Another cheapskate story

[Dino]

Got called out to quote on a 5 bedroom detached and a really old farm house.  The detached had about 9 windows, nice easy job, I quoted £15 for every 4 weeks or £20 every 8.  The farm house (mothers) was just loads of glass, I quoted £40 every 4 weeks or £55 every 8 weeks.  To be honest I was too cheap on the farm house but I wanted the daughters work so thought what the heck.  Anyhow, they both opted for the 8 week quotes. 

Next day the daughter texts 'we decided we are gonna leave it for now, our old cleaner who stopped coming was doing mine for £12 every 8 weeks and mothers for £25 every 8 weeks and they did it by hand'.  I mean I know its swings and roundabouts with new business but I mean who would clean for those prices, you might as well clean for turnips.  No wonder they never went back.  Whoever said new cleaners pick other peoples rejects when starting out was bang on.  So glad I never did the first clean I just know that there would have been a problem and I couldn't really be bothered to re-negotiate.  The joys of being a noobe,  round is up to 64 regulars, just have to keep pushing through the **** to find those diamonds!  Hope everyone is getting ready for winter!!

Dino

 

[Part Timer]

I actually picked up a new one today, doing the house opposite. He told us his current window cleaner, that can only do the ground floor of a 3 bed detached house, charged him £2. I thought I was going to have to resuscitate him when I told him we were £12 for all of the house. After he recovered he said well as he's just been round we will leave it till next month, doubt I'll be doing that one very long.

 

[Incheck]

Love it Part timer, love it ?

 

[Iron Giant]

I actually picked up a new one today, doing the house opposite. He told us his current window cleaner, that can only do the ground floor of a 3 bed detached house, charged him £2. I thought I was going to have to resuscitate him when I told him we were £12 for all of the house. After he recovered he said well as he's just been round we will leave it till next month, doubt I'll be doing that one very long.

I doubt you'll be doing it all ?

 

[steve garwood]

I actually picked up a new one today, doing the house opposite. He told us his current window cleaner, that can only do the ground floor of a 3 bed detached house, charged him £2. I thought I was going to have to resuscitate him when I told him we were £12 for all of the house. After he recovered he said well as he's just been round we will leave it till next month, doubt I'll be doing that one very long.

£2 seems expensive for the north east ??

 

[Iron Giant]

£2 seems expensive for the north east ??

That's big money in Sunderland ?

 

[Tango]

Next day the daughter texts 'we decided we are gonna leave it for now, our old cleaner who stopped coming was doing mine for £12 every 8 weeks and mothers for £25 every 8 weeks and they did it by hand'

My immediate response to those people is "That's why they stopped coming - because they weren't making enough money on this job to survive"

My window cleaner was quite impressed with that line too lol.

With that said, I screwed up a tad just recently. Yesterday I did a £20 job. Gave it my all, met the householders when they got back, got that funny look from them that you know means they're gonna try something... took 1.5 hrs too. Today the bank shows they paid me £10 instead of £20. Tight sods. Always the minted isn't it. Anyway.. checked the carbon copy of my invoice and it definitely said £20. Then checked the phone recording... definitely said £20 and he definitely agreed to it.

Back of invoice clearly says if they are not happy with my service to contact me and i'll do my best to rectify this... they've never stated they weren't happy with my service. I'll leave it another week and then text them asking whats up. 

Anyway while i was there the neighbour asked me how much to do his. "How many windows and doors do you have?" I says. "Oh it's the same as theirs he says". Fair enough i thinks.. "That'll be £20" I says. He agrees... so today I gets there to find a bloody great conservatory on the back of the house.. and i mean huge. I did it but i wasn't overly impressed with his honesty.. or my stupidity at not asking to look round the day before. Lesson learnt.. (I keep saying that to myself lol).

Annoyingly neither want me back on a regular basis..  Still at least todays paid me cash.. for the full amount lol.

Think I'm going to have to change my terms...  think I'll be saying that I charge £35 an hour but then quote / invoice a "good will" price instead - which is valid as long as it's paid within 7 days. That way I'd like to think the majority will just pay up or actually contact me if they decide they want to scrimp (or better, pay me the extra if they take the mick!).

 

[Wind o kleen]

My immediate response to those people is "That's why they stopped coming - because they weren't making enough money on this job to survive"

My window cleaner was quite impressed with that line too lol.

With that said, I screwed up a tad just recently. Yesterday I did a £20 job. Gave it my all, met the householders when they got back, got that funny look from them that you know means they're gonna try something... took 1.5 hrs too. Today the bank shows they paid me £10 instead of £20. Tight sods. Always the minted isn't it. Anyway.. checked the carbon copy of my invoice and it definitely said £20. Then checked the phone recording... definitely said £20 and he definitely agreed to it.

