On 9/9/2010 10:48 PM, RosemontCrest wrote:
On Sep 9, 12:39 pm, "Bob-tx"NOBSPAM wrote:
Here in central Texas, we had 12+ inches of rain last Wednesday& Wednesday
night. We needed it but it is too late to save my grass/weeds. Anyway, we
had a leak around the fireplace chimney, and it soaked about four or five
square feet of sheetrock. My son-in-law is an excellent carpenter and fix
anything type of guy. He is fifty years old, and has a lot of experience.
This is what he does for a living.

I know he does good work from seeing his home that he built, as well as
other jobs. I trust his judgment, honesty, and ability. I have asked him
if he would take the job of finding the leak, fixing it, and repairing the
sheetrock. He came out today, and looked around the chimney, and found some
problems (some flashing problems and some mortar problems). Of course, he
doesn't know for sure but it is a good place to start and then test it.

Anyway, I have a concern that he will not charge me his regular going rate,
which I can understand, but I am going to have to hire someone to do the
work since I am just too old to be climbing ladders and doing that kind of
work any more. So, if he doesn't do the work, I am going to have to hire
an unknown person to do it, and I would prefer my son-in-law that I trust
and admire his work ethic. So, I want to pay him what I'd have to pay
someone else, but I don't know what that would be.

I know hourly rates would vary widely by location for a number of reasons.
But could you guys maybe get me in the ballpark on what I should pay him.
I am sure he will try to charge me a good deal less than normal. If someone
from the central Texas area (North of Austin) has any input, that would be
especially helpful

Thanks in advance. Bob-tx

You might consider soliciting at least three bids from local
contractors then agree with your son-in-law on which bid is fair
value. That provides objective value estimation while still allowing
for subjective considerations.

Understand the concept, and it is valid. However, I would feel a little
guilty wasting the time of a tradesman that I KNEW I wasn't gonna use.
That is sort of like using a local electronics or furniture store to
'test drive' something, then buying it online.

I think the next post, where somebody suggested 'pay him what he asks',
and then conspire with daughter to get him a Really Nice bonus gift, is
the way to go here. Or if they have kids, use your best guess of the
difference between his bill and a SWAG of say, 50 bucks an hour, to put
a donation in their college fund accounts. Justify it with 'I can afford
it, and that is what I would have had to spend otherwise.'

But having grown up in the business- there is street price, and family
price. I never saw a tradesman charge family anything beyond his
expenses, and maybe free meals while he was there working. Of course,
non-emergency family jobs had to be tucked in around the regular jobs,
so the completion schedule was often a little iffy.

--
aem sends...