My parents had some work done on their home but couldn't have it all done at once because of the cost. They wanted a little time to pass to hire the workers to come back and finish the job. My husband heard this and offered his skills to finish the job. My parents were excited that they wouldn't have to wait so long now. They all set up a day and time for him to come over. After the work was complete, thank you, handshakes and hugs were given by my parents. Ever since then my husband has been complaining that he should have been paid and is hurt that they didn't even offer him anything. No mention of payment was ever made so I think he should not have assumed he was going to be paid. Am I wrong? should my parents have paid him?
2007-10-08 03:05:29 · 14 answers · asked by Anonymous in Family & Relationships ➔ Family
He didn't pay for any materials. My parents paid for those.
2007-10-08 05:45:13 · update #1
They covered the costs of the materials, that is all they are responsible for. If your husband never mentioned that he expected to be paid before-hand, then it is his own fault. I would think that he is doing this out of the kindness of his heart since it was for family.......If he did it for his mom and dad, would he charge them???? No, this is no different. Tell him to grow up and shut it.
2007-10-08 03:17:49 · answer #1 · answered by Lookin-2-Talk 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
He heard that they weren't getting it done because they had no money, so he volunteered, and now he's cranky about not being paid?
If I've got this right, then, he's insane. If he was expecting pay, he needed to say that at the time, though how that would be helping since they couldn't afford it, I don't know.
Unless you mean he's expecting to be reimbursed for materials.
That's less unreasonable, but it would have been better for him to be up front about it at the time.
Given that labor is the biggest cost, if he saved them that, that was helping -- unfortunately, when he offered, he needed to say "I can do it for free -- well, I'd need to be reimbursed for materials, which should run about $$$, but I won't charge labor." Then they could have decided whether and when they could afford to pay for materials.
If they don't have it, they don't have it. If they didn't know he wanted them to pay, they didn't know he wanted them to pay.
So, even though this second scenario makes more sense, he needed to be explicit when he made the offer. They thought he was giving them a gift, as it were.
2007-10-08 04:27:11 · answer #2 · answered by tehabwa 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Bummer, Thats the problem with mixing family and buisness .since it's your parents and all did you ever talk about compensation for your hubbies work?.If it took some time and a great should I say inconveiance to finish the job then Hell yea. they should pay him.If the job was easy/small forget it. mark it up as family buisness.You all had plenty of time to talk it over between yourselves,before and during this ordeal The fact that your parents never attempted to pay him would hurt me too. He should be reimbursed for any material he bought.Bottom line is if your parents did as good of a job raising you as my girlfriends parents did raising her then its a freebee my woman is worth it.and I love her enough to do it again.
2007-10-08 03:22:36 · answer #3 · answered by DEEOHGEE 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
No... your husband is wrong. If he expected money, he should have said something first, especially knowing that your parents didn't get the work done in the first place because they didn't have enough cash.
he should learn to feel good about what he did do and take his in laws gratitude as thanks enough. Hey must know that they are pleased.
If they haven't said so perhaps that can be done at the right time too.
2007-10-08 03:32:51 · answer #4 · answered by teritaur 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
In the circumstance you describe it sounds like your husband was helping them out because they couldn't afford to have it done. While it would have been nice if your parents had paid him something, I can see where they would think that he didn't expect anything. Lesson learned, communicate clearly what you expect.
2007-10-08 03:43:38 · answer #5 · answered by tjnstlouismo 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I do stuff for my family all the time without expecting payment, just because they are family. If hubby wanted to be paid, he should have discussed it with them from the start. Since he didn't, I personally don’t think that at this point it's really appropriate to ask for payment.
But if hubby feels strongly that he should be paid, you could try to 'gently' mention it your parents (it might be easier coming from you than hubby). But understand that they might be ‘hurt’ by his request for payment after he offered to do the work without asking for money…which would imply that he merely intended to do something nice for them without gain for himself.
If it were me, I’d try to get hubby to leave things alone. At this point, he's earned 'brownie points' with your parents, and that’s worth *much more* than money.
2007-10-08 03:19:38 · answer #6 · answered by kp 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
He shouldn't complain unless they discussed it. Your parents are not right either, they want things done for free. Next time they should get someone else so nobody gets hurt.
2007-10-08 03:28:12 · answer #7 · answered by DoLz 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. Only should he be payed if it was understood that they were going to pay him instead of the hired workers. Sometimes you just have to do something nice without expecting money in return.
2007-10-08 03:13:02 · answer #8 · answered by lambertj68 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Your parents are wrong to not pay him! They would of paid any other workers so why not pay him? They took full advantage of your husband.
2007-10-08 04:20:17 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
He volunteered, didn't he? And he knew that your folks don't have much money.
He's a member of the family, and so he should do stuff for other members of the family. Just as they'd come in and do stuff for him if he needed it.
Tell him to grow up and stop being selfish.
2007-10-08 03:56:45 · answer #10 · answered by kiwi 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