fence. I told I would for the cost of fuel but warned him that I will tear up the ground pretty good moving around and some limbs would break off. I also told him I will dispose of the trees in my tree pile and he could throw any limbs left over over the fence and I would put them in the pile later. He agreed, so I took down 6 very large pines, spend about 3 hours of my time, fuel and wear on my excavator. I burn around 8 gal/hr so I tell him 60 bucks just to make it easy. He tells me I tore up his grass and then tells me since I do not operate equipment for a living, he did not need to pay my anything. Hmmm So, do I write it off and never help him again??? Or, give him back his trees (BTW- this is what my wife wants me to do).

Time to put a "For Sale By Neighbor" in his front yard

 

[FatTire]

I do some work for our neighbors, they usually offer to pay, and I usually accept enough to cover my fuel or a little more for wear and tear. But where it gets tricky is recurring work like snowplowing. I try to do it for neighbors at about 1/2 what I'd charge someone else, but it takes long enough over the winter that I simply can't afford to do it for free. Last winter one of our good neighbors were gone for a while - they didn't want any plowing done while they were gone - the snow slowly accumulated and then it snowed big right before they came back. Turned out that reopening their driveway was epic, I used both our Unimog and Kubota, about 4 1/2 hours all out work, plus shuttling back and forth between our place and their place. I think I charged them $140 or something like that. They happily paid, and even took me and my wife out to dinner, but I then I felt bad about charging them. The kicker is that a friend of mine sometimes plows for them at $60/ hour, so if I plow for free, it takes work away from him, which would be unfair. (He was not able to do it that day, otherwise I would have been happy for him to do it.) So sometimes things are complicated.

 

[FatTire]

Time to put a "For Sale By Neighbor" in his front yard

Ha Ha, good one. I am glad we don't have any neighbors like that guy!

 

[LD1]

Interesting thread.

Weather I choose to help for free, charge, or decline the job all depends on the neighbor, and the work involved.

I operate a business with the backhoe, tractor, and truck/plow. From doing tile repair and installation to bushhogging, post hole digging for fence, driveway repair, snow plowing, etc.

Naturally alot of the work I do is for people I know, weather friends or neighbors. I am not going to run 500' of tile, or plow their driveway, or mow their 5 acre field for free just so they can save a buck. That would be like me just giving them cash so they can hire it done by a contractor (me in this case). The friends and neighbors ask me to do the work because they know I operate a business doing doing this type of work and dont expect it to be free.

If your neighbor was a building contractor by trade, would you expect him to build you a barn for free?
If your neighbor was a concrete worker by trade would you expect them to pour a slab for free?
If your neighbor was an electrician, would you expect them to re-wire your house for free?

ETC ETC.

Now odd jobs outside the scope of what I do for a business, like pulling someone out if they get stuck, assisting in putting up a fence, helping someone plant trees, lending assistance doing a motor swap in an 1980's truck, etc etc is more the neighborly type thing IMO. And those I will do without charge depending on the neighbor or friend.

There are the types that complain about everything even though its free work, always have something they want done, never offer any help, and when you do need help they are never around or offer assistance. Those are the types I just decline the work.

The ones that always have your back, help you when needed, allow you to hunt on their property or cut wood in their woods if they dont burn wood, etc. Those are the ones that I will help out whenever I can.

 

[gladehound]

After seeing about 7 cords of nicely stacked / split wood in my sheds, one of my friends said "since you have so much wood, can I have some for the winter... I'd only need a few wheel barrels full". I said, "the next time I fell and buck a tree, why don't you come with me. We can cut it up and split it and each take half" - He never brought it up again.

 

[Looking4new]

My neighbours cover my fuel when I blow their snow. One is real good at making pies, tarts and pastry and that is what I charge her. The pies don't have to be the big 10" ones. A 6" pie will work just as good.
another neighbour is on disability pension, I charge him $20./month and never in December. "It is Christmas you know", is what I tell him. I don't make a living blowing snow. I truck for a living in the summer time and take the winters off.

 

[Leejohn]

After seeing about 7 cords of nicely stacked / split wood in my sheds, one of my friends said "since you have so much wood, can I have some for the winter... I'd only need a few wheel barrels full". I said, "the next time I fell and buck a tree, why don't you come with me. We can cut it up and split it and each take half" - He never brought it up again.

I have done something like that a few times. The only differents , they would ask if I would sell them some. I said no but if you want some just come out and I would use my splitter, tractor and buy the fuel. That way we can split together and get to know each other and with 2 people would make it easy. It would not cost you anything (FREE). Also the wood would be bucked before they come out. You know what, not one taker out of aroud 5or6 people.
Now if one of my neighbors runs out I'll be glad to give them some and they would do the same for me.

 

[Monster5601]

I barter out my tractor and my time. My neighbors offer to pay me but I tell them I don't hire out. I tell them I'll be happy to do what they need but please consider making a donation to charity, I let them know my favorites are children's charities. They will come back later and try to tell me how much they donated but I cut them short and tell them that isn't my business, with a smile.

 

[caver]

I've been known to loan hand tools in my younger days. When I had to ask for them back I would no longer loan that person anything. One friend borrowed a hammer. A month later I need it and am looking for it when I remember he borrowed it. He claims he returned it so we assume someone grabbed it off the front porch. A day or two later it shows up at my door. I have no idea why he didn't own a hammer. Probably one of the first tools I bought after high school.