Pricing past and present

[scottish cleaning service]

I was in China about 11 years ago, they had recently announced that they were going to monitor emissions from the polluting factories. Basically this meant employing people to look for smoke coming out of their chimneys. Unfortunately they didn't monitor them overnight so they changed their working methods and produced at night time.When we were in Shenzen at night time you could actually taste the smog.

On our first and last night we stayed on Hong Kong Island looking at the Kowloon Banking District and their fantastic night time light show. On our last night you couldn't see it because the smog from the factories in Shenzen, about 30 miles away, had drifted across.

Aye, China has over 600 coal fired power stations so they can produce electricity for their factories. Who supplies all their coal? Australia. When you dig down deep enough for the reason, it all points to one thing, money. Has anyone tried to do a job and there is no money in it? Its actually very hard because its always there in the back of your mind. Then think about a job you have done and there was plenty of money in it, its a joy to go to the job. That's why our public services are in such a state, little wage rises, no respect from politicians and wages are pretty poor. I was a prison officer and the reason they release prisoners early or tag them is because it costs too much to keep them in prison. Thats why that terrorist got out early to save the Government from building new jails. I quickly found out that prisoners have more rights when inside prison rather than outside looking in. All this liberalism begun in late eighties and it all comes from the EU. I couldn't believe what I was hearing when I joined in 1990, they even got thousands for slopping out. Now the liberalism cycle has peaked it will gradually move to the downside, especially when we leave the EU. I think the EU will follow when Germany begins to close car and tyre factories which are moving to China. I usually buy Continental tyres for van at £110 a pop plus fitting. My mate who is a tyre fitter now supplies me with Farroad Tyres (made in China) for £76 including fitting. No more German tyres for me now, I'm sticking with Farroad which only opened in 2008 now they produce 20 million tyres a year and growing fast.

 

[dmw]

Dont you just love how they keep brainwashing the masses via the news/internet regarding this climate change rubbish and how there answer to tackling climate change is put up our  taxes or for us buy new more new products i.e. electric cars and all the rest of it built out of plastics ect... 

If they actually cared about the environment governments would stop manufacturers using harmful, components. They would not close factories in Europe and push manufacturing to Asia/India where they don't care about pollution. They would keep the industry here where they can monitor it.

Agreed. Who'd heard of the term "Climate Emergency " six months ago?.

 

[fast_muchly]

I blame WFP merchants for climate change if wasn't for these pole merchants pouring god knows how many gallons down the drain to make 1 gallon that's purified  we would all be a lot better off .

Ooooooo I couldn't resist it ? ? ? chuckling .

Puts tin hat on and retires.

 

[Iron Giant]

As we have gone down the climate change route, first off we have no doubt seen thousands of litres of rain this year, yet no new reservoir's built or planned, yet they have talked about a future water crisis, Yet do not doubt we are plunging into an abyss regarding massive impact on our planet we are wiping out the lungs of our planet in the Amazon 1000's of species are being wiped out every year 

But hey ho, it's okay as long as us and our planet and our 1000's of year's of evolutionary species that have adapted  are being wiped out, for the masses it's no real consequence or worry as along as we are happy and fed, people need too really wake up and recognise we are really in the ? , If I had to live a really simple life moving forward I and my wife most absolutely would happily, over the sacrifice of us wiping out nature and animals on our lands and in our ocean's, It was their's long before our's!! 

Self preservation is a pile of hacky sacks, the world is over populated, and what the masses may have once being in touch with and respected is long gone, Rant over, half a bottle of port and some beers, but my belief's still stand peace out!!

 

[THL4KEL]

The root cause of the problem is greedy governments, they put into place legislation for companies to work around i.e. materials/components they can use to manufacture products. Products that are polluting eco systems globally. This backed up with companies who constantly need every year to show increases of profits to shareholders.

Roll the clock back forty years most households were lucky to have a car, a new one wasn't required every year, same with phones you had a landline people didn't need a new iPhone every year.

Milk was delivered in glass bottles via an electric milk truck, packaging was more paper based...

A lot of it comes down to the fact of how credit/debt has been given to the masses which is funding the constant purchasing of new products. Most of the time it's for a product i.e smart phone with a pathetic upgrade i.e three cameras in a phone. But thanks to marketing experts/media no one is happy with what they have..

Ask yourself who allowed us all to have this access  debt...

Another factor helping to increase profits for food manufacturers is plastic packing, prolonging the life of food so Tesco/Asda ect can sell products for longer, that backed up with filling the food with trans fats to increase its shelf life.. Everytime an Amazon package turns up how much waste is associated with each purchase just so that they reduce damage if goods.

