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  Ashley Meredith August 26, 2013 at 9:42pm

  If im short of work maybe and depending on the job, but if im fully booked then its full price and i'll schedule them in.
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  Stuart Land-Scape.co.uk August 28, 2013 at 12:00pm

  the thing with 'mates rates is' that generally my mates can't return the favour - or don't when the time comes.

  for 3 close mates i'm happy to do stuff - there's a lot of trust on all sides, and what goes around comes around with these guys - i needed a lift with an awkward item the other week (at very short notice) and one of them dropped what he was doing, drove over and helped me out (a 20 mile round trip and about 1.5 hours all told) - that's what i call a mate.

  however, if we're talking other mates, i have to earn a living and pay my expenses, and mates can be as fussy as anyone else, so i charge my regular rates - however, i'm happy to do materials at cost and work on a day rate for mates, so i suppose you could call that mates rates.
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  Thermo August 28, 2013 at 9:11pm

  I was given a piece of advice when I started up. Either do a job for free or do it full price. People will expect work to be done to the normal standard. if you do it full price you deliver the full job and they can expect any problems to be corrected. do it for free and they get what they pay for. I always thought that was fairly good advice!
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  Anthony Toop August 29, 2013 at 8:46am

  Same for me, for a small group of really good friends, i help out cheap or free! others full labour cost but any materials etc at cost. To be honest most friends are happy to pay any way, as they respect that i have to earn something its my job after all, its family that want everything for nothing!
  
  Stuart Diprose Land-Scape.co.uk said:

  the thing with 'mates rates is' that generally my mates can't return the favour - or don't when the time comes.

  for 3 close mates i'm happy to do stuff - there's a lot of trust on all sides, and what goes around comes around with these guys - i needed a lift with an awkward item the other week (at very short notice) and one of them dropped what he was doing, drove over and helped me out (a 20 mile round trip and about 1.5 hours all told) - that's what i call a mate.

  however, if we're talking other mates, i have to earn a living and pay my expenses, and mates can be as fussy as anyone else, so i charge my regular rates - however, i'm happy to do materials at cost and work on a day rate for mates, so i suppose you could call that mates rates.
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  neil garrett August 29, 2013 at 10:14am

  I learnt my lesson in the winter never to do work for close mates and family and charge them full price,from now on its a case of do it as a favour or not at all,I painted a mates rented house for him and charged a day rate of £120,I was their 5 days and just about managed to do the whole house in 5 days,good work for a wet and cold February,but he got a bit upset at the bill saying he would of done it himself if he knew it would cost that much,I was gutted felt like I had robbed him,I ended up passing a 3 year old honda izy to him for nothing just to keep the peace....as I say never again...it's for a favour or not at all
• PRO

  Robbie August 30, 2013 at 9:20am

  I have an agreement with my mates that I will work for them in return that they 'return' the time and when the need arises I get some help for free.

  Works ok up to a point...

  I had done some 'free' work for a friend that didn't return the favor then he asked me to quote on his lawn care and I quoted him my rate which is more than the franchise he got a quote from, turns out he wasn't that keen on me to do the work this time around and went with the franchise .

  Cut a long story short, I told him in future all his future work will be charged at the going rate.

  I'm also re-thinking about my time for your time....

  Lesson learnt
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  David Cox August 30, 2013 at 10:39am

  Work for nothing or work for full price.

  I was told when I started out: - Mates rates is Mugs rates.

  I still fell for it and did a friends hedge for "a discount", when I told them it was £90 they said " I thought you said it was mates rates?" I pointed out I would charge £150 for the job normally.... They got very anoyed and said "A gardener cant earn that much, thats more than me" [He is a teacher], if you wanted full price you should of said - i would of got a cheaper gardener".

  They paid my £90 and are adamant that was full price and I was just lying about mates rates.

  Never again - it damages friendships and you never get then favour returned.
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  Graeme @ BGS August 30, 2013 at 5:03pm

  If a friend wants help all they have to do is phone me. They know if I can I will help out (as long as I'm not working). Anything from towing cars stuck in snow, hedge cutting, lawn mowing and treatments, unblocking drains to looking after their chickens. However if they require my assistance to undertake gardening duties Monday to Friday during work hours they know they will have to pay the normal rate. Hence most only ask at weekends.

  Most can't do anything in return for me but I know they would be willing to help if I asked. My wife moans that they never offer to help but to be fair I don't ask them. However we are always invited out to BBQ's and meals etc so I guess you could say all is fair.

  Only once a mate done some welding for me as a favour and my wife drove her 4X4 into his car as she didn't see (expect) it parked on the driveway! That was one very expense mates rate job in the end! :-(