[Richard Shepherd]

For the last 5 years I have been cleaning a block consisting of 10 posh apartments. It took me and my son 2 hours and I charged £165.

Received an email this morning from the management company saying "due to budget restraints we have sourced another window cleaner".

I rang them and was told that they had sourced a national company who had quoted 40 percent less than my price.

Bad do!!!!!!!!!

[Ian101]

especially as they didn't give you a chance to requote !

If your friendly with some of the residents maybe worth giving them your phone number in case the new cleaners are crap and residents become unhappy 

[Ian101]

4 man hours at £40 plus water .. fuel ect don't sound dear

[dazmond]

at least you had a good 5 years at it.they dont last forever.

i spent time pricing up 50 apartments for a management company.it would of been a good earner but i didnt get the job.

i priced them at a reasonable rate too.oh well.

[Smudger]

40% cheaper - so £99 quid, being a national that will be plus vat, but this part can be offset .

While its a gut wrencher to lose a job like this, it is business and for whatever reason, they have needed to cut costs, hopefully the residents will complain enough to get you reinstated as I bet their management fees have not been reduced.

Some of our managed "estates" are 3 yr contracts and the residents get to vote on who get the contract, and it's not then just down to price.

Ian - I wouldn't re quote, if can suddenly slash your price by 40% it looks like you've overcharged for the last five years

Darran

[Sean Dyer]

2 xmas' ago i got a letter that some i did had got a national in , lost £300 a month

hurts when it happens but usually kicks you up the bum to get more and you always end up better off in the long run

[ChumBucket]

For the last 5 years I have been cleaning a block consisting of 10 posh apartments. It took me and my son 2 hours and I charged £165.

Received an email this morning from the management company saying "due to budget restraints we have sourced another window cleaner".

I rang them and was told that they had sourced a national company who had quoted 40 percent less than my price.

Bad do!!!!!!!!!

I'm being honest here but if I was in charge of the budget & knew you two were done in two hours I'd be looking to get better value too. That's the risk you take, I'd do that for £120 any day. It is after all window cleaning.

[SeanK]

For the last 5 years I have been cleaning a block consisting of 10 posh apartments. It took me and my son 2 hours and I charged £165.

Received an email this morning from the management company saying "due to budget restraints we have sourced another window cleaner".

I rang them and was told that they had sourced a national company who had quoted 40 percent less than my price.

Bad do!!!!!!!!!

I'm being honest here but if I was in charge of the budget & knew you two were done in two hours I'd be looking to get better value too. That's the risk you take, I'd do that for £120 any day. It is after all window cleaning.

Yes if it was close to your base but what if you had to travel 30 mins each way this has to be considered also.
That's another 2 hours between two men.

[ChumBucket]

For the last 5 years I have been cleaning a block consisting of 10 posh apartments. It took me and my son 2 hours and I charged £165.

Received an email this morning from the management company saying "due to budget restraints we have sourced another window cleaner".

I rang them and was told that they had sourced a national company who had quoted 40 percent less than my price.

Bad do!!!!!!!!!

I'm being honest here but if I was in charge of the budget & knew you two were done in two hours I'd be looking to get better value too. That's the risk you take, I'd do that for £120 any day. It is after all window cleaning.

Yes if it was close to your base but what if you had to travel 30 mins each way this has to be considered also.
That's another 2 hours between two men.

That's not the budget man's problem. Plenty work by themselves too which slashes that by half.

[Mick Kent]

Plenty of better work out there, dont let it get you down.

[Frankybadboy]

i have issue with a management company at the moment as they owe  2 invoices for a block i clean

the good point is the residents asked me to clean the window and then when the new mangement company took over they told them i had to stay cleaning.

now the fun begin in the fact we are due another clean and the two invoices havent been paid,so off will be going a email to the management company and resident saying that there with be no cleaning next week due to the unpaid invoices


i bet i get paid with 24hrs 

[elite mike]

 

[NWH]

If someone wants to do it cheaper let them have it mate don't take it personally some people will do it for peanuts. Good domestic work is the old commercial from days gone by now,don't expect loyalty from anyone in today's climate its a thing of the past just price what you want just don't think you'll keep it forever so if you lose it you've had your money out of em

[NWH]

My old man used to say keep in with the caretaker and I used to laugh but he was right, if they don't like you when your there they'll keep looking at there watch and you'll be on borrowed time.

