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Help me with pricing

adamangler

Wakefield Window Warrior
Messages
4,263
Location
Wakefield
been negotiating some prices on a contract

originally quoted £8 windows

£10 to knock moss off from lower porch roof

£30 to clear guttering form 2 levels

He came back with wanting to pay £20 for the guttering but windows and porch price was acceptable

Bearing in mind these prices will be the basis for all the properties he has do you think those prices are acceptable?

not sure how long gutters will take as i have limited experience but i reckon 1 hour total for the job?

View attachment 7745

 
You've well underpriced that mate. The whole point in doing gutter work is that you can charge a premium, otherwise you are better off on the ground. Gutters should be £40 absolute minimum. Many out there are charging 80. I always ask 60, but this doesn't guarantee the job every time. 40 rarely gets knocked back.

 
This is just for the front.

And these are the prices that they will pay.

I've quoted more but been told no.

It's a lettings agency that will prove ide me with regular work year round. They have over 200 properties that will all want windows cleaningtwice a year plus add ons such and gutters/upvc and possibly carpets when required.

I would have quoted higher for a one off residential but this is not.

I suppose I will just have to see how it goes. No idea how long it will take.

And yes @Jimroot just ordered a gutter vac. Can't afford ladders as well ATM.

 
bad idea mate u need ladders to just incase u cant get it out

had one recently were the roof was wee rosemary tiles

the shards of broken tiles filled the gutter no vac left that out

 
Hmm. Yeh I know not ideal. It was one or the other as can afford both so decided vac as sometimes with ladders you can't get to awkward or set back gutters. I have a set of double ladders bit wanted triples with an ankalad standoff etc. Suppose I'll just have to hope I can get by till I can afford some. Maybe next month.

Cheers

 
been negotiating some prices on a contract
originally quoted £8 windows

£10 to knock moss off from lower porch roof

£30 to clear guttering form 2 levels

He came back with wanting to pay £20 for the guttering but windows and porch price was acceptable

Bearing in mind these prices will be the basis for all the properties he has do you think those prices are acceptable?

not sure how long gutters will take as i have limited experience but i reckon 1 hour total for the job?

View attachment 10990
£8 for 3 storey building :eek:. Take your petrol, tax and time off and what will you earn? Zilch.

 
When you say you quoted a price and they said no what do you think would happen if you wanted to let a property off them that was up at £500 a month but you only wanted to pay £400?

I can tell you the outcome would be they wouldn't barter with you which is what you should have done.

Have a price and stick to your guns don't let people dangle carrots in front off you just to get a lower price.

Rember as well they will want invoicing and will probably make you wait 30 days for your money factor in tax,ni,equipment admin time.

At the end of the day if you are happy with the price that is all that matters.

 
When you say you quoted a price and they said no what do you think would happen if you wanted to let a property off them that was up at £500 a month but you only wanted to pay £400?
I can tell you the outcome would be they wouldn't barter with you which is what you should have done.

Have a price and stick to your guns don't let people dangle carrots in front off you just to get a lower price.

Rember as well they will want invoicing and will probably make you wait 30 days for your money factor in tax,ni,equipment admin time.

At the end of the day if you are happy with the price that is all that matters.
Yeh I get that. I never negotiate with customers but this is different.

Thanks for all the advice.

 
Given the look of these houses i think you were right to go with the vac given the either or choice

Make or buy some slim end tools to get through smaller tile gaps

Expect lots of stoppages with blocked hose, and tile fragments at the tool end

 
Been using a gutter vac since day 1 of this business, I can tell you guaranteed you will be having ladders off on nearly every other job to do them right, especially older properties, blocked downpipes, broken tiles, slipped roof tiles covering the gutters, then for any moron thats fitted hogs in the gutters you need to get up there or leave the job. I was caught out loads at the start.

My gutter clear outs start at around £50, more if its a urgent call out to unblock a down pipe. Think of the investment you have made on the vac and each time you use it your depreciating its life, so charge more or tell them to get other quotes. Understand it's tricky if its a good contract but nothing worse than doing work under priced and gutters can cause you no end of extra time.

 
Cheers mate.

Looks like I will be needing ladders as well then. I'm just going to see how I get on and if the work turns out to be worth more investment i will do so. At least I've got a vac now anyway.

You're right though generally I would charge a premium for ad ons but work is work until I've got a full round then prices will go right up.

 
Well I did the job it was underpriced as I thought took an hour and half or just over 2 hours round trip. And the gutters wernt that bad so can only imagine it getting worse. Will see how it goes with the contract can't be travelling for 1 off jobs at that price but will be ok if I can get a few together.

 
He did mention wanting the windows done on every house 6 monthly then as and when on carpets and gutters but i think hes just trying me out at first to see how i get on, i dont mind taking a few jobs on the chin price wise if it means i can get some regular work off him, i shall just play it by ear and see what he comes up with next

what he proposed was giving me a monthly worksheet of work to be carried out that month that i could do as and when, this would work well for me.

If i can get in on the carpets as well would be a good earner, but the area is a 20 minute drive away so cant be dropping everything for a couple of window cleans.

 
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