General Cleaning Issues - Floorcare, car valeting, buying and selling businesses, pricing, staffing, market research, etc.

just starting up - pricing / insurance / vat
Posted by Rose (Rose), 10 September 2003
This is my second visit to your site and i have found it most useful, however i have got a few questions.

I have been office cleaning for a year now at £5ph (1 1/2hours per night) and the office that  I am cleaning for just opened a second office and asked me to clean it - which i did by getting someone else to help out. I would like to approach them with an offer for full cleaning services. I am having difficulty pricing, i am looking in the region of £13ph, minimum £11ph. this is a big step for me and i am pretty nervous, any guidance on price would be of great help - office location - NW5.
additionally, where do you go to get a public liability insurrance cover and as a sole trader just starting out do you register for vat. and where is the best place to get that done.


Posted by martin_606 (martin_606), 11 September 2003
Hi Rose

I like you am just starting up (see my other posts on this site) pricing is very difficult but you can phone other people in your area, pretend you want their sevices and then you can price around that.

two exceelent pieces of info i have been given (thanks Tim!)

Always check the property before you price it

Always get it written down what work they want doing, so they can't blame you if anything goes wrong.

You won't need to pay VAT until you get to earning about £58,000 ( i think) but a good accountant is essential.

I got my public liability from a broker from yellow pages, it's very basic (£90) but it allows me to legally operate. Depending on what you want to clean, carpets etc will depend on how much it is?

I have done my first clean and luckily it was quite clean anyway, more to this game than meets the eye, attention to detail is essential also.

Hope all this helps

Regards

Martin
Posted by woodman (woodman), 11 September 2003
Hi

NW5 ? no wonder thay are asking you to do other work as they are definitely not NW5 rates.Up your prices and try not to be too nervous when doing so.

You can register for VAT as soon as you start if you wish.
If you will be buying a lot of materials,office equipment,vehicle expense etc you can claim back your VAT and remember a lot of supplies companies,warehouses etc will not let you go on account unless you are VAT registered.
You will have to obtain insurance and as all ready mentioned a good accountant. Visit a few before you decide which one to use,they are not, as much as they would like you to think it, God Almighty they will be working for YOU not the other way round so choose carefully.

Good Luck
Posted by Rose (Rose), 11 September 2003
Hi Martin and Woodman,

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the matter, you've been quite helpful.  I'll be sure to let you know how my first job proposal went.

Thanks alot and every bit of success to you both.

Rose

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