[Tom White]

I was asked to quote for a customer's gutter cleaning, she wasn't in at the time, so I attached a camera to a pole and recorded what was in her gutters.  I uploaded it to youtube, sent her the link with the quote and this was her reply:



I particularly like the bit where she says "please confirm the price after you do it, in case it needs to be more".

I think I'll do that more often.

[rosskesava]

That is such a good idea.

What camera did you attach to the pole?

How long was the video?

Thanks.

[Tom White]

That is such a good idea.

What camera did you attach to the pole?

How long was the video?

Thanks.

It was a Canon Powershot SX130IS.  I think I paid £40 for it from fleabay.  The video was only a few minutes long; just the time it took me to walk around her property.

[Tom White]

I've been thinking about pushing gutter cleaning; it's pretty good money if you price it right.  Maybe doing a leaflet campaign of different areas, offering to record the results and charging £10 for an inspection.  If they don't need cleaning the customer has peace of mind and at least I get something for going to their property.

And I can show them the findings on my camera or youtube.

And I can get leaflets delivered cheaply.

Does anyone push this kind of work?

[Smurf]

Guttering & downspout checking & clearing is my core service and the rest of the services I offer are just add-ons
It's a bit like saying do you want chips with that or do you want to go large 

As for uploading vids to youtube for quotes nice idea but I would rather send potential customers a few still images via email instead with a pdf quote attached if/when required..

Also I've operated a 10 squid guttercam survey fee going out to quote for quite a while too.

Then there are the camera roof surveys that I charge a min of 20 squid to do when asked.

Like this one for example when a landlord contacted me as a tenant in one of the flats had water ingress in his bathroom right by that blocked valley. Hmmm...I wonder why? 

[rosskesava]

I've been thinking about pushing gutter cleaning; it's pretty good money if you price it right.  Maybe doing a leaflet campaign of different areas, offering to record the results and charging £10 for an inspection.  If they don't need cleaning the customer has peace of mind and at least I get something for going to their property.

And I can show them the findings on my camera or youtube.

And I can get leaflets delivered cheaply.

Does anyone push this kind of work?

Sod leaflets and all that.

Just add appropriate 'video will be taken' type sign writing to your van. A working van is real. Leaflets are something that just gets shoved through a letter box and then into the recycling bin by the home owner.

[Smurf]

I don't have my van sign written nor ever had the need too as people can see what I'm doing anyway. If they are interested they will stop me working and ask for a quote but I seem to acttract the local village idiots too that just want a chat 
 

[samson]

Wouldn't bother with the £10 inspection, as it won't cover your time and fuel !      Good idea if you are filming for existing customers.    We are always upselling the current window cleaning customers, and have got some good extra income from the other services we provide.

[AuRavelling79]

I see a new Tosh thread:

What camera equipment can I justify as a business expense?

[Tom White]

Wouldn't bother with the £10 inspection, as it won't cover your time and fuel !     

It certainly will in Chepstow.  Target an estate, try to group your calls together, and it could work out as a 'better than nothing' hourly rate just for doing gutter inspections.  How long would each take?  Probably about 10 minutes with a chat thrown in.

[samson]

Wouldn't bother with the £10 inspection, as it won't cover your time and fuel !     

It certainly will in Chepstow.  Target an estate, try to group your calls together, and it could work out as a 'better than nothing' hourly rate just for doing gutter inspections.  How long would each take?  Probably about 10 minutes with a chat thrown in.

What you will find if you get the right gear is the cleaning is pretty easy, but you will get the odd job which is a stinker, so the hard jobs make up for the easy.    It is a good idea to get the custy to have the cleaning done every 12 months, and then you build up a good repeat  business.    Good you are trying different stuff though, and it it works for you then go for it 

[Rich Wilts]

Charge £25.00 for an inspection and knock it off the price if they go ahead with a clearance job.

[Smurf]

Charge £25.00 for an inspection and knock it off the price if they go ahead with a clearance job.

What happens when someone only charges 20 squid to do the  job? 

[Smurf]

The  majority of new enquires most wil be  in contact only when their gutters start overflow or can see trees/shrubs etc growing out of them. Alot of the time is just blocked downspouts but on many  also the gutters have not been cleared regulary hence why you got the call/email.

To try charging 25 squid call out  to see what needs doing there is a fair chance they will say "fook off yer having a laugh" then contact someone else. ...I know I would

[tonyoliver]

name another service that doesn't charge for a call out think plumbers 100.00 or solicitor 400.00 p hour
 or even window cleaners who seem to get called out for free to just have a look