If you are a new beek, do as Michael said, walk away. Do a few cutouts before tackling a sprayed one. Then after you know what you are wading into, charge accordingly.
If you are a new beek why not learn on a hive you can't hurt? My father taught me how to use a hand saw cutting 2x4's before he let me near the miter saw cutting molding. I do not know what the objection is for doing something for free. We all have our own value system. A new beek is not going to get 400 bucks from someone who already sprayed the bees. I can't imagine getting much from anyone that would spray the bees no matter how much experience the beek has.
You are a wise man , inexplicably trained by a wiser man. I lost my dad at 2.
I?ve taken the hard road wherever it lead. I?m not scared. Not wise, just not scared!!
When I started my locksmith business , I did several jobs for free as I knew they could smell the inexperienced person i was. Hell, I even had to pay other companies to come save my ass a few times . Then I started trading a few jobs for google reviews which in and of itself is a value -
Then I/we made 700 k our first full year with me and a verified locksmith partner I recruited(the same guy who saved me quite a few times!) . We invested it all into a 6 employee storefront with 5 service vans.
Then ..... my breakdown
Now bees. Just me and bees.
Just me / bees and some virtual friends on a message board