just starting, need help! - Carpet Cleaning Issues

Carpet Cleaning Issues - Carpet construction, upholstery cleaning, stain removal, equipment, events, etc.

just starting, need help!

Posted by martin_606 (martin_606), 3 October 2003

Hi guys

Just starting into cleaning, done a few house already and have my carpet cleaning course with prochem on the 4/11.

what i need help on is exactly how do i cost a domestic room and how do i cost a commercial business Huh

So exact kind of figures would be of great help, not only for me but for other new bods also

Regards

Martin

Posted by Derek (Derek Bolton), 8 October 2003

Hi Martin

A lot of people have read your post but seem reluctant to reply...perhaps they want some answers too.

Prices vary in different parts of the Country so I suggest that you contact some of your local competitors... ask them round to your house to give you a quotation... watch how they perform.

DON'T bother with the leaflet boys (the splash and dash merchants) who offer half price deals....they are NOT your competition.
Contact your local franchises... they are professional, and charge more realistic prices.

I hope that this helps

Regards
Derek

Posted by martin_606 (martin_606), 8 October 2003

Thanks for that Derek!

Pricing on all issues seems to be a hot topic but people do seem to be reluctant to 'dish the dirt' as it were (excuse the pun) I can understand this of course but thanks for your help.

Regards

Martin Cool

Posted by mike_halliday (mike_halliday), 8 October 2003

I'll tell you how much i charge Wink

and without any off the bull excrement normally written by most carpet cleaner when qouteing prices.

Living room £38 (this is my minimum charge).

through lounge from £48

bedroom/kitchen £25

hall, Stairs & landing from £38

suites £95ish

These are the prices that i put on my leaflet. but I also say this is a 'guide price' i tell the customer on the phone that i will measure the room before I start and give an exact price.

I know there are carpet cleaners out there that will charge double my price.

charge less than this and you'll never earn big money.

Mike

Ps on commercial work I never earn less than £60 an hour and often over a £100 ( I price my commercal work by the hour)

Posted by mike_halliday (mike_halliday), 8 October 2003

I've just had a bath and i was thinking about this while i was soaking Grin

.

this topic has been read 57 times with only a handful of answers, this is the problem with the carpet cleaning industry.

most new companies are setting thier prices by looking at the low price leaflets that get put through thier door. They think £15 is all a homeowner will pay to have a living room cleaned, if more of us had the balls to qoute our prices then the low ballers would realise that higher prices are accomplishable.

I know of carpet cleaners who read this board who charge £2.50 a yard ( £70 for a through lounge) and £140 for cleaning a suite, pity they are shy Angry

Mike

Posted by Derek (Derek Bolton), 9 October 2003

Hi Mike,

Come on now....YOU can't call me shy!

Prices do vary a great deal from place to place but the figures you quote in your second post (Following the bath) reflect the prices a great many professionals charge, including myself.

One of the most successful cleaners in my particular area operates the same machine as yourself Mike... his prices are around £260.00 for a three piece suite and £3.50 per square yard for carpets.

He works continually a ten to twelve hour day and has to do seven days a week to try to keep up with the volume of work he has coming in. He is booked up six to eight weeks ahead...all the time! He follows all the rules 'to the letter' and it obviously pays off... when I first met him he was a window cleaner who saw the light.. Grin

(a poor joke at this time in the morning)

See what I mean Martin.. it all depends on what you want and which way you want your business to go

Regards
Derek

Posted by mike_halliday (mike_halliday), 9 October 2003

If your figure are right derek this gentlmen is earning 3 times what I'm earning but I would'nt like to swop bussiness!!

it sounds like he's working himself to an early grave Shocked

on the other side of the coin is the bloke who is charging £25 for a suite and £10 for a living room.

The problem with how people calculate thier price is they use comparisons,

as an example;

a carpet cleaner I was talking to before i went on holiday told me that before he went into carpet cleaning worked on a building site earning £65 a day. He decided that he could earn the same for less hours ( and it was lots easier than working on site) so he set his prices to hit this target.

now he earns twice what he earned before, but he often cleans 3 suites a day. I told him he could easily earn over £50k a year if he used sensible prices but he just laughed at the idea.

anyhow i'm off to work now Wink

Mike

Posted by woodman (woodman), 9 October 2003

3 suites a day?

What was you saying about an early grave.

I would never do this as by the third i'd be knackered what with travelling time,setting up etc also I'd be afraid the last clean wouldn't be as good as the first,you'd be doing a 9-11 hr day every day simply not worth it.

Happy Cleaning

Posted by Derek (Derek Bolton), 9 October 2003

Hi Guys

Cleaning upholstery is very tiring and to do the job properly and thoroughly you wouild be hard pushed to do more than two a day. That's what I would call being a busy fool!

At £65.00 a day I couldn't operate.... Vehicle costs, equipment repair and maintenance, chemicals, Accountancy fees, Insurances, telephone costs, advertising ..ad infinitum

Sorry I forgot to mention Tax and National Insurance contributions...

Regards
Derek

Posted by mike_halliday (mike_halliday), 9 October 2003

Derek, so £65 a day would'nt cover your expensives Roll Eyes

,

This brings up an important point, its not just how much you earn but how much of it you keep.

Mike

Ps; I'm sorry but what is tax & national' insurance and should I be paying it?

Posted by Ken_Wainwright (Ken_Wainwright), 9 October 2003

Hi Martin

And welcome to the best industry in the world

As others have already stated, prices vary enormously from region to region, town to town and even street to street.

My suggestion on pricing is to price at the higher end of what you perceive your skills and market are likely to stand. Once you are established, your prices will increase anyway, but it could be embarrassing to say to madam "I'm sorry but I've trebled my price this year" A lot of cleaners will say that the market in your area will only stand, say, £2.00 per yard. But the franchises will possibly be earning £5per yd!

I'm pleased to see that you're attending a Prochem training course. As well as the technical aspect, you'll come away with renewed enthusiasm and eager to increase your prices.

Good luck

Safe and happy cleaning

Ken

Posted by mike_halliday (mike_halliday), 10 October 2003

I see its been mentioned to follow the franchises to set your prices but over the years has any one noticed thier prices seam to be coming down.

I cleaned a suite yesturday where they customer also had a qoute from chemdry. She showed me the quotation form, it had 2 prices 'silver' & 'gold' the silver was £100 + vat and the gold ( which included protector or anti-alergen treatment) £130 + vat.

This is the cheapest I heard of from chemdry. the customer chose me because they said it would take upto 24hrs to dry ( have'nt they heard of Turdo dryers!).

Mike

Posted by Derek (Derek Bolton), 10 October 2003

Hi Mike

Of course I pay Tax and National Insurance... I want to sleep nights.

When you have had a visit from HM Inspector of taxes you will know what I mean... Mental rape is the only way to describe such a visit.
You are expected to remember specific transactions from several years before... a strange threatening look if you hesitate

Cheers
Derek

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