[Craig 72]

Morning all.I wondered if anybody could give me some advice.One of my customers mentioned to me that her sister wanted her place cleaned so I've phoned her up and gone round for a quote.When I've turned up my jaw nearly hit the floor as she lived in the biggest mansion I've ever seen.I'm reasonably new to this and to date my biggest clean is an annexe on a church which takes me a couple of hours or so.She wants this place cleaned inside and out including huge conservatory.10 bedrooms and all rooms with old fashioned style leaded windows.I don't know if wfp is going to do a good job on these windows,so I worked out that it would realistically take me 10-12 hours doing it traditionally (and I always seem to underestimate).I quoted her £100 for the outside and same again for the inside.She seemed to think the quote was astronomical.This place is near Biggin Hill which is northwest Kent near Sevenoaks.Anybody else work this area?She seemed like a decent person so I think she'll be up for negotiations but is my quote ridiculously high or about right?

[R W C]

Id say that was under priced, 8am-6pm or 8am-8pm,

[Tosh]

Craig,

If the windows are real old leaded windows, then some of them will leak, but don't worry especially if you're going to do the insides after you do the outsides.

Make sure you take into consideration all the obstacles on the inside of the house; the big ming vases and stuff in front of what can be really high and awkward inside windows.

Also, places like this are rarely done 'every four weeks', so take this into consideration when you price.

Price well, would be my advice.

[Pj]

£200 to have your windows cleaned is a lot.  But if you live in a 10 bed mansion then whatever you have done is going to cost a lot.  Imagine the quote if she decided to have new curtains all round!

Not really for us to say if you're too expensive or too cheap, but from experience, stick by your price.  She probably hasn't got a clue what she should pay to have her windows cleaned, thats why she thinks it's a lot.

Probably when she puts her Merc in for a service and they charge her £400 she'd be shocked, but the garage won't negotiate, will they, she knows that and glumly pays up.

Wealthy people are usually no happier parting with their cash than the rest of us, in fact their often mean with it.

Get the job, do it, you'll soon know if you've charged right at the end, you can't lose it's only window cleaning, but you can learn from it.  You'll probably wish you'd gone in a bit higher.  She'd be shocked whatever.

[andyjm1]

Hi Craig,
I understand where you are coming from on this one, big jobs can be hard to price.
The best way to do it in my experience is try to think of a £10 house that you clean and then try to break the mansion down into £10 sections. If the price seems a bit high you can afford to give a bit of a discount as all these windows are in one place, ie no travelling between jobs.
From what you've said (10-12 hours) your price sounds quite cheap but it depends how much you want the work.
If your price for the outside is £100 I would charge a minimum of £150 for the insides as they always take longer. If they are smokers I would charge double.
Good luck with it,
Andy

[johns window kleen]

If you can do it in one day then £200 seems Ok to me.
At least you can work in one spot all day long.

[Oakley Windows]

Id say that was under priced, 8am-6pm or 8am-8pm,

 

[Craig 72]

It's a bit of a toughie because I badly need the work and she also mentioned neighbours with similar sized houses who might be interested which could be a great earner.I think £200 is reasonable for potentially slogging my guts out from dusk til dawn.In fairness I would probably go down to £150 which for days work,in this climate,is nothing to be sniffed at I suppose.One things for sure,I'll be gutted if I don't get her custom at all,especially if she's prepared to pass the word around.

[Oakley Windows]

I take it with a pinch of salt when they say they'll pass the word around, in my experience that has been to encourage you to offer a lower price. You need to tread VERY carefully here, you're in danger of taking on work that you'll end up doing resentfully if you're not careful.

Matt

[Rob.Hall]

£100 for that near seven oaks........you are having a laugh.
 
You need to up your price.

If it was a regular clean then it might be in your interest but thats a bit low.

Dont fall into the trap that I and many others do when  first starting out........Under price yourself to get the work. It a nightmare situe. These big houses always take more cleaning.

If She does not take your price then walk away.
If She tries someone else they may well be more expensive and you might win her back.

All the best. Its never easy when you are keen for work.

[Lee Pryor]

If i were you I would agree with them an hourly price and then time yourself as you go. just explain that there house is very different from what your used to. that way as long as they see you are working hard its much more fair all round

[Craig 72]

Cheers fellas,I take on board what you all say.She says she wants it done regularly,with one month outside and inside and the following month just the outsides.Lee,yeah I considered that approach.How much would be fair to say for an hourly rate though,in your opinion,remembering that I've been cleaning only a few months or so and probably am not as fast as people more seasoned?

[Craig 72]

She just rang up and agreed to £200.Not sure what made her change her mind.I can't argue with that for a full days work.I think for the position I'm in (i.e in need of customers) I'm be wiser to take the work now and ditch it later if it proves a nightmare.Thanks for your input folks.

[Milltown Cleaning]

exactly - work is work, it makes you money, and when you are just starting out thats all that matters!!

when are you going to do the work? let us know how you get on!

[Craig 72]

Doing the job June 1st which is Monday week.Yeah,should be interesting,I'll keep you posted.I'll be cleaning leaded windows in my sleep that night!

[Oakley Windows]

Good luck, keep us posted.

It'll be interesting to see how it goes.

Matt

[R W C]

She just rang up and agreed to £200.Not sure what made her change her mind.I can't argue with that for a full days work.I think for the position I'm in (i.e in need of customers) I'm be wiser to take the work now and ditch it later if it proves a nightmare.Thanks for your input folks.

She had someone come out 1st thing this morning and quoted her more then you.

Good luck 

[Craig 72]

She just rang up and agreed to £200.Not sure what made her change her mind.I can't argue with that for a full days work.I think for the position I'm in (i.e in need of customers) I'm be wiser to take the work now and ditch it later if it proves a nightmare.Thanks for your input folks.

She had someone come out 1st thing this morning and quoted her more then you.

Good luck 

Yeah you might be right.As I say though,£200 for a days work is a lot of money for me at the moment.When I get to a point where I'm window cleaning full time,(only got enough customers for a day or two a week at the mo),I'll afford to be a bit more selective and charge a bit more.

[Oakley Windows]

I'd suggest planning how you're going to carry the cleaning of this account Craig inside and out if you're to do it in a day.

By the time you've done the outside you'll be ready to have your arms cut off at the elbows.

Matt

[AJ]

Sounds a very reasonable price. As for the old 'my friends might have theirs done' routine, you can't pay a mortgage with promises.
Tell her that you will offer a reduction when her friends have signed up, but not before. You can make the reduction up out of her friends.