upholstery cleaning poll

« **on:** April 24, 2005, 09:33:39 pm »

I have a love hate relationship with upholstery cleaning.I do think it should be double the price I charge but I am loathed to spend valuable time going out to quote for upholstery even with a good presentation I seam to get the same return of customers booking over the phone as I do when I go out to see them I'd just like to know what you think.

Shaun

PS relivant checks are done before I start to clean (before anyone starts)

Perhaps I should re word the question

If you charge over £100 for a 3pc suite to be cleaned who quotes over the phone?

« **Reply #1 on:** April 24, 2005, 10:22:40 pm »

I never quote less than £125.00 for a 10 cushion suite and I tell the customer that an inspection could reveal extra cost.

« **Reply #2 on:** April 24, 2005, 10:57:17 pm »

£ 20 a seat for sofas
£ 25 for armchairs.

So a 3 seater sofa and 2 armchairs £ 110.

« **Reply #3 on:** April 24, 2005, 11:19:57 pm »

Hi

£25 per seating area+ V.A.T

+ Upholstery is dry when i leave............................The folowing week

« **Reply #4 on:** April 25, 2005, 11:56:39 am »

£20.00 a seat, but charge £98.00 for a five seater, so as just to get under the £100.00 mark. May increase, to £22.00, so thats a £110.00. Voted at under £100.00 and its 50/50. Maybe the poll should have more choices, to see the extreme in charges ie, under £50.00 to over £150.00. Must dash back to work may do it later

« **Reply #5 on:** April 25, 2005, 04:19:37 pm »

£25 to £30 a seat dependant on soilage,fabric,design and condition.
I have charged up to £175

Paul

« **Reply #6 on:** April 25, 2005, 04:38:12 pm »

We are slightly going of the point, the important thing here is not how much we charge, but the price is 'given over the phone'

I found when I went over the £100 I hardly ever got the job when quoting over the phone, now I visit them and give my price (£120)

but I have a set script that I use when forced to give a price over the phone, which keeps the potential customer on the phone for at least 5mins.

I think it takes a lot of skill to get high prices over the phone.

Mike

« **Reply #7 on:** April 25, 2005, 04:50:15 pm »

Mike,

I agree its harder to get higher prices over the phone BUT you do have to count quoting time as working.

So a quote must cost , say £25 allowing 30mins inc travelling.

O.K if it's 3 piece plus lounge but not so clever if it's one bedroom.

I almost always quote by phone and accept slighty lower prices , but probably higher per hour pro rata than if I spent half the evening quoting.

Cheers,

Doug

« **Reply #8 on:** April 25, 2005, 05:12:59 pm »

this is why I try not to work more than 3 miles from my home

I do most quotes as I'm passing, so hardly ever go out in an evening.

If you charge £120 for a suite and have to travel out to do a quote, that time will cost you £25 so really the suite is making only £95, so why not charge £95 over the phone. this is the the piont you are making,

this sounds very logical until then next time you clean it or they recommend you to a friend then you still only make £95 but this time you did have to make any trip out, if you charged £120 then all future work (which does'nt need a visit) will make you £120.

Mike

« **Reply #9 on:** April 25, 2005, 05:20:38 pm »

I 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

« **Reply #10 on:** April 25, 2005, 06:12:09 pm »

You are not in the wrong county, but are proberly targeting the wrong customers. Ive never cleaned a suite from Argos, with my prices I would not get much work. I charge between £120 -£150 so if I did the same amount of work as you(15 a week) I would be able to take an extra £1000 a week more than you.
More profit = less work for the same money = more time for selective marketing. Perhaps you should consider updating your ideas?

Mark

« **Reply #11 on:** April 25, 2005, 06:19:03 pm »

MARK :WELL DONE, BUT SOMEBODY HAS TO SERVICE THE CUSTOMERS THAT APPARENTLY YOU ARE NOT GETTING.SO IT MIGHT AS WELL BE ME, CARRY ON ARGOS AND ALL OTHER CATALOGUE SUPPLIERS. YOURE KEEPING ME IN WORK, AND HAVE YOU THOUGHT THAT PERHAPS YOU DONT GET CUSTOMERS WITH CHEAP SUITES BECAUSE YOU ARE UPMARKET.WITH PRICES TO MATCH

« **Reply #12 on:** April 25, 2005, 06:30:10 pm »

Well I think thats exactly what he means he's not targeting those customers as you are.