Governments need to tackle the problem and getting Joe blogs to buy a plastic bag for 5p or even a quid is not the solution. Neither is getting motorists to buy a new electric motor full of plastic parts which is powered by fossil fuels/nuclear from a power station the answer either.

Great how the rich keep get richer thanks to global warming. 

 

[Window Cleaning Dublin]

The pricing is changing every year for us. The state is keep increasing the rate per hour so we need to recover our costs from the customers. Is not easy to explain a customer why a job that was 75 euro last year, is 85 euro this year. But after each budget, the diesel goes up by 2-4 cents per L, universal charge goes up, tolls up, etc.

 

[dazmond]

LOL at the Trad vs WFP Debate ?

I started off with WFP and the only time i do trad is on internal cleans and a few external shop fronts other then that we are 99.9% WFP ?

My prices are the same as they were in 2012 when i had first started up..... a price increase to my 2000+ customer base would see us lose a lot of customers which i can not afford! so can not see myself putting my prices up for a long time.

I know some people underprice and some are average and some are sky high... i class myself average piced in my area im not the most expensivest or cheapest either.

The problem with WFP is that everyone is now jumping on the bandwagon and a WFP system is available cheap, a lot of window cleaners prices do vary from one another, one person may charge £5.00 for a 3 bedroom house and another window cleaner in the same area will be charging £18.00 !!!

The difference is crazy... but the people who charge heavy prices will feel the hit in the next decade that we are going into... WHY ? ? ? ?

* People will be shopping about with window cleaners just like they do with phone contracts / insurance etc
* People do not care at this present time about there window cleaning price but in the next decade you will see people change window cleaner just for the price, the economy will be changing heavy in the next decade and the window cleaning industry will be a lot more competitive in the next decade.
* WFP is not a skilled trade - its on the same level as a car wash, car washes are now at rock bottom charging rock bottom prices and window cleaning will follow in them steps.
* We have customers who are pretty old and they will come and tell us... "oh i had a window cleaner offering it for cheaper but i told him to sod off"  the older generation has a lot of loyalty but the generations as they go along decade by decade the loyalty gets lesser and lesser.... in this day and age loyalty is a dying culture.
* You will get window cleaning companies competiting with each other just like Asda and Tescos compete with each other.


I suggest u all be prepared for the above because that will turn in to reality... we are about to enter a new decade and times are changing fast ?

That above is the reason i can not up my prices ?

I bet those window cleaners who charge £25.00 for a 3 bedroom semi house will be saddened by this post ? sorry guys but you should all be prepared for the next decade ? lol

people do not switch window cleaners like they do with gas/electricity providers......if you price fair and do a good job you wont be losing work very often.....its also hard to find a good reliable cleaner...once people do they dont tend to change to someone they dont know...its also about trust around their property......

not increasing prices is foolish...we all need to raise prices from time to time due to inflation...most customers understand this....

 

[scottish cleaning service]

I do one house on an estate with 4 and 5 bed detached houses. Woman text me today saying another 2 neighbours want their windows cleaned. I was travelling 8 miles to do one but now its 3 at £15 a time. Might end up with more because the last guy moved down south. There must be about 30 odd houses at around £300k so it will be worth my while now.

 

[scottish cleaning service]

I suggest u all be prepared for the above because that will turn in to reality... we are about to enter a new decade and times are changing fast ?

@Haz How do you know all this? Are you related to mystic meg? ?

 

[dazmond]

I do one house on an estate with 4 and 5 bed detached houses. Woman text me today saying another 2 neighbours want their windows cleaned. I was travelling 8 miles to do one but now its 3 at £15 a time. Might end up with more because the last guy moved down south. There must be about 30 odd houses at around £300k so it will be worth my while now.

this is how you build your round up.....soon you ll be banging out all 3 in a hour on regular cleans for £45...happy days...?.

 

[harunh]

people do not switch window cleaners like they do with gas/electricity providers......if you price fair and do a good job you wont be losing work very often.....its also hard to find a good reliable cleaner...once people do they dont tend to change to someone they dont know...its also about trust around their property......

not increasing prices is foolish...we all need to raise prices from time to time due to inflation...most customers understand this....

Yes @dazmond people do not switch like gas & electricity your right.... but in the next decade they will start to do that. Thats my opinion i can see window cleaning becoming competitive, each household will receive inviatation to switch window cleaning providers by 3/4 other companys in each area, this is how the market will become , i get like 5 different takeaway menus in my post and people will soon receive 3/4 different window cleaning offers in the post , some people will change but if they get a special offer for them to get £20.00 cash or something they will then go for it.

