first cleans

[TolishAPurd]

Trad pole work sucks. If a house has too many poleing windows I just recommend that they go with a WFPer. One day I may just build one of those trolleys.

 

[Smurf]

I take my hat off to folk that can consistently do a good job tradding with a pole at height as they make it look so easy.

 

[Bingo]

^^^^Cheers Smurf /emoticons/biggrin.png.

 

[Smurf]

You've very welcome @Bingo /emoticons/biggrin.png

 

[gray4]

Started to get a lot of work from a old boy's

Run he cutting his run down he must be 60+ and not been to sum for a long time so most is like a first clean only problem is he only charged £2:50 and sum are horrified when I say between £4/6 most think am at it trying to explain would u work for × amount a hour just wondering how sum of use would approach this ?

 

[Smurf]

Myself I would laugh and walk away if they still wanted to pay £2.50 for a window clean as my minimum charge is £10 no matter how small the job is.

If ppl can’t afford to pay £10 a clean then to be honest I don’t want their business.

 

[dave_m141]

Yeah my minimum is £8 . Although i really a tenner minimum but as I'm starting out I want customers first!

Trad pole sucks. I hate it when I have to do it.

Backpack or trolley I think is the next investment for me. Even at these early stahes!

 

[cheapncheerful]

Started to get a lot of work from a old boy'sRun he cutting his run down he must be 60+ and not been to sum for a long time so most is like a first clean only problem is he only charged £2:50 and sum are horrified when I say between £4/6 most think am at it trying to explain would u work for × amount a hour just wondering how sum of use would approach this ?

thats a hard one to solve....but really £2.50....all new work must surely expect a rise as that is usually why the other guy has left it.

..the one the other day i managed to get the sum of £6 as the last charge, i was kinda disappointed but i haven't done it yet and it probably will slip up a bit...so far i have three of the ten houses in the middle of nowhere so its going to be good if i can just get stuck in...i have already learnt one is out on a wednesday....filed away for my next clean..as you learn about the habits you can speed things up a bit..i am getting a bit old to keep gabbing to peoples now though

 

[TolishAPurd]

£2:50 is not even worth the energy of getting your ladder off the van.

 

[cheapncheerful]

yes i was trying to figure out my lowest...and i think its the £3 one i mentioned recently but that doesnt really count as its on my round so i already have my ladders on my shoulders...of course i will tell everyone on here like house prices different parts of the country have different prices to pay for windowcleaning....thats life.../emoticons/smile.png

 

[gray4]

The average price round my way for ur standard council house is £5 I have houses ranging from £1:50 to £70 the £70 one is a big house but really not that many windows I actually priced it at £50 because it only takes 30/ 45 min but the guy was like far to cheep son I will give you £70 that was about a year ago and true to his word every month £70 sitting waiting on me

 

[Smurf]

Hi @gray4 if you don't mind me asking just curious now you have said that how many more windows & glazed doors does the £70 clean have than say the council house clean at £5?

Reason why I’m asking I live in an x council 3 bed mid terrace house that has the following:

1 x front door

6 x window frames at the front. 2 fixed 4 with one opener per frame

1 x patio door

3 x window frames on the back. One opener per frame

Plus a 3.5m x 5m conservatory on the back which has

1 x set of French doors

12 x window frames. (8 fixed & 4 with top openers)

Needless to say the patio door & 1 x (kitchen) window frame is now internal so is cleaned when doing an inside clean.

I charge others at least £25 per monthly clean if included there conservatory sides or £10-15 without.

Next door is a standard council house but different design that I charge £12 per monthly clean

Which has the following:

2 x half glazed upvc doors at the front. The one on utility shed has a glass panel too.

3 x upvc front window frames with (2 openers in each frame)

1 x upvc window frame in the utility shed has no openers

1 x back door & glazed side panel

3 x upvc window frames on the back (2 openers on each frame)

Most of the 2 story council estate houses I clean are £10 or more to do monthly. The 3 storey ones I charge even more to do.

I think I charge a fair price for each job to be honest but guess up north it’s much different to down south as some window cleaners seem to be stuck in a time warp on pricing.

The average price round my way for ur standard council house is £5 I have houses ranging from £1:50 to £70 the £70 one is a big house but really not that many windows I actually priced it at £50 because it only takes 30/ 45 min but the guy was like far to cheep son I will give you £70 that was about a year ago and true to his word every month £70 sitting waiting on me

 

[gray4]

The standard council house up here has 8 windows 4 at the front 4 at back and 2 small windows on front and back door sum have 1/2 side windows if its at end of block

£70 house has 12 large windows and a conservatory with 14 windows but i can reach without ladders also clean inside conservatory

 

[Smurf]

Thanks, so on council homes you are roughly charging 50p per frame & doors or less for a regular monthly clean and slightly more for that bigger private bungalow.

Do you charge extra for first cleans?

The standard council house up here has 8 windows 4 at the front 4 at back and 2 small windows on front and back door sum have 1/2 side windows if its at end of block£70 house has 12 large windows and a conservatory with 14 windows but i can reach without ladders also clean inside conservatory

 

[gray4]

All my council houses are mostly every 2 weeks . When I price a job I normally will charge 50p per window then add extra if say I don't have much work in that area I add extra also for things like hight or if say thay look like a pain in the butt getting to I have one I no I shouldn't do it but ladders on top of hut to get to top window

 

[rugbywolf]

I usually just tell them that I won't charge extra for a first clean like many other window cleaners do, but instead just explain that as it a first clean there may be a bit of spotting that may appear as all the dirt and previous soap is being scrubbed out.
They are always fine with this and it covers your arse until next time. If they don't like it then I would say "ok I'll get them perfect but it will cost you more"

Yes, that's exactly what I do. I new a chap years ago who would do them free for the first time. The other thing here is that if you take some time the first clean then they are up to scratch after that.

 

[Smurf]

Fair enough bud and many thanks for taking the time to explain :thumbsup:

All my council houses are mostly every 2 weeks . When I price a job I normally will charge 50p per window then add extra if say I don't have much work in that area I add extra also for things like hight or if say thay look like a pain in the butt getting to I have one I no I shouldn't do it but ladders on top of hut to get to top window

 

[cheapncheerful]

yep me have similar prices for same type houses....been £5 probably for 8 years maybe more but if ....some better work comes along.....

 

[TolishAPurd]

I charge £1 per window. If they are georgian its £2, lead-(new style)£2, Old style £3 depending on the style (new or old)

£2 for french doors.

Tally the whole lot up and add a pound.

And then add a pound or two if its got a few awkward things like access problems etc.

My average house is about £14, and my cheapest is £8 (7 windows).

I use this method to work out quotes over the phone and I rarely underquote or get it wrong unless I forget to ask the style of the window .

 

[rugbywolf]

So... Recently I've been getting up n running with more customers. Most have had no previous window cleaner so you can imagine the state of them.
My question is.. do you charge double or not for the first clean?

I've been there an hour each time and when your scrubbing away for like £8/ £12 for the hour. I think that's pretty ***** and demoralising.

How to customers take it saying that the first clean your charging double or almost double but then goes down to a set monthly payment after?

I had a new one yesterday, it was very bad, not been cleaned for years. When I looked at the job I thought about £10 should do it, and the customer was happy with that. So yesterday I left it 'til last so that I could give it some time. I always give first cleans a good doing, so I noted the time and got stuck in. Well they looked brilliant when I had done, and it took 35 minutes. Not bad I thought, I can knock 10 minutes off that, and from now on they will be up to standard, and I will be in on the time. So that's what I'd say to anyone if asked about first cleans.