I couldn't agree more Sarah,
But it isn't just on commercial stuff, once you start cleaning houses that you would normally charge around £25 and upwards when done trad (hell, once you get over the £10 mark come to that) you really start to see the difference.
Providing you price up work as if you are using traditional methods you will make far more money.
If you don't price up the work in this way, and reduce the price because you are quicker, then you are a muppet, sorry, but you are.
By and large (DIY notwithstanding) WFP is still pretty expensive to get into, and has far higher running costs, and if it doesn't make you more money (on top of your increased costs and initial outlay) you may as well not bother!!
The problem is that some will price more and more competitvely, forcing down the prices of window cleaning to where they were 20 years ago.
But at present, on some of my larger accounts I have to keep pinching myself, I just can't believe I'm earning this sort of money window cleaning, absolutely impossible with trad methods.
I did one new account the other week, 3 storey house, all large old georgian windows, at least 40-50 minutes done trad, and hard work to boot.
I did this place years ago and used to charge £15.00, but dropped it because it was just too much like hard work.
Charged £25.00 for it this time, because I'd want that for it if I had to do it trad.
After 15 minutes (bear in mind this was also the first clean it too) I had just 2 windows left....
I felt so guilty about knocking on the door to collect the money I went and sat in the car and rang Roger of Squeaky_Clean fame for 10 minutes!! Just to use up a bit of time (was also last account of the day)
Customer was well pleased with the job though, and didn't bat an eye that she was paying out the equivalent of a £100 per hour to have her windows cleaned
But he price was still very competative compared to if she had got someone who would have been working in the trad mode...
Regards,
Ian
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