Back of invoice clearly says if they are not happy with my service to contact me and i'll do my best to rectify this... they've never stated they weren't happy with my service. I'll leave it another week and then text them asking whats up. 

Anyway while i was there the neighbour asked me how much to do his. "How many windows and doors do you have?" I says. "Oh it's the same as theirs he says". Fair enough i thinks.. "That'll be £20" I says. He agrees... so today I gets there to find a bloody great conservatory on the back of the house.. and i mean huge. I did it but i wasn't overly impressed with his honesty.. or my stupidity at not asking to look round the day before. Lesson learnt.. (I keep saying that to myself lol).

Annoyingly neither want me back on a regular basis..  Still at least todays paid me cash.. for the full amount lol.

Think I'm going to have to change my terms...  think I'll be saying that I charge £35 an hour but then quote / invoice a "good will" price instead - which is valid as long as it's paid within 7 days. That way I'd like to think the majority will just pay up or actually contact me if they decide they want to scrimp (or better, pay me the extra if they take the mick!).

You should of left the conny ,

and when he pulled you up on it , should of says you told me you wanted the same windows cleaned as your neighbours 

 

[Tango]

I did wonder but I was hoping to get some regular work from it lol

Live and learn.. 

 

[Bart90]

Got called out to quote on a 5 bedroom detached and a really old farm house.  The detached had about 9 windows, nice easy job, I quoted £15 for every 4 weeks or £20 every 8.  The farm house (mothers) was just loads of glass, I quoted £40 every 4 weeks or £55 every 8 weeks.  To be honest I was too cheap on the farm house but I wanted the daughters work so thought what the heck.  Anyhow, they both opted for the 8 week quotes. 

Next day the daughter texts 'we decided we are gonna leave it for now, our old cleaner who stopped coming was doing mine for £12 every 8 weeks and mothers for £25 every 8 weeks and they did it by hand'.  I mean I know its swings and roundabouts with new business but I mean who would clean for those prices, you might as well clean for turnips.  No wonder they never went back.  Whoever said new cleaners pick other peoples rejects when starting out was bang on.  So glad I never did the first clean I just know that there would have been a problem and I couldn't really be bothered to re-negotiate.  The joys of being a noobe,  round is up to 64 regulars, just have to keep pushing through the **** to find those diamonds!  Hope everyone is getting ready for winter!!

Dino

Keep going mate, Before you know it you'll be at 300 and the messers will bother you less + you'll start smelling them a mile off.  That said, I still let some slip through the net even after 11 years on the glass.  They're like weeds . . . . . they keep coming back ? 

I lost one today. . .  Put the price up after 3 years by £1. . .  lol

 

[HWCS]

My immediate response to those people is "That's why they stopped coming - because they weren't making enough money on this job to survive"

My window cleaner was quite impressed with that line too lol.

With that said, I screwed up a tad just recently. Yesterday I did a £20 job. Gave it my all, met the householders when they got back, got that funny look from them that you know means they're gonna try something... took 1.5 hrs too. Today the bank shows they paid me £10 instead of £20. Tight sods. Always the minted isn't it. Anyway.. checked the carbon copy of my invoice and it definitely said £20. Then checked the phone recording... definitely said £20 and he definitely agreed to it.

Back of invoice clearly says if they are not happy with my service to contact me and i'll do my best to rectify this... they've never stated they weren't happy with my service. I'll leave it another week and then text them asking whats up. 

Anyway while i was there the neighbour asked me how much to do his. "How many windows and doors do you have?" I says. "Oh it's the same as theirs he says". Fair enough i thinks.. "That'll be £20" I says. He agrees... so today I gets there to find a bloody great conservatory on the back of the house.. and i mean huge. I did it but i wasn't overly impressed with his honesty.. or my stupidity at not asking to look round the day before. Lesson learnt.. (I keep saying that to myself lol).

Annoyingly neither want me back on a regular basis..  Still at least todays paid me cash.. for the full amount lol.

Think I'm going to have to change my terms...  think I'll be saying that I charge £35 an hour but then quote / invoice a "good will" price instead - which is valid as long as it's paid within 7 days. That way I'd like to think the majority will just pay up or actually contact me if they decide they want to scrimp (or better, pay me the extra if they take the mick!).

Why wait a week, theyve clearly underpaid you, id be contacting them straight away

"Sorry to bother you, but i was just balancing up bank account and invoice book and noticed that youve made a mistake while paying the last invoice. Outstanding balance is £10.00 and payment within 7 days would be appreciated"

My invoices all read

'Payment within 48hrs where possible is appreciated'

As for matey with the conny, id simply have given him a knock mid job and said "really sorry but you never said you had a conservatory, the actual prive for all windows and conservatory is £28/30"

Then the onus is on him to decide if he wants it done.

