[Adam P]

i'd be interested to know how others usually work out their prices for carpet cleaning.

for domestic we currently go by room and then when we see it consider how easy it is a job. i don't like the idea of measruing (especially with a tape) in a customers house however i also like to look like i haven't just plucked the figure out of the air

for commercial we pretty much just go by what we feel we would like for the job but feel we should have a bit more structure for this so I can say to customer it's this many meters so will cost this much so they can see how we come to our prices.

do you measure up the space? i assume you'd use some sort of automatic tool (if so any recommendations) or from what the customer says is the size. what do you do about furniture etc when pricing, will you say the rooms is 400sqm's and then take off some if furniture is present, or simply forget the furniture and just say the room is this big this is how much it'll cost? or perhaps measure each and every part around each desk and then come to a total.

thanks

[Andy Hogarth]

Good question, been thinking this myself lately.

It's easy to walk around and price up on how long you know it will take you which is what I do too

I'm pretty cock on with my hours for size etc and keep meaning to measure up and see what I charge pm etc but never do

I did get a job once because the guy before me embarrased himself ping about with a tape measure knocking stuff off desks etc lol

[gwrightson]

Andy,

I thought i showed you how to price commercial !!

or is this not accurate enough for you 

Geoff

[M.Acorn]

I use a sonic laser measuring device,as I price everything up on area,with a sliding scale per sq foot ,depending on how dirty it is..
Changed tactics yesterday,suited and booted instead of jeans and logo work top,all 3 quotes booked on the spot,so I will be doing that more often

[Andy Hogarth]

 
Works a treat Geoff, still use it today

How do you put it down on quotes etc.

At present I'd put

Description of area, descryption of cleaning (mini method statement lol) estimated time, no of operatives etc

to be fair it seems to work and I've never been asked for a price per sqm

Mark does your sonic laser thingy work in long offices? also how do you word the quote as I suppose you'd have to knock some sqm off for desks, filing cabinets etc?

[clinton]

Same here i think it comes with experience and i usually price per room on domestics and with commercilas on how long it will take me..

[Hilton]

I just walk up the length and then the width and count how many strides it took to do both, I then multiply one by the other then multiply again by my rate.

[garyj]

I just walk up the length and then the width and count how many strides it took to do both, I then multiply one by the other then multiply again by my rate.

That means taking you on all the quotes.

[Steve Barnett (Carpet Care Plus)]

I always measure, I've been measuring for new carpet surveys for 30 years anyway so it's no big deal.

Plus I price by the square metre, never by the room. I'm always surprised that people can't use a steel tape properly.

My square metre rate reflects my hourly rate pretty closely - for example a 50m2 job @ £3 per m2 will take me 3 hours, give or take 15 minutes - this in turn gives me my £50 per hour which I need to run my business.

Please don't reply to this moaning about rates and how you can't get this where you live, I'm not interested.

[Kinver_Clean]

Sonic measures will not work in large offices with furniture in.
I have a Disto laser measure. The red spot shows where you are measuring to.
It saved its cost on the first job - 4000 sq mt of awkward office - and it looks very professional.

[JandS]

Measure up commercials, the size of the room
is just that.
Don't take office or other furniture into consideration
unless specifically asked and have never been yet.
Obviously if there's a line of cabinets across length
of one of the walls just measure to cabinets.
What rough percentage of area does furniture account
for?

John

[Paul Simpson]

Sonic measurer for domestics or sometimes a customer will tell me when booking roughly what size it is, as long as they haven't seroiusly under estimated it I usually go by that after seeing it.
Bigger areas I tend to use a small measuring wheel.

[Linds Russell]

We also use a sonic measuring device and have done since day 1. I get lots of comments about it and it means we can charge to the 0.1 of a square metre which looks great on quotes for commercial work. We have won many jobs where we were not the cheapest and the feedback was that because we measured the areas and looked professional, we got the job.

Using it in houses is great too and I regularly get positive comments from impressed customers.

[Hilton]

I just walk up the length and then the width and count how many strides it took to do both, I then multiply one by the other then multiply again by my rate.

That means taking you on all the quotes.

 

I was being facetious,

This topic crops up all the time, always measure measure and measure again, we would never just walk in and quote by looking at a room.

But hey, if it works for you, so be it 

[Mike Halliday]

there are too many variables to rely on just measuring the room.