How many people do have working for you? 15 suites a week is a lot by any body's standards and is a business in its self.Personaly I couldn't do that many I would be shattered doing 5 a week but good luck to you if you are earning £1200 a week on suites alone you have a very good business.

ps;

Take your cap lock off, when you post with it on its gives the impression that your shouting your message across its really not good form old chap

« **Reply #13 on:** April 25, 2005, 06:39:56 pm »

it might be that i advertise the price that fits into a certain prospects pocket. and i am more than capable of cleaning 15 suites alone, in any week. i also target and promote suite cleaning , and im not an old chap.

« **Reply #14 on:** April 25, 2005, 07:13:01 pm »

here we go again :

15 suites in a week!!
ive been in this line of work for to long,and never have i had a week with 15 suites in it,not counting a fire damaged suite shop!, and i wwont touch a suite under £150, nor could i CLEAN one in 90 mins

dave

« **Reply #15 on:** April 25, 2005, 07:35:08 pm »

Never come across mail order 3pc suits do come a cross a few DFS’s :(my preference Derwent as when I lean on it for a rest, it dose not fall apart, 3 a week is enough glad I don’t live in the same part of Kent as 89, :

give me carpets any day!

Len

« **Reply #16 on:** April 25, 2005, 07:39:19 pm »

to do a professional job in 90 mins on cheap fabric would be backbreaking in the least.. x15 and i think i'd need a week off the following week !...2 or 3 a week is more than enough for me...i'm with len give me carpets everytime.

« **Reply #17 on:** April 25, 2005, 07:53:19 pm »

im not suggesting that carpets are not easier to clean. what i am saying is that if you make your promotion work for a specific target market you get quantity prospects. and if the price structure is correct prospects turn into jobs. 90 minutes with 2 persons working is easily obtainable. and as far as i have never had 15 in a week comment. i also have been cleaning for over 12 years both here and in america. , and would be extremely dissiluioned if my advertising retuned me less. that is for every £1 i put in to advertising i expect returns . we travel far afield to earn a living, i would very much like to be hanging on to the thought that my phone would only ring by somebody referring me . hopefully those that maintain carpet cleaning get more than 15 jobs aweek,so whats the difference. we all specialise and some advertise better than others.

« **Reply #18 on:** April 25, 2005, 08:01:18 pm »

Fair enuff...takes me between 2.5 and 3 hours to clean a suite and i ache a lot more than when doing carpets ...i'll stick to upholstery when i get asked rather than look for it in that volume at that price....are you one of the travelling cleaners 'in your area for a limited time' sherlock ?

« **Reply #19 on:** April 25, 2005, 08:24:31 pm »

no matt, i just travel alot. sherlock

« **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!

« **Reply #40 on:** April 26, 2005, 08:30:54 am »

Sherlock

You are such a funny guy

« **Reply #41 on:** April 26, 2005, 08:44:37 am »

I think a lot of you have missed a valuable point. Sherlock cleans a lot of the cheap end market suites, these suites tend to be covered in polyester/ nylon/acyrlic etc and all the easy to clean fabric, so maybe with two people you could achieve a reasonable clean in 1.5 hours. Lets face it, it is half the time will all take and these are easy clean fabrics.
I take 2.5-3 hrs by myself to do a standard suite, and its usually cotton, 100% or mixed with something else.
He is also getting an average £80.00 for a suite so you doing well Sherlock, for the cheap end of the market.

P.s Strange enough I am also dyslexic. Most be the hands on work and keeping busy, that makes us cc's.

« **Reply #42 on:** April 26, 2005, 09:13:16 am »

If he is pulling in over £60K a year on Suite cleans as he claims then we all could learn something from him as he would be at the very top of the tree of independent cleaners in the country.

I just wonder where he gets the time to do any carpet cleaning even as quick as he is 4 1/2 hrs on suite cleaning plus all the travelling he says he does adds up to a full day of suite cleaning alone through out the year. Unless he has another van out in which case I would estimate his business is doing well over £100k a year.

The best domestic franchise that I knew was doing around £48-52K year on suite cleans plus another £100K on carpet cleaning so he is well up there with them and not only that but not paying any fees, plus a lot of cash in hand.

Remarkable really, perhaps I should invite him to give a talk on his success at the next Carpet Cleaners Day Out.

