Proper rate for laminate flooring installation?

[Chris B.]

Hello! My mother is older and has recently had alot of health trouble. She desperately needed her carpet torn out and laminate wood flooring planks installed in about 600 square feet of her home. I knew this would cost way more than she could pay if I went to a national company, so I hired a friends husband to do the work. He is a general contractor by trade. When I asked how much he would charge, he said he wanted to do it for her for nothing. I am not comforatble with this and I really want to pay him what is right, the problem is, I have no idea what the "going rate" would be. So far, he has worked 22 hours over the course of 4 days in the past 2 weeks. He has maybe 4 hours of work remaining. Can someone give me an idea of what I should pay him? Thanks!

[Steve Vaughan]

I'd give him $500 and a thank you note.  Somewhere close to $1/ft for a friend's help is fair I would say.  I agree his offer is too generous and would do the same @Chris B.