I never measure. I look at the room and make a decision how much it should cost, this is based on size, type of carpet, type of customer, how dirty, distance to van, etc..etc

just to go on size means a bedroom half the size of a living room costs half as much..... but could take twice as long

[M.Acorn]

Obviously once I have measured the area I take other things into consideration,furniture,level of soiling,distance from home,the hours they want the work doing,weather they will book me again 

[Mike Halliday]

when i get back from my hols in August my pricing structure is going to massively change. I'm sick of doing awkward jobs or awkward customers and not getting any more money for the hassle.

I'm taking a leaf out of hotels way of charging,I'm going for a very high rack rate which gives me plenty of room for special offers, discounts, bulk bookings and loyalty discounts.

one offs or jobs are know are going to be a hassle pay top price.

when i look at my life and what causes me stress it is always my inability to say no to awkward jobs and me going out of my way to please customers who are just taking the P1ss,

 so from August it any job causes me stress they better be prepared to pay a high price  for the privilege

[Neil Williams]

so from August it any job causes me stress they better be prepared to pay a high price  for the privilege

You had a bad day Mike? Take a holiday
I carry measuring devices but sometimes you can just read the situation and know how long it will take you, taking all things into consideration as mentioned before.
Sometimes you get followed around by someone in a suit so it does look good if you are taking readings and scribbling away like mad. Othertimes you are left to your own devices so forget all the gadgets and pace it out.
As for furniture on commercials I get the area of the room and deduct 20-30% dependant on the amount of furniture to get the 'workable area.' Yes, I know some of you charge wall to wall, but I charge for what carpet we will clean not the stuff you ain't got a cat in hells chance of doing.

[Mike Halliday]

Neil I have had  a bad couple of months   some people just take liberties and have no respect for my time and to be truthful I've had enough.

i used to believe that it was bad for business to tell people to get stuffed and if I didn't fit them in they would go elsewhere and I would lose a customer for life, but now I realise if I lose a customer so what!!..... another one will fill their space.

I  can choose who i clean for.

[Adam P]

thanks for the replies all. i'm actually shocked people will take furtinute into consideraion as if anything it adds more time to the cleaning. no doubt customer will want under each desk cleaned which wont have been properly vacuumed and has had dirty shoes on it all day. you also have to take into consideration cables, other random items the staff put there.

[Neil Williams]

i'm actually shocked people will take furtinute into consideraion

Why do I have to explain everything down to the last tiny detail for some people?
Example: One commercial I have done is for a major group of accountants. A good 10% of that floor space is full of customer files from floor to ceiling. Are you telling me you would charge for cleaning that area?
Wow, so hard to get under a desk isn't it Depends on what sort of desk, some are nothing more than tables, whilst some will have cabinets built in to the left and right of where the feet touch the ground under the desk. Then there are unmovable cabinets full of files/documents.

[Adam P]

jeesh. depends on the situation whether i'd charge but if 10% is files (i assume they are in a cupboard), i'd also guess that they are scattered around the office so you'll have to be careful and work around them and not just simple spray the whole area, which can add time. and yes i is harder to go under a desk then if there was no desks at all, again adding time rather then reducing it.

[Neil Williams]

jeesh. depends on the situation whether i'd charge but if 10% is files (i assume they are in a cupboard), i'd also guess that they are scattered around the office so you'll have to be careful and work around them and not just simple spray the whole area, which can add time. and yes i is harder to go under a desk then if there was no desks at all, again adding time rather then reducing it.

No, no, no and no.
Jeez Easter you really were having Kermit moments last night weren't you.
They are basically very large screwed to the floor filling shelves jammed packed full of very large files, from the floor to the ceiling which they use a step ladder to get to the top ones. In lenth about 15 foot each, number of these 'units' about 20 of them. So they are not in a cupboard. 
What machinery are you using if you find it hard to get a wand or rotary under a desk
Try and keep up it's not hard.

[jasonl]

Most commercial  areas have suspended ceiling tiles  , these tiles are  invariably 50cm across , I simply count the tiles  and  half the number   to calculate  the square metre figure , then  take into account soiling , furniture etc.

Customers are often bemused by me staring at the ceiling when I am supposed to be looking at the carets , it does create an "oh thats clever" comment  most times , and helps to break down barriers.

[Neil Williams]

I've done the same thing in the past by counting the carpet tiles.
Length x Width before Mad Bunny thinks I count each and every carpet tile

[Adam P]

neil you need to re-read my post. i said it's harder to go under a desk then it is if there was no desk at all. is that simple enough for you or do you need me to write the word HARDER in big, bold, underlined and highlighted text so you don't miss it again?