« **Reply #43 on:** April 26, 2005, 09:23:16 am »

Woodman

What a good idea

I would like to book a front seat please, before anyone else does.

How much will the tickets be?

Due to the demand that you are going to have, i would expect that they are going to be extremely expensive, but what ever the cost, i want to buy one!

"This time next year Rodney, we'll be millionairs"

« **Reply #44 on:** April 26, 2005, 12:39:06 pm »

Again I have to side with Sherlock on this
I don't obviously know whose guidelines you guys are following, but there is something far wrong with the way you're cleaning , whether it.s the products, machinery or just yourselves.
Jacko is clearly in the wrong business or at least needs help.
Slagging off someone who is making more money than you is hardly constructive.
When working with a helper, I average less than 90 minutes on a suite and don't get call backs, but do get referrals and repeat business from the same people year after year.
Some people can work a hell of a lot more effectively than others in all walks of life. Maybe Sherlock is one and there will be others. Don't assume, like a some conceited clowns, that just because they "wear a badge" or have spent a fortune on equipment, that they are "the best"

r m

must go, there's a job to do!

« **Reply #45 on:** April 26, 2005, 02:58:53 pm »

I too doubt that a suite (even from Argos) could be cleaned in 90 mins. We allow between 2.5 to 4 hours per suite depending on size, composition, levels of soiling etc (although never done an Argos suite, but several DFS).

We have in the past had 2 people out on a suite clean, the time was not halved but it was a help. I cannot imagine there being enough room to have 2 machines running (unless they are rug doctor size) in the kind of living room that would have an Argos sofa

If the amount of work is correct and being achieved, so what. This isn't taking away from the kind of clients that keep us booked several weeks in advance.
In the same way that there will always be people who buy Argos furniture, there will always be people who choose the equivelent end of the cc services to clean it.

Leave Sherlock alone, seems he's trying (successfully) to wind certain people up.

Nicky

« **Reply #46 on:** April 26, 2005, 04:35:38 pm »

I have been following this debate with interest and am a little surprised to see some suggesting that a 90 min suite clean is impossible !

I normally allow up to 3 hrs, but there is a wide variety of upholstery out there, with varying degrees of soiling.

Only last week I cleaned a full 3 piece and fireside rug in 2 hrs. including set-up time. No aspect of the job was missed or skimped & they were as clean as a whistle. Spending another couple of hours would have made no difference to the result. With efficient organisation, and no problems arising it can be done OCCASIONALLY.

I have done 3 suites in a day on the odd occasion, but definitely not in 4.5 hrs. At my age that would kill me ! and 15 in a week , forget it !!

Bryan

« **Reply #47 on:** April 26, 2005, 04:42:51 pm »

Quote

Jacko is clearly in the wrong business or at least needs help.

Therapist

I'm beyond help mate!

« **Reply #48 on:** April 26, 2005, 04:56:58 pm »

Hi Guys,

I would clean a 3 ps on average in 2 hours , provided it was straightforward, and I concentrated fully.

Obviously some would take a lot longer and some are so clean it is difficult to take 90 mins,say a two seater cottage style tapestry and two small chairs.

This doesn't include turbo drying which would be extra time.

Cheers

Doug

« **Reply #49 on:** April 26, 2005, 05:38:11 pm »

theres always one topic to make you laugh. Or should i say i post Paul( not saying which one )

« **Reply #50 on:** April 26, 2005, 07:49:38 pm »

for those of you who have never had the pleasure of working on cheap suites look at www.index.co.uk. and if they take you up to 4 hours to clean. go get a new job, sherlock says

« **Reply #51 on:** April 26, 2005, 07:52:32 pm »

I worked for two years using a two man team on ALL carpet and upholstery jobs. We would set up 2 ninjas outside the job and run just the hoses into the room.
It would take on average 2 hours to clean a suite. It takes me about 3hrs to 3 & half hrs on my own. This includes setting up and packing away.
The customers like you to get the job done quick, but I found that drying times took longer, because the turbo dryer was not going for so long.

« **Reply #52 on:** April 26, 2005, 08:44:53 pm »

chris i use ninjas leave them outside but run ashbys steammate from extension inside easy peasy. by the way today i broke my record did one in 54 mins. and using ashbys huricane x 2 dried them at the same time almost.

