[danmclellan45]

How do i go about drawing up quotes for schools....i'd like to quote low enough to get the contract but don't want to quote too low to be doing it for free. Are there anyways i can find that balance?
Speak up people, whats your technique?!

[williamx]

I always work out what I want to earn per hour and quote this if I don't get the job then no harm done.

Remember if you underprice yourself it will come back and bite you.

[danmclellan45]

Come on people.....few more suggestions please... its a rather large high school, any averages?

[twt]

what do you want people to do with the information you have given them? magic you up a quote

with schools remember they usually only get cleaned outside of term time so maybe twice a year so each time you do them its gonna be like a first time clean. just put in a price which you would be happy to do it for and if you get it great, if you dont you've lost nothing.

[rosskesava]

The only way to find out for sure is to just simply give a quote and see what they say.

I don't think there is any real easy answer.

Cheers

[Thecleanerservice]

iF ALL ELSE FAILS GIVE THEM YOUR DAY RATE, CONVINCE THEM YOU'LL PUT THE RIGHT TIME IN.

[williamx]

Dan

How are you going to clean them will you use ladders or wfp,  you will find that wfp can be faster and what I use.  So I would charge £1 per window if they are the same size as a front bay.

[AuRavelling79]

Dress smart, go to reception and find out who is in charge of window cleaning. (usually the head or the bursar although this may be delegated until the final decision to the school secretary) send a letter explaining your credentials and inform them you'd like to make an appointment to offer your services.

One day after the postie should have delivered it (or you deliver it by hand) phone up to make an appointment. When you phone find out the frequency of cleaning at present and if an annual contract is awarded or whether it is done on a more informal basis..

If you get to see the man (or woman) explain your services and  if all goes well offer to quote for the next clean (or from contract renewal date).

Find out what is required (you may be asked to recommend what is required) and give a "ballpark price" from your working sheet of paper. (ask how they feel about it) If they are  happy with it then put it in writing adding a little. If they baulk at the price ask what they had in mind. If they cough up a price and its do-able and you want it then say "If I can get close to that can you give me the go ahead now? Because then we can schedule it in to our dairies"

Find out whether payment is from the school or the County. ("If I send an invoice
 do I send it here? And how soon are accounts settled?) It could be paid by return or 30 days nett

Deal done! (In theory!)

Some times I'm brilliant, sometimes I'm merely very good, today I'm average.

[rosskesava]

A small point but I always ask with largish contracts - what are you paying at present?

Everytime I've been told.

By 'largish', I mean largish for us - upto few a few hundred quid but nothing like the size of a school.

Cheers

[williamx]

Also find out how you are to be paid, if it comes out of the schools petty cash then this is great but if its by invoice then charge 20% extra.

[easycleanwindows]

£45 per hour

[Thecleanerservice]

£45 per hour

"Gis a job mate!"
'E don't care does 'e

Pj

[windows_chepstow]

The school by where I live hasn't had their windows cleaned in the three years I've lived here.

In 17 years of being in the army, I've only ever ONCE seen a gang of window cleaners, cleaning windows inside an army camp.

I've only once had a council job (Bovington House - for the local lads) and that was because the new 'boss' likes clean windows.  It hadn't been done for a long time prior to us being asked to do them.  Our local council run leisure centre hasn't been cleaned in years (so it looks to me), although our library's windows look to be kept fairly clean.

I know it was policy in some battalions I served with that no money, other than that to preserve the current infrastructure would be spent on camp maintenance.

Therefore if you wanted to have your office painted, you 'procured' the paint yourself, as it wasn't vital towards the defence of the Realm!

So my question is 'do public buildings have their windows cleaned regularly?'



 

[Moderator David@stives]

So my question is 'do public buildings have their windows cleaned regularly?'

Tosh

yes they do .i do a couple of day centres and nursing homes every month

and clean a couple of schools before the start of each term that equates to 3 times ayear and i used to do a childrens home and that was monthly .but i sacked that ,the kids were a nightmare.

dave

[Moderator David@stives]

Answer to the original question charge what you want without going over the top.

they normally only get  one quote as they are usually desperate ,because the previous guy has let them down .
once you have got one it is yours for life.they normally get desperate when they have got an ofsted inspection due

dave

[Sarah Sarill]

I agree with Tosh (and oh how I hate doing it in public !!!)

LEA Schools etc dont usually commit to a contract of any sort.  In the main funds are retained for essential costs (and unfortunately for us w/c is not essintial in their eyes).

However, if they are having an inspection of any sort they usually have them done.  In that case (a one off) get as much as you can, they usually dont have time to shop around.

On the other scale private schools are a gem as you can generally get them on a term contract.  Deffo when prospective boarders visit from about April time and usually at the start of the term (this impresses the parents I assume).  Usually though these are not a profitable as they get multiples quotes.

SURROUNDED BY PUBLIC SCHOOLS I ASSUME THIS IS WHY IAN AND TOSH LIVE IN CHEPSTOW !!!!

That does not help you with the quote though Dan - you have had numerous advice on how to price them up but as a guideline I just did one for £495 - 2 days work with one operative on wfp.  This was done out of term time though.  Next time I have been told I cannot work whilst the  the pupils are outside in the public areas so if that is the case with you buld in a bit extra for this (I shall be next time !!)

Hope this helps,

Sarill

[Sarah Sarill]

David - it seems we posted the same time, but hey greats minds...............

[Moderator David@stives]

i dont know about your mind but i know mine is great.   

my schools pay me direct and have nothing to do with the L.E.A.
it comes out of the schools own budget and the cheques are sent from the secretary of each school.i have had the same schools for 6 years and it works out about £25-£30 hr on average

dave

[matt]

this applies to any work

think of how much you want to earn a hour / day

have a guess at the time it will take  XX hours

add a few hour on, just in case

answers these questions

are you desperate for the work ?? if not, add a little more of for a bit of a bonus

thats about it really