# Rediculous!



## Holland (Aug 18, 2010)

Sorry to complain, but here it goes. I plow my fiance's cousins driveway. Yes its family but not immediate family like mom of dad or something so i charge them. I cut them a deal tho. I charged them 15 a time. Drive is probably 300+ feet long, Its 6 miles out of town and its gravel. Sounds cheap as he!! right? On christmas eve i widened the drive and plowed a path to the back door. There was probably 16 in of snow already on the ground and i had to beat my truck to get it clear. So i charged an extra plowing and marked it up as if it was a 4 in snowfall. Over 4 in i add 25% for the extra trouble. Six plowings total (3 under 4in and 3 over 4in) for the month came to 101.25. By far the cheapest bill i handed out. Their pissed! Told me not to plow anymore! Heck i might have been breaking even on the deal! Sorry again for venting but i found this pretty rediculous!


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## tuney443 (Jun 25, 2006)

Don't invite them to your wedding.Make a stand.That will piss them off to no end.They'd probably only get you ketchup and mustard plastic bottles in a cheap wood holder as a gift anyway.


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## hydro_37 (Sep 10, 2006)

tell them to find someone cheaper or get a shovel


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## snocrete (Feb 28, 2009)

I think you should slap both of them in the mouth next time you see them.


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## Lugnut (Feb 25, 2006)

They'd spend more than that on shovels!


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## swtiih (Nov 30, 2008)

Yea he gotta a good deal and doesn't realize it. Take whatever he gives you and walk.


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## qualitycut (Jan 13, 2008)

So he knew what you were charging and you only added maybe 17 dollars more than he should have been expecting? Sounds like a total a$$ tell them they are not invited to the wedding because you had to cut a couple dinner plates as some of your plow customers stiffed you this year and had to lower the budget.


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## Lugnut (Feb 25, 2006)

qualitycut;1205834 said:


> So he knew what you were charging and you only added maybe 17 dollars more than he should have been expecting? Sounds like a total a$$ tell them they are not invited to the wedding because you had to cut a couple dinner plates as some of your plow customers stiffed you this year and had to lower the budget.


:laughing::laughing::laughing:


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## IMAGE (Oct 21, 2007)

Good time to learn. There are no deals or family discounts. Its either free, or its full price. I never chsrge friends or family.


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## thelettuceman (Nov 23, 2010)

post #7 & #8 lmao


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## Rc2505 (Feb 5, 2007)

I have to agree with Image. I refuse to plow for friends, and all family is free. The quickest way to piss off family is to give them a bill. One way or another someone feels like they are getting screwed.


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## deepinit (Jan 21, 2011)

Close family is free, outside of that pay or go-away. I didn't invest thousands of dollars so I could plow all of my neighbors driveways for free either, though some of them think I should.


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## Kenyou (Oct 13, 2007)

They were most likely expecting that you would say, Don't worry about it, and not charge them.


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## STIHL GUY (Sep 22, 2009)

i hope they have fun shoveling next storm


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## wideout (Nov 18, 2009)

they told you not to do it anymore so your out of it at least sounds like a good thing!


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## Winterized (Mar 3, 2007)

wideout;1206878 said:


> they told you not to do it anymore so your out of it at least sounds like a good thing!


Amen to that...... Lesson learned, thank you !!


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## JB1 (Dec 29, 2006)

sounds like you should be as happy as a hooker right now.


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## hlntoiz (Jan 13, 2009)

tuney443;1205610 said:


> Don't invite them to your wedding.Make a stand.That will piss them off to no end.They'd probably only get you ketchup and mustard plastic bottles in a cheap wood holder as a gift anyway.


Agree, they prob won't give you a gift anyway.

Another reason when I do work for family there is still a contract and understanding. Learned that a long time ago. no surprises that way


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## BMAN1 (Nov 11, 2009)

I plow my parents free, my wifes parents free and used to plow my sister in laws free, until she let a dude with no job move in. Then I stopped. She didnt ask why either!! I do all my neighbors for a discount pay one price unlimited. Everyone else pays!


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## KEC Maintaince (Jan 1, 2011)

ill say what a guy who runs a very profitable business said to me.
parents free but they have to wait till everything else is done.
every one else is a customer. no b.s.
even if its 25 bucks its still gas money


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## SportsmanJay (Dec 14, 2010)

I use to do my next door neighbors for free, just being nice... I was in the middle of remodeling my house and broke my hand and asked my neighbor if he could give me a hand for a few hours the next day. Anyways, overnight we got about 16" of snow so I went out and plowed my driveway, then up to his. I got done and he comes over to the truck and says he can't come over and help because his wife told him he has to get paid to help me!!! Needless to say, that was the last time I plowed their driveway and that was 4 years ago. Still to this day I see them out shoveling, or borrowing someones snowblower, or they just drive over it. Oh well, my driveway is nice and clean!


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## v-plower (Dec 11, 2007)

Holland;1205546 said:


> Sorry to complain, but here it goes. I plow my fiance's cousins driveway. Yes its family but not immediate family like mom of dad or something so i charge them. I cut them a deal tho. I charged them 15 a time. Drive is probably 300+ feet long, Its 6 miles out of town and its gravel. Sounds cheap as he!! right? On christmas eve i widened the drive and plowed a path to the back door. There was probably 16 in of snow already on the ground and i had to beat my truck to get it clear. So i charged an extra plowing and marked it up as if it was a 4 in snowfall. Over 4 in i add 25% for the extra trouble. Six plowings total (3 under 4in and 3 over 4in) for the month came to 101.25. By far the cheapest bill i handed out. Their pissed! Told me not to plow anymore! Heck i might have been breaking even on the deal! Sorry again for venting but i found this pretty rediculous!


Be sure and send a demand letter if they don't pay on time! I suggest adding a $10 "processing fee" for late payments.



KEC Maintaince;1207761 said:


> ill say what a guy who runs a very profitable business said to me.
> parents free but they have to wait till everything else is done.
> ...


I do the same thing. I plow all of my commercial accounts and when I am done I plow my freebies and almost freebies. 
I make it abundantly clear that there may be times that I can't get to them until the next day. 
After everything is done I do my own driveway unless a friend has hit it on the way by.


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## BillyRgn (Jan 28, 2004)

Just an idea if you end up sending another invoice, I would make it full price like you would charge anyone else, and then under the total amount I would put something like 75% family discount and then the price you are charging them. Then that way they really realize what you are doing for them. Personally I do immediate family for free, other than that it is full price. Because if you end up hitting something or breaking something or maybe just ripping up a little grass, then they expect you to pay for it to be fixed and you then end up beating your self up about the money you have to fork out. Somehow favors bite people in the a$$. If you are getting free or discounted service from me, then you wait until my whole route is done, if you don't want to wait, then you can become a full paying customer or find someone else. Anyone with any kind of common sense that was getting there driveway done for 15 dollars no matter how big or small would have to no they were getting a deal and be thankful and appreciative or it. Someone who is not thankful for it does not deserve you, your time or your help


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## NICHOLS LANDSCA (Sep 15, 2007)

I hate doing work for friends, family, or neighbors. It doesn't matter how good of a deal you give them it seems they feel you are screwing them (unless it's free). A buddy refuses to work for friends or family, I actually heard him tell his neighbor "not to sound cocky but you can't afford me"


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## daninline (Nov 1, 2004)

I have a buddy at work that won't let me plow his drive for free even if I offered, he's a good guy he pays


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