« **Reply #53 on:** April 26, 2005, 09:22:48 pm »

I WOKE UP THIS MORNING WITH A.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................HARD ON

« **Reply #54 on:** April 26, 2005, 09:32:37 pm »

I remember once cleaning 5 suites in a day

But that was when I was working for someone else and was forced into doing crap work.

Never had many complaints though.

Or repeat business for that matter and 90% of the suites there so dirty i would not have wanted to even sit on them.

Mark

« **Reply #55 on:** April 26, 2005, 09:42:24 pm »

If we all make the same or simular hourly rate but charge different prices then someone charging £80 will have work twice as hard as someone charging £160 BUT to sell a clean at £80 will be twice as easy as a clean at £160!

It will take time, hard work and courage but if you are willing you WILL get there!

Shaun

« **Reply #56 on:** April 26, 2005, 09:46:05 pm »

think you bieng a little hard on him, each to there own.
myself average 2 hours a suite, but as long as it takes.
once did one 5 hours , wish a had never took job.
my mate mike halliday recons your average guy wants to earn
£60000 + a year.
well some of you on 4 hours a suite will struggle then.
one you have to get jobs first, and am sure theres more
customers out there want to pay around the £70 mark
rather than £100+, had customers use chemdry and service master ect . say they were happy with job, but not with price.
and these were not mr & mrs average.
and said i did a better job

but they would say that two scared to say any other

anyway as long as i earn what a have for the last 16 years i will
be a happy bunny thanks darren

« **Reply #57 on:** April 26, 2005, 10:06:24 pm »

what a load of old tosh shaun, get to grip with reality.you are overpriced and could never match a upholstery wizard like me, thank god there are still dinosaurs out there who really think they are god. no wonder you dont earn what i earn. too lazy perhaps.

« **Reply #58 on:** April 26, 2005, 10:23:40 pm »

So what do you earn sherlock seeing your so willing to tell us that we're not earning?

Mark

« **Reply #59 on:** April 26, 2005, 10:30:13 pm »

good to see this topic is still buzzing you are like lambs to the slaughter. anybody else want there topic to buzz. shaun u r very popular any more good topics

« **Reply #60 on:** April 26, 2005, 11:04:21 pm »

I am cleaning one tomorrow for£160.00 and I have asked the customer to wash the covers for me (no problem)!!!

« **Reply #61 on:** April 26, 2005, 11:06:16 pm »

first class ask them if they have another one for me

« **Reply #62 on:** April 27, 2005, 11:54:24 am »

I feel some of you are deluding yourselves, or realy have the most fantastic marketing skills...........

Some years ago, when workig with another company, my wife and I averaged 7 jobs per day and occasionally this would include 3-4 suites, mostly at th low end of the market.

It was absolute hell, but we always left then clean, except for the occasional one which was, "past it".

The only negative, was that the suites were wetter then we'd have liked, but our clients were extremely pleased with the results and we got referrals from the majority.

I would never wish anyone to work as hard, but at the time,it was a means to an end.

Currently, if working with my "young" wife I would expect to take no more than 90 minutes to clean the average suite and it would be almost dry to touch, as we leave, that is, the first items cleaned.

Incidentally, I have attended many courses over the years, including IICRC although I never renewed,as I know it's of n relevence to the general public.

Discussion is great and can be productive, if information is exchanged freely.

What we found contributed most to the quality of our work and the time taken, was our approach.

Vaccuuming is always done by one person, while the other, sets up, then presprays, by the time the vacuuming is finished, the presprayer, is breathing down his neck.

There was a wonderful product which we loved for prespraying called Biozone, which had a huge impact on the cleaning time. We have been unable to obtain this recently and use m/s which are also very good, provided that you use them correctly

Anyone know where I can get Biozone.

some of you might beneit from reading the baseline in Sherlocks post

best wishes

Jacko, no one's past help and I wasn't meaning to be insulting

« **Reply #63 on:** April 27, 2005, 11:24:16 pm »

If you are cleaning 15 suites a week you cannot be cleaning much carpet which you would make more money on by spending the same amount of time as you would not have to travel far. Incidently, I have never cleaned more than 3 suites in a week and my average time is 4-5 hours for £125-£150. I cannot believe that there are so many guys out there that seem afraid to charge good money. I did one today for £160.00!! I went home at 2.30 to relax.

Sherlock - How do you manage to get 15 suites a week?

