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Big Darren

  • Posts: 6
Pricing Quotes
« on: September 15, 2005, 02:29:18 pm »
Right-ho, here we go..
I've just had my fliers printed and I'm about to go "knocking"...As this is the very beginning of setting up my w/c company, I'd really appreciate any guides on pricing the jobs, please.
I have also included gutter, conservatory roof and facia board cleaning as well as gardening in my bid to making this a successful full time job..
Would love to hear your advice on anything related.
Reguards to you all,
Big Darren

SWC_70

  • Posts: 30
Re: Pricing Quotes
« Reply #1 on: September 15, 2005, 04:05:15 pm »
Best thing for you to do Darren would be to look through all the old posts where you'll find loads of valuable information for you to ponder.

Big Darren

  • Posts: 6
Re: Pricing Quotes
« Reply #2 on: September 15, 2005, 04:27:34 pm »
 Eh, Gringo..Nice one mate, I'm new to this excellent website and didn't realise there were so many pages of info to read through..
I'm gathering info at the moment on my queries that should help no end..
Thanks.

SWC_70

  • Posts: 30
Re: Pricing Quotes
« Reply #3 on: September 15, 2005, 04:58:05 pm »
Cool & the gang Big D......I'm pretty new to this game myself, only been goin a cupla weeks, been out canvassing today in fact, picked up a few houses, did'nt do too bad really. I tend to count the doors and windows, multiply that by 75p then add on a bit and see what they say. If they bite my hand off then at the next house I add on another 50p. At the moment I'm charging about on average £8 a house though I've got a few nice earners around the £15-£25 mark. If you look like your serious then people tend to take you serious too and are willing to pay for a decent & honest window cleaner. If you look like a yobbo then your less likely to get decent custom. Normally the houses you'll pick up havent been cleaned for a while so they'll be harder wirk the first time round and therefore more time consuming but as you go on they get easier and faster. I do all the frames and sills as part of the service and make sure the first time I do them they're spotless. Hope this helps.......Cheers & Good luck.

Big Darren

  • Posts: 6
Re: Pricing Quotes
« Reply #4 on: September 15, 2005, 07:14:48 pm »
 ;D Excellent info Mr.Gringo, just what I needed..Thanx
Now I've sourced all my equipment required and how much it's gonna cost, I'm going to wait & see the results from my canvassing before I purchase anything..I guess I'd better get a notebook for writing down new customers and addresses..? Do you think it's best to jot down my price on the flier & hand that to the customer? Also wondering about collecting payments from customers that are out when I call? Do I use a SAE so they can post me a cheque as many areas I intend to work are quite rural and will mean more time & petrol having to collect the money.. :-\
This venture is going to be started and kept proffesional at all times and I have the quotes for liability insurance & personal accident cover, but again I'm waiting on feed back for work before taking any up.. Also going to register my name & business with the local constabulary & get an ID card made as I'm likely to have a lot of elderly customers.
Sweeet ;)

SWC_70

  • Posts: 30
Re: Pricing Quotes
« Reply #5 on: September 16, 2005, 12:19:10 am »
Houses vary therefore so do prices. You could use standing orders or envelopes but most elderly people tend to spend a lot of time at home. I'd seriously think about getting set up with some basic equipment before you take on any customers if you really are serious. What I found was a lot of people were more impressed and happier when I said I could clean for them either there and then or within the next few days. Who's to say you won't lose all those new found customers to another newbie window cleaner while you're waiting for your gear to arrive ?

Steve.D

  • Posts: 32
Re: Pricing Quotes
« Reply #6 on: September 16, 2005, 05:21:42 pm »
Big D.

Good luck mate. Me and my partner have not long started up a w/c round. Not doing too bad at the moment. Try not to underprice work, we did at the beginning but quickly realised this and upped the prices and still get work. There seems to be a misconception about window cleaners (particularly residential) as people who can live on thin air. We won't do a job for less than a tenner now. Only the other day we priced a job at £28 a large 3 bedroom house with extension and a conservatory lots of glass and the woman said we were too dear and her last window cleaner only charged £12.00, I said what happened to him and she said "Oh! I haven't seen him since May" " have you ever thought that might be why then" I politely said. Poor bloke was probably killing himself trying to make a living and jacked it in. Like you we're offering a professional service always do frames and doors as part of the quote. We've had a few knock backs but we don't let it play on our conscience that we were too dear otherwise you'll be flogging yourself to death doing cheap jobs. Nearly all our customers pay on the day, if they're not in they leave the money out, in the porch, under the frog at the back, under the gas bottle, got one who leaves it under the elephants foot, quite funny really. We only let two cleans go by without payment then we ask for a cheque to be sent or for them to ring and arrange collection and if they don't ring we'll them just before they're next due. We don't do a third clean without payment.  We bought our gear first and found Soap National really good and not that expensive, delivery normally next day. We've still got loads of canvassing to do and when we've canvassed our areas we go back and leaflet drop, a bit like painting the forth bridge. Don't give up.

Hope this helps

Steve

Big Darren

  • Posts: 6
Re: Pricing Quotes
« Reply #7 on: September 17, 2005, 10:20:13 am »
Thanks Steve  ;D
Some valuable info there indeed. Today I'm out looking for a van as I can't get roof bars for my Vitara ! Bummer.
Still, loads to look at.. I got most of my cleaning gear yesterday from the Window Clean Centre in Ipswich..The main man Darrell Chalkley helped me out no end, gave more valuable information on using the products and without any pressure to buy everything, he provided me with a great basic kit..Top man.
Big thanks everyone for the advice so far  ;)

davidsabishop

  • Posts: 143
Re: Pricing Quotes
« Reply #8 on: September 17, 2005, 12:55:35 pm »
Don't advertise too many services either you are a gardener OR a window cleaner