upholstery cleaning poll

« **Reply #20 on:** April 25, 2005, 08:36:03 pm »

do they really exist ? or is it just a marketing ploy ? they seem a bit mysterious to me as i've only ever heard of slap and dash guys operating this way but never actually met one.

« **Reply #21 on:** April 25, 2005, 08:42:35 pm »

Sherlock theres an old adage, that as you get older you get wiser, also work smarter not harder.
I'm sure you would prefer to get the same (or more) money by doing less suites by charging more money each. Doing 15 each and every week is hard work even for 2 people, and imo 2 people cannot do the work twice as quick. there is after all only one m/c or do you have 1 each.
Finaly by charging more you generally get a better and (usually) cleaner clientel therefore suites less dirty = less work.
but each to his own

« **Reply #22 on:** April 25, 2005, 08:49:23 pm »

Is it me or Confucianism sorry for spelling so confused!

The word I and we differ unless you are the queen making that statement

Quote

MUST BE IN THE WRONG COUNTY, AS MOST THREE PIECE SUITE I CLEAN ARE BOUGHT FROM ARGOS , LITLLEWOODS OR SOME OTHER CATALOGUE, THEY DONT COST TO BUY NEW ,WHAT SOME OF YOU WANT TO CHARGE.PERHAPS YOU SHOULD UPDATE YOUR IDEAS ON THE COST OF A NEW SUITE FROM THESE SUPPLIERS. £200.-£300. WILL BUY YOU A NEW ONE. WANT WORK START LIVING IN THE THROWAWAY AGE, AND READJUST YOUR PRICES. WE CLEAN ABOUT 15 SUITES A WEEK. AT AN AVERARGE OF £80.00 AND DO A GOOD JOB IN ABOUT 90 MINS

Len

« **Reply #23 on:** April 25, 2005, 09:25:53 pm »

i believe that there are far enough queens out there already. sorry for the spelling errors but i am dyslexik if thats how you spell it.

are you offering me educational help.or something else

« **Reply #24 on:** April 25, 2005, 11:08:09 pm »

Sherlock

Here you go again!!

I have cleaned many a 3 piece suite, but never in 90 mins

At one point you say that you can easily do 15 suites per week ON YOUR OWN!! and then you refer to, the two of you doing it

Which is it?

I myself am Dyslexic, but not stupid!! It would take more than one man to do 15 suites in one week and i would like to say that it is virtually impossible to do them all in 90 mins on you own

I could do a poll if you wish and see how many of the expeienced CC's out there think that they could do it $:-\$

I think you may find that the results would be more in favour of them being done within 3 to 4 hours.

So, what do you think Sherlock.......Should i ask the forum?

?

« **Reply #25 on:** April 25, 2005, 11:21:51 pm »

i dont know what you are using. or cleaning. but i would suggest thst you get retrained as that is one of the longest cleans ive heard of. perhaps you work on a go slow basis to be able to satisfy the customers thoughts on the final price you give. we is two of us working with 2 machines . from now on i shall speak slooowllly.and pwease dont make me cwy with another poll.

« **Reply #26 on:** April 25, 2005, 11:29:46 pm »

Sherlock

Who is Slooo Willy.......Pwease

« **Reply #27 on:** April 25, 2005, 11:33:26 pm »

i am sorry but i am currently watching chanell 4 .were i believe this would be of interest to carpet.cleaners as some carpets are getting very dirty

« **Reply #28 on:** April 25, 2005, 11:34:49 pm »

Have to agree. I have a 'helper' most of the time, and even with 2 of us, 15 suites a week would be too much, and standards could not be maintained.
But thinking about it, if your in and out in 90 mins I suppose its possible.
It all comes down to what type of standard you work too and how you sell your service to the customer. Do you do all the suite, backs, under cushions etc, do you take time to explain potential outcome and possible problems, do you leave it dry to the touch? I doubt it.
When you enter someone's house you may not realise it but they will be watching and taking note of everything you do, if they see you rush in, give it the big splash then then take the money and dash off to the next customer I wouldn't expect to be called back the next year. Even with 2 people 90 mins would not be enough time to do a thorough job, even with 2 machines, which would be a complete mess to work with and laughable to think of. Having 2 people does not make that much difference i find - maybe half an hour less.

« **Reply #29 on:** April 25, 2005, 11:50:43 pm »

mark i haver never been called back to a job, its not slap and dash those words have little meaning . a repeated process on any product will give the operator a constant level of quality. also speed without becoming slap dashed , two persons working with good equipment that know there job .would be hard pressed to sustain a longer period of cleaning time. if they did so they must be c***.

