[Spruce]

This is a very interesting read.
https://www.vox.com/the-goods/22722572/undercharging-contractors-labor-gig-economy?utm_source=pocket-newtab-global-en-GB

[Tom-01]

Thanks Spruce.

It's true, the propensity to underprice in the service/trade industry to get work will always happen. People can 'earn more' working for themselves than perhaps they did in low paid jobs, so price low to get the work. However, when you take everything else into consideration they're not always better off.

Have you read the book 'The Whale Vomit Method'? It's good. Basically it boils down to not underpricing yourself, and if you charge a lot higher prices you will get work and attract more of that work. Of course, you need to be able to do a good job. However, good marketing and image play a big role in earning more.

[Granny]

Good article I recognise quite a bit in that lot.
However
"what we feel our time and knowledge are worth. Within a range, of course, of market norms,"
It's that range of market norms.
We can only charge so much before we get undercut, in my experience.

[windowswashed]

Everybody should know there bottom line at which point you refuse work, running costs, fuel, insurance, it all adds up, no point working for peanuts otherwise you might as well call it a day.

[Smudger]

I have only scan read the article but I get the drift,

While we are governed by what the market will generally allow , and there are nearly always someone, somewhere who will undercut but will that person actually stay in business? do they even earn a decent living?  - I think not

its very easy to set your own worth too low, and its important not to let those who don't value your time/experience drag you down.

Its better IMO to not get every job but get them on quality and service -  even in this cheap is best culture you can still get good customers who prefer this to a cheap price.

Darran

[dazmond]

Just charge what you think is fair(not what someone else thinks you should charge)...

I have a few jobs where i charge £30-£40 more than their  previous cleaner (its not his fault as he inherited his dad's ridiculously low prices)so he dumped them rather than drastically put them up....I have other work thats cheaper than some other guys but I have loads of it all close together!🙂

[NWH]

If you get every job you quote imo you’re too cheap or going in below most of the others,I have asked what they were paying before and they’ve told me in some cases nearly all the time it’s ridiculously cheap. Some prices you hear you can’t believe they are so cheap they  literally can’t be earning a living let alone a decent one.

[Spruce]

Good article I recognise quite a bit in that lot.
However
"what we feel our time and knowledge are worth. Within a range, of course, of market norms,"
It's that range of market norms.
We can only charge so much before we get undercut, in my experience.

This is true. But I find I have become rather complacent with increasing my prices to customers I've had for a long time.  So I found this article very pertinent to me.
For example, I've been charging £5 for the front only of a street house on the High Street. One door, a bay window and an upstairs window. UK inflation to 2020 has now indicated that that price should be £6.56. I've told them the new price is £8. I was thinking of £7 and another price increase next year when we see what this year brings, but decided to go for it now.

The owner who lives abroad hasn't directly confirmed they accept the new price, but she did say she would get her son to help her setup a BACS payment, so I'm taking that as a Yes. Again, if she doesn't accept it then so be it.

I also understand that new window cleaners can't afford to turn any business away by pricing above what the customer's perceived window clean price is and losing a job. But in that situation as we all were at one time, we need to have regular price increases to at least cover inflation and a bit more.

[Smudger]

Yes - everyone starting out will all into this trap of being cheap just to get the work, this could then turn into a long and painful road
also the same with long standing customers - in the early years I would put up 75% of the work leaving some much favoured customers at the original price - when the lads started to clean them I'd get questions why is THAT one cheap ? even more so as it started to effect their daily target/bonus. this focused my mind that customers are customers and prices should be on a scale and increased on a regular basis ( every other year )

Darran

[james peters]

I think everyone has jobs that are out of touch .
as the business progresses , and we realise how important time is , new work is always priced better.

all businesses progress  and move foreward .
some of my work that I once thought was my best , has fallen behind.
but rather than dump , I take a gamble and put the prices up. (in most cases )

some of my  work that is underpriced is actually the best , because it is all so compact.
but that is also faulty thinking. if it was priced better it would be EVEN better.

i have come to realise that its my thinking that is the problem when it comes to pricing.
our thought process can be our worst enemy.
recognising this has been my greatest help to move foreward

[Stoots]

I see it like this .

If you are solo and intend staying solo.

You want to start out getting 100% of what you quote, then 70, 50,30, 10% over the years. Higher you price less work you will get its that simple.

But more important to me these days isn't £ per hour it's pain per hour. 

I have days where I can crack off 300 quid by 2pm using nothing but an 18ft pole and I tell you this is money earned much more easily than towing about on a day full of bigger houses with a 25ft plus pole with lots of angles, velux windows etc. Might be Same money per hour but it feels like twice as much work.

My favourite days are ones full of 12 quid semis that probably take 5 to 10 mins a piece with an 18ft pole.

