[Jim_77]

Normally I don't get involved in discussions on pricing, as it is such a complex and varied beast.

But my blood is boiling at the moment. I've just received a very begrudgingly written cheque from an old customer.

I've been working for her for over 6 years - Married couple in their 50s, big house, two Mercedes in the garage plus a run-around for shopping, basically the type with plenty of money who don't mind showing it.

Just before Christmas she booked me in, and as usual gave me a big list of jobs to do. It's always on the basis of just sending the bill afterwards, which has never ever been a problem.

However this time she phoned up saying it was an unbelievably high amount. I think this is actually a case where the TM has worked against me because although I managed the work in one day (9.30 - 5.30 with barely a break) it would have been at least a day and a half with a portable.

I've done all of the items below on previous visits over the last few years and I haven't increased the individual prices of them over that time either.

I wrote a very polite letter to her explaining this, plus the fact that the TM meant I got it all done in one day rather than two... she wrote a letter back basically insulting me by inferring I'm "just a cleaner" and the rates are very high "for the type of work involved"

So let's see how people would price up this work excluding VAT:

    Ercol suite (mostly cushions, a bit less work than a standard suite)
    Protector applied to suite
    8x5 pure wool Tibetan rug, cleaned & protected
    9x3 Persian runner, cleaned & protected
    400ft² 80/20 cut pile carpet (downstairs hall & upstairs bedroom)
    Protector applied to carpet
    Roughly 10m² Amtico flooring, stripped & sealed

Bundled in to the deal as part of my special offer at the time, she also receive FREE:

    5L neutral floor cleaner
    500ml trigger spray of carpet & upholstery spotter
    carpet mats cleaned & protected (4 of them, about 30ft² in total)
    A free return visit (up to 30 minutes) for a spot clean should it be needed over the next 12 months.

This'll be interesting hopefully

[Fran84]

I dont do hard floors but for the suite, rugs and carpets I'd be about £400 give or take.

Don't know how this compares to others but id be happy with that.

Oh and thats less than a days work for me.

Fran

[Helen]

Jim, I'll leave the pricing bit to the boss when he gets in, but.........how dare she
"insulting me by inferring I'm "just a cleaner" and the rates are very high "for the type of work involved"
My blood would be boiling too and after 6 years without a hitch I presume.
Personally if she wants work done this year, I would now change her terms and say you'll go and provide a written quote against requirement and give her the price first. Make clear any additions to this list will be at extra cost.
I wouldn't answer her back this time, as I do not respond to insults(well most of the time ) just bank the chq and enjoy her money

[Helen]

Just noticed all the freebies you included.......that would stop as well

[Craigp]

490 maybe..

A hard day too, and the time taken is about right and shows you work to a good standard.

[derek west]

when a customer asks for a lot of small jobs to be done, and i can do them in one day, i throw out the item rate and charge a day rate.
so my answer would be what ever your day rate is.

[Aquakleen Restoration Services]

I dont do hard floors but for the suite, rugs and carpets I'd be about £400 give or take.

Don't know how this compares to others but id be happy with that.

Oh and thats less than a days work for me.

Fran

I worked it out at approx £380-£450 so Fran and I are on the same wavelength (I dont do hard floors so never included that in my estimate either)

[Mike Halliday]

£650

[JandS]

Would imagine 6 hours max not including the
hard floor.
£280 w/o the hard floor.

John

[Colin Day]

Basing it on how long it would take, I would have said anything between £450 and £600.

I would always insist that a price was agreed before starting the work though, just so everyone knew where they stood.

I have even had to explain to some repeat customers, that it doesn't take me as long as it did last time due to improvement in equipment and methods.

[JandS]

Although the price of the protector different people
use would make a big difference in price charged.

John

[Andrew Briscoe]

£550 + vat

[Carl Anderson]

£385 individually priced.

Would probably do a job lot deal for £300 if it took me just one day.

[Craigp]

How much Jim?

[Luc]

i would charge £500 for a long day like that

[Tony Gill Carpet Smart]

£585 Without the hard flooring and none of the freebies
What about you Jim

Tony

[Jim_77]

Looks like I need to put my prices up a bit

Individual prices of all those items tot up to £520+vat, but I took off a 20% volume discount taking it back to £416+vat (£499 inc VAT).  I thought that was more than fair, seems as I was running a special offer at the time)

Increased the discount to 25% for her after her complaint (£390+vat/£468 inc vat)

Normally I wouldn't do that but she has been spending that much money with me on an annual basis for the last 6 years so thought it worth compromising my principles slightly in this case

[JandS]

And you wonder why she complained.
She's just seen you do a days work then
charged her £500.
Even tradesmen don't get that.

John

[jasonl]

£400 I would have  charged , but I always quote first since getting ripped off by chubby brown over a flood in his garage fitted with Axminster carpets . He had 2 mercs parked in there too!

[Jim_77]

The point is John she has paid me exactly the same prices without the discount for all of those things over the last few years, just never all in one big lump together.

"Even tradesmen"  Funnily enough, she said something similar.  If you have low self worth that's your problem, but I am not "just a cleaner"

Your argument is a load of bollox John because although a carpenter's day rate might be £250 that's just his labour, during that day he might have installed £1k's worth of kitchen units, so that day's work has cost the customer £1,250.

I run at a profit margin of around 50% before tax and NI so do the maths.

If I parked my van up on her drive, opened the doors and said to her "there you go..... you do what I've just done using all the correct equipment, products and techniques, in the same time as I did it to exactly the same standard"..................  she wouldn't even know how to turn the machine on.

Now, imagine a painter & decorator turns up and does the same... I can paint as well as, or better than, any decorator... probably not quite as quick... hell I've even got most of the same kit in my garage.  This is the point, we are not "just cleaners", we are skilled tradespeople in our own right.

What sets us a part is that NOBODY who wasn't a carpet cleaner could take my van out for the day and do the same job I do to the same standards.  Very few would even be capable of setting up the equipment correctly.  It's impossible without training, experience and the right work ethic.  This makes us worth the money we charge.