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My dear nan decided she wanted to upgrade her kitchen before she retires from work. She asked if if could install a few down lights and sink two fused spurs and a double socket (always looks neater than surfaced) felt i could really say no due to it being family, they always play the guilt card. Ended up being a 3 day job! she wanted 10, yes 10 recessed downlights in her kitchen, but she wanted it so she could switch on the ones which lit up above the dining table separate to the ones above the main working kitchen area. ok that doesnt sound that bad, but they had to installed to her specification. took 3 hours just to measure up and drill the holes. Any way long story short i installed what was asked and sunk the accessories. she told me she had put the money aside for the me for doing the work.

got to about 10.30 the night after i had done the work when the phone rang with her in mad panic 'all my lights have gone out' i shoot round there and it was was a blown bulb tripped the mcb. got another phone about 45 minutes later to say their heating wasnt working, thought being old i had better go sort it out, turns out they had set it wrong after i had switched power off (even after asking them if they knew how to reset it before i left)

didnt hear from her for 2 days when my phone went, she asked when i was going to go back and replaster over the chasing i had done! no way was i going to go back but she still had my money. so went back stuck load of render in there and said the kitchen fitters can finish it off. got handed an envelope with my hard earned pennies in. little did i know it was pennied!

£100 for the whole job including me collecting the materials and including the materials as well as certs!

if i work out what it cost me i earnt about £18 for 3 days work.

why do families think they can have it all for free?!

what is great though is that after i ahd a quiet word saying how i felt she deicided she would have the kitchen fitter change the fascias on all the acessories, of which he put every one upside down because he could get them to fit the right way up!!!
 
I remember when i did a paper round many many time ago this woman asked me if i wanted a tip.. yes please, push the papers all the way through in future!! Priceless i would love to have seen the expression on my face :eek:
 
yes i fully agree, can not take money off nan, but it didnt even cover the 3 trips to her house being 35mile round trip.

justs get to you when they automatically expect all for free. with all my family i have the agreement that as long as they cover travelling and materials i'm happy to do the work. its just the principal that the over cost of the job meant i was fully out of pocket! what do you do, can hardly go after arguing with a 67 year old woman.
 
I did a job for an old lady once.

when I'd done the work she made me a cup of tea that I could not refuse.

hour later after a stern lecture on all the rip off merchants and skint pensioners and guilt trip stuff I hardly had it in me to take any money of her. I felt that I OWED HER.

that'll teach me and make it easy to say no to a cup of tea after finishing the work in future.
 
I'd have to do that for free, I could never charge my Grandma for work! Family pay just for parts if the job's big enough (I'm not footing the bill for 15 spots) but I wouldn't expect them to pay for fuel or time, that's just stingy. Think how much they've done for you in the past, what's some of your time and some tax deductable bits and bobs? When it comes to Aunties and Uncles they can do one tho, gotta draw the line somewhere ;)
 
I'd have to do that for free, I could never charge my Grandma for work! Family pay just for parts if the job's big enough (I'm not footing the bill for 15 spots) but I wouldn't expect them to pay for fuel or time, that's just stingy. Think how much they've done for you in the past, what's some of your time and some tax deductable bits and bobs? When it comes to Aunties and Uncles they can do one tho, gotta draw the line somewhere ;)

An old lady not my nan:D agree though
 
Last edited by a moderator:
my mother always tries to pay me for stuff when i do anything round a t hers be it a bit of decorating or even moving some furniture, she even tries to pay me my going rate, after the three grand she gave me when i set up i cant take a penny , and if she tries to give it to the mrs i just take her out for a meal so she gets a good chunk of it back anyway,
im doing a board change in her house and i had to tell her it was a birthday present to stop her paying me for it.
my cousins on the other hand only get in touch when they want something and expect it for free, 'you can pick up a board for 50 quid' he says, 'cant take more than an hour to do', GGRRRRRRR, im really busy at the mo mate, ill be in touch, NOT
 

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