Is the money the husband took considered permissible, knowing that the husband paid for services that were rendered for free with the help of a friend?

If the amount is in exchange for delivering the message and following up on its deficiencies, then this is a permissible ijara (leasing/hiring) contract, provided that the deficient items are precisely defined and their cost is known. Otherwise, the husband is entitled to a fair wage (ajr al-mithl). However, if the amount is to cover the costs of purchasing, photographing, and transporting, then he may take the cost of transportation and the price of what he bought with his own money. It is not permissible to take a price for things that are provided free of charge, but it is permissible to take a price if the giver offers it to him as a gift. If custom dictates entitlement to a wage for the effort expended, then the husband may claim a fair wage unless he agreed to donate his effort.