[Tim Downer]

We have been trading for 4 months now, doing builders and sparkle cleans to new developers in hertfordshire.

My questions to anyone out there are:

Are there any associations etc that this type of business can affiliate with?

Are there any specific training courses for the staff to go on that would help to improve their work specifically on new house cleans?

I would appreciate any input people out there have.

I must say though, I used to run a cleaning business some years ago - Office cleaning etc.....but doing builders and sparkle cleans is chuffing hard work! Even when i send in 5 cleaners to clean a couple of properties ( including myself unfortunately) its not easy work. 

But it is very rewarding when you look behind after cleaning a couple of properties on a dirty building site, and see the whole house sparkle and shine......and thats not just my thoughts, that comes from my staff too.

All the best to fellow cleaners out there whatever your expertise...

Regards

Tim

[martin19842]

hi timbob,

so when did you start, we launched officially on 1 st sept, i have two full time ops and som casuals, changing to 4 full time ops after xmas. we have had a great time, we are handing over tomorrow 11 appts including common areas and two large houses, we also did another two three storey houses on monday.

this sprint to christmas has meant that i have been on site full time aswell.

any particular questions please ask.

we also do specialist stuff aswell with regards to factory delap build cleans, leisure centres and high level ceiling work.

i have IPAF qualified ops therefore please bear us in mind if you have a need for that sodt of thing. 

you might find ity useful to get some people IPAF trained developers love that.

regards

martin

[Tim Downer]

Hello Martin,

Thanx for your reply.

We started properly begining of October with 4 part-timers, although during the month of September it was just myself doing the work. 

Similar to yourself, we will be looking for more part-timers possibily begining of february time.....nearly all my staff are Housewives with some having to take their kids to school before they join us on site. However, it would be nice to get a couple who can start earlier in the day. Something to sort out for next year!!

Its been a challange over the past couple of weeks leading up till now, but we've all had a good time cleaning up after the very messy tradesmen, and stopping for the odd cup of coffee.!!  :

What are the "IPAF" qualifications you mentioned?

Thanx for offering to answer any questions I may have, which I will PM you later with.

Have a good break and have plenty of rest before the next onslaught in January

Regards

Tim

[martin19842]

hi there.

we use all blokes, as the build cleans we are doing are pretty grim, sometimes.

IPAF is the' international powered access federation' cherrypickers etc.

we use them alot on appt blocks.

well just got in, and have handed over 7 appts today

bit tired if im honest.

got to go out and get some chemicals tomorow, for a few jobs in the break

regards

martin

[polly]

HI
TIMBOB

These is not a reply its aquestion. I have been trying to get contracts do you have tips to give please

polly

[Tim Downer]

Hello Polly

What you are asking is a very big question!

What sort of contracts are you looking for?

i.e:
Cleaning of new homes - builders cleans, sparkle cleans etc?
House lettings?
Office cleaning?
Domestic cleaning
etc etc.....

I have been in the cleaning business for over 7 years and have done all sorts of cleaning. ( except domestic cleaning...) If you let me know which sort of contracts you are looking for, i will do my best to point you in the right direction.

Looking forward to hearing from you, and will pm you when i have a better idea of what you are looking for.

Regards

Tim

[polly]

Hi
TIMBOB

Thanks for your reply. What am interest at is builders cleaning & sparkle & Pricing as well

Thanks

polly

[Tim Downer]

Hi Polly

I am in the middle of doing a large quote at the moment. When i am done i will pm you a few ideas etc.

Regards

Tim

[martin19842]

hi there,

timbob, just hand deliverying another tender response this afternoon, worth about 40k, and thern got another 2 site pricings to submit on moday, where we have just started the sites as the company that won the bids originally have both be taken off site.

good luck mate

regards

martin

[Tim Downer]

Hi Martin

Good luck on your tenders

Most of the ones we have got are quite small, around £10 - £15,000. This one is around £80,000 for the builders and sparkle cleans, plus any re-cleans on-top  -  another poss £20,000

Really would like this one.....and another 10 like it!!!

