[Cinders]

Hello everyone,

This is my first post on here after spending a couple of weeks reading through all the posts and taking on mounds of advice!

I am in the process of starting a domestic cleaning business in the north west....I put out some flyers last week as a sort of pilot as i admit i am far from prepared at the moment....phoned around a few places for prices in my area and had a rough idea what i was going to charge!

I got my first call this morning for a one off clean in a two bedroomed apartment....(spring cleans in my area are £90+) and i advised the potential client that it was £60 but he said it was too expensive!  I am feeling very deflated now and would appreciate any advice from people on charging.  How much difference would you charge for a two bedroomed apartment to a three bedroomed semi for example? or should i just stick to my guns and not lower my prices just yet?

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[Prestige1]

Hi and welcome to the forum, if you have reading lately you will have seen some strange topics, this is not the norm you can pick loads of stuff on here but one bit of advice, not everyone is right, not all is good advice. Don’t take nocks personally. And above all respect each and every individuals view how ever strange it may be
Now to your question, it all depends on how deep you are spring cleaning? And what your situation is? if you need to start earning as soon as you can, then price competitively to get work coming in and filling your book, if this is not the case aim for the middle ground and fill your book, once full start pricing in line with your worth (how good you are)
If you’re on your own I would say 4 to 5hrs would see that apartment off. Price it as I said above,
Need cash £60
Middle ground £75 to £90
You’re worth £90 to £110

I would charge £90 to £110 + vat

It all depends how bad it is, but you will always get the tyre kickers who are not serious, if you quoted over the phone, don't, go and see him, its a lot harder for someone to say no to your face and you can demonstrate how good you are. Hope this helps but it’s only a guide, good luck in your venture. Kind regards Phil

[Tim Downer]

Welcome to the forum.

I agree with Prestige's (Phil's) comments above.
If you start off pricing at £60 per job, you will be stuck there at the bottom end of the scale.
Start off charging what you are worth, because at the end of the day we are in it for the money and there are people out there who will pay the money......those are the ones you should be looking for.
There have been many postings on here pointing out that at sometime in the future, you may need to employ someone, so start charging NOW on the basis that you are emplying someone - even if it is yourself on your own!!! People and you, will than get used to those charges.

I wouldn't charge less than £100 for a spring clean anyway.

Good luck, and dont worry, we all get deflated now and then. 

Kind Regards

Tim


PS - Same as Phil on the weird postings recently........just skip past those ones.......I do 

[Lesley J]

I agree with visiting the client, you can always sell face to face, we never give a quote over the phone, peoples standards of clean are so different to yours, prices vary greatly in all areas as long as you deliver a good product you will grow. best of luck

[Paul Kettless]

Hi, and welcome to the forum,

I would also agree with these guys, you have some good advice there.

£60 was a very reasonable quote, and you will always find that some customers want something for nothing. Stick to your prices and the work will appear eventually.  My last three quotes have not ended in obtaining the job, that's just part of the industry we have to accept.

Kind regards

Paul

[Cinders]

Hi,

Thanks for the advice...feel much better today....got out yesterday and posted more leaflets...and i actually have blisters!

Now with the advice i have been given advising me to go around the clients home and give them an estimate is there any type of form  or check list people use to price jobs?

I would be grateful if someone could email a sample to me

Thanks