[Shaun_Ashmore]

Not me!

Ive been put on this earth to pay for the missus it's god's way of saying that I'm not the messiah but just a very naughty boy.

Shaun

Ps supply and demand sets pay rates in this economic climate electricians etc can be 10 a penny as it is a recognised trade but you don't need business acumen so a customer can find one easily where a carpet cleaner sells his services and is more of a businessman/ salesman who just happens to clean carpets.

Pps my mate Steve hasn't got a recognised trade but everyone thinks so highly of him they go out of their way just to see him row his boat every 4 years albeit he has gold medals for it the thing is this has made him a sir all for rowing this boat faster than others, no real trade?

Ppps piers Morgan what's he ever done? Sacked by the mirror newspaper then turns up on a talent show as a judge and earns millions,

Pppps what about Kim and aggy they have done rather well out of cleaning one went on a reality show and earned some and the other just wrote about cleaning and has done nicely

There's only you that can reach for the stars.

(motivational speech over)

[Andrew Briscoe]

I did a job for a lady a few week ago, this would be my 4-5th visit over the years, never had a complaint.
Last visit, she got me to take 3 small stains out in 3 rooms.
The job was at other end of Ullswater lake, 14 miles but takes 1/2 hour (bloody crag rats) tourists. Took me 15-25 mins with tm.
Told her 65+ vat and she said, gosh your dear compared to the lady who cleaned my oven, she had travelled from North cumbria, about 1 hr 20 min each way, cleanned 1 Aga and another average oven and grill, she had told her she used fairy liquid in dip tank, showed me oven and she had done a top job and took 3 hrs.
Total 5hrs 40 min and charged £90.

I told her she couldnt compare the 2 as my van and tm and machinery is 60k to buy,
and the oven cleaner used fairy liquid.

I think carpet cleaning is easy to pick up with correct training, and a half decent brain for marketting helps.

Even a lot of builders, joiners and plumbers dont have as expensive a kit as some of us.
Building trade is on its knees at the moment, plus migrant builders are keeping rates down.
Andrew

[pete jones]

But can Mrs Cumbria get stains out of carpets, I doubt She will make that journey again, including fuel.Will she F.Prats only charge too low once.

[Colin Day]

Fairy liquid in the dip tank....


I might have to try that....

[wynne jones]

Maybe you have outgrown her.

[Phillip Mold]

Intriguing how many have quoted prices "plus Vat"

Once we have bought our equipment and allowed for depreciation/replacement cost  how much do you want to make for a days work? 

Compared to what I charge the chemical cost is pennies, how much do you want to make for a days work?

Why do so many have be VAT registered, I do nothing near £70,000 per  year but make a living working 4 days a week with 6+ weeks a year off, £200+ per day 4/5 days a week makes me a decent living!

[Ian Gourlay]

I think the problem was they had it done all at once. It often causes problems when quoting

People often throw in a rugs thinking they will not be charged. They do not appreciate the value of protector

They have probably spoken to their family  who have  no idea and as someone said read a cut price leaflet.

As you are Franchise and have top equipment your price will not be lowest. So you overhead cost is probably  £100 a day  plus your day rate plus charge for protector

Regarding Day rates  I find it amazing when I have to pay my Solicitor a £100 plus an hour for filling a form in an arguing the case where I have already researched the relevant points of law.

You said two Mercs what line of business are they in. ,
 

[mike roberts]

Jim, this was a loyal customer so why on earth did you not apply your daily rate + protector ?

I think your customer has every right to complain, If however, you had priced it up before hand no debate completion time down to your discretion. As for cars etc you should know by now it makes little difference.

The harsh reality is we are just cleaners, skilled and trained, But still CLEANERS!
It amazes me that alot of people on here still dont except this fact.

[Colin Day]

Jim, this was a loyal customer so why on earth did you not apply your daily rate + protector ?

I think your customer has every right to complain, If however, you had priced it up before hand no debate completion time down to your discretion. As for cars etc you should know by now it makes little difference.

The harsh reality is we are just cleaners, skilled and trained, But still CLEANERS!
It amazes me that alot of people on here still dont except this fact.

I tend to agree with this statement and ultimately, that's how were are seen by most people... That is of course, until they have a stain that they have tried to tackle with just about anything with poor results, then we turn up and save the day... That's when we become heroes....

[derek west]

the job description is cleaner, but we're far from it, well most of us are. do you clean all red wine stains out? or do you render some invisible?

been going 4 years now and still learning. everyday on the job and in the classroom when i get chance, so much to learn,

its quite simple really, you either take this job seriously and see it for what it really is or your just a cleaner.

