Silly prices!!

[Dave Shaw]

True to a point but I always feel that your better off knowing what your letting yourself in for before you bite the bullet. My advice would be to go and work for a reputable trader first to idea and understanding of how everything works. That's what you did. I was an employee for fifteen years before I decided to work for myself all the way from leaving school and workin cash in hand up to working for a reputable commercial cleaning company. There's not much I haven't done as far as window cleaning is concerned and that's why it gets my back up when I see people labelling certain prices as "silly" when they obviously haven't a clue what they are talking about.


Sent from my iPhone using Window Cleaning Forums

 

[peter rogers]

If in one estate and no surprises like conservatory or extensions u can pop 7 to 8 out an hour     I have few new devol0ments imho like these and we  would advertise 6-8 pound       if there is two people out and I van do even more per hour if u secure the work tight together 

 

[richb77]

I think that like Dave says there is far too many variables to compare like for like. ibwork in three villages with no other windows cleaners so not much competion so prices slightly higher but in the town near i work there is loads so drives the price down. at the end of the day if we are getting individually what we are happy with then there is no issue as far as im concerned


Sent from my iPhone using Window Cleaning Forums

 

[adamangler]

At 40 per hour on your peak you must be brining in close to 1600 a week. That's just under the vat reg band and unless your a limited company your gonna be paying nearly half that 

Sent using the Window Cleaning Forums mobile app

If I was charging £12 for three bed semis on my work which is mostly walking distance from each other I'd be makin close to 60/70 per hour. That's nearly 2500 per week. I'm guessing you do quite a lot driving between jobs etc cos I can't see that happening. Either that or you only work a couple of hours a day.


Sent from my iPhone using Window Cleaning Forums

I would do about 3 x 3 bed semis an hour including driving. fairly steady trying to do a good job. Dont have much within walking distance. But I'm wfp van mount so pretty much all my work involves a van move, some times 30 seconds sometimes a few minutes. I prefer it that way I wouldn't want to do 6 an hour non stop next to each other. 6 houses at 6 quid or 3 at 12 might take the same time but it'd a lot easier on the body to do 3.

But I've only been cleaning windows 2 years not 2 decades so won't have the ultra compact stuff you have.

I work on average 5 -6 hours on the glass a day. But do other things as well. Carpet cleaning  yesterday,  gutters today.

 

[maddydog]

I know the estate the OP is referring to, I don't have any windows there but I clean a number of buildings in the nearby business parks. Much as it would be great to get £10 for one of those I think it would be a struggle, I'd happily do 25 of those for a days work providing they're all in a couple of streets - 5-6 hrs done and dusted. While I'm building up my own work it's a case of taking the rough with the smooth. I've got some large houses in the £40's and of course I'd rather do 4 of those for more money in the same time but as we all know they don't grow on trees.

I think the OP would agree that £150-200 a day is far more than a lot of blokes in his area will be getting for a days (relatively) unskilled work in his area.

 

[Matt123]

I know the estate the OP is referring to, I don't have any windows there but I clean a number of buildings in the nearby business parks. Much as it would be great to get £10 for one of those I think it would be a struggle, I'd happily do 25 of those for a days work providing they're all in a couple of streets - 5-6 hrs done and dusted. While I'm building up my own work it's a case of taking the rough with the smooth. I've got some large houses in the £40's and of course I'd rather do 4 of those for more money in the same time but as we all know they don't grow on trees.

I think the OP would agree that £150-200 a day is far more than a lot of blokes in his area will be getting for a days (relatively) unskilled work in his area.

I do agree if I had 25 within a couple of streets I would happily do them for £6 each. Apon reflection I can see why it has been qouted that way. All about playing the long game with new estates as more house go up I suppose.

 

[Dave Shaw]

 
I would do about 3 x 3 bed semis an hour including driving. fairly steady trying to do a good job. Dont have much within walking distance. But I'm wfp van mount so pretty much all my work involves a van move, some times 30 seconds sometimes a few minutes. I prefer it that way I wouldn't want to do 6 an hour non stop next to each other. 6 houses at 6 quid or 3 at 12 might take the same time but it'd a lot easier on the body to do 3.
 
But I've only been cleaning windows 2 years not 2 decades so won't have the ultra compact stuff you have.
 
I work on average 5 -6 hours on the glass a day. But do other things as well. Carpet cleaning  yesterday,  gutters today.
 
 
 

I get what your sayin there mate. Deffo wouldn't be worth you gettin out of bed if you was only doin 3 an hour.