Just curious but if it took you 1.5hrs to earn £20 across the road and he had a huge conny, how long did it take you to earn his £20?

Dont tell people your £35 an hour, as people will puke in their mouth, i aim for minimum £20 p/h, today i got £177 for 9-3 so today i hit nearly £30 an hr.

Nobody will mind a £15 clean taking 15mins and you doing a decent job, but as soon as you start telling ppl you want £35 an hr they will question it.

In poker we habe a saying 'giq' get it quietly ??

 

[Pjj]

My immediate response to those people is "That's why they stopped coming - because they weren't making enough money on this job to survive"

My window cleaner was quite impressed with that line too lol.

With that said, I screwed up a tad just recently. Yesterday I did a £20 job. Gave it my all, met the householders when they got back, got that funny look from them that you know means they're gonna try something... took 1.5 hrs too. Today the bank shows they paid me £10 instead of £20. Tight sods. Always the minted isn't it. Anyway.. checked the carbon copy of my invoice and it definitely said £20. Then checked the phone recording... definitely said £20 and he definitely agreed to it.

Back of invoice clearly says if they are not happy with my service to contact me and i'll do my best to rectify this... they've never stated they weren't happy with my service. I'll leave it another week and then text them asking whats up. 

Anyway while i was there the neighbour asked me how much to do his. "How many windows and doors do you have?" I says. "Oh it's the same as theirs he says". Fair enough i thinks.. "That'll be £20" I says. He agrees... so today I gets there to find a bloody great conservatory on the back of the house.. and i mean huge. I did it but i wasn't overly impressed with his honesty.. or my stupidity at not asking to look round the day before. Lesson learnt.. (I keep saying that to myself lol).

Annoyingly neither want me back on a regular basis..  Still at least todays paid me cash.. for the full amount lol.

Think I'm going to have to change my terms...  think I'll be saying that I charge £35 an hour but then quote / invoice a "good will" price instead - which is valid as long as it's paid within 7 days. That way I'd like to think the majority will just pay up or actually contact me if they decide they want to scrimp (or better, pay me the extra if they take the mick!).

To be fair the conservatory situation is of your own making Always check and look for yourself to confirm that it’s what you are expecting , could be the same as next doors and have stuff in the way or difficult access due to a shed etc so the price might be more than the one you have just done . 

As for the paying you £10 instead of £20 that’s not on it’s difficult to approach them about it but don’t let them rip you off . You need to stress to them the price you are giving them is for a 4 or 8 weekly clean a one off will be ???? I think you arnt explaining this to the customers properly , we never get theses situations and we have several thousand customers , Ime not criticising you Ime just trying to point out how you can stop this situation from happening again , if you suspect they want a one off clean but claim they want a regular one say the first clean price will be £25 as it will take a lot longer to get it up to speed but all subsequent cleans will be £10 or what ever . 

 

[Oli]

Same as what Pjj has said. I always state  clearly that the price I’ve given is for a regular monthly clean by text, email, fb messenger etc. Or if it’s a walk up take their number and confirm the price again by text. 

The messers will say something like “Ok then we’ll give it a try and see” or “oh does it have to be every month?” This sets the alarm bells ringing! 

 

[Tango]

The messers will say something like “Ok then we’ll give it a try and see” 

Yup, that's exactly what they both said lol

 

[mike007]

Got called out to quote on a 5 bedroom detached and a really old farm house.  The detached had about 9 windows, nice easy job, I quoted £15 for every 4 weeks or £20 every 8.  The farm house (mothers) was just loads of glass, I quoted £40 every 4 weeks or £55 every 8 weeks.  To be honest I was too cheap on the farm house but I wanted the daughters work so thought what the heck.  Anyhow, they both opted for the 8 week quotes. 

Next day the daughter texts 'we decided we are gonna leave it for now, our old cleaner who stopped coming was doing mine for £12 every 8 weeks and mothers for £25 every 8 weeks and they did it by hand'.  I mean I know its swings and roundabouts with new business but I mean who would clean for those prices, you might as well clean for turnips.  No wonder they never went back.  Whoever said new cleaners pick other peoples rejects when starting out was bang on.  So glad I never did the first clean I just know that there would have been a problem and I couldn't really be bothered to re-negotiate.  The joys of being a noobe,  round is up to 64 regulars, just have to keep pushing through the **** to find those diamonds!  Hope everyone is getting ready for winter!!

Dino

You did your job and quoted what you would do the job for. The customer declined to go ahead...or at least for now. They may get another quote which is more expensive than yours and come back to you if they want their windows done.Or they may get a cheaper quote and go ahead with that and find out that the windie does the job and never comes back because he/she finds they have under quoted?.Anybody or has had every quote accepted is undercharging for their services or the most silver tongued devil ever to walk this Earth.

