[Paul Simpson]

Have to quote for an office block, 3 floors in total varying in size for a client who have just taken over the premises from a previous company.

Asked if she knew if they were carpet tiles or what, the reply was "bog standard office carpet"

All my work to date has been mainly domestic with the odd small commercial, restaurants & small offices with carpet tiles where I used HWE, never had to deal with anything on this scale before and wanted some advice if poss.

1. Pricing - For such a large area will they be expecting rock bottom prices?
2. How to measure up professionally, normally use an ultrasonic distance measurer and good old fashion tape measurer when thats failed but not sure how good or accurate it will be over longer distances. Should I walk it? (i.e. 1 step approx. 1m)
3. Method - HWE or Bonnet? (Difficult without seeing first)
4. Approach - What will they be expecting to see, forms such as risk assesments, etc? Me in a shirt & tie? Or treat them like any other customer?
5. I've always worked alone but assuming I got the job this wouldn't be done in 1 day by myself, should I attempt it myself over several days (in agreement with client of course) or say there would be a couple of us pushing to get it done ASAP and try and find someone.
Look forward to your replies.
Paul

[Helen]

[quote author=Paul Simpson Have to quote for an office block, 3 floors in total varying in size for a client who have just taken over the premises from a previous company.

Asked if she knew if they were carpet tiles or what, the reply was "bog standard office carpet"
All my work to date has been mainly domestic with the odd small commercial, restaurants & small offices with carpet tiles where I used HWE, never had to deal with anything on this scale before and wanted some advice if poss.

I think you have answered this one for yourslef in number 3....you need to go and see it

1. Pricing - For such a large area will they be expecting rock bottom prices?
Quote your own price, not what you thnk that they may be thinking Do you have any other CC in the area you could ask what price they charge per m2?

2. How to measure up professionally, normally use an ultrasonic distance measurer and good old fashion tape measurer when thats failed but not sure how good or accurate it will be over longer distances. Should I walk it? (i.e. 1 step approx. 1m)
Would use tape,

3. Method - HWE or Bonnet? (Difficult without seeing first)
As you say you need to see it first to establish what type it is, what condition it is in, how the office equipment is laid out, etc etc

4. Approach - What will they be expecting to see, forms such as risk assesments, etc?
Ask them for their H & S regulations and ask do they need to see you PL insurance, risk ass;s etc etc

Me in a shirt & tie?
For quote yes. normal working gear when cleaning
Or treat them like any other customer?
Uhhh?


5. I've always worked alone but assuming I got the job this wouldn't be done in 1 day by myself, should I attempt it myself over several days (in agreement with client of course) or say there would be a couple of us pushing to get it done ASAP and try and find someone.
Again you need to ask what time scale they have for this and if possible could you do it at a weekend then you may have time to do it all youself?
Also, do not provide quote when you are looking round, get an e-mail address or fax number, go home type out or whatever and then send to the person who has requested this, follow up 15 minutes later with phone call to make sure that they have received it and if they have ask them if they would like to go ahead and book.
Look forward to your replies.
Paul




[/quote]

[Paul Simpson]

Thanks Helen, great detailed reply.

[richie]

As already stated,  price at your own prices per square metre.  Give them a restoration costing and a maintenance programme costing.  Measure up using a tape measure.  If there is 3 floors break the quote down per floor.  If there are enclosed side offices try & get the name or department each office is for & put these down under a seperate price to the main office plan area.  Do the same with any lift lobby landings & staircases.  In your quote add a note stating the MSDS sheets & risk assessments are available upon request.  I pefere to quote in my work uniform.  I have found that most clients like to know that they are having their carpets & soft furnishings looked at by a hands on technician that knows the ins & outs of the work required & not just by a salesman.  Try & find out when the carpets were last cleaned professionally.  If you get no joy from this then treat the clean as a full restoration clean.  Be honest with the client.  Walk them around the job highlighting areas that may be of concern. 

Richie.

[Len Gribble]

Paul

As above but some office blocks have floor voids so hwe can be a no-no also building security may want the same data, which can take time to clear, in extreme cases you have to visit them with passport.

Len

[John Kelly]

Never provide the client with a price per square metre as this justs gives them ammo to ring round and get it cheaper. Work it out by the metre but just put final figure.

[Karl Wildey]

Go along, NEVER quote a commercail without seeing it.
Use a tape measure, the ultrasonic are not reliable and don't get too excited about either, no one cares how you measure its your price and cleaning results that matter.
i would not bother with shirt and tie, in fact some people don't like it, turn up as you would for cleaning the job. Don't offer risk assessments, pat results, method statements or anything else unless asked for, then say yes I can do that and then ask how on here, if you don't know the answer.
I always use HWE, but they are the odd job you can not, but not many. if you have a porty and no LM system then don't offer it, again no one cares its the results that matter, as long as your HWE does not cause any problems.
(and if they is air conditioning it does not cause any moisture problems, and if there is not open the windows).
Work alone and do one floor at a time, maybe one friday evening, one saturday and the othe the following weekend, or get someone to load/unload buckets.
As for price thats up to you. I would work out how much a whole floor would be at £x's per metre and if that sounds like a good days work, stick with it.

[Mr Dvae]

you guys make things very complicated when a domestic fones u are they expecting rock bottom prices? your vital statistics? it's exactly the same with commercial work as it is with domestics use the force luke! use your gut instinct.. you'll never get to grips wih commercial work until you've done loads of it so price it to do the job.. that way you'l get an idea of what is or isn't viable.. the only way you learn is by making mistakes. give em a price they like at least you'll learn without losing money.

[AJB]

you can never tell what is an acceptable price until you give it.
If your happy with what you quote and they are then alls ok.
Used to sub to a friend, went to quote for a specsavers nearby, worked out to
£265 and wanted in writing so no verbal quote given.  They forgot to send the quote off
so specsavers rang for the price, snowed under with work, so not really wanting it, my friend said
Oh tell them £600, They snapped his hand off, one and a half hours work, customers delighted.

[Paul Simpson]

Measured up and had a look around yesterday morning. Got my quote & details into last nights post.
Only 2 offices in use currently, rest of the building empty apart from desks in the offices. (Big ones, every room ).

As for my concerns:
Turned up in work clothes because I had a job beforehand I had to do.
Q. Do you need to see my insurance details, risk assessments, etc.
A. Shrugs, not really, no.
Q. Just need to measure up and take a look around.
A. Do you mind making my own way around so didn't matter how I measured.
Q. When & what days you looking to get the work done?
Not sure, just getting quotes at the moment.

Gave a competitive price compared to the going rate for commercial.
They are getting a few quotes so what will be, will be.

[Mike Osbourne]

At the very worst it's good practice.

What other questions could you have asked to find out why they've got you round and who makes the final decision?

Good luck with it.

Mike

[Len Gribble]

Last year I matched the cleaning company quote they then halved it, customer not happy with finished work and still paid them , got the job for this year and advised them price difference 15% more my quote was valid for three months.

Len

[Mike Osbourne]

Len

Are you mainly commercial?

[Len Gribble]

Mike

I get a lot of winks on commercial and see the potential yes I like them lost a few though, not my core business, but it helps

Len