[stewart]

i am at the stage of thinking about starting up my business i just dont want to cause hassle to others in the area 

[petski2]

Fill in ya profile Stewart.Let us know where you are from.

[irjones]

I was always told that you should always find out if there is someone in that area to go and find another area.
is that true or does it not matter where you go

[marc al]

  As long as you don't undercut prices you shouldn't have any problems

[irjones]

what if i under cut some one but inadvertly (sorry about the spelling) would that cause a problem

[gaza]

yEAH IF YOU CAME ON MY MANOR: and under cut me,free bit of advice if someone tells you they already have a window cleaner ask them how much they charge then add a little more to it start cleaning the windows and work out how long it will take you second clean and adjust the next lot of customers you get too an even higher price                                                                                                        Then know one can say your under cutting them.You will find most window cleaners are great bunch willing to help you out on the street as well as on here

Dont under value yourself,like I did green as grass me when 1st started took me ages to repair the damage done in the 1st month of cleaning.

                              GOOD LUCK
                                 GAZA

[craig jwc]

I have only just started myself (after i finish my part time job). I timed myself cleaning my own windows. I have come back in tonight a bit fed up as i only got two houses (front only) after putting leaflets through about 50 doors in the street. A few houses i called back on told me they already had a w/c. A couple said i was cheaper than the one they have but want to stick with him as he has been doing their windows for years. I haven't undercut on purpose but i am finding customers stay loyal to their w/c.

[williamx]

I set my prices on what I think the job is worth and is also profitable to me, if this price is less than other cleaners then thats alright, the same applies if I'm more expensive, at the end of the day it up to the customer.

As far as I'm concerned there is no place that I cannot canvass.

[craig jwc]

I agree with williamx. If the customer is happy to change then it is there choice. I think i am underpricing because i am new to it but the price i give is one that i think is reasonable for the time i think i can do the job
craig

[gaza]

Craig Then youll find you were wrongly priced hope you prove me wrong,but its an art and nearly everyone on here will agree it takes guts to price right when you first start.

GAZA

[williamx]

Craig jwc

If you don't mind saying how much do you charge and what method of cleaning you perform.

[craig jwc]

I usually work it out on 50p per window depending on size and clean the traditional way with ladders.
I've put leaflets down a street tonight where you can only clean the front. They only have two windows one up one down and i put a quote in for £1.15 per window.
I can't see i have undercut the price on these as each front would only take around 5 mins.
I know it will take around 18 fronts to make around £40 but it should only take around 3.5 hours.
I doubt i will get that many but i thought i would give it a go.
Craig

[williamx]

Craig

I would charge the same house you described as 1st clean £5.00,

and £3.00 per month from then on.

You must have a minimum price which I have set at £3.00 even if its only 1 window.

You say you can only do the fronts? is it because its a terraced with no access to the back unless you went though the customers home? if so think about a backpack before another cleaner does.

Your prices are not bad as a starter but remember the miminum rate first, as an example if you jumped into a taxi and travelled 1 foot he would charge you £2.50 - £3.50 if you called out a repair man to fix the washing machine and all you had done was not plugged it into the electric socket he would charge you £50.00 or more.

The same now applies to your customers, they understand about minimum rates, so charge them.

[simbag]

I set my prices on what I think the job is worth and is also profitable to me, if this price is less than other cleaners then thats alright, the same applies if I'm more expensive, at the end of the day it up to the customer.

As far as I'm concerned there is no place that I cannot canvass.

Totally agree.
I was canvassing down a street, and knocked on the door of a lady who already had a window cleaner, but she wasn't very happy with the job he was doing. I gave her a quote for £19, for a conservatory, bay window and 5 others, plus 2 doors. She was unsure, said she'd think about it because her current cleaner was charging her about £10 I think.
So I left her to think about it, and hey presto, couples of days later she called me up asking when I could start - all because I offered a better service!

[UBA1]

My minimum charge is £6.50, even if it`s 2 up and 2 down, front and rear. Most of my 2 ups have now gone up t £8, `cause i`m WFPing `em, which means i`m cleaning frames too!

[zeusjazmin]

if you undercut anyone tough
is it not the case if we wanted a wall built we would get a few quotes and then decide ,if we wanted a car we would shop around
i think if someone wants you to clean there windows it means you are cheaper than their present cleaner or they are unhappy with his standards
if the price was right for me i would not hesitate to take work off another window cleaner
the public have a choice in who does work for them

[s.hughes]

If a customer is not happy with their present w/c then why would you do it for less.
When I was canvessing I would always ask them if they had a w/c. If they said yes but he's not reliable then I would make sure that this is the case i.e is he late because of weather etc. I would really make sure that I was not taking work off an honest hard working w/c because I wouldnt want someone to take work off me. Remember the golden rule.
If the customer wants you to clean them then make the price a bit higher. Always ask what the w/c charged before you put a price on it. Not everyone will say so make it high. When they say he only charged blah blah, then say ok well I can just about do it for blah blah but that really is the lowest I can go. What ever it is dont underprice, why should you.

Steveyboy

[simbo]

not been going long but do have a min charge of £6.00 some will say no and most will say yes, thats just the way it is.I try to get at least £10 and if customer home make job last half hour, I take old 6Ltr milk cartons not bucket, so as customer can see i always use clean water , never leave streaks and wipe frames aswell, they def see a diference and i am happy with £20 per hour what employer will pay that.
Leaving job on friday as i enjoy this more and money better for less hours. Saved 2 months money just ordered 10,000 flyers gonna give it my all, scared and excited all at once, self employment does give a buzz.
all the best to all and keep up the good work
paul@ top2toe

[danny mckim]

Today i lost my 2nd customer in the same street in a month. I have done them for over 12 years and recently i put them up to 3 quid (they were 70p when i 1st started) Some guy is offering to do both sides for a fiver. He now has 3 customers and is really chancing his arm. I THINK you have to be a bit desparate to undercut another windowcleaner as there is enough work for anybody who wants it. I also believe what goes arouned comes around so if u undercut someone how will u feel when it happens to u.

[pjulk]

I THINK you have to be a bit desparate to undercut another windowcleaner

Totally agree i would never undercut another window cleaner.
I want to earn as much as i can not do twice the work for the same money.
I am proberly one of the dearest window cleaners in my area. i know a few are a lot cheaper than me.
But i still get plenty of work.
I don't seem to get many small house's anymore i think im to dear for them but i do get a lot of larger 4-5 bed homes.
So the way i see it go in cheap get cheaper homes some with gardens full of dog crap.
Go in dearer get better well looked after homes and better money.

Paul