Price Increases Advice

[laddergarder]

I've been at it a while, and when I started, there were guys out cleaning houses for £3/4. Most are gone now. But I knew back then I could get more than them, now over a decade later, I can see how your work can fall low.

Most of us just guess at how much our prices should go up. Between '07 and 2015, the minimum wage went up £1.20, however in the last 6 years its gone up double that, and I havn't really changed how often or by how much I increase my prices.

Now to save me from becoming the equivelent of the £3 a house windies that were around when I started, another ten years from now, I price everything off a multiplier of the minimum wage against the time the job takes. That way once I know how long a job takes, I can use a price per minute calc to see what it should be, or how much to increase it.

An example: 2022 - £9.41 MW × 2.5 / 45 (75% on site 45mins - 25% setup driving etc) × time job takes.

Costs will go up, if you don't increase your prices, it's work more or go bust. So its got to be done, there is only so much you can do.

 

[Robt100]

I've been at it a while, and when I started, there were guys out cleaning houses for £3/4. Most are gone now. But I knew back then I could get more than them, now over a decade later, I can see how your work can fall low.

Most of us just guess at how much our prices should go up. Between '07 and 2015, the minimum wage went up £1.20, however in the last 6 years its gone up double that, and I havn't really changed how often or by how much I increase my prices.

Now to save me from becoming the equivelent of the £3 a house windies that were around when I started, another ten years from now, I price everything off a multiplier of the minimum wage against the time the job takes. That way once I know how long a job takes, I can use a price per minute calc to see what it should be, or how much to increase it.

An example: 2022 - £9.41 MW × 2.5 / 45 (75% on site 45mins - 25% setup driving etc) × time job takes.

Costs will go up, if you don't increase your prices, it's work more or go bust. So its got to be done, there is only so much you can do.

I think the guy I bought the round from was one of those who stayed at his 1999 prices the whole time. Worked out the other day that a week in 2 of the villages worked out at less than minimum wage?

The aim will be to earn the same amount as now (or more) but do it in 2-3 days a week rather than 5-6 to be on a 4 weekly schedule.

 

[AlexJk]

I would not worry, because firstly, people get used to such ”business relationships” and would not make so easy a switch. Secondly, people appreciate QUALITY, and quality needs resources. So, explain the price increase from the aspect of quality

 

[Andy1979]

I put the price up on 2 jobs yesterday both very under priced! 
The first one I told her it was going up £2 she had a bit of banter and said sure no problem I was expecting her to leave she can be a little bit funny. So walked off to next door very happy told her it was going up £1.50 this one is a lot bigger house and is massively under priced she started pulling a face and said I’ll only have it done every 3 months then ? sorry but I only do 4 or 8 weekly cleans oh I’ll have a think then and let you know this house should be £17.50 on today’s rates she has been paying £11.50 for years ?

Looks like I’ve got a spot for a better priced job ?

just show’s you can never tell how there going to react.

 

[scottish cleaning service]

I'm beginning to realise that its good to fix the price right at the beginning rather than try and bump the price up later. I have plenty of low price jobs but they are my neighbours and it then becomes a head verses heart scenario. ?

 

[Robt100]

Just starting to tell the customers on the round I bought about the price rises. Had to laugh inside at the look on the old fellas face when I told him his £10 bungalow is actually at least £30 due to all the windows. He then proceeded to tell me the previous cleaner had only upped it from £7.50 a couple of years ago??

 

[Pjj]

Just starting to tell the customers on the round I bought about the price rises. Had to laugh inside at the look on the old fellas face when I told him his £10 bungalow is actually at least £30 due to all the windows. He then proceeded to tell me the previous cleaner had only upped it from £7.50 a couple of years ago??

Oh dear that sounds like it’s going to be an x customer ??

 

[Andy1979]

I'm beginning to realise that its good to fix the price right at the beginning rather than try and bump the price up later. I have plenty of low price jobs but they are my neighbours and it then becomes a head verses heart scenario. ?

Yeah I’ve got plenty of them aswell funny thing is when Christmas comes non of them even give me a card ? I must be a sucker!!!

 

[smearclear]

I said to a customer that i was putting up to £15 from £12 and he said he will have to think about it.  It is a three bed house and should be £15. I think with the cov19 about raising prices is a problem not a lot of work around. If i get new houses i do  2 and 3 bedroom at £15,  4 bedroom is £20, 5 bedroom is £25 if they have a conservatory i put on a extra £4 but old customers who are aprox £5 cheaper i have put on a couple of quid on. taken £10 to £12 or £12.50.

 

[BigFoot]

Had one yesterday asked for a price had a look at it and it was a pain in the backside plenty of glass I quoted a fair price of £25 he started sweating “the last cleaners done it for a tenner” when I asked where were they now he said they stoped trading I said im not surprise at that price! There were two of them    £5 each before expense! Of course I walked, some people want champagne service on beer money.  Had another today after setting her up on Gocardles I received a text saying the last cleaner did her previous full house for £12 and I’m charging £10 for only her front, I couldn’t be ar$ed, I text back no problem I’ve removed you from the list  ??
Same with price rises it’s my terms or they get the red card!

