[Fibreclean]

My current prices are set to a level that keeps me extremely busy all week and provides a good income, however reading past posts on here it seems that I could be put in the cheapy end of the scale and most of you are charging more. I feel that by putting my prices up I wouldn't be as busy and lose alot of customers. I charge the following approx:

3 pc suite £69.00

Lounge £29.00

Diner £19.00

HSL £36.00

Fireside rug £6.00

Protecting £1 sq mtre

Spot & stain removal £20

I use excellent machinery & chems and follow industry practise.

Whats your opinions please?

 

[calmore]

What would you rather do..have five jobs a day or two jobs a day and earn the same money..?

[Liahona]

As Calmore said and my comment is, if you have the said excellent machines and chemicals then why are you only charging what it is you are charging.  More to the point how can you afford to only charge peanuts. You can double your charges and still be cheep. Best, Dave.

[nick p]

hi

im not the most expensive around but that is cheap

cheers nick

[Timmy Boy]

Fibreclean
I don't like the idea of lounge=x because it doesn't take into account lounge/diners or does it . I think that your 3 piece price is a bit shy as well you could easily put that up to 85-100 considering a 3 piece to do properly will take you a good couple of hours. H/s/l about right.
Just my view any way!
Regards
Tim

[spickandspan]

fibreclean where abouts are you located.

[Ian Gourlay]

If you are getting the work and not wearing yourself out put your prices up gradually.

If you charge more you will not get all the jobs.

Depends how much you spend on advertising now.

Depends if you get repeat customers now.

Depends if you are a good salesperson

Depends on level of competion

Depends how big your customer base is,

Depends on you and if you are comfortable in upmarket homes.

[Fibreclean]

Hi thanks for all replies.

Based in Portsmouth.

And think im gonna put them up.

Another question, does anyone use the Rotovac and how good is it?

thank you

[Neil Grainger]

Good but very heavy to move around, Being based in Portsmouth you should not lose to much if you put your prices up, If you cover area's like chichester you can charge a lot more than you are.

Less is more

[David_Annable]

Hi

If your worried about losing customers why not try this.

Put your prices up by 10% tommorow.

In October when you running up to christmas put them up another 10%.

Next year increase it again by 10%.

Most customers wont notice, the ones that do you dont want.

Dave

[calmore]

Put the prices up. That way you can always run a promotion (eg 10% off) in quiet periods!

[the red carpet]

How have you saved enough for a rotovac on those prices

Put them up even if just a touch you deserve it

I charge i reckon about 40% more than those prices and allthough i get some price resistance i get the majority of jobs, and i think im classed as on the cheap side aswell.

Im putting mine up soon aswell, as im fully booked and cant fit no more work in if i try so it seems a logical next step.

[angela carlton]

When the subject of pricing is raised, it seems to be followed by fiction writers, trying, like little boys, to out do each other.

The prices quoted for a suite and hsl, seem fine to me, with the the lounge and rug a bit low.

As these prices should generate around £250 to £300 per day, or around £70k per annum, without working more than 25 to 30 hours weekly, for semi skilled work, indoors, with minimal stress, you should be rejoicing.

But how many of you, really earn as much as this, for so few hours and little effort ?

As I mentioned elsewhere, a few days ago.

Men, tend to exagerate two things in particular, sexual prowess and earnings.

There are, of course a few, who will always earn more than average and good for them, but the majority will be lucky to exceed the national minimum wage, but may be perfectly happy with their lot and good for them, also.

angie

[David_Annable]

Angela

I think you need to buy a new calculator.

Nobody is going to turnover 70k at those prices.

Dave

[Damian]

good on ya angie! i agree totally with what you are saying. i dont charge anywhere near some prices stated on here. i live in the fourth largest city in england-work in high and lower class areas and they all want to pay the same! their furnishings are built of the same material and clean equally aswell. i have been in this game for more years than i would like but it gives me a good living! (very poor pay mr tax man!) i use top machinery chems and labour(very important!) and have a good name for it! average pay is 6 quid per hour so i just work harder to make sure i am slightly better off-miss dinner etc. work from 8 til 8 and try to push that last customer in! i am happy with my lot and dont need to quote-"oh yes i spend a day on a suite for 400 pounds"! its fantasy land-pure/simple! to be frank it quite bores me! joined here couple o months ago and if thats the strength of it i dont think its worth hanging around!? must say tho after a good days graft i dont need a gym! lol 

[Chris R]

I started cleaning carpets when I was only 20 yrs old, I am now 40.   
 
Ten yrs ago I was charging the prices that you now charge.

But,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, I did make a good living from it, even at those prices. When I purchased my first home ( 12 yrs ago)I put a £25,000 deposit down on it, saved up from my carpet cleaning business.

It all depends on how fast you can work, what your hourly rate is,and how much you can earn in a day.

Do you have a minimum charge? This should be about £40 to £45.

How long does it take you to clean a suite?

How much can  / do you earn in a day?

If you can earn £200 a day, and you are booked up all the time, then DONT WORRY !

A lot of the people that post about how much they earn on this site are full of Bull S##T.

They will say that they earn £400 a day, then you will find out later that they only work one day a week !

Or that they have a member of staff helping them.

Or, once in a blue moon, they get a day that earns them big money, and so they quote this figure all of the time.

Or that they had a good day selling carpet / fabric protector and so made amazing money, for little effort.

Stick 10% on your prices, no one will notice. tell them you are using a great new chemical, but its more expensive.

Cheers

Chris

PS  I have, in the past earned £1000 for only one days work.








BUT ,,,, I took 2 mates with me and had 3 machines running all day.

[Buster Ingram]

Chris is dead right, its not what you earn its what you get to keep that matters.
I'd rarther work five days a week 48 weeks a year on steady money than big money and short weeks.

[John Kelly]

You need to decide what you want. Do you want to run a succesfull business or do you want to be self employed and give yourself a job.
Most carpet cleaners fall into the second group I would say.  I and a good few of my customers to my supply business charge good rates £115-200 for suites, minimum £45-65 for carpets and we are in the North East of England.
The franchises such as Chem Dry and Servicemaster charge way in excess of this and the good ones are extremely busy. There are some who are struggling but that is down to them being poor businessmen or being unlucky and having a bad area. I have raised my suite price from £75 to £115 in less than a year and have noticed no price resistance from customers.
As for people telling porkies about prices, maybe some people do but many others are making exceptional money and as I've sub contracted for some of them I can vouch for it.

[Liahona]

Dave, I have to ask. Why on earth would you want to work 48 weeks out of the

year? If you can earn your money by doing bigger jobs and thus working

shorter weeks why wouldnt you chose the latter? As John has said and I

 understand knows very well there are exceptional money makers from this

 forum and even better ones not on this forum. Best, Dave.

[Kev Loomes]

Jeez, what's the problem. Why do people think that a lot of cc's exagerate their prices? And why on earth would someone want to work 12hrs a day for £6 an hour? It beggars belief. But if their happy with that then let them get on with it.

I have to say though, on those sort of prices what sort of business have they got or are they really part timers earning beer money?

We clean suites for £172.00 (3 seater and 2 x arms) and carpets at between 41p & 71p (clean & clean/protect). We work every day and yes do have price resistance. But hey, we dont want price shoppers. Our quality of work is extremely high and we deserve what we get paid - we wont kill ourselves for a pittance!