Doing repairs for friends/family - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: 25 CPS
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2020, 12:54:55 am
content: I'm interested in hearing everyone's thoughts and opinions on doing electronics repairs for friends and family.For context, I have an extremely custom motor drive circuit partially built that's awaiting a parts delivery to finish off to make a retro sign from the mid 1960s work and which is on the bench at home now plus two postwar German tube radios waiting to get on the bench to evaluation and repair. One of them's been on and off the bench and I haven't even looked at the other one yet. This is because of being the only one they know who has the skills and equipment to do this sort of work. However, I also have a full time job with rotating shifts because my employer is a 24/7 operation with a minimum of two systems technologists on site at all times, plus I'm also single, which means everything at home has to be done by me because there's nobody else to do it. And I have to sleep sometime. So, like everyone else, I've got limited time for hobbies which is why this stuff takes forever for me to turn around but it's done on the supposed understanding that pricing is inexpensive given the turnaround time and for friends and family.However, not everyone is completely understanding that it takes serious time when I have to shoehorn it all around work shifts and keeping day to day household life in order for myself. What got me really upset was making progress on one of the projects and giving an update and the inevitable when is it ready question came up and I started getting upset because I could see my own projects on the shelf, none of which I've gotten to because all three of the projects belonging to other people are ahead in line so they don't wait for a truly outrageous amount of time, and it sank in that I'm no longer enjoying what I do outside of work because it's all been for other people lately at the expense of deferring work on stuff of my own interest, and it's not even bringing in much money.How many of you do work for friends and family? What are your policies about it? Personally, I'm getting ready to put my back into all three to get them done and out the door, out of the way and off my mind. I'm seriously considering putting a total stop to doing outside work. Unless I make the time for it and charge full commercial rates comparable to what my company pays me in terms of wages, benefits, pension plus a bit above that to reflect overhead costs and my investment in equipment etc. and then treat it as a serious part time job with the time commitments that has, as opposed to working on it when I get to it. And, I'm reluctant to do that, at least for now, since I'd like to spend some time on my own projects for the next little while.Thoughts?

author: Rerouter
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2020, 01:01:24 am
content: I always make clear what the expected favor in return will be, ok, you want me to scan, rotate, colour correct and face tag you 5000 family photos?, I want you to teach me different recipes of yours each night I'm working on it and you have to provide ingredients, stuff like that,Because they are family, if they do not feel to return the favor, then they don't deserve your favor. in my case I got about 20 nights of my meal costs covered, minus some beers, and I needed them over anyway for the face tagging, it also helps close the loop that yes, this work does not happen in 1 night.In your case, try trading it for help with those daily life issues, e.g. come over and help me prepare meals for a week, help me clean up the house, as I won't have much spare time working on your thing, etc.The hardest part is always asking for money in return from family, as most will try and screw you, its generally easier to trade for service or skill, in my own family its more of a trade of time.

author: Zeyneb
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2020, 01:19:15 am
content: I'd say you should give your self interest a higher priority. Something tells me your family/friends are not very understanding of the effort you put into their projects.I do think it is valuable to think how you're going to present your viewpoint to your family, maybe declining further work with some solid argumentation. It depends a bit on the family culture you have and I believe you will know best.

author: maginnovision
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2020, 01:41:24 am
content: I will agree to anything people(my family) want but they have to agree that I'm doing it on my own timeframe, no matter what they might give me for the work. If they want fixed timeframe they need to pay and not expect anything special(no free parts, no discounted rate, no free clean-up). I currently have 2 family projects. One is ~3 years on going the other is ~1.5. They understand it'll be done when it's done but if they'd like I'll happily give it back to them to finish.

author: SilverSolder
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2020, 02:06:46 am
content: It's hard to make clear and fast rules. If you like someone, and feel good when you do something to help them... well, then there isn't really any problem, right? If, on the other hand, you feel a little bit of resentment about doing it, then... then things are not OK and you have to set a limit on it that you are comfortable with. For your own sake, and also for the sake of the longer term relationship with the person(s) involved.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2020, 02:41:21 pm
content: I'm more used to this with regards to computer assistance, but all the same principles apply.I have become very reluctant to help. I will offer to take a look if it's something I think I know, but I make no promises to fix it, and definitely no timelines. It's essential to clarify expectations, both in terms of what you'll do now, and what future responsibilities and liabilities you deny or accept. (I've heard too many stories of "you fixed X, and then [unrelated item] Y stopped working! it's your fault, fix it!", though I've been fortunate to not experience that myself.)