[Ian101]

Ian - I wouldn't re quote, if can suddenly slash your price by 40% it looks like you've overcharged for the last five years

Darran

me neither but still nice to be asked and nice to be able to say "go do one" 

[Dave Willis]

i have issue with a management company at the moment as they owe  2 invoices for a block i clean

the good point is the residents asked me to clean the window and then when the new mangement company took over they told them i had to stay cleaning.

now the fun begin in the fact we are due another clean and the two invoices havent been paid,so off will be going a email to the management company and resident saying that there with be no cleaning next week due to the unpaid invoices


i bet i get paid with 24hrs 

You done their gutters yet?

[bobplum]

For the last 5 years I have been cleaning a block consisting of 10 posh apartments. It took me and my son 2 hours and I charged £165.

Received an email this morning from the management company saying "due to budget restraints we have sourced another window cleaner".

I rang them and was told that they had sourced a national company who had quoted 40 percent less than my price.

Bad do!!!!!!!!!

what was the frequency

[C o z y]

My old man used to say keep in with the caretaker and I used to laugh but he was right, if they don't like you when your there they'll keep looking at there watch and you'll be on borrowed time.

True!! I learned the same from the old salts that used to work public buildings like schools, hospitals etc. Half the job was getting the caretaker on side. Don't matter how well you and your blokes work, if he don't like you, you're not getting an easy day/week.

By the way, Bateman does that by giving sexual favours in other public buildings, like toilet blocks etc. 

[Richard Shepherd]

For the last 5 years I have been cleaning a block consisting of 10 posh apartments. It took me and my son 2 hours and I charged £165.

Received an email this morning from the management company saying "due to budget restraints we have sourced another window cleaner".

I rang them and was told that they had sourced a national company who had quoted 40 percent less than my price.

Bad do!!!!!!!!!

what was the frequency

Monthly

[Caleb Morley]

For the last 5 years I have been cleaning a block consisting of 10 posh apartments. It took me and my son 2 hours and I charged £165.

Received an email this morning from the management company saying "due to budget restraints we have sourced another window cleaner".

I rang them and was told that they had sourced a national company who had quoted 40 percent less than my price.

Bad do!!!!!!!!!

I'm being honest here but if I was in charge of the budget & knew you two were done in two hours I'd be looking to get better value too. That's the risk you take, I'd do that for £120 any day. It is after all window cleaning.

How to never earn big money in this game - just keep thinking this: "it is after all just window cleaning"

[ChumBucket]

For the last 5 years I have been cleaning a block consisting of 10 posh apartments. It took me and my son 2 hours and I charged £165.

Received an email this morning from the management company saying "due to budget restraints we have sourced another window cleaner".

I rang them and was told that they had sourced a national company who had quoted 40 percent less than my price.

Bad do!!!!!!!!!

I'm being honest here but if I was in charge of the budget & knew you two were done in two hours I'd be looking to get better value too. That's the risk you take, I'd do that for £120 any day. It is after all window cleaning.

How to never earn big money in this game - just keep thinking this: "it is after all just window cleaning"

Yep, he's lost the job, not me buddy.

[jonboywalton75]

I have a block of 15 flats
1.5 hours work, on my own:- £110.00
Will I get the sack soon???  

[NWH]

Terrible money window cleaning yeah 2 of you out doing more than most earn in a week in a daY each awful money. Need to think at least a little bit more positive really, but to say you can't earn good money cleaning windows you must have crap work or been in the game to long and got stuck in a rutt

[ChumBucket]

No one's saying you can't earn good money

It's about balancing the price with the risk- simple.

I have a block of 15 flats
1.5 hours work, on my own:- £110.00
Will I get the sack soon???

You may well do if someone else comes along to do it for £80.

[NWH]

All depends how bad you need the work doing jobs worrying about losing them is pointless,I couldn't care what some bloke who still lives with his mum charges if you have bills etc you've got to cover them. Why do a block of flats for less than a few private houses round the corner,I price what I want for the job not what the next blokes gonna do it for

[SeanK]

There's no money in window cleaning and I say the same to everybody that asks.

[NWH]

The simple way to look at it is you do it for a year and I do it for a year,you charged a 100 but I charged 200.if we both lost it after a year who's got the more out of that job. When you look at it like that and what you charged I got your rate for a year each clean for doing nothing cos I charged the right amount.  

[ChumBucket]

The simple way to look at it is you do it for a year and I do it for a year,you charged a 100 but I charged 200.if we both lost it after a year who's got the more out of that job. When you look at it like that and what you charged I got your rate for a year each clean for doing nothing cos I charged the right amount.  

No, look at it like a normal rational human being with more than half an once of common sense-

You charge £200 & lose it. I charge 160 & keep it. You've lost £200, I've gained £160.