Sent using the Window Cleaning Forums mobile app

 

[Hotwash window cleaning]

Come to Cornwall and compete with people charging 4.50 for houses with 8 windows and 2 doors,

Sent using the Window Cleaning Forums mobile app
 

When I first started years ago quoted this house at £3 as was in my road, so wouldn't have to move they said no thanks only pay £2 at the mo

the white windows only

Sent using the Window Cleaning Forums mobile app
 

 

[Hotwash window cleaning]

this says we can earn 40k a year,  which to a bloke working in a warehouse on 12k seems a hell of a lot, and he probably thinks he can be cheaper and earn 20 k

http://www.cleaning-matters.co.uk/page_291469.asp

 

[Cghwindowcleaning]

Like any trade/service/goods You will always get really cheap varying to the really expensive.

I never try to or would want to keep up with the £3-£5 brigade let them get on with it.I also don't see the point in going in really low on work and having to churn loads of it out just to earn a decent wage.

I know that we are all in different parts of the uk and the cost of living will very and effect pricing but I would never want to be the cheapest.

which would most of you prefer to do 200 houses a week at a £5 or 100 house at a £10?

I know which I prefer.

Of course if you go in high on quotes you won't get them all and it will take you longer to build a round but long term you will have a better business.

If you get every job you quote your to cheap.

 

[CHWS]

I've plenty of houses at £6 a full estate of them. I make plenty from it as they are all within walking distance. They wouldn't pay anymore either. In my area they are £6 houses and that's it, takes about 10 mins to do. They wouldn't afford to pay anymore. 

 

[Gazz]

I've plenty of houses at £6 a full estate of them. I make plenty from it as they are all within walking distance. They wouldn't pay anymore either. In my area they are £6 houses and that's it, takes about 10 mins to do. They wouldn't afford to pay anymore. 

Same sort of area as me then. Do you clean glass only?

 

[Dave Shaw]

Like any trade/service/goods You will always get really cheap varying to the really expensive.
 
I never try to or would want to keep up with the £3-£5 brigade let them get on with it.I also don't see the point in going in really low on work and having to churn loads of it out just to earn a decent wage.
 
I know that we are all in different parts of the uk and the cost of living will very and effect pricing but I would never want to be the cheapest.
 
which would most of you prefer to do 200 houses a week at a £5 or 100 house at a £10?
I know which I prefer.
 
Of course if you go in high on quotes you won't get them all and it will take you longer to build a round but long term you will have a better business.
If you get every job you quote your to cheap.

To be honest I'd rather do 200 houses a week that are all next to each other than do 100 houses a week that put mileage on your van like you've bin to the moon and back. Charging high sounds good on paper but in reality your always gonna be under threat of bein under cut by some one cheaper and that does just as good a job which means you probably spend a lot of your hard earned cash and time having to canvass/advertise for new work. Most guys that I know only charge high because they have to in order to make there business pay because their work is so spread out and not because that's what they value it at. I was lucky when I started on my own because I was given the chance to buy a well established round off my old empoyer that I had already been workin on for 10+years for a good price.


Sent using the Window Cleaning Forums mobile app

 

[adamangler]

To be honest I'd rather do 200 houses a week that are all next to each other than do 100 houses a week that put mileage on your van like you've bin to the moon and back. Charging high sounds good on paper but in reality your always gonna be under threat of bein under cut by some one cheaper and that does just as good a job which means you probably spend a lot of your hard earned cash and time having to canvass/advertise for new work. Most guys that I know only charge high because they have to in order to make there business pay because their work is so spread out and not because that's what they value it at. I was lucky when I started on my own because I was given the chance to buy a well established round off my old empoyer that I had already been workin on for 10+years for a good price.


Sent using the Window Cleaning Forums mobile app

Dave you make some good points but I agree with with cgh. 

The good thing is we can all do what suits us and there is no right or wrong, I know some lads down south out in the sticks do 30-40 quid plus houses an do 4-5  a day and that's all they do. I think we will all find what makes us happy and what we prefer doing thenough as long as we can do that it's great. 

I think the problem is, certainly in my area that theres many established window cleaners who have been doing it decades they have all the compact work and at cheap prices so when you are trying to build a round it's impossible to get compact work.  My idea of compact is having a house on the next street. 

I've only been undercut a few times, only work that I tend to lose is the newly canvassed stuff over the first few months which is normal.

