[Grafters Cleaning Services]

This weekend I popped up to Shefield to visit my sister in law, we were discussing my business of w/c when she told me how much her w/c charges her.
She lives in a 3 bed semi with good access on all 3 sides nothing that a ladder or pole can’t reach and no conservatory.
The price she is being charged is £4-00 which I find hard to believe as the same house here in Southampton would be £9-00.

So my question is, why is there a North & South divide?
After all a pint of milk, gallon of petrol, loaf of bread is priced the same as the South.
The only difference in prices that I can see are houses, her house is similar to mine and the difference in value is £30,000 hers being the cheaper one.

So if things are not 50% cheaper up there then why should w/c be 50% cheaper than the South.
Perhaps some of the Northerners on this forum can enlighten me?

[Pj]

I think you hit the nail on the head....

House prices = bigger loans = bigger mortgages = bigger incomes

 "           "      = smaller loans = smaller mortgages = lower incomes

These differences affect things subtly, like paying for services..ie windowcleaners, gardeners and that kind of thing.  Simple really.

[geefree]

Hi

I live just 20 mins north of your sister, in wakefield...

i would charge her £6 or 7.... its awful to listen to some of the earnings in the south compared to up here...

we have old time window cleaners who simply have not increased their prices in years, and i also bet they now dare not take such a jump up to todays rates, for fear of losing customers..


also we are absolutey riddled with 2.50 brigade, thats my limited view (being new to w/c)

i am going out there canvassing at todays prices and even some people who say i charge too much, take me on after a brief explanation about the 2.50 brigade....

i warn customers about them, saying do you want the dole boys up ladders scanning all your bedrooms and your downstairs rooms for things to pinch to buy the drugs etc... they get the message.

[Moderator David@stives]

Its the sae in any trade , you can get plasterers at £60 a day and others wanting £200 a day.
Back street mechanics at £30 an hour or main dealer at £100+ vat an hour.
There is no set standard or charge if there were it would be a monopoly on prices.l

Just charge what you are worth, you will eventually get a clientel at the prices you want.

Dave

[macc]

Hi,

Im in a band D for Council Tax £1400.00
Water rates (not metered)      £  500.00 about.

How does that compare to up North ?

Macc

[master cleaner]

Hi,

Im in a band D for Council Tax £1400.00
Water rates (not metered)      £  500.00 about.

How does that compare to up North ?

Macc

i live in rotherham just outside sheffield
poll tax £1000
water rates not metered £ £400

i also now have a £10 minimum charge since turning to wfp 14 months ago no matter how small a job is the only exception is if i get a few terraced houses in a row i then charge £5 i am forever picking up work at these prices.

gary

[Pj]

It's official, Northeners are fatter and will die in 2 years!

At least I think thats what the Newsman said!

[Paul Coleman]

This weekend I popped up to Shefield to visit my sister in law, we were discussing my business of w/c when she told me how much her w/c charges her.
She lives in a 3 bed semi with good access on all 3 sides nothing that a ladder or pole can’t reach and no conservatory.
The price she is being charged is £4-00 which I find hard to believe as the same house here in Southampton would be £9-00.

So my question is, why is there a North & South divide?
After all a pint of milk, gallon of petrol, loaf of bread is priced the same as the South.
The only difference in prices that I can see are houses, her house is similar to mine and the difference in value is £30,000 hers being the cheaper one.

So if things are not 50% cheaper up there then why should w/c be 50% cheaper than the South.
Perhaps some of the Northerners on this forum can enlighten me?

At the risk of being accused of stereotyping, unemployment has traditionally been higher in the north - which accounts for some of the difference in house prices.  Supply and demand kicks in as there is more likelihood of someone trying window cleaning in an area of higher unemployment.  Also, there is more likelihood of a larger black economy in such a situation which cuts the rates for everyone.

[AuRavelling79]

It's official, Northeners are fatter and will die in 2 years!

At least I think thats what the Newsman said!

So - how do you class Norfolk, PJ? North? South? (I know it's East geographically, but what about economically?)

[macc]

1 year

[neil100]

It does not matter where you live North or South there will allways be w/c who clean windows cheaply.

I live in the North west of England and I charge very Similar to what a w/c would charge in the South.

I canvassed last night. Picked up this ladys house, I charged £10 her last w/c charged £4. I got a phone call tonight of a lady. I priced her house at £25 her last w/c £10.

I have freinds who are working in the same town who charge even more then me.

Its down to the person concerned and nothing else.

Nel.

[Pj]

It's official, Northeners are fatter and will die in 2 years!

At least I think thats what the Newsman said!

So - how do you class Norfolk, PJ? North? South? (I know it's East geographically, but what about economically?)

not good, my friend.  About half way.

Here's a thing though -

All the parts are the same price wherever you are.  I wish I was selling parts!
R/O, D/I, Resin, TDS meters, Poles, Hoses, Pumps,   etc, etc,  Backpacks, brushes, connectors, tubes, cylinders, etc, etc.

But service charges vary.

So profit varies....  No doubt about it.

[dougster]

big difference in prices, i live up north and charge a fiver for a semi which i get told is exspensive, but i think more people have windows cleaned up north as they do in the south becuase northerners have more disposable income, than southerners,,,would love to be able to charge the rates southerners do

[windows_chepstow]

I wish you lot would fill in your profiles.

I've just checked Dougster's out, to see where 'up North' he lives, and where a fiver is the 'going rate' for a semi, and guess what... it's blank.

Fill in  your profiles, please.

Birmingham is North to me now, but when I lived up North, Birmingham was South.

Fill your profiles out.  You don't have to display your e-mail addresses!

[Pj]

Agreed Tosh.

But back on topic, even though you wear knickers

Why are our tools, and systems and disposibles, the same price nationwide, yet we have a big difference in service charges?

[baldeagle]

My dance partner lives in Stoke on Trent, about 9 miles from me, and her windows are cleaned fortnightly for 50 pence!!

Yes, that's correct, 50 pence!

She lives in a very small bungalow, built for a single person.

It has 3 windows, 2 glass panels in front door, [top and bottom], a glass in the back door, plus a narrow glass at the side of the back door.

His prices are pro rata[ish] for the surrounding houses, and he, not surprisingly, does 'em all!

But the point is, before we all jump about, shouting about how little he's charging, it's his business, he's running it how he wants, and he makes a living.

Baldeagle

[Sir Squeaky]

It's official, Northeners are fatter and will die in 2 years!

At least I think thats what the Newsman said!

Yep.

Full of pies.

[mark dew]

It's official, Northeners are fatter and will die in 2 years!

At least I think thats what the Newsman said!

So - how do you class Norfolk, PJ? North? South? (I know it's East geographically, but what about economically?)

malc,
Highish house prices with the majority of people working for or within a quid or 2 of minimum wage.
Rural WC rates are similar to the south though. Fortunately.

mark

[Pj]

It's official, Northeners are fatter and will die in 2 years!

At least I think thats what the Newsman said!

So - how do you class Norfolk, PJ? North? South? (I know it's East geographically, but what about economically?)

Sorry Malc, just noticed your question.

I'm in west Norfolk, here its closer to North economy.  In fact a very depressed economy indeed.  You only have to google house prices to find out.
It's a 'black hole' here.  Nearest decent size towns:  Peterborogh 35 miles west, Norwich 40 miles east, Cambridge 40 miles south....North from here?  The North sea!  It's a bit of a graveyard here.  There are no blue chip companies, not many factories and hardly any manufacturing at al

[windows_chepstow]

My ex-wife, (the mad Irish woman) lives in Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland, and her window cleaner charges her 2.50p for standard sized semi, and a climb over her garage.