author: Gregg
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2020, 07:45:06 pm
content: Part of the problem is that many if not most of the people using you have convinced themselves that you somehow enjoy fixing things and some may even feel that they are doing you a favor by supplying fun things for you to do.A wise person once told me, “If you do good cheap work; you’ll only be known for doing cheap work.”My suggestion is to get out of the cheap work rut and charging them something close to market value and rationalize this to them as helping you with your test gear fund, beer fund or whatever you need. You’ll quickly realize exactly who really appreciates you. Some may snub you, but you don’t need them, anyway.

author: AlexJackson
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2020, 11:45:19 pm
content: As a person whose fixed family computers and home/shop electrical issues and knowing how my family is, I had to nip it in the bud immediately or I would get walked on like the floor. My family also knows I work full-time so their jobs come in my schedule and if I want more work. Family and close friends get one cheap shot, but after that time is money and I'm going to make it worth my while.Electrical Work(for friends or family):• You will get a quote based on what I canSEE. Any further issues once walls are open may require additional work and/or contractors. I'm an electrician, not a plumber, hvac, gas fitter, structural engineer, etc. I tell them to add 30% on top of their original budget for their planned work. I will not cut corners with my work, you wanting me to cut corners will make me immediately reject the job and leave.• First quickrepairsare labor free, but material costs w/ 5% markup. I will use my own stock.• First large jobs (remodel, panel replacement, etc) are half my normal hourly rate.• Additions after the "agreed work" will be billed at my full hourly rate. This is made immediately clear. 10% material markup. If required you can pull your own permit, or I'll do it for a 10% markup. For any jobs over $500, 50% is due at time of work, the other 50% at conclusion (within a week unless longer was discussed BEFORE work started). Failure to pay full bill results in the rest of the family knowing what you did and I will call you out to family as a crooked cheapskate scammer. Family knows how I am.• On complex problems, a repair may expose unseen further electrical issues that should be addressed. Because I quote and bill by the hour ill use up the remaining time to dig into the issue. Additional time and material needed will be seen as "Additional Work" and billed according customer willing. Unsafe conditions will be made safe regardless even if it means disconnecting the offending circuit in the panel.• For friends of family. Full rate regardless of work with 10% markup. Its a normal job to me. No exceptions.• Any job after the first is full rate.Computer Work(for friends or family):• 1 hour free assessment and work. If I cant troubleshoot and fix it within an hour, I'll recommend additional action.• I'll recommend I take the machine home to dive into it and I can swap hardware if needed to diagnose.• Though I image every boot disk before starting work, customers are told to backup stuff they want to keep. This gives me insurance in case I totally screw it up and have to revert to a known state. Images are digitally shredded once machines are deemed fixed.• In the case of malware being installed (intentionally or not) whether I wipe the machine (preferred) or can recover from the malware. A brief education session is required.• Next repair, especially if its because of the same issue (malware), its my normal rate plus travel time because you cant listen the first time. If I'm too expensive, take it to a repair shop and cry because they're more expensive than me before they even look at it.• I offer no warranty. If you want that, go to Best Buy. I will only take a 2nd look at something if it is directly related to the original problem. See below.• Any additional work is subject to my normal rate.• Friends of family. Its a normal job so my normal rate plus travel applies.• For any hourly work, my time is billed by the time I'm physically interacting with the machine. The time I have the machine does not equal the billed time, so don't panic if i need to keep it anotherday.• Any job after the first is full rate.Electrical or ComputerClose friends and family only•If I offer to look at it myselfunprompted. I'll do it for "free", but I'll want lunch or dinner. Some people in my family make epic food :3 . It is bound specifically to my schedule which may change if a friend wants to hang out instead, or other work related service call, etc.