Hope you find more sites where cowboys get taken off site!

Regards


Tim

[Martin S]

Hi guys,

Question out of curiosity more than anything.  What exactly is meant by builders/sparkle cleans?  Do you mean going into recently built houses by large developers and cleaning prior to sale, after builders have left.  Do you do exteriors as well, drives/paths etc?  Or something else entirely?  It might be obvious to some, but not me.

Regards.

Martin S

[Tim Downer]

Hi again....

In response to Martins comments above....

....a builders clean is where we come in and clean the whole property after the worst of the work is done....kitchen carcasses, bathrooms, doors etc to remove all the dirt, debris and dust etc to enable other contractors to get on with thier work i.e kitchen appliances etc

The sparkle clean is usually done after all the work and snagging has been done on the property. The customer is usually going to be moving into the property with in a day or so from the sparkle clean. As the name suggests, we will leave the property sparkling clean so the customer can move into a beautifully clean home.

Depending on the builders, some require a pre-clean. Basically clearing debris and dust from a shell of a building, to enable the painters to come in and paint the building with no dust around.

Also a re-clean is occasionally needed, where a sparkle clean has been done and the builder does something silly like let a chippy in to rub some woodwork down at the last minute....meanwhile he walks in with mud on his shoes!?!?!?

The only exteriors we do as a rule are the windows, although i do have requests for the driveways, paths and gullies etc to be included aswell as guttering and downpipes. These are obviously priced accordingly.

Hope that has given you an overview of the wierd and wonderfull world of cleaning new houses etc...

Regards

Tim

[Clean 'n' Tidy]

Tim,

Just a quick question. I have a builder that I do some cleans for which I got through a phone call. I was wondering how you went about get more. Do you ring the builders direst or is there another approach I should take.

Many thanks
Kim

[martin19842]

hi there,

timbob,

you might want to throw a little petrol pressure washer in your vans, worth weight in gold.

ours cost £160.00 brand new pulls from a drum or mains, and everytime we get it out its at least £60 if not more, and thats for not a lot of work really.

the developers love it, you will find that they do have their own on site but if you mention youve got one then they will usually ask you to just pressure washer the garden path, or drive, bang £60 for 30 minutes.

just an idea.

regards

martin

ps we missed out on a big tender last september £250,000 we were out by about 8%, that would have been nice, most of the stuff we do at the moments are sites about 75-150 plots.

[Tim Downer]

Martin,

I will consider the pressure washer thing....good idea

Regarding pricing up jobs and missing out on a couple of percent, wouldn't it be great to have a crystal ball to find out how much they go for???

Saying that, we went to one surveyor and were cheeky in asking how much he wanted the cleaning contract for, which he told us. We nearly matched his price and where out by 5% to his price......then lost it to some cowboy outfit who gave a price 50% cheaper than ours....


Tim

[Tim Downer]

Why are we all on line at the same time instead of out there working???

Oh yea.....the cleaning staff are cleaning for us.....

Is'nt life wonderful!!

Tim

[martin19842]

hi there,

timbob,

were on here cause its cold outside, and i had to collect my new zx6r today, on top of that most of our sites dont go back till next monday.  so really just having an easy week, as we hand over about 20 properties in the week upto xmas eve.

regarding cowboys thats the best news you can get, just keep an eye on the site, and the pop in and speak to the site agent, and make sure that he has got  your number, cause the cowboys wont be their for long

regards

martin

[Tim Downer]

Hi Martin19842

what is the  zx6r  that you picked up today?

And yes, i have a quiet week this week too.

Regards

Tim

[martin19842]

kawasaki zx6r motorbike

[Martin S]

Hi guys,

Question out of curiosity more than anything.  What exactly is meant by builders/sparkle cleans?  Do you mean going into recently built houses by large developers and cleaning prior to sale, after builders have left.  Do you do exteriors as well, drives/paths etc?  Or something else entirely?  It might be obvious to some, but not me.

Regards.

Martin S

Timbob,

Thanks for your helpful reply.

Regards.

Martin S