« **Reply #64 on:** April 28, 2005, 07:37:26 am »

if you charged £160 then went home at 2.30 to relax you missed the point

we are in the business of making money, its Ok to brag about charging £150+ to clean a suite but if your are taking over 3.5 hours then you are making less money than those who charge £90 and do it it a reasonable time.

jacko, STOP CLEANING SUITES!! stick to carpets, you're only making £25 an hour.

I did my own suite yesturday ( wifes been nagging for ages) I put the seating cushion in the wash machine and did the arms & back cushions in 30mins

.

as I look at it now, it looks great! , although it took 3hrs to dry,

thier are ways to clean more effiently ( faster

)

using a CFR handtool has increased my speed, I cleaned my suite at 500psi with just wet strokes and still did'nt over wet the fabric.

Mike

« **Reply #65 on:** April 28, 2005, 07:58:33 am »

I think that perhaps the question we should be asking is how is Sherlock, getting 15 suite a week to clean. How many carpets?

He did not say what his marketing spend ratio was?

What marketing methods, Leaflets priced or not priced.
Door Knocking,
Large Newspaper Add

Tele Marketing

AS I have said on a previous post we have people charging £25 so £80 is mid market.

« **Reply #66 on:** April 28, 2005, 04:33:47 pm »

Therapist,

Biozone was almost certainly an enzyme based product and many of these have been withdrawn due to the potential asthma sensitisation of the dust.

The beauty of enzymes was their unparralled ability to break protein, fat and other bonds which led to speedy cleaning.

I find prespraying with MS and then working in with a microfibre cloth , to be the nearest you are likely to get to enzyme performance.

I think I would find it impossible to take 5 hours cleaning a normal 3ps , think I would have to take a nap inbetween

Cheers,

Doug

« **Reply #67 on:** April 29, 2005, 12:16:24 am »

In the Years i've been cleaning , I've always subbed to somebody else.
I have my own customers as well, all VERY loyal.
By a rough estimation i've cleaned in excess of 4500 suites,
of these i've probably had maybe 20 call backs. Including one for the
shadow from the wall lights. I don't place any emphasis on leaving the suite dry, some may take up to 24 hours to dry thoroughly, but then we don't charge drying time and the customers are all very pleased with the service.
we get loads of recommendations and repeat work.we've worked in the worst ****holes up to a Royal household. All customers are charged the same regardless of circumstances, VERY low by many standards. But still we are looking for about £45+ an hour. We allow 90 Mins a suite some are very easy in this time some quite back breaking, my personal best if of interest is 35 mins the longest 3 Hours, Everbody has their own speed they are happy with, provided the customer is happy with the service and the price, and we don't feel hard done by then carry on as you do.
PS suites are not sodden but noticably damp, Its a risk to say I've never had an Insurance claim, Hardly any disgruntalled customers, my 5 year old Ninja does masses of work, at the lower end of the market i do about 80k work a year all on my lonesome.

« **Reply #68 on:** April 29, 2005, 03:39:38 pm »

Good posting Ajb

R M

« **Reply #69 on:** April 29, 2005, 05:25:23 pm »

QUITE RIGH AJB. SHERLOCK KNOWS IT CAN BE DONE

« **Reply #70 on:** April 29, 2005, 06:55:10 pm »

The time will come when the years catch up and i become a BOF!
until then hard work and loads of sweat, and prices that my customers like will do.

When the time comes to slow down then i will think of charging much higher prices.

High prices, lower volumes = lower prices, higher volumes

We all have our place in the industry.

« **Reply #71 on:** April 29, 2005, 09:44:03 pm »

your last post ajb
said it all

nice one darren

« **Reply #72 on:** April 29, 2005, 09:51:10 pm »

whats wrong with;

no sweat, no hard work, high volume & high prices.

« **Reply #73 on:** April 30, 2005, 09:40:44 pm »

Very nice if it works, but there are some extremely tight punters in my area.

I've been chased down the road before now for a penny change!!!!

« **Reply #74 on:** April 30, 2005, 09:50:53 pm »

quitr right ajb, the punter is becoming very tight with money, charge whatever the market in your area will accept, too high and theres no food on the table, at the end of the day we are cleaners not doctors,our competition comes from all around us. sherlock says that those who keep telling us to work less and charge higher, are not getting any volume of work. lets not be greedy.because if we dont sell to them. they will

Poll

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