[Chris - CBWC]

There's been a recent increase in customers asking me to clean their frames, mostly my new customers and probably because they've just moved in to a new house with dirty windows and frames.  I used to just charge an extra £5 but it takes me ages to do so I charge an additional £10 instead on, for example a 3 bed semi in Surrey with 2 bay windows, minus 1 top due to the conservatory that I don't do anyway.  For the effort and time I put in, £10 doesn't seem enough as I make sure all dirt is removed unless it's stained and won't ever shift.  It comes up really well and shining, but I feel I should charge for it.  Is it better to charge for the time taken instead, based on my usual £25 per hour?  If I do a fantastic job, surely it's worth the money.  I'm trad only, and use the applicator to get the tough stuff off, and an ordinary towel to clean it with.

Thanks

Chris

[steve k]

of course you charge your normal hourly rate...
£10 to clean UPVC is way too low.

[Jeff Brimble]

If I am asked to do frames I charge the same as to clean the windows. ie 2x as much(minimum and thats wfp)

[mgba_78]

I clean the frames on every clean. This way i can quote a fair price and will need less houses to make ends meat.
Yes the first one is always a arm wrench but after that its a simple wipe over with a damp cloth.
I have on one occasion charged extra for the first clean due to the level of dirt on the frames but that was and exception rather than the rule.

How much do you charge for a 3 bed semi, but just to do the glass then???

[Chris - CBWC]

£11.  Two big bay windows at front (3 ladder moves) - 1 top 1 bottom, then a 2nd top window at the front.  1 top, 3 bottom at side. 1 top at back.  What would others have quoted?

[mgba_78]

£11.  Two big bay windows at front (3 ladder moves) - 1 top 1 bottom, then a 2nd top window at the front.  1 top, 3 bottom at side. 1 top at back.  What would others have quoted?

I have a few like this but are detached properties and i chage £15 per 4 weeks, im in Dunstable Near J11 on the M1, these houses are worth well over £300k. They take me about 30-45 minutes to do depending on how i'm feeling

I personally think it makes a better "sell" to the customer saying you do the frames and sills, i have only once ever cleaned a house and done glass only, i ended up cleaning most of the frames as they looked utter crud when i had finished as there were run marks and clean bits where my scrim acidently touched the frame when detailing.
I just think if i had a window cleaner i would want the lot doing, yes the glass is nice and clear but if the frames look black it judt doesnt look right

Andy

[Chris - CBWC]

I always do the sills and make a point of telling the customer they are included in the quote as it's a great selling point.  If they ask about frames, it'll always be an extra cost, but I make sure the frames shine.  Maybe several months down the line, if they are a good customer then I'll wash some birdmuck off the frame, but I won't do it first time because there's a chance they'll cancel afterwards and I'm not doing something for nothing.

[KarlJones]

i just clean em.  It is a personal thing but I am not ready to walk away from a filthy frame just yet and claim I have cleaned the window.

I was asked to price up a conservatory clean the other day, the guy already has a window cleaner who only cleans glass.  You should have seen the state of the frames.  How the guy can sleep at night I will never know. Dirty lazy greedy b-word was running round my mind. 


There is a fine line between making as much as you can and ripping folks off.

[simon knight]

I always give the sills and frames a quick wipe as it normally takes seconds. If they're absolutely minging and it takes a bit longer I tell the customer to hint that an extra fiver might be in order...some take the hint ...most don't .

Certainly it makes the detailing better having clean frames and sills.

[Immaculate windows]

There are glass cleaners and there are window cleaners.
I am proud to be a window cleaner. You pay (or charge) for what you get!

[Easyclean Windows]

Those of you who don't clean frames and sills are breaking the trades descriptions act

A window is the glass,the frame,the sill.

If you only clean the glass then your not a window cleaner thus not doing the job you tell people you are.

If you only clean glass then your a glass cleaner and i don't think you get customers calling asking "can i have my glass cleaned please" no they ask for their windows to be cleaned...glass,frames,and sills

[riz]

Window Cleaner or glass cleaner?   

[KarlJones]

Thank god for that, I was beginning to think I was the only one who felt this way.

[master cleaner]

i give customers a choice glass only or glass and frames and price accordingly like someone has just said you get what you pay for you pay for glass cleaned you get glass cleaned you pay for glass and frames cleaned and you get glass and frames cleaned
so i guess im both a glass cleaner and a window cleaner.


gary

[billygoat]

thats rubbish easyclean,ive been cleaning 26 yrs and i just clean glass and sills,never had a complaint and ive built up a very good buisness.

 

[simbo]

thats rubbish easyclean,ive been cleaning 26 yrs and i just clean glass and sills,never had a complaint and ive built up a very good buisness.

yea but i bet that is the one complaint your customers have your kidding yourself if you think they don't have any
simbo

[mike richardson]

been cleaning 15yrs have done frames & sills every time since day 1 my customers think iam the dogs nuts,i dnt charge extra becouse after the 1st clean it dont take any longer to clean the window can clean a average window with a squege in less than 1 min inc frames & sills,most of my work is from window cleaners who dnt do frames,& becouse i do a service they dont my customers are loyal to me,

when i changed to wfp becouse id cleaned theframes every time they we easy with the pole,

[billygoat]

your talking rubbish to simbo,do you really think my customers would still employ me after all these years if i was doing a bad job.

[Easyclean Windows]

thats rubbish easyclean,ive been cleaning 26 yrs and i just clean glass and sills,never had a complaint and ive built up a very good business.

Can i please ask about your tone in your reply.When did i specifically say you didn't to the correct job.I said that i have spoken to people my own customers included and they have stated that they always thought a "window " cleaner cleaned the whole window,frames.sills include.I merely pointed out that the trades description for a window cleaner was someone who washes the complete unit.

[craig jwc]

I've never charged for doing the frames even when i was Traditional.

After you have cleaned them once they only take seconds to do from then on.

Alot of people like the fact i do the frames and have taken alot of work from others because of this.

People have come to me because of this, telling me that their w/c won't do them even when they have offered to pay them a bit extra.

Whatever is in that whole in the wall is classed as a window to me so i clean it.

Craig