I seen a local window cleaner offering to clean windows free for 6 months if they switch the window cleaner lol so this is like happening now never mind in the next decade, the next 3-4 years is huge, everything will change and window cleaning will not be like what it used to be trust me mate.

Car washes years ago used to be a good business but in every town now they are run by european/kurdish who have low rock bottom prices, now all it takes is for them lot to buy a WFP system, start door knocking and offer rock bottom prices just like they do with car washes, and they can take over in quantity. 

Cheap WFP systems are easily available on the market and a lot of people are now looking into window cleaning so the market will become competitive in the next decade , no doubt.

 

[harunh]

@Haz How do you know all this? Are you related to mystic meg? ?

Lol u will be saying to yourself in a number of years....FCCUUKK.... that person on the forum was right ? ? lol 

 

[Suhrly]

Yes @dazmond people do not switch like gas & electricity your right.... but in the next decade they will start to do that. Thats my opinion i can see window cleaning becoming competitive, each household will receive inviatation to switch window cleaning providers by 3/4 other companys in each area, this is how the market will become , i get like 5 different takeaway menus in my post and people will soon receive 3/4 different window cleaning offers in the post , some people will change but if they get a special offer for them to get £20.00 cash or something they will then go for it.

I seen a local window cleaner offering to clean windows free for 6 months if they switch the window cleaner lol so this is like happening now never mind in the next decade, the next 3-4 years is huge, everything will change and window cleaning will not be like what it used to be trust me mate.

Car washes years ago used to be a good business but in every town now they are run by european/kurdish who have low rock bottom prices, now all it takes is for them lot to buy a WFP system, start door knocking and offer rock bottom prices just like they do with car washes, and they can take over in quantity. 

Cheap WFP systems are easily available on the market and a lot of people are now looking into window cleaning so the market will become competitive in the next decade , no doubt.

I disagree, respectfully, on quite a bit of what you say here. While I can see where you're coming from I think it will probably only apply to big towns and cities. I would like to think or more aptly, hope, that my customers (and other window cleaners customers) will be loyal. I know I've already had many of my customers say, 'there was a new window cleaner around here asking for custom but I told him I was happy with you'. To which I was very appreciative of. And I know when I was first starting out and knocking doors, many people were loyal to their current window cleaner. And good for them. I think, as you put it, if people from my neck of the woods had 'european/kurdish' guys knocking on their door they'd be VERY wary. (Hope that doesn't sound racist in any way, just being real).

Like I said at the beginning, I think the townies and city people will be different. I may be being very presumptuous with that statement but hey ho, so be it.

I honestly hope everything you said you'll be wrong as I wouldn't like to see things change for the solo guy (like me). We'll see I guess ?

 

[Window Cleaning Dublin]

15 pounds per 3 bed house? But how do people make a profit at that rate? I charge 75 euro for a 3 bed house - in and out, 1 hour. People would be worry if i charge 15 pounds (18 euro). I have insurance, office, diesel, etc.

 

[harunh]

I disagree, respectfully, on quite a bit of what you say here. While I can see where you're coming from I think it will probably only apply to big towns and cities. I would like to think or more aptly, hope, that my customers (and other window cleaners customers) will be loyal. I know I've already had many of my customers say, 'there was a new window cleaner around here asking for custom but I told him I was happy with you'. To which I was very appreciative of. And I know when I was first starting out and knocking doors, many people were loyal to their current window cleaner. And good for them. I think, as you put it, if people from my neck of the woods had 'european/kurdish' guys knocking on their door they'd be VERY wary. (Hope that doesn't sound racist in any way, just being real).

Like I said at the beginning, I think the townies and city people will be different. I may be being very presumptuous with that statement but hey ho, so be it.

I honestly hope everything you said you'll be wrong as I wouldn't like to see things change for the solo guy (like me). We'll see I guess ?

@Suhrly as you mention loyalty this is what i said one of my posts earlier...

* We have customers who are pretty old and they will come and tell us... "oh i had a window cleaner offering it for cheaper but i told him to sod off"  the older generation has a lot of loyalty but the generations as they go along decade by decade the loyalty gets lesser and lesser.... in this day and age loyalty is a dying culture.

The younger generation does not have loyalty like the older class.

Why would be people be "wary" about them being Kurdish/European ? what difference will it make if they are English ? none to me.. lol

Im asian and have a pakistani ethnic background... i think it has helped me in my business to be fair ? and when i first had started up people used to tell me no one wants pak* window cleaner ? so nah mate race plays no part in it in my eyes wether an english person knocks on the door or a kurdish geeza it makes no difference to me.