[Colin Day]

I think you have to accept that other people see us as "Just" cleaners and let it go over our heads. We know there's so much more to it but lets face it, I bet a hell of a lot of us started carpet cleaning because we seen it as an easy buck....

I know I did....

[Simon Gerrard]

I think we are a good deal more skilled than people appreciate, but our skill is acquired rather than learned, in other words it is experienced based. You grow into this job, so that after a good few years you can walk into almost an situation and just know what to do - that takes skill.
But should we be charging brain surgeon prices - nah!

Simon

[Neil Williams]

Intriguing how many have quoted prices "plus Vat"

Why do so many have be VAT registered, I do nothing near £70,000 per  year

In my case I had a much larger operation which incorperated staff and window cleaning which meant we went passed the point so had to be, I have since 'got rid' of that part and although we are now below the point if we were to chop and change being vat registered or not then IR would take a long hard look into what we were doing.

But also you can volunteer to be vat registered at any point if it serves a purpose and if you are after commercial then some prefere vat registered businesses.

[Craigp]

So because I never went to university for four years means I should never earn over 25k for the rest of my life!

Only people who went to uni should morally be allowed to earn good money. (because they dossed around for four years)

You may want to stay in 'your place' I won't.

There's a myth that the media like to put forward that people who earn really high work extra hard for it..

In reaility some people earn high salaries for doing very little and some people work extremely hard for minimum wage.

[Colin Day]

Lord Sugar didn't go to Uni....

[Doctor Carpet (Ret'd)]

Jim

Excluding the hard floor I'd have been about £400+vat. I woouldn't have offerred a day rate.

Obviously your client hasn't cottoned onto the fact that if all the work is done in one day as opposed to spread over a number of visits then it will "seem" more expensive. Also since you have visited several times you will be naturally quicker because you are familiar withthe house and also the items you are cleaning.

I've got good at heading off that sort of comment at the pass before it becomes a problem although I will admit htat I've have lost at least one client to this problem. I'm not worried though as there are plenty more clients coming along to replace them.

I'm vat registered simply because there is too much work coming in for me to keep my work below vat threshold. And as you can see I'm not particularly cheap in my pricing.

Is it annoying-yes. But in another week filled with other clinets who appreciate you and pay top wack you'll stop worrying about it.

As Ian said-they may just have had a bad day or had some other expensive bills.

Rog

[mike roberts]

the job description is cleaner, but we're far from it, well most of us are. do you clean all red wine stains out? or do you render some invisible?

been going 4 years now and still learning. everyday on the job and in the classroom when i get chance, so much to learn,

its quite simple really, you either take this job seriously and see it for what it really is or your just a cleaner.

What a strange statement 

Rest my case  It is quite simple Derek you clean carpets your a cleaner...

And yes must be the customer who is at fault they must of had a bad day or maybe you have out grown them - please!

[mike roberts]

Jim, this was a loyal customer so why on earth did you not apply your daily rate + protector ?

I think your customer has every right to complain, If however, you had priced it up before hand no debate completion time down to your discretion. As for cars etc you should know by now it makes little difference.

The harsh reality is we are just cleaners, skilled and trained, But still CLEANERS!
It amazes me that alot of people on here still dont except this fact.

I tend to agree with this statement and ultimately, that's how were are seen by most people... That is of course, until they have a stain that they have tried to tackle with just about anything with poor results, then we turn up and save the day... That's when we become heroes....

No Colin they phoned a professional carpet CLEANER and the carpet CLEANER quess what.... cleaned the carpet 

[Billy Russell]

To be honest we can all carry on typing on here all day long with these arguments!!!!


If you think your just a cleaner and want to carry on earning what you earn, then carry on! no skin off my nose!!! I'm happy with what i get! If your happy with what you get who gives a crap!!!!!

 

[clarkson]

 hi jim
 i think your price is spot on even before discount.  i think your problem is you have got so quick and efficent  it doent seem good value even though it is.

 I think the tradesman argument is ludicrous, we are tradesman. most trades havnt got 4 years training they have done a couple of night classes at the evening college of spiritual healing paid 1500 quid to napit or gas safe and of they go.

my mate plasters for a national building firm taught himself in a few weekends, helped out a mate on a refurb and of he goes. owns two trowels. thats it.

how is that more skilled than us, especially jim who is a the top of his game.

 as jason says they also turn up with 100 quid makita drill  a pack of screwdrivers and a stanley knife.

 thats a bit different to your setup what 20-30 grand.

john