 

[dazmond]

are you guys just starting out?...sounds like your  "messer" magnets at present......you need to exude an air of confidence and act like you dont care whether you get the job or not(i genuinely dont!),set out your stall from the off(frequency,price,payment method or a one off job)

i would not be happy to receive £10 for an agreed £20 job and would phone them up straight away,it might just be a misunderstanding or maybe you ve done a bad job?have you contacted them?

 

[johnny bravo]

My immediate response to those people is "That's why they stopped coming - because they weren't making enough money on this job to survive"

My window cleaner was quite impressed with that line too lol.

With that said, I screwed up a tad just recently. Yesterday I did a £20 job. Gave it my all, met the householders when they got back, got that funny look from them that you know means they're gonna try something... took 1.5 hrs too. Today the bank shows they paid me £10 instead of £20. Tight sods. Always the minted isn't it. Anyway.. checked the carbon copy of my invoice and it definitely said £20. Then checked the phone recording... definitely said £20 and he definitely agreed to it.

Back of invoice clearly says if they are not happy with my service to contact me and i'll do my best to rectify this... they've never stated they weren't happy with my service. I'll leave it another week and then text them asking whats up. 

Anyway while i was there the neighbour asked me how much to do his. "How many windows and doors do you have?" I says. "Oh it's the same as theirs he says". Fair enough i thinks.. "That'll be £20" I says. He agrees... so today I gets there to find a bloody great conservatory on the back of the house.. and i mean huge. I did it but i wasn't overly impressed with his honesty.. or my stupidity at not asking to look round the day before. Lesson learnt.. (I keep saying that to myself lol).

Annoyingly neither want me back on a regular basis..  Still at least todays paid me cash.. for the full amount lol.

Think I'm going to have to change my terms...  think I'll be saying that I charge £35 an hour but then quote / invoice a "good will" price instead - which is valid as long as it's paid within 7 days. That way I'd like to think the majority will just pay up or actually contact me if they decide they want to scrimp (or better, pay me the extra if they take the mick!).

£35 per hour is not bad for a unskilled worker.     well I know we will call ourselfs skilled.   

 

[Jjs window cleaning service]

I had one yesterday that asked for a price for gutter clearance and window clean

Anyway I forgot to include gutter clearance in the quote

I quote 25 1st clean

Then 20 8 weekly or 15 4 weekly

She expected for the 25 that I should also clear the gutters out too, when I told her gutters would be 50.00 on top of original quote...the conversation suddenly dried up ?

 

[Davy G]

You did your job and quoted what you would do the job for. The customer declined to go ahead...or at least for now. They may get another quote which is more expensive than yours and come back to you if they want their windows done.Or they may get a cheaper quote and go ahead with that and find out that the windie does the job and never comes back because he/she finds they have under quoted?.Anybody or has had every quote accepted is undercharging for their services or the most silver tongued devil ever to walk this Earth.

Agreed, I think most of us aim for about an 80 or possibly 90 percent success rate with quotes.

 

[Davy G]

£35 per hour is not bad for a unskilled worker.     well I know we will call ourselfs skilled.   

There is a degree of skill involved. It's not over complicated for sure. But have a think on what's actually involved. :

Dealing successfully with the different types of customers 

Cleaning techniques 

Equipment maintenance and repairs 

Water processing and the maintenance and repair of that equipment. 

Round management 

Managing accounts 

Managing insurances 

Managing tax

It's not over complicated but imagine if we had to pay for equipment maintenance and repairs for a start. 

Not every man in the street would be able to do it. 

Not every man in the street would have the drive and motivation to do what we do 

And don't forget the £35 per hour is a long way from all profit. 

I'm proud of what we do and it's given me the best lifestyle and the most freedom I've ever had. I can finally get stuck in without bosses or, as was more often the case, small minded work colleagues holding me back. ??

 

[dazmond]

There is a degree of skill involved. It's not over complicated for sure. But have a think on what's actually involved. :

Dealing successfully with the different types of customers 

Cleaning techniques 

Equipment maintenance and repairs 

Water processing and the maintenance and repair of that equipment. 

Round management 

Managing accounts 

Managing insurances 

Managing tax

It's not over complicated but imagine if we had to pay for equipment maintenance and repairs for a start. 

Not every man in the street would be able to do it. 

Not every man in the street would have the drive and motivation to do what we do 

And don't forget the £35 per hour is a long way from all profit. 

I'm proud of what we do and it's given me the best lifestyle and the most freedom I've ever had. I can finally get stuck in without bosses or, as was more often the case, small minded work colleagues holding me back. ??

if i was only earning £35 an hour window cleaning id put my prices up sharpish......?or speed up my cleans(or both!)