I need to start marketting properly at much higher prices and start replacing some work as some of it I just hate doing.

[NWH]

There’s nothing better than doing 2-3-4 houses Stoots over 12-15 m8 believe me I’ve done work years ago well above the 15 jobs a day,if you want longevity you want to be doing less jobs for more money.
If you want time to do other stuff and still want to earn good money you’ll be working a lot harder cleaning 25 quid houses that take half hour then on to the next trust me m8 done em,if I take a new one on these days I have the pleasure of not needing the job hence pretty much charge what you want within reason but over what someone would want that needs the work.
Wheat chaff wheat chaff all the time in the end the work is a lot easier for a lot less time on the glass.

[NWH]

If I had to choose to do 3 jobs that I do with an Orange fibreglass pole I’d take it over 15-20 with an extreme 18 m8.

[james peters]

I see it like this .

If you are solo and intend staying solo.

You want to start out getting 100% of what you quote, then 70, 50,30, 10% over the years. Higher you price less work you will get its that simple.



But more important to me these days isn't £ per hour it's pain per hour. 

I have days where I can crack off 300 quid by 2pm using nothing but an 18ft pole and I tell you this is money earned much more easily than towing about on a day full of bigger houses with a 25ft plus pole with lots of angles, velux windows etc. Might be Same money per hour but it feels like twice as much work.

My favourite days are ones full of 12 quid semis that probably take 5 to 10 mins a piece with an 18ft pole.

I need to start marketting properly at much higher prices and start replacing some work as some of it I just hate doing.

I agree with this .  I also use less water on the smaller properties , which is something I have to account for as I only carry 500 litres.
I stumbled upon doing a small front only  (terraced) for the niece of a long standing good customer. I didnt want to do it, but i stuck to doing it .    I now have around 15 more or less  all in a row .  that particular part of my round  is £120 for the  hour and I use hardly any water.  for me , that is good as I am on the lower end of hourly rates on this forum .

As I am doing them each month I always wish my whole round was that easy .  Its all cash and 4 of them pay for the rest .
 

[Granny]

I find the easiest thing about window cleaning is actually cleaning the windows.
The most difficult thing is pricing.
All my best priced jobs have been lost in time some lasted for a year, some for less but eventually all undercut.
I don't think it's quality of work because I do a good thorough job and have never had complaints.
I've got a good core of well priced jobs but it's rare that I can push the limit and get away with it for long.
Hopefully with all these job vacancies we might see less windies - it's crawling with them round here!
I suppose it's just enjoy the jobs for as long as they last.

[Richard iSparkle]

I see it like this .

If you are solo and intend staying solo.

You want to start out getting 100% of what you quote, then 70, 50,30, 10% over the years. Higher you price less work you will get its that simple.

But more important to me these days isn't £ per hour it's pain per hour. 

I have days where I can crack off 300 quid by 2pm using nothing but an 18ft pole and I tell you this is money earned much more easily than towing about on a day full of bigger houses with a 25ft plus pole with lots of angles, velux windows etc. Might be Same money per hour but it feels like twice as much work.

My favourite days are ones full of 12 quid semis that probably take 5 to 10 mins a piece with an 18ft pole.

I need to start marketting properly at much higher prices and start replacing some work as some of it I just hate doing.

Love this

Pain per hour.

Bang on 👍🏼

[jay moley]

I think we all have work that is either well priced, overpriced (not saying this is bad in fact its good) and underpriced.

You will never be able to get it perfect.

[Stoots]

If I had to choose to do 3 jobs that I do with an Orange fibreglass pole I’d take it over 15-20 with an extreme 18 m8.

I do 20 to 25 a day and i would rather do that than 10-15 bigger houses.

The houses you are talking about that are £100 a pop simply dont exist in my area, my biggest job is £28.

[james peters]

If I had to choose to do 3 jobs that I do with an Orange fibreglass pole I’d take it over 15-20 with an extreme 18 m8.

I do 20 to 25 a day and i would rather do that than 10-15 bigger houses.

The houses you are talking about that are £100 a pop simply dont exist in my area, my biggest job is £28.

same here
I would have to do an hour each way to be able to do the houses Nigel does .
£££ a pop ? stuff that ... 10 mins and im on my first job   

[deeege]

If I had to choose to do 3 jobs that I do with an Orange fibreglass pole I’d take it over 15-20 with an extreme 18 m8.

I do 20 to 25 a day and i would rather do that than 10-15 bigger houses.

The houses you are talking about that are £100 a pop simply dont exist in my area, my biggest job is £28.

Nigel’s in the unique situation where he lives in a ex council house/estate but is surrounded by large rural houses. He doesn’t understand that other peoples work areas are very different to his.