[TVCS]

Hi folks.
I run  a   window cleaning biz but due to all the flooding we have had of late in our little town I have found myself with a bit of time on my hands.  Anyway, a good customer of mine asked if we (my wife and I) would do some decorating for them.  The property in question is a oap's house in a residential estate with a warden etc.  Trying to cut a long story short.  We did the decorating and gave the house a bit of a tidy at the end of the job as the house is going on the market.  the warden asked me for a card as we were leaving and said he could put some work our way.  Our van is sign written for window cleaning and pressure washing.
I received a phone call from a lady asking if we could clean her fathers house, same estate.  Again it is on the market and she wants it spic and span.
 Finally the question
Not really being in the domestic cleaning game I am unsure as what to charge, she has told me to do the job and she will pay me whatever.  (that help me decide to accept the job)  I was thinking of just sticking to our hourly rate and working the price out that way.
As far as the actual clean goes.  If anyone can give me a few hints and tips it would be really usefull, failing that I think it will just be a case of starting in one room and working our way through cleaning everything in sight.
Sorry if this seems to be just a load of rambling but hopefully someone will make some sense of it and offer a few do's and dont's.

Thanks in advance for any replies.
Ant
TVCS

[Bertie Boo]

...never seen the point of hourly-rate for domestic cleaning (esp not on one offs). Better that the client knows up front what they will have to pay and they can't accuse you of slacking off or taking the pee etc (mostly).

Cheers

Stephen

[Art]

First of all don't do the work and then charge.

Give her a price first and then there will be no arguments when you invoice.

The problem with cleaning is that alot of customers have no idea what realistic prices are.

Arthur

[TVCS]

trouble is i cant get in to have a look till the morning of the clean as the old chap that is there is in a bad way, mentally so his daughter says.  He is moving out Wednesday evening and she wants us to go in Thursday morning.  I will have a good walk round first thing and guestimate a price judging on how long I think it will take the 2 of us. 
In a way i am regretting agreeing to the job but as most of my other customers have been flooded or are closed I need the pennies.
cheers for the replies.
ant
TVCS

[Bertie Boo]

Yep, i'm sure we've all done it, but to not see a job 1st is a mistake.

See it on the morning, decide a price, tell her how much you want (a foxed price for it all). She'll say yes or no. So you either do it or walk away...if she says yes and its more than she wants to pay then she'll pay and never ask you to do it again (which may be what you want, i still can't quite make my mind up on that).

cheers

Stephen

[trudi]

Hi I have run a domestic cleaning company for the past 2 years, I tend to price my work per job and not per hour.  It is hard to estimate but thats something that comes in time.  Whenever I carry out an estimate I base my price on £30-£40 per hour for two cleaners, expensive I know but cleaning is jolly hard work if its done properly and most people would rather pay a touch more for a decent service. Don't under estimate and end up working for nothing. Good luck

[TVCS]

Thanks for all the advise people.
 Tomorrow I will try to remember to post how we got on. 

Stephen.
 She has made it clear that it is a one off clean.  She lives down south  I think and is only up this neck of the woods to help settle her old man into the old persons home or wherever he is going.  I got the impression she wants the house on the market asap so I wont be shooting myself in the foot too much if she thinks my prices are unreasonable, if you see what I mean.

Cheers everone
Ant

[TVCS]

Well, job done and everybody happy.#
Arrived and had a good look round.  The lady stated that she only wanted a good hoovering really.  Told her our hourly rate and she was fine with it.  I decided to go hourly as I was unsure as to how long it was going to take.  It was a 4 bedroom huge house that had not seen a hoover for about 15 years.  My poor dyson did a brilliant job but it was emptied about 9 times.  Anyway as we got started she came in and added bits and bobs to the clean but at the end of the day 4 hours later we had done.  She was really happy and gave us a new kettle she had bought while sorting out the house and a cordless phone.  She had also been and bought almost every cleaning product on the market before she decided to get us to do the work and she gave all of that to us too.

Thanks for all the imput guys
Ant
TVCS