[AuRavelling79]

Little update - no-one has refused my price increases which I have applied selectively over the last month so far.

Some examples. None have increased for 3/4 years.

£7 to £8 (Front of semi)
£8 to £10 (Front and side of semi) x 2
£10.00 to £12.00 (Front and side of semi)
£13.50 to £15.00 (small Semi) x 2
£13.00 to £15.00 (small Semi) x 2
£15.00 to £17.00 (semi)
£15.50 to £18.00 (semi)
£18.00 to £20.00 (detached)
£18.00 to £21.00 (detached)
£20.00 to £23.00 (detached)
£25.00 to £28.00 (detached)
£30.00 to £34.00 (detached plus conny)
£32.00 to £36.00 (detached plus conny)
£35.00 to £40.00 (large detached)

So all above 10% but less than 15%. Feels right to me.

For some reason I find it more difficult to do mentally when they are compact like I imagine them seeing my van draw up at 9.00 am, leave at noon and they work out I've earned at least three figures. 

[windowswashed]

Putting mine up at the moment before Brexit 

[AuRavelling79]

Putting mine up at the moment before Brexit 

Don't forget pensioners have had a 2.5% guaranteed pension increase every April. So if you haven't put up your prices by 10% in the last 3.5 to 4 years you have full justification! And always "round up!"

[AuRavelling79]

Well I have had my first price rise questioned today.

Quite surprised really as she has been all polite sweetness and light for the four years since she has been a customer and I haven't put her price up.

For context she is among a group of sixteen compact customers and she is in a terrace of six where the gardens have a path for access in the middle of the gardens along the backs. So I do the fronts and then the backs from the end of the terraces.

Her house is the farthest from the entry point and so I go through and clean the windows of four others before I get to hers.

There is no chance any other window cleaner could take her on and do the backs without getting permission from the end of terrace house at the other end of the block to go through their garden.

So all in all I have been very decent in not taking advantage and putting up my prices higher than I have.

These houses are priced at 12.50 to 15.00 before increase and I told her hers was going up from £12.50 to £14.00.

The sweetness and light changed to a face that looked like it had sucked a lemon and she said "£2! That's rather a jump isn't it?"

I said "Well your price hasn't increased for four years - ever since you moved in in fact."

She said "£2 is a large percentage though."

I said "Well, it's £1.50 actually and as your pension will have gone up by 2.5% per year minimum it seems reasonable to me."

She said "How do you know what my pension arrangements are?"

I said "I read the government website where the state pension goes up by a minimum of 2.5% and so I know it applies to everybody."

She said "Well, I suppose I'll just have to accept it won't I?"

I said "No. If you want to find another window cleaner I'm perfectly happy for you to do so."

She said "No, no, please carry on."

[dazmond]

its always the ones you least expect to moan (and the price rise is usually small and fair)....ive had customers cancel over a 50p rise before now.....

ive changed my mind about price rises......im going to leave it another year for the vast majority as its only 2 years since the last one....

[robbo333]

I'm gently putting mine up at the moment.
All the custys I see, I just drop it into the conversation...

Custy: "Pete, do you want sugar in your tea"
Me: "One please, and your next clean will be 3 quid more!" 

[lal]

Well I have had my first price rise questioned today.

Quite surprised really as she has been all polite sweetness and light for the four years since she has been a customer and I haven't put her price up.

For context she is among a group of sixteen compact customers and she is in a terrace of six where the gardens have a path for access in the middle of the gardens along the backs. So I do the fronts and then the backs from the end of the terraces.

Her house is the farthest from the entry point and so I go through and clean the windows of four others before I get to hers.

There is no chance any other window cleaner could take her on and do the backs without getting permission from the end of terrace house at the other end of the block to go through their garden.

So all in all I have been very decent in not taking advantage and putting up my prices higher than I have.

These houses are priced at 12.50 to 15.00 before increase and I told her hers was going up from £12.50 to £14.00.

