Pricing Up A Job

[spmonkay]

I have a block of 3 story flats to quote for. It's for a maintenance company so i consider this commercial! How would you price this? If charged roughly £1 a window on domestic should I double it? I could end up doing a lot of flats but I'm worried about pricing it too low!!

 

[rcproperty]

All depends on how many windows and how long it will take you, travel time etc. Oh and how often you clean them

 

[Belfastcleaning]

I recently quoted for a development managed by these companies.. 3 stories apartments and townhouses.. It took me about 2hours to quote, and priced it as I normally do. And was working out nearly 8k a year.. I rang and gave my quote and they replied what's the best you can do it for... These companies will be putting money on top of your quote for their own profit..

 

[laddergarder]

Personally I wouldn't do subcontract work for companies like these. I didn't start my own business, to then make money for someone else. Allot of these so called national cleaning companies, sub out the work to local window cleaners and just give them a tshirt to wear. If window cleaners stopped working with these people, local window cleaners would get more work, dealing with the customer directly.

 

[Smurf]

I totally agree...

Personally I wouldn't do subcontract work for companies like these. I didn't start my own business, to then make money for someone else. Allot of these so called national cleaning companies, sub out the work to local window cleaners and just give them a tshirt to wear. If window cleaners stopped working with these people, local window cleaners would get more work, dealing with the customer directly.

 

[spmonkay]

But it's paid work I can't afford to turn down!!

 

[Belfastcleaning]

I'd like to get in with one of thes comPanies.. Contract work cleaning full developments with lots of properties. Possibly get even more work from them.. Good luck pal

 

[rcproperty]

But it's paid work I can't afford to turn down!!

thats true, as long as you get the money that you want it dont matter where is comes from, if i was you i would still go for it and quote!

 

[spmonkay]

If I went on the assumption that each block had 30 normal sized windows what do you reckon? Say it was about 20 min drive away?

 

[rcproperty]

If I went on the assumption that each block had 30 normal sized windows what do you reckon? Say it was about 20 min drive away?

I would say about £50-£60 per block i would say. doing them water fed pole.

 

[spmonkay]

I would say about £50-£60 per block i would say. doing them water fed pole.

That's what I was thinking!!

 

[rcproperty]

That's what I was thinking!!

thats good then! at least your thinkin on the same lines!

 

[mark m]

Personally I wouldn't do subcontract work for companies like these. I didn't start my own business, to then make money for someone else. Allot of these so called national cleaning companies, sub out the work to local window cleaners and just give them a tshirt to wear. If window cleaners stopped working with these people, local window cleaners would get more work, dealing with the customer directly.

Total agree

 

[rcproperty]

Personally I wouldn't do subcontract work for companies like these. I didn't start my own business, to then make money for someone else. Allot of these so called national cleaning companies, sub out the work to local window cleaners and just give them a tshirt to wear. If window cleaners stopped working with these people, local window cleaners would get more work, dealing with the customer directly.

in a way i do agree, but in another i dont.

i've been asked to tender for a contract in another town, and if i get it, i have already asked 2 other guys from that town to help with it.

but like you say if the local window cleaners say no to this kind of work all that i would have to of do to cover the work is hire guys here and bring them up, so in away its not going to stop really. personally i would want to use local guys and give them some work than bring in a team from my own town to take the work from them.

 

[laddergarder]

But the point is, what if the local guys wouldn't entertain you and said not a chance, and the job that you bid on was too far for you to travel. They could go to the company directly. Its just not affordable for national companies to have staff in every area. So in a way mislead the customer, giving the impression, they are doing the work, but instead they are just acting as a middleman taking a percent, of the window cleaner doing the work.

The reality is, it won't happen, as there will always be guys that need the work more, and are not in a position to refuse. But if they did, it would put the ball back in the hands of the the local windows cleaners, and benefit them more in the long run.

 

[Smurf]

Indeed...

Does anyone already sub for nationals and if so what is your opinion?

 

[Extremecleansussex]

I have a development where I clean the marketing suite and showhouses which I sub for a company in the midlands. I do it a little cheaper than I would charge directly but it's a minimum three year contract of £200 per month plus so it's a good earner for me.

I don't mind them taking a cut off the top because I always get paid within a week of submitting my invoice and they had already got the contract when I went to enquire about it and were about to look for someone to do the work.

 

[Smurf]

So how many homes would that be? just outside window clean or inside aswell?

 

[rcproperty]

But the point is, what if the local guys wouldn't entertain you and said not a chance, and the job that you bid on was too far for you to travel. They could go to the company directly. Its just not affordable for national companies to have staff in every area. So in a way mislead the customer, giving the impression, they are doing the work, but instead they are just acting as a middleman taking a percent, of the window cleaner doing the work.

The reality is, it won't happen, as there will always be guys that need the work more, and are not in a position to refuse. But if they did, it would put the ball back in the hands of the the local windows cleaners, and benefit them more in the long run.

if the local guys said no, then its only 70 miles away, and with the price of the contact and the length of time its over, then i would just hire a local guys to me and go up with them. not just anyone could work for the council as they have to show lots of documents and training certificates. as for misleading them, you have to tell the if you are subing it out or not.

 

[harunh]

charge on how long it will take u and how much u want to earn per hour /emoticons/smile.png

 

[Border]

Indeed...

Does anyone already sub for nationals and if so what is your opinion?

We do a lot of work for nationals so end up cleaning places like M&S, Lloyds Pharmacies, Curry's, BBC, Poundland, Boots, Specsavers, Thomas Cook, Thomson 1st Choice, Matalan, Comet, Wetherspoons, Argos to name a few. The money isn't huge, but when all the stores are close together - as they tend to be in shopping areas - they're OK. I'm not saying we'll be doing them forever if they get in the way of more profitable work, but they do add a few pounds to the bottom line. I wouldn't be so sure it was worth the effort for a one-man business as there will be more profitable work to select. The better paying jobs are Council work and housing associations where there are margins and volume.