[Mike Strange]

Hi All
Just been to quote for a window cleaning job at a school, its a big school with 5 main buildings, most windows are on ground level.
Currently we do windows as part of an end of tenancy or end of build clean so they are easy to price up.
Ime at a loss as what to charge the school, they said the previous guy did it over two days with reach and wash (which is what we use)
Sure i can do it over two days with 2 guys but do i charge per day or per hour, cant use the per window method as there are so many windows)
Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[deeege]

Hi All
Just been to quote for a window cleaning job at a school, its a big school with 5 main buildings, most windows are on ground level.
Currently we do windows as part of an end of tenancy or end of build clean so they are easy to price up.
Ime at a loss as what to charge the school, they said the previous guy did it over two days with reach and wash (which is what we use)
Sure i can do it over two days with 2 guys but do i charge per day or per hour, cant use the per window method as there are so many windows)
Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Break it down into smaller sections and try to figure out how long it will take to clean each section.

If it’s 4 x man days then price it at your daily rate x 4 then add anywhere from 20-40% on for the fact that the work will be harder than cleaning houses.

Don’t forget though that windows will likely be rotten on every clean, both inside and out so will require extra attention. Easy to underestimate the time it will take for this reason.

I clean 4 schools and a large college and I insist that all windows are free from kids artwork etc else they don’t get cleaned.

It also depends how busy you are. If you are choc full then price it higher but if you have plenty of space to fill then could do the work for cheaper to keep the vans and lads working.

Good luck with it, some will say schools are more trouble than they are worth, I find they are good solid jobs personally, even though they are mostly yearly cleans.

[PHILIP HARDY]

Hi Mark, price it on two days work but dont expect to get the job, I have priced five up this year and won none, not because I have been too dear as all remain uncleaned as I type, its just  as soon as they see the price, the school business manager cant justify spending that much on the window cleaning and diverts the cash to some other worthier cause (books etc). Its becoming a liability making the journey , been shown round and then never hearing back.

[Smudger]

that depends - if they are an academy they usually have them done

Deege has already given you the formula and should be easy if your sure its 2 men for 2 days

Darran

[NWH]

Who knows I quoted a school for around £2500-3000 didn’t get the job some  pleb did it for 1200.

[Splash & dash]

School s have different budgets for different things they cannot use the maintenance budget for staff wages or books it has to be spent on what it’s set aside for , one of my daughters works in a school and they would get in serious trouble if they miss used the budget on something other than what it’s for this applies to academies and council run schools they all have to be transparent with there spending and anyone can ask to see there budget allowance and see how it’s been spent . We do work for a couple of schools and I have been surprised that the work that we do for them , window cleaning ,softwashing and pressurewashing we have always been cheaper than the budget they had set aside and we arnt cheap , window cleaning we do quarterly nice little job

[deeege]

That’s true that schools can’t use their set aside budget for other things.

I’ve got a nice little school, 4 cleans per year, £200 per clean and takes 3 hours to clean.

I also clean another school, £360 per clean, once a year. They have just received a £19k rebate as they have been on the wrong tariff for their gas bill for a couple of years. In the same conversation as telling me that the maintenance manager was trying to negotiate going to bi-annual window cleaning. Go figure.

[Mike Strange]

Hi Guys
Thanks for al you r solid advice, the school is an academy, the maitenance manager also said ime the first company that has bothered to come see him, a few said schools are too big a project for them. As its an academy he told me most cleaning contracts etc are tendered and managed by the accademy although windows sits within the school budget, he did mention that if we did the window clean the other 12 schools in the academy might look for our services as well as they all talk to each other.
He also said it is a twice a year job for him, hence ime really trying to nail the price down without being too cheap or risk overpricing and forsing him to keep lookingelsewere.

[Smudger]

Don’t be cheap and certainly don’t fall for the “ we talk to the other schools” rubbish that’s trying to get you to drop in a low price

The fact no one else has turned up shows you a good price can be bad

Darran

[Mike Strange]

Thanks Darran

[Walter Mitty]

Don’t be cheap and certainly don’t fall for the “ we talk to the other schools” rubbish that’s trying to get you to drop in a low price

Over the years, a number of customers have hinted that they may be able to help me secure other work if the price is 'right'.  Not once has this ever happened.  I totally ignore it these days.

[alank]

Price his higher then if you get his and the others you be quids in