The key is to believe you are charging a fair price and that you are good value for money and are worth it. I don't think I'm expensive in the slightest, I think I charge all fair price for the service I provide and the type of customer I want needs to be of the same mindset. If the customer thinks I'm too pricy well they would suit a cheaper cleaner better as I'm not interested in price sensitive customers. If you are winning your work on price alone that's when you are mostly likely to lose them to undercutters.

My van mileage last year was about 6k from window cleaning not too  bad.

I prefer higher prices and less work because it means less physical strain on the body, less admin chasing payments etc.

If you are looking to employ and grow massive you can price a bit lower to get the volume in and still turn a profit. If you are a sole trader who wants say 300 customers to me it makes total sense  to keep refining your round until you have the maximum profit in the least amount of time. 

Its funny you mention buying a round.  I've looked at dozens of rounds for sale and all of them have been like 4-5 pound houses cleaned trad. I have zero interest in buying that type of round and to me the round is totally worthless, I wouldn't pay 1x for it. I would rather pay a canvasser 2-3 times and lose a lot of it. In fact I'm currently investing a fair wedge into canvassing because I know it's going to pay off long term. 

Like I said we can all do as we please but the thought of cleaning someone's property for a fiver just makes me feel a bit ill. I just don't want to operate in that part of the market. I suppose I'm a bit snobby but I don't clean council houses ( apart from a select few) and generally don't clean terraced.

Also another point is that if like me you offer gutter cleaning and pressure washing etc then who is more likely to pay a decent wack for that doing? The detatched house which you clean for 15 quid or the cheap skate 2 bed semi who pays a fiver for his windows?

 

[Dave Shaw]

I've not bin comin on this forum very long but this I why I love it, to hear all the different views and opinions from very different areas. I've bin in the game for quite a long time but still have so much to learn. I think you can sometimes get blinded and stuck in your own ways.


Sent from my iPhone using Window Cleaning Forums

 

[Dave B]

To be honest I'd rather do 200 houses a week that are all next to each other than do 100 houses a week that put mileage on your van like you've bin to the moon and back. Charging high sounds good on paper but in reality your always gonna be under threat of bein under cut by some one cheaper and that does just as good a job which means you probably spend a lot of your hard earned cash and time having to canvass/advertise for new work. Most guys that I know only charge high because they have to in order to make there business pay because their work is so spread out and not because that's what they value it at. I was lucky when I started on my own because I was given the chance to buy a well established round off my old empoyer that I had already been workin on for 10+years for a good price.


Sent using the Window Cleaning Forums mobile app

It is rare i do more than 8 miles a day and that is only because my main area is 3.5 miles away from my house

Most of my work is on 1 estate and one of those roads i do 41 out of 200ish houses

It is just a fact we charge well round here 

If your area doesn't allow that then you should still be at the high end of what is acceptable in that area

I did a quote last night and told her £10

Honestly her reply was "£10 i was thinking £15 as you do my mum's for 10 and hers is a smaller house"

Obviously the price is competitive for the area

 

[Dave Shaw]

Don't get me wrong, I have my fair share of highly priced stuff. I have around three days a month which consists of driving around farms and cottages that range from 10- 50 quid and I also have a contract on the estate where I live with a facilities management company which consists of four blocks apartments, takes 9 hard hours to clean and pays 550 per month. In my employee days I cleaned everything from 99p(yes 99p) fronts for old lady's all the way up to 10,000 contracts for massive company's. not to blow my own trumpet but I'd like to think I've bin there and done that.
Alls I'm sayin is don't knock it till you've tried it and there's plenty of lads out that won't be able to charge high prices in their area even if they wanted to.


Sent from my iPhone using Window Cleaning Forums

 

[Gazz]

Just quoted another window cleaner. £6.00 for 5 Windows,frames,sills and doors. 

Ouch and there's people doing glass only for more. 

 

[Dave Shaw]

Just quoted another window cleaner. £6.00 for 5 Windows,frames,sills and doors. 
 
Ouch and there's people doing glass only for more. 

Just quoted another window cleaner??
Do you mean you just quoted another customer?


Sent using the Window Cleaning Forums mobile app

 

[Gazz]

Just quoted another window cleaner??
Do you mean you just quoted another customer?


Sent using the Window Cleaning Forums mobile app

I asked another window cleaner his prices. So I asked him for a quote. He thought I was a customer. I'm just checking the competition.

 

[Spartan]

Sneaky  :2_grinning: