Welcome to the UK Window Cleaning Forums

Starting or own a window cleaning business? We're a network of window cleaners sharing advice, tips & experience. Rounds for sale & more. Join us today!

Housing developers cleans

HWCS

Well-known member
Messages
1,130
Location
North Norfolk
Ive been asked by a national prooeety company to quote on a selection of 10 houses for a 4 weekly maintenance clean (stock plot clean) the houses are a selection of 3/4/5 bedroom houses.

I had to ask advice from a forum guru before i did my quote as i wasnt sure if these types of cleans are priced high/low or same as always.

If i pull this off there is scope to work for this company at other sites across the region too.

Ive put in a quote that im happy with so will just wait and see.

Does anybody do these types of jobs and if so what positives and negatives are there to these jobs.

**THESE ARE NOT BUILDERS CLEANS**

 
What are the payment terms?

Have you got a sign off procedure to protect you against damage/scratches caused during contruction by other tradesmen?

Don't do it without an official purchase order or bye bye credit control.

What is the duration of the expected contract before entertaining the notion of further sites (which means nothing until you have an established the above).

Wish you luck.

 
What are the payment terms?

Have you got a sign off procedure to protect you against damage/scratches caused during contruction by other tradesmen?

Don't do it without an official purchase order or bye bye credit control.

What is the duration of the expected contract before entertaining the notion of further sites (which means nothing until you have an established the above).

Wish you luck.
I dont understand those points apart from the purchase order number part, could you explain what you mean by the sign off procedure and the duration of contract?

Cheers

Jon

 
Are these to be cleaned as showhomes for people to see what the developer is building? Or is it the property company asking on behalf of tenants?
Either way, as its B2B i'd say go in higher. I have a friend who does some showhomes on a fortnightly basis, most are charged at about 3x his normal domestic rate.

 
Are these to be cleaned as showhomes for people to see what the developer is building? Or is it the property company asking on behalf of tenants?
Either way, as its B2B i'd say go in higher. I have a friend who does some showhomes on a fortnightly basis, most are charged at about 3x his normal domestic rate.
No mate just homes that have been built but are not yet sold, they just want a standard maintenance clean done 4wkly.

Ive put my price in, just waiting to hear back from them now.

 
I dont understand those points apart from the purchase order number part, could you explain what you mean by the sign off procedure and the duration of contract?

Cheers

Jon
Oh my goodness...sorry Jon, I assumed you had commercial experience.

I know this is a residential instruction, however you are invoicing a commerical entitiy. Purchase orders are what commercial entities use to identify an order placement from their assest systems. It legitimises your authority to carry out the work (or the absence of one is used to deny you legitimate payment); saying Jim on the site said it was ok will end badly when they say no P/O no payment...& they will. 

You cannot make it legally recoverable later without a recognised order. Duration of contract is simply the time frame they anticipate the order to be in effect for; 1 month, six months, indefinetly? & what notice should they give you upon termination?

A signing off procedure will ultimately protect you; you are likely being paid in arrears, this is commerical so expect anything from 30 - 90 days - how will you prove delivery? How will you validate liablity for any damage occuring? How will you react to call backs from site managers claiming you haven't cleaned a property when you know dam well you did?

These are good things to have in place & think about - remember, commercial is about proving you did what your company was commissioned to do, everything else is simply heresay & opinion.

 
Oh my goodness...sorry Jon, I assumed you had commercial experience.

I know this is a residential instruction, however you are invoicing a commerical entitiy. Purchase orders are what commercial entities use to identify an order placement from their assest systems. It legitimises your authority to carry out the work (or the absence of one is used to deny you legitimate payment); saying Jim on the site said it was ok will end badly when they say no P/O no payment...& they will. 

You cannot make it legally recoverable later without a recognised order. Duration of contract is simply the time frame they anticipate the order to be in effect for; 1 month, six months, indefinetly? & what notice should they give you upon termination?

A signing off procedure will ultimately protect you; you are likely being paid in arrears, this is commerical so expect anything from 30 - 90 days - how will you prove delivery? How will you validate liablity for any damage occuring? How will you react to call backs from site managers claiming you haven't cleaned a property when you know dam well you did?

These are good things to have in place & think about - remember, commercial is about proving you did what your company was commissioned to do, everything else is simply heresay & opinion.
Not all firms work in this way we do work for some large( building firms) firms and they source certain services locally and no order numbers or procurement invoices are needed it’s down to the site manager to sort it out , some even pay out if petty  cash , but require a receipt or invoice , with the plot numbers that have been cleaned on and that’s it . Some will organise it from head office but from my experience that’s  very rare .

when pricing up a commercial work like sheltered housing providers , hotel chains , and other large organisations for  regular window cleaning ,gutter vaccing , softwashing etc then yes there is a process to go through , and user I’d numbers and procurement numbers for  each site are needed but this is down to the customer to provide  theses not the window cleaner  , they will provide a list of things they expect you to have and do , just the same as dealing with management companies . They will expect you to provide 

proof of public liability insurance 

employers liability insurance ( if you are an employer) 

RAMS 

DBS checks 

And anything else that may be specific to any job . 

 
Not all firms work in this way we do work for some large( building firms) firms and they source certain services locally and no order numbers or procurement invoices are needed it’s down to the site manager to sort it out , some even pay out if petty  cash , but require a receipt or invoice , with the plot numbers that have been cleaned on and that’s it . Some will organise it from head office but from my experience that’s  very rare .

when pricing up a commercial work like sheltered housing providers , hotel chains , and other large organisations for  regular window cleaning ,gutter vaccing , softwashing etc then yes there is a process to go through , and user I’d numbers and procurement numbers for  each site are needed but this is down to the customer to provide  theses not the window cleaner  , they will provide a list of things they expect you to have and do , just the same as dealing with management companies . They will expect you to provide 

proof of public liability insurance 

employers liability insurance ( if you are an employer) 

RAMS 

DBS checks 

And anything else that may be specific to any job . 
Cash? Are you kidding me? Let me get this straight, a national builder pays you cash without a work order? I wasn't aware that **** still happened. We work with Kier & this kind of **** wouldn't fly - be careful as the only way you will know is after the event. Not something , especially in in this climate, I would be comfortable with.

PJJ may be the exception to the rule & have a very good working relationship with his client - you will not have that luxury unless you know them personally.

 
Cash? Are you kidding me? Let me get this straight, a national builder pays you cash without a work order? I wasn't aware that **** still happened. We work with Kier & this kind of **** wouldn't fly - be careful as the only way you will know is after the event. Not something , especially in in this climate, I would be comfortable with.

PJJ may be the exception to the rule & have a very good working relationship with his client - you will not have that luxury unless you know them personally.
No Ime serious a lot of sites where I am pay cash , or bacs , we don’t  do much building site work anymore as I don’t like working around other trades and we are to busy with other regular work , but it’s still very common hear . We do stuff for wain homes or j should say we did do I now pass  it on to another cleaner normally that’s how he’s paid , all depends who is in the site office on the day .

 
Had a reply today, and the company are happy with the quote, just had to send them a copy of my insurance today and once on their system as a contractor i should be good to go.

 
No Ime serious a lot of sites where I am pay cash , or bacs , we don’t  do much building site work anymore as I don’t like working around other trades and we are to busy with other regular work , but it’s still very common hear . We do stuff for wain homes or j should say we did do I now pass  it on to another cleaner normally that’s how he’s paid , all depends who is in the site office on the day .
True, I did some on a new build site for Hopkins homes and just gave bank details for Bacs payment. Just had to email my bill with plot numbers of homes cleaned. had to wait a while for payment mind, and dont fancy more of that work, as the back of the properties were like the somme in ww1, never worked in so much mud before.

 

Latest Posts

Back
Top