Terms & Conditions

These are my terms if we do business together. Please read the fine print.

Estimates:

THERE IS NO CHARGE FOR ESTIMATES.

My normal fees as of 01-28-23 are:

$120 for the first hour (one hour minimum), thereafter...
$100 per hour for in-shop or normal remote/on-site work

I do not mark up prices of materials I purchase for your job. However, I do charge you my normal labor rate for the time it takes to procure materials.

The prices above include 10% for profit and 10% for overhead. Overhead expenses are real. They include accounting fees, legal fees, advertising, insurance, interest, shop space, machine depreciation, repairs, supplies, taxes, telephone, web site domain fees and maintenance, travel and utilities.

I charge a minimum of one hour per job. After the first hour, all time is rounded to the nearest 5-minute increment. If I am unable to achieve a reasonably functional result on your project, there is no charge.

These rates are for weekdays only. I do not work weekends except by special arrangement and then at time-an-a-half for Saturdays and Sundays and double-time for holidays.

I offer a 10% discount from current normal fees to all veterans, active military, firefighters, police and ambulance personnel.

Having me work “in-shop” for you requires integrity on my part and trust on your part. I will always keep a contemporaneous record of all time spent on your project, which will be itemized in my invoices. My ability to procure materials and deliver items is limited to what can be transported in my KIA Telluride SUV.

Job scheduling and down payments

I schedule jobs on a first-come (with down payment)-first-served basis. I often have a backlog of several weeks or even months at a time. If you want to secure a position in my work queue, please confirm it with your down-payment deposit according to the chart below:

Worksite access

For any job requiring more than six hours of work to complete, I expect to have regular unfettered access to your worksite, up to six hours per day, five weekdays per week, upon commencement of your project. When you think about it, this is only reasonable as I come with a lot of tools and I leave them at your worksite because it would be terribly inefficient to offload them and reload them each day. Commencement is defined as first delivery of tools or materials for the project and shall be not more than three calendar days from when I communicate to you that I am available to work on your project. Any exceptions must be negotiated in advance.

Job calendar time

I usually work between 15 and 20 hours per week and seldom more than six hours in any one day. The average of that is 17.5 hours per week. So, for example, if I estimate your job to take 70 hours, you should expect it to take about 4 normal calendar weeks to complete.

Job delays

Delays on my part to begin your job are often not under my control due to unforeseen or hidden impediments in conditions at client sites scheduled before yours, availability of materials, unrealistic labor estimates due to errors and omissions, illness, medical issues, personal emergencies, car breakdowns, etc.

I realize that some of these factors can also cause delays on your part in being ready for me to start your job. When that happens, I will start the next job in my work queue and complete it before beginning your job. If I have to go on to yet the next job before being able to start yours, I reserve the right to reschedule your job to the end of my work queue to minimize the number of clients affected and the resulting increased communication snowball effect to inform other clients.

Payment

Materials paid for by me are to be reimbursed upon delivery of supplier receipt. Payment for my labor is to be made upon delivery of my invoice. I accept (in order of preference): Venmo (https://venmo.com/ then @Chris-Kairys)...

Zelle (https://www.zellepay.com/), personal checks and cash. I do not accept credit cards, debit cards or PayPal. Please make checks payable to Chris Kairys.

Travel time

My travel time for the purpose of measuring and estimating one time is gratis. Once we have an agreement, I expect to travel to and from your project site at my own expense up to 30 minutes per day (15 minutes to get there and 15 minutes to return). Any time greater than that will be charged at normal fee rates. Travel time to procure materials and to deliver items made in my shop will also be charged at normal fee rates.

Research: I charge for it if it's needed

If your project requires me to do research, for example, to determine that your window weather-stripping is actually “5/16" Bulb Window Kerf Slot Mount Weather-stripping Bubble Sash Seal” and where to purchase it, that time will be charged at my normal fee rate. Another example: If your project requires the installation of a “hidden hinge“ which I have never previously installed and which requires special tools, templates and techniques, I will charge you my normal fee rate for the amount of time required (including watching YouTube movies and a first-practice installation) to determine how to do the job.

Planning and sketching: I charge for it if it's needed

If your description of your project is vague to me or if the project is detailed or intricate, I will need to spend time to plan how to create it and to sketch it so that I can show it to you to clarify our mutual expectations. This is probably the most important part of any project and you should expect to pay for the time required to do it at my current normal fee rate.

Let’s say I spend three hours making sketches with dimensions to represent my proposal to you for what I think you are requesting. This is my “skin in the game.“ It’s the risk I take in pursuit of your business in the event you choose not to accept my proposal. If you don’t accept my proposal, there is no charge for my sketch preparation as part of it. If you do accept my proposal, I charge you for this sketch preparation as it is part of the effort required to do the job.

I apply “but-for“ (except for) reasoning when I charge you for any time or material expenses. That is, I always ask myself if a reasonable person would expect to incur this expense if not for your job. “But-for this job, would I have had to incur this expense?” If the answer is no, I charge you for it. If yes, I don’t. Simple, fair, reasonable.

Time is money

If your project actually requires my time for a good reason, I charge you for it. I am reasonable about this. I do not artificially inflate time spent. I am not constantly in search of an "angle" to charge you more money.

On the flip side of this topic, I do not deflate time spent for unproductive chit chat. If you're a "talker," just be aware that I can keep up a conversation with the best of them and your loquaciousness will cost you money.

Time: Punctuality is important for both of us

I respect your time. It is the one commodity that we all have less and less of each day. When I make an appointment, I show up early or on time and I appreciate the same from my clients. If I get delayed beyond my control, I will attempt to contact you before our appointment time. I also expect you to respect my time. If we make an appointment for me to start your job, let’s say, at 9:00 AM and I arrive on time ready to work but you arrive 30 minutes late, you should expect me to charge you based on a start time of 9:00 AM.

Cats & smoke: I'm allergic

I am seriously allergic to cat dander and smoke. I cannot work in any environment with either one.

Estimates are just that

When I provide you an estimate to do a job, it is only that--an estimate. It is not a firm price or bid or a contract price. Your final cost could be more or less, based on time and materials required. This is a fair way for us to do business together as long as we are both honest with each other.

Hold harmless agreement

By agreeing to my business terms, you hold me harmless and indemnify me from all liabilities, losses, claims, judgments, suits, fines, penalties, demands or expenses that may result from the job I do for you.

For example, if I lay out my tools on your floor to do a job and you walk in and trip over them and injure yourself, you agree that the fault is solely yours and hold me harmless of any consequence.

As another example, if you hire me to build or repair something and match the color of it to an existing item, you agree that a reasonably similar color is acceptable, that an exact match is not expected (as paints, stains and finishes vary from lot to lot and natural products such as wood accept colorants differently over time and depending on conditions) and hold me harmless of any consequence of my work.

Cancellation charge

Once we have an agreement, if you decide to cancel it, at any time for any reason, you will be charged a 25% cancellation fee of remaining estimated charges for the project.

Signature

You accept that texting or emailing me that you agree with my business terms is equivalent to doing so in writing with your signature.