 

[scottish cleaning service]

Yeah I’ve got plenty of them aswell funny thing is when Christmas comes non of them even give me a card ? I must be a sucker!!!

Try giving them all a card and see what happens. ?

 

[Robt100]

Same with price rises it’s my terms or they get the red card!

I'm having to try and keep this method in mind with the price rises, as there is too much work anyway, and on current calculations the round is up to £1.5k underpriced a month, and I havent finished pricing it up yet, still 5 or 6 days work to go!! So can quite happily 'loose' half the customer base and still be on what I was at my old job before going window cleaning. But keep finding myself arguing internally about putting up the price fully or just some halfway house.

 

[ched999uk]

I'm having to try and keep this method in mind with the price rises, as there is too much work anyway, and on current calculations the round is up to £1.5k underpriced a month, and I havent finished pricing it up yet, still 5 or 6 days work to go!! So can quite happily 'loose' half the customer base and still be on what I was at my old job before going window cleaning. But keep finding myself arguing internally about putting up the price fully or just some halfway house.

Maybe work out what is either the section of customers who are at furthest to travel too or the worst work then put them up to a price you will be happy with. If you lose them then no biggie as they were further to travel or the work you most disliked ? If they agree then more money and do same again with rest of round. Do it gradually over a few months and you will be able to gauge how well prices are accepted, if not good then maybe reduce price a little maybe just bin off and replace with 'better' custys.

 

[Master Jedi Alejandro]

The past couple of months we’ve been severely limited in how much work we’ve gotten done due to snow & ice. What have I found? When I can go out I’m doing the highest value work and leaving the rest until the weather gets better. Never forget your in this for yourself & your family, not for the customer. If it’s too low put the price up or replace it. That’s my plan this year. Funny though, it’s taken reading through here to realise how I felt about certain jobs ?

 

[Iron Giant]

I'm having to try and keep this method in mind with the price rises, as there is too much work anyway, and on current calculations the round is up to £1.5k underpriced a month, and I havent finished pricing it up yet, still 5 or 6 days work to go!! So can quite happily 'loose' half the customer base and still be on what I was at my old job before going window cleaning. But keep finding myself arguing internally about putting up the price fully or just some halfway house.

Bleedin hell, I know you're up North like me but just don't how your jobs are so under priced, where abouts are you??

 

[Robt100]

Bleedin hell, I know you're up North like me but just don't how your jobs are so under priced, where abouts are you??

Not quite as North as you Giant....I was in east anglia so pretty much anything is north for me?
Based on the Notts/Derbyshire border. About 10miles from where Darren at GreenProClean used to be. Just below Sheffield
But this guys prices are about 40% of what GPC (and anyone else) charge. He started 22 years ago Trad, and as far as I can gather from a conversation with him recently has either never put the price up, or has put it up by maybe £1-2 over 22 years. By the time he retired he was already claiming 2 pensions, so I think they topped up what was lacking in price so he didnt change anything so as not to loose customers.

It just means that now on average (so far, still 4 days of work to price up) a house needs to increase by £10 each?
Doubled the price on 5 so far and had no kick back, so you never know, might end up with too much well paid work?
 

 

[Part Timer]

so you never know, might end up with too much well paid work?

Good luck with it, just one thing though, you can never have too much well paid work.

 

[scottish cleaning service]

You can always reject work if too much comes in. ?

 

[Robt100]

On those lines, I got a text today from one of the guys customers that I dropped. When I went to take over she said she already had a window cleaner, I assumed he had told her he was retiring and she found a new cleaner. Turns out she was meaning him. She text and said to clean when im there next and just leave payment details through the door............
A) its been 5 months since I took over, so shes obviously not a regular customer
B) it was a 3 or 4 bed semi with windows over extensions on tight paths down the side of the house and minging frames
c) it was £8

So going to have to politely tell her no. Picked up a smaller house for £20 down the road to take her place?

 

[Robt100]

Send off a small spreadsheet to the previous window cleaner to fill in about when the rounds were originally priced and when they were last increased.....

Most of it was 2000-2002....with a £1 increase since!
And then a few 2005-2010 again with maybe a £1-2 increase.

So looks like on inflation alone the prices can go up 60-80%?

 

[scottish cleaning service]

I was doing a pvc clean today and the guy was saying that 3 lads cleans his windows with ladders. They are in and out fairly quick and only take a fiver Trad the glass. I couldn't believe it as I would be £10 to £12 to clean them because its a 3 bed detached then he said they are every fortnight. So then I realised I'm much the same with every month but clean the frames, doors and garage door.