Minimum pricing

[tench0771]

down my way £10 would be good price most be like £6 but there are a few be like £5 £3

 

[scottish cleaning service]

down my way £10 would be good price most be like £6 but there are a few be like £5 £3

I charge a tenner for 2 doors and 8 windows. No one bothers about the price bar one guy who wants me to renovate all his windows for that price but he works on a building site and think he doesn't have constant work. Even if I charged a fiver he still wouldn't be happy. In the end it's not my fault how he earns his money and I think he will be cancelling in the future.

 

[WombatPool]

I stuck with £15 as a minimum. That’s usually a front door and a couple windows. I had a call last week from somebody who wanted one kitchen window cleaned, that also came in at £15.

 

[Chris34]

I stuck with £15 as a minimum. That’s usually a front door and a couple windows. I had a call last week from somebody who wanted one kitchen window cleaned, that also came in at £15.

I had a small job to quote last week. On paper it came in at £20 so that's what I quoted, it will probably take 15 minutes but it's a cash payer pensioner who is always in. On reflection though in the future when I'm full I won't be taking on these types of jobs. The reason being is that by the time you've done the job, got the cash and had a brief chat about the dog dying or whatever then that time will easily be 25 minutes. My target now is £65 to £70 per hour so 25 minutes for £20 will be like 66% of my target rate.

Green Pro did a video on youtube about profiling your customers and deciding who fits your business, it's quite a good listen but I'd say most of it only applies when you've got plenty of work. I will be adopting a similar strategy once I'm full though.

Some smaller jobs can be ok, but often it's not the time cleaning the actual windows, it's the time for all the other stuff (locked gates, stuff in the way, customers chatting) that eats into your actual cleaning time.

I'm also going to be changing the way I quote to work out the time expected on collecting payment, moving cars, unlocking gates etc.

I am generally doing very well and 80% there now with the business but it's now about optimising it so it's absolutely bang on how I want it.

 

[scottish cleaning service]

As long as one has enough money coming in then you can always rejig things about. You can even drop cleans that take too long and are difficult. I noticed this when the customer says I can't get anyone to clean my windows, they do the first clean and never come back. Sometimes even when they are willing to pay a premium they still can't get anyone to clean. Always good when one is looking forward to a days cleaning. Last week I did my long run without the two hardest well I could say 3 hardest because as I need to move the van to clean the back of one, even made more money by getting asked to clean an internal. Will not be taking anyone nightmare cleans from now on.

 

[WombatPool]

I had a small job to quote last week. On paper it came in at £20 so that's what I quoted, it will probably take 15 minutes but it's a cash payer pensioner who is always in. On reflection though in the future when I'm full I won't be taking on these types of jobs. The reason being is that by the time you've done the job, got the cash and had a brief chat about the dog dying or whatever then that time will easily be 25 minutes. My target now is £65 to £70 per hour so 25 minutes for £20 will be like 66% of my target rate.

Green Pro did a video on youtube about profiling your customers and deciding who fits your business, it's quite a good listen but I'd say most of it only applies when you've got plenty of work. I will be adopting a similar strategy once I'm full though.

Some smaller jobs can be ok, but often it's not the time cleaning the actual windows, it's the time for all the other stuff (locked gates, stuff in the way, customers chatting) that eats into your actual cleaning time.

I'm also going to be changing the way I quote to work out the time expected on collecting payment, moving cars, unlocking gates etc.

I am generally doing very well and 80% there now with the business but it's now about optimising it so it's absolutely bang on how I want it.

I agree with your points I'm the same when I get really busy in future I will likely not take on little jobs like this single window as it was a one off clean and by the time I done the window had a chat ect ect time soon adds up all in all from the moment I left home until I got back was almost an hour and whilst on the surface £15 for one window seems ok the reality was very different. Probably the worst priced job I have completed so far if I'm honest but not complaining it is what it is. I'm taking on most jobs as they come my way but I can imagine one off small jobs like this would just be a pain the ass if I was flat out unless I incorporated into other work in the area at the same time but pricing higher could be a way around it though. Come to think of it now that’s what I should of done priced higher as it was a one off!

As ever, learning as i go..

 

[WombatPool]

As long as one has enough money coming in then you can always rejig things about. You can even drop cleans that take too long and are difficult. I noticed this when the customer says I can't get anyone to clean my windows, they do the first clean and never come back. Sometimes even when they are willing to pay a premium they still can't get anyone to clean. Always good when one is looking forward to a days cleaning. Last week I did my long run without the two hardest well I could say 3 hardest because as I need to move the van to clean the back of one, even made more money by getting asked to clean an internal. Will not be taking anyone nightmare cleans from now on.

I took on a new customer a couple weeks ago listed building the windows not in the best condition and the whole lot is just a nightmare to clean if I’m honest. Around the back I have to climb on a wall and lean over to reach windows across the back of the house I priced it £25 a month it’s not like it takes long to clean but it’s just awkward as you like. I won’t drop them now but it’s either a job I will in future or increase my prices.

Edit…. I’m dreading going back

 

[Clean zero]

That’s a good hourly rate me personally like to have a chat and some people you may be the only person they might see all day and I try to accommodate where I can obviously not over the top but so I can walk away feeling I’ve done a good job and left them happy

 

[WombatPool]

I was approached whilst cleaning last week by someone who was interested in what I was doing with the pole and pure water as hes never had a wfp cleaner before, anyway he started telling me his current window cleaner isn’t as thorough as he used to be and he can hardly get a word out of him and he finds it rude to the point that he’s tempted to find a new window cleaner. He told me the only reason he’s keeping him for now is they are both ex fire service so I guess a degree of loyalty comes into play.

I guess there’s chit chat which is normal and being so quiet to the point of coming across as rude to some folk.

I talk to all my customers but my favourite ones are those I never see!