The sweetness and light changed to a face that looked like it had sucked a lemon and she said "£2! That's rather a jump isn't it?"

I said "Well your price hasn't increased for four years - ever since you moved in in fact."

She said "£2 is a large percentage though."

I said "Well, it's £1.50 actually and as your pension will have gone up by 2.5% per year minimum it seems reasonable to me."

She said "How do you know what my pension arrangements are?"

I said "I read the government website where the state pension goes up by a minimum of 2.5% and so I know it applies to everybody."

She said "Well, I suppose I'll just have to accept it won't I?"

I said "No. If you want to find another window cleaner I'm perfectly happy for you to do so."

She said "No, no, please carry on."

 This word comes to mind   DUMP,   just joking, she's agreed the price increase reluctantly, so all good. 

[John Mart]

Well I have had my first price rise questioned today.

Quite surprised really as she has been all polite sweetness and light for the four years since she has been a customer and I haven't put her price up.

For context she is among a group of sixteen compact customers and she is in a terrace of six where the gardens have a path for access in the middle of the gardens along the backs. So I do the fronts and then the backs from the end of the terraces.

Her house is the farthest from the entry point and so I go through and clean the windows of four others before I get to hers.

There is no chance any other window cleaner could take her on and do the backs without getting permission from the end of terrace house at the other end of the block to go through their garden.

So all in all I have been very decent in not taking advantage and putting up my prices higher than I have.

These houses are priced at 12.50 to 15.00 before increase and I told her hers was going up from £12.50 to £14.00.

The sweetness and light changed to a face that looked like it had sucked a lemon and she said "£2! That's rather a jump isn't it?"

I said "Well your price hasn't increased for four years - ever since you moved in in fact."

She said "£2 is a large percentage though."

I said "Well, it's £1.50 actually and as your pension will have gone up by 2.5% per year minimum it seems reasonable to me."

She said "How do you know what my pension arrangements are?"

I said "I read the government website where the state pension goes up by a minimum of 2.5% and so I know it applies to everybody."

She said "Well, I suppose I'll just have to accept it won't I?"

I said "No. If you want to find another window cleaner I'm perfectly happy for you to do so."

She said "No, no, please carry on."

This is a "how thick is your skin" situation. When I did the work, everytime she paid me I'd be thinking she resents it and it would annoy me. I'd be tempted to dump. When I send someone else I just shrug. If you can just shrug, great. If not, drop.

[Dry Clean]

Well I have had my first price rise questioned today.

Quite surprised really as she has been all polite sweetness and light for the four years since she has been a customer and I haven't put her price up.

For context she is among a group of sixteen compact customers and she is in a terrace of six where the gardens have a path for access in the middle of the gardens along the backs. So I do the fronts and then the backs from the end of the terraces.

Her house is the farthest from the entry point and so I go through and clean the windows of four others before I get to hers.

There is no chance any other window cleaner could take her on and do the backs without getting permission from the end of terrace house at the other end of the block to go through their garden.

So all in all I have been very decent in not taking advantage and putting up my prices higher than I have.

These houses are priced at 12.50 to 15.00 before increase and I told her hers was going up from £12.50 to £14.00.

The sweetness and light changed to a face that looked like it had sucked a lemon and she said "£2! That's rather a jump isn't it?"

I said "Well your price hasn't increased for four years - ever since you moved in in fact."

She said "£2 is a large percentage though."

I said "Well, it's £1.50 actually and as your pension will have gone up by 2.5% per year minimum it seems reasonable to me."

She said "How do you know what my pension arrangements are?"

I said "I read the government website where the state pension goes up by a minimum of 2.5% and so I know it applies to everybody."

She said "Well, I suppose I'll just have to accept it won't I?"

I said "No. If you want to find another window cleaner I'm perfectly happy for you to do so."

She said "No, no, please carry on."

This would give one of Nathan's parables a run for its money. lol

[G Griffin]

I'm gently putting mine up at the moment.

I'm gently putting mine up in April, May and June.
They don't like to be rushed.

