Help pricing this

I have a commercial window cleaning job, and there’s about 3000 windows to clean. The measurements are 1 metre by 2 metres. Also have to clean the frames. 

How is much should I charge per window this size? 

Jpr said:

I have a commercial window cleaning job, and there’s about 3000 windows to clean. The measurements are 1 metre by 2 metres. Also have to clean the frames. 
 
How is much should I charge per window this size? 

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Jesus, that's alot of windows!

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How high, because if you're working above 25' you need to take that into account. Would think if only 2 or 3 floor building you should be able to do 2 windows per minute so approx 3.5 days work for 1 man. 

I'm assuming good access and windows close to each other. I would think if you're working on the old £1 a window scenario you'll be miles out. Could be wrong but for me anything above £1000 is really good business. 

If it's 4 floors, or higher, then allow for considerably more time. 

So therefore I should ask for £1 each window? 

So maybe should ask for £3000? Isn’t £1 a window too low?

Allow for coma time as well. I would be brain dead half way through that. (Or should I say more brain dead than I am now. ?)

As @Part Timersays, height is the main factor to consider.  For me, I would first try and clean a couple of glass panels to see whats involved and to get an idea of time it would take you. At 2 meters high I would have to rock backwards and forwards to clean that height in one stroke. So whilst 30 seconds a window could be achieved to start with, I certainly wouldn't be able to maintain that pace.

There are a few other questions as well. Have you got the water availability, van tank size and r/o to keep up with water demand to clean that amount of glass? What are the customers expectations as far as quality is concerned? How are you going to deal with baked on bird strikes? When were they last cleaned? Have you got the ability and stamina to take the job on? Is it possible to subcontract some trusted person to help? Can you afford to put your regular customer's cleans on hold whilst you devote time to this clean?

.

@spruce

the problem is that the person who got me the contract isn’t helping. She just told me it was about 3000 windows, 1 metre by 2 metres and that she could only tell me the place once I price the job and that I’m 100% sure I’m the one the will be doing the job. 

The furthest window is probably around 20m heigh. And I think they only get the windows cleaned once a year. It will be my self and my employee, we work well together and will be using each a wfp window cleaning. 

I need to to give a price by tomorrow, I’ll get told today for sure how many windows it is and I’ll have a drawing of the building. 

Jpr said:

she could only tell me the place once I price the job and that I’m 100% sure I’m the one the will be doing the job. 

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Sorry luv, not for us thank you!  

She can not seriously expect you to quote a job you cant see and if your aiming for any sort of professionalism you shouldn't even be entertaining pricing a job you cant see. 

Jpr said:

I have a commercial window cleaning job, and there’s about 3000 windows to clean. The measurements are 1 metre by 2 metres. Also have to clean the frames. 
 
How is much should I charge per window this size? 

Click to expand...

You'd be mad to quote blind on a job this size.
Why are all the details being kept from you?

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Jpr said:

@spruce

the problem is that the person who got me the contract isn’t helping. She just told me it was about 3000 windows, 1 metre by 2 metres and that she could only tell me the place once I price the job and that I’m 100% sure I’m the one the will be doing the job. 

The furthest window is probably around 20m heigh. And I think they only get the windows cleaned once a year. It will be my self and my employee, we work well together and will be using each a wfp window cleaning. 

I need to to give a price by tomorrow, I’ll get told today for sure how many windows it is and I’ll have a drawing of the building. 

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They are using your estimation as a lever to beat their regular cleaner down in price.

As @Green Pro Clean Ltd says, there is something not right when someone wants you to quote a job without seeing it. I wouldn't even entertain this. There is no way you are going to be able to clean a window 3 x 1 20 meters high in 30 seconds for very long.

Have you got a 60' pole?

"Sorry Luv, this is not for us" is a perfect response.

We clean this school building once a year. Believe it or not my SLX 40 is extended to between 30 and 35'. Due to streaking, we have to do one section of the window at a time. So we start on the left and clean the top run of windows, then start again and clean the second row of the top windows and then do the same again for the bottom row of the top story.

I can only get half way before I'm too tired to work the pole and son does the remainder. We then do the same for the second and third row of the top run. I couldn't imagine working at 60' with that number of windows.

It gets easier with the 1st floor and ground florr as I use my SLX22.

That section including the cawl panels either side take us 2.5 hours. Its taken us the same time for the last 8 years we have done the job despite us trying to reduce the cleaning time. Welded on bird strikes are a real problem on these windows, especially as we are a coastal town with a thriving seagull population.

No site visit no quote simple as. That aplyes to domestic let alone commercial. Of it seams off at the start confidence in getting payed plumits. So there fore why risk it.

