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How much more for one off cleans ????

I’m getting a lot of calls for one off cleans thinking 2x or 3x what I would charge for monthly?

I don’t really want to be doing one off cleans need regular customers

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In an ideal world you don't want one off cleans but sometimes when you've just set up you have to take the money whenever you can. One good thing about one offs is that you can then canvass the area you're in and also you are very visible to neighbours when you are working and far more likely to pick the business up. Going out and making £30 pays your diesel for a few weeks.

 
Usually refuse one off cleans but if I get the feel that I may become a regular clean then I will do it. Got asked last week to clean a restaurant bar... hasn't ever been cleaned properly.

Usually the first thing I always say is... do you want this done on a regular basis. This time for some stupid reason I just figured he would as he approached me and seemed very keen.

I gave him a great price, one that could have been doubled for an initial clean because I figured I had it on the regular. 2 and half hours later, place is spotless I hand the invoice in and I say when do you want me back? To which he replied, "we will ring you". That old chestnut.

He then followed that by saying they don't want them cleaned alot, followed by we have interior glass that you could do next time.

Now usually I would say look maybe best you get someone else as I only do regular cleans but I'm waiting to see if he comes around. If he rings me few months from now then I'm going to give him a ridiculous quote and if he questions it then I will have my say. Honestly though I just want to tell him to bleep off but it's local and in a place where I have a block of work.

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I have never asked for payment in advance and have always been ok. It was a schoolboy error on my part not finding out the criteria before I did the job. I did it cheaper as if I got it regular it would be a handy 35 quid every week. I'll see if he comes around with the bad weather coming in now. I did him a big favour and I will let him know that when I hear from him again.

 
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Sorry should clarify. Payment in advance if house is for sale, or tennent moving out. Once bitten. 

Visit every property to quote, bit of chat as you walk around gives a feel for the customer. Normally just full name addresses and contact number is sufficient. Occasionally payment in advance please. 

 
One off work is always priced at hourly rate or part there of. 

Also a chance to pick up the gutters etc whilst your there. 

Many one offs I have quoted over the years actually turned to regular work. 
Same as myself I was kind with the price (too kind) in the attempt to get handy regular work. A lot of the time it pays off, this time not so much.

 
I never turn down one off cleans in fact I advertise that I do both regular and one off.  Why... Because so many round here don't so I pick up lots of end of tenancy/ house sales and lots of military married quarters before they move. I price high for all of these and most are happy to pay it. The other pros are you are out working so neighbours see you, some lead to regular work, some lead to add ons. Also for me I'm all about earning what I want to earn as quick as I can in a day. My window cleaning round will always be my bread and butter but I love days when I do add ons and one offs. I did a navy married quarter end of tenancy clean start of week insides and out £60. Less than 2 hours and the neighbour came out and said she doesn't want regular but took my number for when she leaves in April. I don't see why if you can fit them in you wouldn't do them even if need done on a saturday

 
Start as you mean to go on, simply don't. do them !


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Fair enough that's what you do your choice and your business you run so do what you prefer. But do you have Any reasoning behind this as you have just told a guy new to the game to simply not do something that earns many of us thousands maybe 10s of thousands a year.  I have full rounds that will always be my bread and butter. But when someone wants a one off if someone's happy to pay the inflated price I charge for that service why not! Are you really earning so much money that when someone moving house is happy to pay £60 to give there house a one off clean that takes less than a couple of hours including going from my house to there's and back you just turn it down. If you add up how many people want these weekly monthly yearly you are missing lots of wedge on top of normal rounds and add ons

 
Yes, your right, but I replied to someone who said they didn't really want to do one offs, 28 years of traditional window cleaning has has taught me not to get involved with work you don't want, that's the whole point of being your own boss, isn't it ? . Go for quality not quantity, if your in it for the long game, save your knees !!!


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I have never asked for payment in advance and have always been ok. It was a schoolboy error on my part not finding out the criteria before I did the job. I did it cheaper as if I got it regular it would be a handy 35 quid every week. I'll see if he comes around with the bad weather coming in now. I did him a big favour and I will let him know that when I hear from him again.
The same sort of mistake I would of made, being optimistic at  getting a reasonable commercial on the books.

But would not done so if it was a domestic house, do not do one offs,

 
Yeah i'm usually good at gauging people but I let the ball drop on this one. The annoying thing is I was at the shopping centre today and I had a quick look at the restaurant just to see if it has gotten dirty and guess what..... it's still bloody spotless!!! Jammy gits. Need the wind and rain to blow in the right direction and I will hear from them. Hurricane Ofelia or whatever her name is might sort that for me :D

 
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