[Ian Gourlay]

The only thing to do is go into the room in your white coats and Masks tell customer for saftey keep out Seal the doors and read the paper for an hour

[Dave_Lee]

"That's a lot of money for 2 hours work", I'd just say "Yes, if only it were all profit". I don't get into justifying things, like that. They don't understand the business side of things, just the amount of money they are parting with, often comparing it to their own income and rate per hour. Another thing they don't realise is how much their employer, is charging per hour for their labour. What they charge per hour at your local garage is much more than they pay the mechanic, it's the same thing.
Dave.

[jasonl]

I always state how long it will take beforehand .

This job was 4 hours (2 men x 2 hours) plus travel = 5 hours ,  220 is not a lot for that.

[JandS]

Think you'll find, Jason, that 95% of people who aren't self employed and a lot who are would disagree that £110 for 2 hours work is not a lot.
My Father and my Brother are both self employed builders so I see a lot of tradesmen when they are around and believe me if I told them £55 an hour was not a lot they would laugh.

[Mike Halliday]

We spent 2hrs leafleting to get the job 1 hour driving to do the quote, 2 hrs to do the work 1 hours travel time so really it was 11 man hours...... I should have charge more

But all the customers sees is you got here at 9 and  left at 11 .......2 hours

[CleanerCarpets]

Plumbers and other trades regularly get paid a lot per hour for completing simple jobs to them but impossible for others. Sometimes its the set up and machinery being used that dictates the price not just the knowledge.

I would of politely explained to him that yes you could go and get some equipment and do it yourself - but explain that investment for van, TM and everything else needed will cost him probably 20k and then years of experience to acheive what you did.

So to turn up and earn what you did isnt over the top when you think that for him to do the same would of cost him thousands in equipment and interest repayments.

Now if you had turned up with a Vax machine that would be different but believe me if a plumber turned up to his house and had to use the same value machinery to do a 2 hour job, it would of cost a lot more!

Dont take no poope, tell them how it is - it amazes me how some people fart when you tell them a perfectly reasonable price almost expecting you not to make any living. Normally the ones that do can be living in a much bigger house than i could ever afford and driving a brand new BMW or something - we all know how much it costs to run a house so how much disposable income must they have?

Remember - turn over is nothing to do with profit. You can have a massive turn over and just be a busy fool with no profit. He is looking at the turn over of the job, not your profit. We can also be lulled into thinking the same but after all expenses paid, you arent going to be threatening Sir Alan Sugar in the rich list so let them think what they like if they cant understand.

Next time he may well go for a cheapo splash and dasher but sometimes thats the only way they will learn our trade is a PROPER trade!!!

[JandS]

Exactly Mike, the aren't the least bit interested in the story behind it.
And to be honest I aren't with other tradesmen either.

[Shaun_Ashmore]

The plumber down the road from me charged a customer of mine to fit only an outside tap £100 as it was his min charge.

Don't know who's right?

Shaun

[JandS]

Plumbers and the like have more of a monopoly than us.
You can do w/o your carpets cleaning but usually if you need a plumber you need a plumber.

[COLIN BRIGHT]

do quote, give price... book it in .. or they have to THINK ABOUT IT... most book it in... dont justify the hourly rate thing.. people who argue very rarely book .. so does it matter.. move on to those who do want your services...i used to argue and try an justify to the peasants .. i mean people.. cant be asked anymore.. lifes to short.

[david hutchieson]

Here´s what I say when they mention the time/cost...

Guy goes to the dentist and asks how much to remove a broken tooth.
50 quid says the dentist.
How long does it take? asks the guy.
You get 50 quid for 2 minutes work?
If its the time that bothers you I can take as long as you want !! says dentist.

Simples

[JandS]

It's £50 for one filling but it's also £50 for 10 fillings.

[Paul Clapham]

Quote the price, then when they book, just pre qualify the time by saying something along the lines of " just to let you  know Mrs Jones , so you can plan your morning ,  the job will take 2 / 2.5 hours"

 Now they have all the info , the price of the job and how long it will take, if they say anything about the price after the clean just remind then you mentioned how long it would take at the quote.     

[Simon Gerrard]

I just got a quote from a plasterer for a job that will take one man a full day, £170 including materials.
So £200 for two hours work is surely extortionate given that we are only cleaners

Simon

[John Klucznik]

A lot of money com paired to what? Did they factor in your travel time, equipment expense, insurance and the time it took you to become educated?
Dont let it bother you.

[Dave_Lee]

I just got a quote from a plasterer for a job that will take one man a full day, £170 including materials.
So £200 for two hours work is surely extortionate given that we are only cleaners

Simon

Blimey Simon, what his number. I got a plasterer to do a job in our kitchen, he was recommended. I had to get all the materials beforehand, he was just charging purely for his labour. He charged us £280.. cash and it took him 3 hours. it was a weekend foreigner for him, as he worked on building sites during the week for a big name builder.
Dave.

[JandS]

And you paid it?

[Paul Moss]

Yawn

[Dave_Lee]

And you paid it?

Yes, he gave us the quote a few days earlier. I had no idea what sort of charges plasterers made and he did come highly recommended. Paid then got out of the way for the day to let him crack on. It was neighbor who told us what time he left. He did a good job so we didn't feel ripped off, but when you hear about what other get a job done for........... but then again that's always the case with anything.
We would only have felt ripped off if the job was a bad one.

[COLIN BRIGHT]

Dave Lee has been a carpet cleaner for many years so of coarse he paid it.. cause he's extremely minted