That's the problem when you try to charge even a minimal amount for your labor... the job would end up costing REASONABLY anywhere from $200 to $500 for your time.

Once you break past the $300 mark you might as well send the neighbor off to MAACO and try to catch one of their $399 specials.

The problem with doing 'someone elses' car is that the problems it brings are not worth the money. Life is a pain in the butt as is without the goodwill between you and your neighbor being put at risk when he starts expecting paint shop level service before, during and after the service.

I have seen too many penny pinching folks that can become the biggest nuisances to set foot on your doorstep. They figure they paid you 'good money' and you are on the hook to them to keep them satisfied.

Most of us are pretty decent chaps. We don't mind helping out our neighbors and being 'good intentioned'. But often this can become badly soured and in the end the few bucks you charged for your services lead to frustrating situations where you just want to throw the money back in the dudes face and tell him to take a hike.

All you have to do is take a look at all the anti-MAACO web sites and see the comments posted by all the folks who thought they were going to get a 'custom show car quality paint job' for $399.

Those people are angry and the problem is that there is no way you can convince them there are only certain limits of quality you can achieve by choosing the CHEAPEST FRIGGIN PAINT JOB on the MAACO menu

So although it might be tempting to make a few bucks helping out your neighbor, etc. Sometimes in the long run it works out far better to have just said no or to at least reduce your exposure to a situation that could go sour.

On the legal side of things... once you charge money for your 'service' there is a legal expectation of you that does not happen when you do something for free.

Let's take a worst case scenario. You help a dude paint his car. You charge him $100 for your services. Everything is great and the final job was quite satisfactory. But the crafty neighbor changes his mind about the color.. or has an accident in his garage and a ton of brake fluid lands on the paint ruining it...

The dude then tries to get you to give him a freebie repaint. He claims the problem with the paint job is your fault and how you applied it. He fails to tell the truth about the brake fluid etc. You tell the guy to pi$$ off and the next thing you know you are dragged into court with this guy claiming that you destroyed his paint job.

Judges are basically newbs... and in the end they will look at the fact that you charged money for your services and therefor there is a greater level of care etc expected from you than someone who did the neighborly thing and did it for free.

In the end the Judge would probably find you responsible for replacing the guy's 'defective' paint job... and off he goes to MAACO - with you getting the bill.

I hate to sound down on any opportunity to make a few bucks... but I have seen so many situations where things go south and the 'good guy' ends up getting stuck in the long run.

The beauty of sending the cheapskate off to MAACO is that if he turns out to be a pain in the a$$ then his complaints would soon show up on the anti-MAACO boards... and his problems would be with MAACO and not you...