Advice needed

A good friend of mine was wanting to know about having me put a new roof on a shed he has. Flat roof, about 17 x 9. I told him my labor would be $200. Comes out to a tad over $1 a square foot. This is for tearing off the plastic corrugated roofing, putting down plywood, tar paper, and shingles. I would be doing the work on my own with no help. My price is too high. I feel like I should let this go and not do the roof.

I consulted with the guy that tought me all the construction stuff I know, and his labor would be about $500.

What do you guys think? Let it go and not have any bad blood between us?

Just how "good" a friend is this? I would think that if you DOUBLED your price to $400.00, it would still be cheaper than I could get it done up here in New York!

Wayne (SAWDOFF) Pearce

Sometimes doing stuff for friends and getting paid for it can lead to problems I feel your price is with in reason but if your friend thinks otherwise it might be best to pass so ya'll can remain friends without conflict.

Unless he wants you to do the job cause he knows you will do him a good job he'll have to pay or maybe he can be your laborer and you can charge him half Good luck.

If he is a good friend and you want to keep it that way then I would help him do it for free or not do it at all. Money/business with friends and family will almost always lead to disaster. Maybe he needs to get some quotes else where to get a reality check that will not be your fault.

OldRedFord wrote:A good friend of mine was wanting to know about having me put a new roof on a shed he has. Flat roof, about 17 x 9. I told him my labor would be $200. Comes out to a tad over $1 a square foot. This is for tearing off the plastic corrugated roofing, putting down plywood, tar paper, and shingles. I would be doing the work on my own with no help. My price is too high. I feel like I should let this go and not do the roof.

I consulted with the guy that tought me all the construction stuff I know, and his labor would be about $500.

What do you guys think? Let it go and not have any bad blood between us?

Tim,

A "good friend" would want to pay you a fair price, and expect quality service in return. If you are confident in the quality of your work, I would not back off my price. If your friend has a problem with that--you need some new friends.

Bruce

Yeah, sometimes this stuff comes back and bites you in the cheeks... I ported a set of heads for a "friend" of mine 2 years ago for his AMC 360... I did it for 1/2 of what I would charge anyone else and he still complained about the price... Plus, he needed them ASAP... And to this day, he still hasn't put the engine in his Jeep... Well, I've yet to see any money, and he lives just about 3 miles or so from the track where I raced at yesterday... I told him I was coming up, and he should come to the track and watch and maybe I could collect some of the money from him, and if you can imagine, I never saw him there and never heard a word from him until about an hour AFTER I got home when he knew I wasn't there... I say a REAL friend will pay his owed bill and not worry about how to wiggle out of it... If not, well he's not much of a friend... Just my .02...





Doug...

Well I mean the guy is in his mid 60's, retired, and I dont see him getting on a roof anytime soon. Walks around with one of those oxygen puffer things that you wear on your belt. If it wasnt for him I would have never picked up a welder, nor gone to college to be a welder. Hauled the F100 I have 2 1/2 hrs to my house and only asked for a tank of fuel. Ive had his engine crane in my garage now for 2 years.

Ive decided to let this one go.


I do know tho, that he won't get as good of a job for any less.

Now at the same time if he had called me up and said that the shed was leaking with all the rain we just had, and wanted a roof on it. I would have gone and done it out of charity.

But yea, business with friends/family can sure strain things. Have too few friends as it is.

As far as experience, have been doing construction/roofing for 5 years now.

too cheap, friend or not.


for reference my contractors are charging $35 per sq to nail on shingles + extra for replacing plywood and etc.

OldRedFord wrote:Well I mean the guy is in his mid 60's, retired, and I dont see him getting on a roof anytime soon. Walks around with one of those oxygen puffer things that you wear on your belt. If it wasnt for him I would have never picked up a welder, nor gone to college to be a welder. Hauled the F100 I have 2 1/2 hrs to my house and only asked for a tank of fuel. Ive had his engine crane in my garage now for 2 years.

Ive decided to let this one go.


I do know tho, that he won't get as good of a job for any less.

Now at the same time if he had called me up and said that the shed was leaking with all the rain we just had, and wanted a roof on it. I would have gone and done it out of charity.

But yea, business with friends/family can sure strain things. Have too few friends as it is.

As far as experience, have been doing construction/roofing for 5 years now.

This is none of my business, but your first paragraph in this statement sounds like you feel you owe him, if I felt that way I would have done the work free of labor as long as he supplied all material and "gas to get there". Just my opinion being you ask.

WELL now we see a diff.lite, seams he helped u out a bit, tank of gas for 2 1/2hr tow job, put a stick in your hand, and what do u thank rent would be on that crane for 2 yrs. and now he cant hardly breath. I would go over there tell him to get the mats. and do the job for free... but thats just me and im nobody.

res0rli9 wrote:WELL now we see a diff.lite, seams he helped u out a bit, tank of gas for 2 1/2hr tow job, put a stick in your hand, and what do u thank rent would be on that crane for 2 yrs. and now he cant hardly breath. I would go over there tell him to get the mats. and do the job for free... but thats just me and im nobody.

X2