The OP was charging £165 for four man hours. Nowt wrong with that but................. bear in mind there's plenty of competition out there, nearly all with wfp now too. Don't be shocked if plenty come along & quote it cheaper- balance/risk- simples. I, like yourself don't need the work but I'm also not so stupid to think everyone else is in that position also!!

[cgh window cleaning]

I do quite a lot of work for managment companies and you find the ones who go with the cheapest quotes constantly change contractors.
Most of the jobs I have gained my price has been more than the previous company these are the ones were service not price maters.

[ChumBucket]

I do quite a lot of work for managment companies and you find the ones who go with the cheapest quotes constantly change contractors.
Most of the jobs I have gained my price has been more than the previous company these are the ones were service not price maters.

They're the best ones to have!!

[Sean Dyer]

People who look for service over price are few and far between though , and how do they know the difference till you ve been doing them for 6 months plus

I price commercial ALOT cheaper now than i used to , as i was always pricing way too much , because of the nature of the work , you can always make it pay, and it helps you use your time better as you can work early, late , and in bad weather, so commercial has benefits other than being able to charge more than domestic , which i dont think is the case always anymore

Commercial is more consistent though as they wont turn you away or lock the gates when they should be open or turn you away in bad weather 

[NWH]

I price it for what it's worth not so I'm poopting myself everytime I clean it,it would be easy to go round under pricing jobs and then say I'm stacked out with work. Your only as good as your work in this job and that's why you hear a lot say there's no money in cleaning windows. The fact is they don't earn a lot it shouldn't therefore become a generalisation among all window cleaners.

[cgh window cleaning]

Most companies who have been in block management for some time know that good window cleaners who get no complaints from residents are worth good money.
Always give the best service you can to the customer.
I come across more and more window cleaners who are charging very good money and trying to knock the job out in the fastest possible time.the customer still need to feel there getting good value.
As an example I looked at a job were the customer was paying £400 a month for window cleaning and the cleaners were there less than 2 hours and missed out windows and the end finish was terrible.
There are loads of commercial wanting to save a few quid but there are loads who want quality and service.

[Sean Dyer]

I price it for what it's worth not so I'm poopting myself everytime I clean it,it would be easy to go round under pricing jobs and then say I'm stacked out with work. Your only as good as your work in this job and that's why you hear a lot say there's no money in cleaning windows. The fact is they don't earn a lot it shouldn't therefore become a generalisation anumpty all window cleaners.

I never underprice any work

I just dont stick a massive percentage on just because i think i can get it from commercial
My point is im happy earning the same hourly rate im happy with day to day as for me commercial has other benefits , if you keep trying to land big pay days you aint gonna get many jobs , but it all depends what kind of business you want

[ChumBucket]

There are many factors that come into play with pricing, too laborious to keep going over on forums. Anyone with a bit of common sense & some experience will be aware of them.

[jonboywalton75]

No one's saying you can't earn good money

It's about balancing the price with the risk- simple.

I have a block of 15 flats
1.5 hours work, on my own:- £110.00
Will I get the sack soon???

You may well do if someone else comes along to do it for £80.

Not telling any of you lads on here where it is,  So THERE

[LT carpet cleaning]

Terrible money window cleaning yeah 2 of you out doing more than most earn in a week in a daY each awful money. Need to think at least a little bit more positive really, but to say you can't earn good money cleaning windows you must have crap work or been in the game to long and got stuck in a rutt

Are you skint and wishing you weren't per chance?

[Ian101]

I have a block of 15 flats
1.5 hours work, on my own:- £110.00
Will I get the sack soon???  

depends if I can find out which ones they are   

[NWH]

Am I skint lol no mate I'm not if you read a few posts back and read again I'm trying to say why some are

[ChumBucket]

Terrible money window cleaning yeah 2 of you out doing more than most earn in a week in a daY each awful money. Need to think at least a little bit more positive really, but to say you can't earn good money cleaning windows you must have crap work or been in the game to long and got stuck in a rutt

Are you skint and wishing you weren't per chance?

NWH doesn't miss an opportunity to remind us how well he does, 99% of his post allude to it!! Anyone would think he's trying to convince us of something?

