Quote for gutter cleaning job, help please.

« **on:** November 19, 2015, 02:03:48 pm »

Hi Guys,

Need some help with a Quote for a job that I'm looking at tomorrow, have to clear the guttering out with a Sky vac and poles. Just had a look on google maps and I was astounded at what I seen, its actually a Masons Lodge and this will be my first big house. Does anybody have any idea just what I should charge as a whole or should I charge by the hour, this place is blooming massive.

Press this link to go to google maps and have a look at the property.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/70A+Boreham+Rd,+Warminster,+Wiltshire+BA12+9JN/@51.2005951,-2.1687155,3a,75y,183h,90t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sMTmoo_a0zX1Vv-aPvF2RPA!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo3.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DMTmoo_a0zX1Vv-aPvF2RPA%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D183.57779%26pitch%3D0!7i13312!8i6656!4m2!3m1!1s0x4873d19d6912323b:0xabbfe06066247468!6m1!1e1

Any help you guys could give me would be really helpful as I don't have a clue on what I would charge, I also found out that it is a grade 2 listed building. I'm going tomorrow afternoon with the inspection pole and camera and I'll tell him that I've got to go and work it out, and get back in touch.

Thanks all.

Tony.

« **Reply #1 on:** November 19, 2015, 06:08:47 pm »

Can anybody give me some advice please as I really don't know what to charge ?

« **Reply #2 on:** November 19, 2015, 06:29:48 pm »

I would want alot for that one as it's going to be hard to reach over the extension and if the down pipes are blocked it could be a right pain.

« **Reply #3 on:** November 19, 2015, 06:40:01 pm »

£3-4 a metre if all good you will know after you have done an inspection with your camera if you see
a patch that looks like a small garden up there this will take considerable longer as the roots will have
gripped firmly. also if you have had heavy rain will make job harder try to wait for a few days of dry
weather good luck its a awesome machine

« **Reply #4 on:** November 19, 2015, 06:52:13 pm »

Thanks guys to be honest this is my first big job, he had a quote from his window cleaner and he thought he was getting ripped of. I'm doing a survey with him tomorrow afternoon so it gives me a chance to take some photos and video to look over when I get back home, if I post them up would you be able to give me some advice.

The power lines are a bit of a worry as I'm using carbon poles with the Sky Vac industrial 85 and I know that carbon is a conductor of electricity, I think this job will test my my quoting skills.

Thanks again guys.

« **Reply #5 on:** November 19, 2015, 07:45:47 pm »

how did you buy your skyvac from?

« **Reply #6 on:** November 19, 2015, 07:54:51 pm »

You shouldn't have too much trouble with that, esp. Using a skyvac

We would be charging between £275 and £325 plus the vat

Hope that helps

Darran

« **Reply #7 on:** November 19, 2015, 08:56:47 pm »

Quote from: scott johns on November 19, 2015, 07:45:47 pm

how did you buy your skyvac from?

Hey Scott,

Bought the Sky Vac from Spinaclean a couple of months ago, have to say that I'm as pleased as punch with it.

« **Reply #8 on:** November 19, 2015, 09:29:00 pm »

Quote from: Smudger on November 19, 2015, 07:54:51 pm

You shouldn't have too much trouble with that, esp. Using a skyvac

We would be charging between £275 and £325 plus the vat

Hope that helps

Darran

Thanks for your advice Darren it helps a lot mate, looking forward to the survey tomorrow afternoon to see what the camera digs up.

« **Reply #9 on:** November 19, 2015, 10:32:37 pm »

hi tony
glad you got it from spinaclean great guys brought mine from them earlier this year as well as a
pressure washer just phone them up with any questions as paul said on the course we are here to help;
.good luck in your new venture

« **Reply #10 on:** November 20, 2015, 06:03:22 am »

Quote from: scott johns on November 19, 2015, 10:32:37 pm

hi tony
glad you got it from spinaclean great guys brought mine from them earlier this year as well as a
pressure washer just phone them up with any questions as paul said on the course we are here to help;
.good luck in your new venture

Thanks Scott I'm really happy with Spinaclean and all the help that they have given me in the past, hoping the business is going to take off...Might have picked the wrong time of year to start though, right near Christmas.

« **Reply #11 on:** November 20, 2015, 07:11:22 am »

Tony, your starting out exactly at the right time with leaves falling, and heavy rain, the biggest problem for gutter vaccing is for people to know you do this service, just a warning in advance gutter vac's don't work when it's icy and the the gutters are frozen

Darran

« **Reply #12 on:** November 20, 2015, 09:07:10 am »

absolutely right time off year to start your business leaves are falling now also moss with rain will blow into gutters , valleys and
twigs etc . invest and get some a frame boards made up so when you are working you will be advertising also some good leaflets
from our friends at spinaclean drop into neighbours letter boxes before you start to work best of luck with your survey today.

