# Labor Rates...for a friend?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/labor-rates-for-a-friend/529874>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [February 21, 2010, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/labor-rates-for-a-friend/529874 "2010-02-21T16:13:18Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\
**Post date:** [February 21, 2010, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/labor-rates-for-a-friend/529874/1 "2010-02-21T16:13:18Z")

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What would be the going rate for manual labor per hour, and what would say is a fair price for a friend? If it matters, the labor itself is not extreme (like laying bricks) if that should factor into your thinking. And, if the going rate is regional, this would be in the Mid-Atlantic area (but not upper crust, like parts of DC and Northern VA).

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**Author:** ![Baal\_Houtham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baal_houtham/32/13604_2.png) [@Baal\_Houtham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baal_Houtham)\
**Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/labor-rates-for-a-friend/529874/2 "2010-02-22T00:01:01Z")

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There’s no right answer, and working for friends/relatives can often lead to frustration and resentment. If the job isn’t too big, I try to do it for free.

Otherwise I try to set the price low enough that they understand they’re getting a deal, but high enough that I don’t fucking flip out if it ends up dragging on and on and on.

But again, there’s no right answer.

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**Author:** ![butler1850](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@butler1850](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butler1850)\
**Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/labor-rates-for-a-friend/529874/3 "2010-02-22T20:27:04Z")

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$10-15 an hour would sound right to me, unless they were working for less during their “regular 40.” Then I’d still pay them a premium over their “regular rate.” If it was close enough to the $10-15 range, I’d probably just go with that.

And I’d include the beer/food/other “refreshments.” 😃

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**Author:** ![atomicbadgerrace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@atomicbadgerrace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/atomicbadgerrace)\
**Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/labor-rates-for-a-friend/529874/4 "2010-02-22T20:31:41Z")

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Need more information on the nature of the work, and how long you expect it to take. Is this an actual job, or just work you’re doing to help out a friend?