[dai]

I still have many £5.00 jobs and because they are small, and the round is as compact as it gets, I can make good money on them. How can I charge more  for a new one, when the house either side is done for a fiver? Dai

[Feen]

Dai, I agree there. I tend to say the same price as next door as it does give me more work in the same place. Generally I am surprised at peoples' minimum charge. I know that the days doing less houses, but better paying ones are the most profitable days. However, I like the 40 houses in a scheme at £5 too. If I lose one, so what. If I lost a £200 job, it's a bigger deal.

[matt]

im the opposite, i have a good mix of houses

most of my better earners are from houses next to each other, house after house after house

the top end houses are spread out and i sit in the van, drive to the next house i could have done 2 houses in thet above road

[suds window service]

my average is £7 for my houses but only looking to improve that from now on

[suds window service]

as you can see i live in the n.e.  when researching this career change  i spoke to lots of the local window cleaners,all are trad,all under price themselves for example what they would charge £3.50 ,i would charge £7.00 it has not stopped me growing my business .wfp is as rare as rocking horse s!!!t in these parts but my customers love it ....in short i,ve said this before it really does,nt matter which part of the country your from people will pay for a good job

[Wayne Thomas]

I still have many £5.00 jobs and because they are small, and the round is as compact as it gets, I can make good money on them. How can I charge more  for a new one, when the house either side is done for a fiver? Dai

Dai, charge your new customers more when you pick them up. If they ask why you clean their neighbours houses cheaper, tell them it's because they're old customers with old prices that are well overdue a price increase this year. (It's what I do when I've got compact work). I price each new house as if it was the only house in the street.

[Davo]

It seems that, mainly as a result of this forum, as I have raised my minimum price the number of people who ssem happy to pay it remains about the same. The vast majority still accept it without hesitation.
I am coming to the view that confidence, and being comfortable with what you do and charge is conveyed to the customer. If you are hesitant and a bit unsure they get that too.

Minimum prices, Front Only £8, Bungalow £10, 3 bed semi £14, Council house on the local estate £12.  

Couldnt agree more, most of the time its you who reduces the price NOT the customer. You get it into your head that the other cleaner charges less,or, at that price its £20 £30 an hour am I worth that???

Probably the most successful member of this forum said " you will be suprised what they will pay"



Mark

[Captain Scarlet]

you will be suprised what they will pay

Well thats me, because I firmly believe, just because I wouldnt be willing to pay that sort of money, somebody else would. If they dont like my price then there will be somebody who does, its something my dads always taught me, Luke

[groundhog]

Well thats me, because I firmly believe, just because I wouldnt be willing to pay that sort of money, somebody else would. If they dont like my price then there will be somebody who does, its something my dads always taught me, Luke

Totally agree, its a numbers game to me, I don't like it if everybody agrees to my price as this would mean I'm too cheap, and I'm building a round full of cream, I'll let some other wc do the semi skimmed as I only want the best!

[TennetClean]

Personally I wont touch anyhting for less than £10.  I think £10 is a fair price for even a small house.

If it is a house that is near or right next to somewhere i already do then maybe I might consider going SLIGHTLY lower.

But this depends on where you are at with your business.  If you are just starting up and need all of the customers you can get, then probly be better not to restrict yourself with a minimum price.  However, if you are well established and just need to refine the work you already have then a min price is a good idea.

It comes down to what you are doing in your own business i guess.

[Londoner]

I had a situation recently where one of my underpriced customers recommended me to two of her neighbours whose window cleaner had stopped coming.
So now I have three underpriced customers but they are all so close togeather they are a good proposition as a treble up.

Swings and roundabouts

[matt]

i have different prices even for identical houses next door to each other

if asked, i allways tell them the truth, the older customers got in with a good price as i was starting up, now im not desperate for work, i can afford to charge a little more, they either take it of leave it, its upto them, many know this, it pays to be loyal and they get a better price than a new customer

[AuRavelling79]

Funny how we are eh Matt?

I would feel uncomfortable going in much higher than my existing custy next door and so if existing was say £8 I might stretch the new one to £10 but not a huge differential for the same.

[matt]

i have 3 houses in a little layby pull in type of thing ( i do all 3 houses )

1 is 9 quid ( i took this house over from the last guy )

1 is 12 quid ( i took this over from same guy )

1 is 14 quid ( a job i priced about 2 years ago ), this house knows they are the most expensive and often joke " i wish i had caught you a few years ago , it would have saved me a fortune "

[Feen]

you will be suprised what they will pay

Well thats me, because I firmly believe, just because I wouldnt be willing to pay that sort of money, somebody else would. If they dont like my price then there will be somebody who does, its something my dads always taught me, Luke

I like that Very well put. Now I must try to put it into practice

[steve m]

I do a lot of houses on one estate and my minimum is £17.00. All mine are over garages. The cheap ones are the ones with garden gates

[groundhog]

i have 3 houses in a little layby pull in type of thing ( i do all 3 houses )

1 is 9 quid ( i took this house over from the last guy )

1 is 12 quid ( i took this over from same guy )

1 is 14 quid ( a job i priced about 2 years ago ), this house knows they are the most expensive and often joke " i wish i had caught you a few years ago , it would have saved me a fortune "

This is not good business sense to me! especially if you have been doing them for 2 years as you say, be brave and put them all up to £15!

[matt]

first 2 have been done for 5 years, 3rd house for 2 years

i know for a fact that the first 1 wouldnt have the price 6 quid increase, thats a little OTT

[jonah]

Or you could take the average price of £12 for all     

[jonah]

If you took my advice you would be ahead by £1 and everyone would feel equal