« **Reply #13 on:** November 20, 2015, 11:54:41 pm »

Quote from: Tony Hall on November 19, 2015, 06:52:13 pm

Thanks guys to be honest this is my first big job, he had a quote from his window cleaner and he thought he was getting ripped of. I'm doing a survey with him tomorrow afternoon so it gives me a chance to take some photos and video to look over when I get back home, if I post them up would you be able to give me some advice.

The power lines are a bit of a worry as I'm using carbon poles with the Sky Vac industrial 85 and I know that carbon is a conductor of electricity, I think this job will test my my quoting skills.

Thanks again guys.

liked the bit " he had a quote from his window cleaner and thought he was getting ripped off" as that made me chuckle.
I do hope you asked outright was he was quoted so you don't end up wasting your time?
Seems to me they are just after the cheapest job.

How did you get on?

« **Reply #14 on:** November 21, 2015, 07:36:48 am »

Bloody google maps, turns out that the house was three doors down..I'm gonna have a good luck by car next time. Got to the address and he wanted 4 sides doing including the conny gutters as well and its a big conny, he told me that he had done some of it by himself at the front.

Knowing that he wasn't gonna pay £100 I said that I though the job would cost around £80-£90, he told me that the window cleaner did it last year for £60 and that he would let me do it for £70......I thought I was the one running the business, I set the price not anyone else.

The house is a bit like my Avatar photo with a double garage on the side, for the time of year and its a hour and a half's work what do you all think ?

His gutters are full with leaves off his neighbour's tree, the photos where crappy as it was getting a bit dark.

« **Reply #15 on:** November 21, 2015, 08:17:37 am »

So must be one of the houses opposite houghton close ? Looking via Google maps and taking an educated guess at a conny size would be at a pinch £125 + vat

Things to consider - people lie, even if the windy did them last year for £60, why now is he happy to pay you more ? In the past I've had people say this sort of thing, but other than a token £5 off my price is the price because you start dropping the price you look like you overcharged in the first place and many a time these people then ring up a few days later and book a clear at your price.

If they are rammed, perhaps they were not cleared at all, or badly cleared and did he reach over the conny to clear

Whether you do the job, and at a price you feel is too skinny is your choice, after all us lot on here are not paying your bills if you don't get it, if you need the work, or doing it for experience then give it a bash for £70

There will always be people who underrate your service, if you let them bully you on price you'll always be working cheap

Darran

« **Reply #16 on:** November 21, 2015, 09:34:57 am »

could not have said it any better than above post its all up to you, personally I would walk away from it obviously the
window cleaner didn't do a good job otherwise he wouldn't be calling your services. people are funny they think as you said
we will give you x amount for the job who are they to tell you its your business you are providing a quality services not like
the window cleaner before would they get a service from a rolls Royce garage and tell them what they will pay I think not best
avoid these people they are normally not worth the time they will pick fort with anything and expect more good luck anyway

« **Reply #17 on:** November 21, 2015, 09:37:16 am »

Hey Guys

Its the one in the background with the pillars that you go through, it sits behind the house at the front with the green door.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.2006698,-2.1690387,3a,75y,167.65h,93.46t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sVOkM4mbHA4RKE9_wForpHQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!6m1!1e1

I must admit I'm bloody unhappy with the way it turned out but I'll know next time not to back down as I paid a lot for the equipment.

« **Reply #18 on:** November 21, 2015, 10:05:49 am »

Ok the good news is the houses I'm looking are getting smaller and easier to vac 😀

It's good to remember that you have invested heavily to do this service, and the outlay takes time to recover, because you have running costs while carrying out the work.

Darran

« **Reply #19 on:** November 21, 2015, 10:22:00 am »

looks an easy job but I would still decline the job now I think they have insulted you as a professional with great equipment
let them get there friend the window cleaner to do it don't waste any more time with these people move on and take it as
a good learning kerb best of luck and keep positive you will then succeed .

« **Reply #20 on:** November 21, 2015, 12:03:09 pm »

Never ever quote from Google Earth,never give a 'quote" over the phone without seeing the job…."a guestimate' is fine.

« **Reply #21 on:** November 21, 2015, 04:22:05 pm »

I had a gut felling for you it was going to be a waste of time.
I would have added on 20% arsehole tax myself not reduced the quote just to try and win him over regardles how much the window cleaner so say charged him last time.

I'm also betting the corner/valley above the conservatory is badly blocked too which may end up being a PITA to clear.

Did you do a guttercam survey in the end to find out how bad it was?

« **Reply #22 on:** November 21, 2015, 06:26:49 pm »

Hey Smurf, Yes I did a survey to check out the guttering and it looked like it was just leaves in the gutters from the Oak tree next door..... The bloke has the coat of arms on his business card with the Masons on it Smurf, I would have thought he needed at least 45% arsehole tax.

Thing is Smurf I'll not fall for it again, life is a learning curve and full of people trying it on. Its my business and know body is going to get a cheap deal as we all have to survive. I'm lucky that I'm on this forum with great members with lots of advice and wisdom.

Thanks all for your advice everyone and motivation, people don't think but its bloody hard running your own business.