« **Reply #30 on:** April 25, 2005, 11:57:44 pm »

Mark

Well put mate!!

Sherlock

What is the process you use from beginning to end, ie how do you start the job and how do yo finish? Not being funny mate, but i am eager to learn from the more experienced of CC's out there!!

Ian

« **Reply #31 on:** April 26, 2005, 12:05:02 am »

you are quite welcome to spend a week training with the master .iam sure you can afford my fee.and perhaps you too will relearn skills seldom seen by outsiders. only if you are sworn to secrecy. and pledge an oath in blood. sherlock

« **Reply #32 on:** April 26, 2005, 12:15:14 am »

I have to side with Sherlock on this, as like him ,I find it hard to believe, that any experienced cleaner, using good products and equipment, would take such an incredibly long time to clean a suite.
I've only taken that kind of time when starting in this busines about 22 years ago with poor equipment and no formal training.
It's nonesense to suggest that two people will not be able to clean in half the time taken by one person.
I have found that two people 'working together' can complete the same work in one third of the time.
What I would love to know is ;-

How you are marketing yourself to get the astonishing 15 suites per week.
If I were getting that volume of work I would have no problem getting through it. Getting it is the problem!!!

r m

« **Reply #33 on:** April 26, 2005, 12:17:42 am »

Sherlock

Sorry mate, but i dont fancy travelling to the planet ZONK to see how they clean upholstery in 90 mins

« **Reply #34 on:** April 26, 2005, 12:19:38 am »

Two people

Two machines

What a lot of wire and hoses !!!!!!

On lot of the upholstery jobs I do, a lounge can get pretty cluttered, what with all the normal furniture, cleaned cushions stacked, blower etc.

OK sometimes it is possible to set up a separate drying area but often everything needs to be confined to one room. As has been said by others, an assistant reduces job time but nowhere near halves it. Cleaning to a high standard, most cleaners I know will take between 2.5 - 4 hours to clean a 10-cushion suite.

1.5 hours does sound a very short time to do a full clean, remembering that it is the fabric and soil level that determines the speed that the upholstery tool moves, so being an Olympic-class athlete does not have a significant effect on time taken.

« **Reply #35 on:** April 26, 2005, 12:27:33 am »

There you go Sherlock!!

As presented to you by probably the most respected CC on here

But no doubt, you will still come up with an uncovincing answer!!

I may add mate, that when i have asked you to clarify certain points, you have been unable to do so :

:

Ian

« **Reply #36 on:** April 26, 2005, 12:54:52 am »

i will run through the simple task of cleaning upholstery in a simple answer, learn the quick way get jobs and practise. you are the supposed gods on this forum, and by the amount of mundane topics you put on obviously dont get much work,or farm it off to your staff who get paid by the hour and work slow.if you spent more time working instead of going on and on and on about the same old topics that you repeat time and time again,you might just be able to get 15 suites in a week or 6 days as i work, by constant leafletting in 10.000 hits on monthly cycle all around your so called area. my area is all areas i can possibly get myself into. shoch horror, someone has been able to consistently get work without having to go on course after course and join every association going. thank god ive done it alone. thats what you call a grafter

« **Reply #37 on:** April 26, 2005, 06:52:42 am »

a 2 man team could clean a moderately dirty suite in 90 mins, without using 2 machines, 1 could pre-spray, scrub & fill the machine while the other is just rinsing.

Sherlock, how many leaflets do you put out a month? and how much carpet cleaning do you do.

Mike

« **Reply #38 on:** April 26, 2005, 07:40:42 am »

Sherlock, in my opion, :

you are talking total dribble, as ive said before,90 mins is a dream for a properly cleaned 3 pc suite, and your so busy doing 15 a week :

That your sat at your pc at 1am, going on and on and posting rubbish topics about waiting in tescos at midnight by the cleaning producs shelf to chat to girlies buying 1001 ect, COME ON :

PLEEEESE!!!

Dave

« **Reply #39 on:** April 26, 2005, 08:26:05 am »

A typical 3 piece with 10 cushions takes me on average 5 hours from arriving on site to gear packed away at end of job.

I do between 3-5 per week, and normally quote personally rather than over phone. If i believe i can win job, i WILL quote over phone - i normally get the job.

Had a Customer faint on me a few weeks ago when i told her the price! (A 90 year old lady). Quote " How extortionate - i'm going to tell my son of you!" Lady collapsed into chair from standing position - gave me a fright. My quote was below £100 by the way (just). She then said that i should ask my customers to sit down b4 i quote them!

Strangely enough - did'nt get the job ... son did'nt phone for a quote either!

Poll

who charges over £100 for a 3pc suite over the phone?