Jpr said:

So maybe should ask for £3000? Isn’t £1 a window too low?

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Doubt that you would get anywhere near that, might be wrong. After reading further posts I would be very concerned about why they are behaving the way they are. Very unprofessional and underhand, as @Green Pro Clean Ltdsaid if you can't get to see it you can't price it. 

If you want to persist then a £3k quote and proforma payment would be required for me. 

spruce said:

View attachment 13744

We clean this school building once a year. Believe it or not my SLX 40 is extended to between 30 and 35'. Due to streaking, we have to do one section of the window at a time. So we start on the left and clean the top run of windows, then start again and clean the second row of the top windows and then do the same again for the bottom row of the top story.

I can only get half way before I'm too tired to work the pole and son does the remainder. We then do the same for the second and third row of the top run.

It gets easier with the 1st floor and ground florr as I use my SLX22.

That section including the cawl panels either side take us 2.5 hours. Its taken us the same time for the last 8 years we have done the job despite us trying to reduce the cleaning time. Welded on bird strikes are a real problem on these windows, especially as we are a coastal town with a thriving seagull population.

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Should get a 45cm soft flocked brush 4 jets, hot water and a scraper. You'll do that on your own in 3 hours ?

Part Timer said:

Doubt that you would get anywhere near that, might be wrong. After reading further posts I would be very concerned about why they are behaving the way they are. Very unprofessional and underhand, as @Green Pro Clean Ltdsaid if you can't get to see it you can't price it. 

If you want to persist then a £3k quote and proforma payment would be required for me. 

Should get a 45cm soft flocked brush 4 jets, hot water and a scraper. You'll do that on your own in 3 hours ?

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I got 2 of the 3. No hot water and not that much left in the stamina tank - its usually just above empty these days.

spruce said:

I got 2 of the 3. No hot water and not that much left in the stamina tank - its usually just above empty these days.

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That's why I said 3 hours, only 2 if you were young, fit and healthy like me ?

Jpr said:

So maybe should ask for £3000? Isn’t £1 a window too low?

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Supermax 63 = £980.00 + VAT

Running costs; including wages, insurances, water production etc £???? = not much change out of £3000.00. Then payment terms 30 days from 1st of the following month = cheque should arrive 6 weeks later. After 6 weeks; sorry, we haven't received your invoice; please can you supply a copy invoice for my attention. The finance director is on holiday so we are unable to get his 2nd signature on the cheque. Its his first day on holiday and will be back in 2 weeks time....................... He's back from holiday but in a meeting.......

Then you start to calculate how much you would have taken in had you carried on with your normal customer cleaning routine.

Had all this 'payment stalling' before so talk from experience.

If it's as straight forward as 3000 1m x 2m panes (it's not gonna be that simple though) then I would allow 1 minute per pane (just scrubbing with water no chem's).

Work out your hourly rate with that. I think I'd be looking around £2k. It does depend on what kind of job they want doing though. 1 minute per pane would only allow for basic cleaning so they would have to be aware that any ingrained dirt wouldn't come up 100%. If they did want a deep clean then It'd be about £5k. The price assumes straightforward access and not across multiple locations.

Skxawng said:

If it's as straight forward as 3000 1m x 2m panes (it's not gonna be that simple though) then I would allow 1 minute per pane (just scrubbing with water no chem's).

Work out your hourly rate with that. I think I'd be looking around £2k. It does depend on what kind of job they want doing though. 1 minute per pane would only allow for basic cleaning so they would have to be aware that any ingrained dirt wouldn't come up 100%. If they want a deep clean then I'd charge £5k. The price assumes straightforward access and not across multiple locations.

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Your price of k5 might be taken seriously down in your southern regions, but in the north we would stand a better change of falling pregnant by wind pollination than getting that price.

Just a walk around Newcastle city center will impress upon anyone how little clean windows mean - after all, they will get dirty again so why bother?

Now I've seen that some windows are 20m then it's a whole new ball game. No chance whatsoever of me pricing it without seeing, no matter what the price is. 

I do 3 blocks of flats for £150 each, but need the 47' for the top 2 floors, 5 in total. First block takes me 2.5 hours the last takes me nearly 4, and they are all identical. 

Height makes a massive difference 

Green Pro Clean Ltd said:

Sorry luv, not for us thank you!  

She can not seriously expect you to quote a job you cant see and if your aiming for any sort of professionalism you shouldn't even be entertaining pricing a job you cant see. 

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y'know for once we see eye to eye darren

Thank you all, I’m going to talk to the person and if she’s not allowing me to see the job then there’s no quote.