[Dave Willis]

I gently put mine up last night funnily enough.

[JBC88]

I'm putting mine up from April it's been almost 2years since last raise.. I'm interested to know how often Lee Pryor and the others with multi van businesses put their prices up..

Moving forward I'm putting mine up annually. In reality if we don't do that then we are technically getting a pay cut because everything else definitely goes up each year... I think if all window cleaners raised prices annually then people would accept it more and the small raise wouldn't shock as much as a larger less frequent raise...
It does annoy me abit when a customer quotes percentages over a £2 increase. Whose gonna miss £2 these days. Back in 2004 the standard increase was around 50p. 15 years on 50p isn't as valuable so wont really be enough of an increase these days unless it's a front only house maybe.

[p1w1]

50p is the new half 1/2p (for those that can remember it  ) .

[dazmond]

I'm putting mine up from April it's been almost 2years since last raise.. I'm interested to know how often Lee Pryor and the others with multi van businesses put their prices up..

Moving forward I'm putting mine up annually. In reality if we don't do that then we are technically getting a pay cut because everything else definitely goes up each year... I think if all window cleaners raised prices annually then people would accept it more and the small raise wouldn't shock as much as a larger less frequent raise...
It does annoy me abit when a customer quotes percentages over a £2 increase. Whose gonna miss £2 these days. Back in 2004 the standard increase was around 50p. 15 years on 50p isn't as valuable so wont really be enough of an increase these days unless it's a front only house maybe.

i always seem to make more money than the previous year and i dont put my prices up every year.......IMO every year is too much....

[dazmond]

by the way some prices go down...CP is £3 a month cheaper and my rents gone down for the 3rd year in  ROW! so its £6 a month cheaper....

[nathankaye]

by the way some prices go down...CP is £3 a month cheaper and my rents gone down for the 3rd year in  ROW! so its £6 a month cheaper....

Its funny you say that. I knew a window cleaner who put his prices down when he switched to wfp because it was quicker 🤔🤔😂😂

[G Griffin]

I'm gently putting mine up at the moment.

I'm gently putting mine up in April, May and June.
They don't like to be rushed.

Especially May; she's delicate; a bit like Mavis Wilton (nee Riley).
"I don't really know".

[Stoots]

Got my price rise list sorted.

First one since i started, quite nervous but excited to see the reaction.

Decided to only  up prices of custs that have been with me 2 years or more so any who joined before Apr 17 will  be going up, have  a list of about 130 custs.

next year i will do anyone who joined between apr 17 - apr 18 and so on with a price rise for everyone every 2 years.

Not sure how much to put them up by, im thinking £1 if below £15 and £2 if above £15.


Other than that i will look through the rest and price rise the odd one if its obviously low.

 

[Shrek]

Got my price rise list sorted.

First one since i started, quite nervous but excited to see the reaction.

Decided to only  up prices of custs that have been with me 2 years or more so any who joined before Apr 17 will  be going up, have  a list of about 130 custs.

next year i will do anyone who joined between apr 17 - apr 18 and so on with a price rise for everyone every 2 years.

Not sure how much to put them up by, im thinking £1 if below £15 and £2 if above £15.


Other than that i will look through the rest and price rise the odd one if its obviously low.

I had a £35 job , in and out and for years iv stuck with it and took on all their neighbours. Big detached house , very large south facing windows so the sun blinds me when doing insides. Customer has the heating on full blast too even when it’s roasting outside, cat hair all over , I have to move tables and chairs out the way.
So I printed out a letter telling her it’s going up £15 to £50 once a month or other options are available to work out cheaper over the year.
Not heard back from them 😢😃
If they agree , fantastic, if they cancel... fantastic!

[Splash & dash]

I have just put up prices on some of my work lost 4 jobs out of the 200 I put up , surprisingly the ones I thought would cancle didn’t and ones I thought would be ok cancled !!  But still far better off money wise for a bit less work so it’s a win win ,