[Neil Williams]

Most of us would use the phrase 'difficulty factor.'
Some parts of the job are negligible (not worth worrying about) in terms of 'difficulty like going under desks, whilst some parts will be quite substantial to the overall job like having to move loads of desks, cabinets, chairs etc.
This is something you clarify with the responsible person for ordering the work.
Is that clearer.

[Helen]

Most commercial  areas have suspended ceiling tiles  , these tiles are  invariably 50cm across , I simply count the tiles  and  half the number   to calculate  the square metre figure , then  take into account soiling , furniture etc.

Customers are often bemused by me staring at the ceiling when I am supposed to be looking at the carets , it does create an "oh thats clever" comment  most times , and helps to break down barriers.

Take your calc up to 60cm/600mm per tile, standard module sizes 600x600 or 1200x 600 (500 are a specially produced tile)

[Billy Russell]

I'm afraid Neil thats just not clear enough for me, could you type it in capitals please, that might help!!!!!!!!!

 

[Adam P]

you sure you've made that clear enough for him billy?

[Billy Russell]

Don't know to be honest!!!!! I'll give him to the end of the day to answer, then i'll type it in capitals!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

[Rick Ward]

if calculating M2 as Jason said 100 x 100 tiles (even at 500mm calculation) makes 1000 then halved as said= 500- to calculate M2.
that would mean your pricing 250m (100 x 500mm=50m x 50m=250m) at 500m....

[Jamie Pearson]

I always price from a furniture plan. Usually provided in cad format. I also use a laser measured to take a size of one area in the office should need to scale a drawing for rest of building. I also establish population for each floor and ask for the DOC spec.

Everything is submitted using colour coded plans with frequency cleaning system employed etc.

We then use these drawings going forward to recommend areas to be replaced,problem staining.

Quoting is done using a formula that takes into consideration building capacity, m2, furniture cover, frequency, projected time required per area dependant on system.

[Len Gribble]

Just been ask to spot clean only and it massive area 5500 sqm over four floors most of the tiles are totally f and did quantify

Been thinking in the region of £6560 for two Saturdays of porty work or am I way out

[JandS]

Len

 Call it £6000 for cash the 2nd Saturday
won't be a full day!!!!!!!!!!

John

[Neil Williams]

I'm afraid Neil thats just not clear enough for me, could you type it in capitals please, that might help!!!!!!!!!

 

No, capitals mean shouting and that's not very professional.
I could do it in Welsh but it would probably be wasted on you

[Billy Russell]

aha!!!!! My mums welsh!!!!! so i might understand half of it!!!! 

[Phillip Mold]

Oh dear, double maths lessons all round.

500 mm x  500 mm = 2500mm sq mm = 1/4 m2

so for 500 mm (or 50cm) square tiles its length times width divided by four, not two to convert to m2

[Billy Russell]

Oh dear, double maths lessons all round.

500 mm x  500 mm = 2500mm sq mm = 1/4 m2

so for 500 mm (or 50cm) square tiles its length times width divided by four, not two to convert to m2

Pardon??? 

[Steve Barnett (Carpet Care Plus)]

Oh dear, double maths lessons all round.

500 mm x  500 mm = 2500mm sq mm = 1/4 m2

so for 500 mm (or 50cm) square tiles its length times width divided by four, not two to convert to m2

Or simply, there are 4 tiles (500 x 500) to a square metre

[jasonl]

Oh dear, double maths lessons all round.

500 mm x  500 mm = 2500mm sq mm = 1/4 m2

so for 500 mm (or 50cm) square tiles its length times width divided by four, not two to convert to m2

Or as I badly explained ,, walk across an area count the tiles in one direction , eg 100 , divide that by 2 =50    then count the tiles in the opposite direction eg 40 divide that by 2 =20  then work out 50x20  (or because I am simple 5x2 , then add a zero)   =100m2  , 

whilst I am doing this most customers will ask why I am staring at the ceiling  , and then I launch into  my measuring method , they then smile , or are taken off  guard   , and rapport is established.

[Steve Rothwell]

neil you need to re-read my post. i said it's harder to go under a desk then it is if there was no desk at all. is that simple enough for you or do you need me to write the word HARDER in big, bold, underlined and highlighted text so you don't miss it again?

Hello Kristmas Kermit..... you have been let out whilst I have been offline then ??

See you are still up to your old tricks of shouting off about things you have no understanding of....

Ie carpet cleaning       

[brianbarber]

Steve Barrett

Spot on !

[clinton]

Steve has a lot of experience from his days as a carpet fitter too...