 

[mike007]

15 pounds per 3 bed house? But how do people make a profit at that rate? I charge 75 euro for a 3 bed house - in and out, 1 hour. People would be worry if i charge 15 pounds (18 euro). I have insurance, office, diesel, etc.

It is what the individual customer is willing to pay for having their windows cleaned....they are not interested about helping pay for their window cleaner to have a new van,diesel, insurance etc. they just want their windows cleaned.

 

[Skxawng]

15 pounds per 3 bed house? But how do people make a profit at that rate? I charge 75 euro for a 3 bed house - in and out, 1 hour. People would be worry if i charge 15 pounds (18 euro). I have insurance, office, diesel, etc.

It's a bit different in Ireland from what a friend who cleaned windows over there told me. They usually aren't cleaned as frequently or even on a regular schedule and they're usually a more in depth clean (as in, you're doing the insides too). Also a lot of driving about. A bit more like how people are here with gutter cleaning. Correct me if I'm wrong though.

The upshot is that you can't get as many houses done in a day so you have to charge more.

I have a compact round of very similar houses to the one posted for comparison earlier and I'm actually charging £9 each 4 weekly (external only, would be £27 for insides also) I can do 6 an hour or 4 if I'm taking it easy so manage about 30 houses in a fairly easy day. If they were more spread out and cleaned less frequently then I'd be charging more but as it happens, I'm at the high end of pricing in my area anyway. 

So at £15 I would be making a very respectable profit but I'd only win less than 15-20% of my quotes. I know that because my round is nearly full now so I've put prices up to £12 and only get 1 in 4 accepted.

 

[dazmond]

Lol u will be saying to yourself in a number of years....FCCUUKK.... that person on the forum was right ? ? lol 

doom and gloom merchant.......?

you seem to think that younger people have no loyalty which is absolute rubbish....they will not jump ship just because another window cleaner comes knocking on their door just because their a pound or two cheaper(if you already do a good job for a fair price and are reliable)......

people in general DONT LIKE CHANGE!...esp when it comes to window cleaners...i work mainly affluent areas and i find the more money/possessions they have,the more wary they are of people on their property.....they will absolutely NOT change to a window cleaner they dont know once you ve built up trust and reliability...your scaremongering IMO....?

 

[Martyn]

Anyone with an ounce of common sense is going to be wary of who they allow on their property and that should work in favour of the professional window cleaner, especially if one or two get bitten by dodgy types and word goes round on social media.

That said I'm glad I've only got ten years to go, if things do get that competetive it'll be no place for an old guy.

 

[Skxawng]

? I think @Haz is secretly working on www.comparethewindowcleaner.com ? Things are going that way though. Years ago, windys would do the majority of a street and the people who lived there had little choice as it was so difficult to find a new one. Now, the modern round seems to involve a lot more driving around and quoting customers from miles in all directions so I think competition is more of a thing than it used to be.

However, predictions and guesses of how the future will pan out consistently fall short compared to how things actually turn out. Or completely fail to see massive changes in the way things are done.

So I think it'll be a long time still before people are shopping around on comparison sites for window cleaners.

 

[Pjj]

Yes @dazmond people do not switch like gas & electricity your right.... but in the next decade they will start to do that. Thats my opinion i can see window cleaning becoming competitive, each household will receive inviatation to switch window cleaning providers by 3/4 other companys in each area, this is how the market will become , i get like 5 different takeaway menus in my post and people will soon receive 3/4 different window cleaning offers in the post , some people will change but if they get a special offer for them to get £20.00 cash or something they will then go for it.

I seen a local window cleaner offering to clean windows free for 6 months if they switch the window cleaner lol so this is like happening now never mind in the next decade, the next 3-4 years is huge, everything will change and window cleaning will not be like what it used to be trust me mate.

Car washes years ago used to be a good business but in every town now they are run by european/kurdish who have low rock bottom prices, now all it takes is for them lot to buy a WFP system, start door knocking and offer rock bottom prices just like they do with car washes, and they can take over in quantity. 

Cheap WFP systems are easily available on the market and a lot of people are now looking into window cleaning so the market will become competitive in the next decade , no doubt.

lol I don’t think si , yes others will canvas your work , and you will lose a few hear and there that’s a fact of life but cleaning free for 6 months what a load of rubbish , no one will do that , we are all in it to make money that’s not sustainable, we do some very and I mean very expensive  commercial work and will do odd bits as extras as a gesture of good will but not clean for free , no company can do that and stay in business, also with electricity who ever you get it from the supply is the same , window cleaning it’s not most will stay with there current cleaner beacause they trust them and know they will do a good job , I have customers that I know ime 3x the price that they have been quoted by others but they stick with us for the reasons already mentioned , cheap isn’t always best value for money .