[jonboywalton75]

I have a block of 15 flats
1.5 hours work, on my own:- £110.00
Will I get the sack soon???  

depends if I can find out which ones they are   

Stay away or I'll break your legs

[NWH]

Not at all it seems these days it's got a lot of people on here still asking very basic questions about earnings and simple things like what's the best hot water system,for goodness sake it's all been said and argued about countless times it's ridiculous to say the least. You have people on here still saying for example £100 a day he must be a complete idiot you can't do that that bloke hasn't a clue what he's on about its pathetic to be honest,some threads on here are the same as they were about 5 years ago

[Ian101]

I have a block of 15 flats
1.5 hours work, on my own:- £110.00
Will I get the sack soon???  

depends if I can find out which ones they are   

Stay away or I'll break your legs

I will set Gav onto yer 

[NWH]

Terrible money window cleaning yeah 2 of you out doing more than most earn in a week in a daY each awful money. Need to think at least a little bit more positive really, but to say you can't earn good money cleaning windows you must have crap work or been in the game to long and got stuck in a rutt

Are you skint and wishing you weren't per chance?

NWH doesn't miss an opportunity to remind us how well he does, 99% of his post allude to it!! Anyone would think he's trying to convince us of something?

[NWH]

If i hear there's a round of council houses that need a WC Cumbucket I'll give em your number mate lol 📞📞📞

[SeanK]

Not at all it seems these days it's got a lot of people on here still asking very basic questions about earnings and simple things like what's the best hot water system,for goodness sake it's all been said and argued about countless times it's ridiculous to say the least. You have people on here still saying for example £100 a day he must be a complete idiot you can't do that that bloke hasn't a clue what he's on about its pathetic to be honest,some threads on here are the same as they were about 5 years ago

No they're not, there's a very good post on here about three nutty professor type windows cleaners who have invented a formula that makes glass slippy and shinny, turns people into super human speed freaks and it also stops water freezing.
Five years ago we could have only ever dreamed of such marvels.

[NWH]

I've ordered some tonight lol

[SeanK]

Just be careful once you start using it you lose the capability to clean using pure alone according to one
of the testimonials on the website.
That's how they get you.

[Caleb Morley]

For the last 5 years I have been cleaning a block consisting of 10 posh apartments. It took me and my son 2 hours and I charged £165.

Received an email this morning from the management company saying "due to budget restraints we have sourced another window cleaner".

I rang them and was told that they had sourced a national company who had quoted 40 percent less than my price.

Bad do!!!!!!!!!

I'm being honest here but if I was in charge of the budget & knew you two were done in two hours I'd be looking to get better value too. That's the risk you take, I'd do that for £120 any day. It is after all window cleaning.

How to never earn big money in this game - just keep thinking this: "it is after all just window cleaning"

Yep, he's lost the job, not me buddy.

He's lost the job but you're keeping the low earning customers.....it's only window cleaning remember.

[Caleb Morley]

Commercial is more consistent though as they wont turn you away or lock the gates when they should be open or turn you away in bad weather 

If that's happening to you then you haven't trained you're residential customers to do what you want. If they don't want play ball f*** em off.

[Dave Willis]

£30 - £40 an hour is fine for me - I'd have taken the job on. Picked one up the other day - commercial management company wanted a cheaper quote - just quoted what I was happy with and took the job. It's business.

Every Tom Dick and Harry has a wfp system these days so prices will probably level off as time goes by.

[ChumBucket]

£30 - £40 an hour is fine for me - I'd have taken the job on. Picked one up the other day - commercial management company wanted a cheaper quote - just quoted what I was happy with and took the job. It's business.

Every Tom Dick and Harry has a wfp system these days so prices will probably level off as time goes by.

Yep & most would do the same.

Th OP lost a really cushy monthly job, priced well enough for the client to go looking elsewhere. What would have been the level to prevent the client doing this? £145 maybe? So, IMO the balance was wrong here. Obviously makes no difference if the OP doesn't mind losing the work but seeing as though he's grieved enough to post it on here I reckon he slightly peeved.
It is after all- window cleaning, an unregulated, none essential industry that requires zero qualifications, little skill & not much capital to get in to.

[jonboywalton75]

The block of apartments I was referring to  is pretty well to do,  they have had a bad experience with the last shiner.
I have no idea what he charged but I know the residents get an input into all work carried out.
I got the job because I did 3 jobs on their guttering,  turned up when I said I would and hence built up a good relationship with residents and management company
I am not nieve  about commercial but in my experience if people like you,  you are on a winner.
I have pubs,  motels etc that keep me on because I am reliable.
I don't know why they like me though,  I drive everyone else mad,  ha ha.

[LT carpet cleaning]

Terrible money window cleaning yeah 2 of you out doing more than most earn in a week in a daY each awful money. Need to think at least a little bit more positive really, but to say you can't earn good money cleaning windows you must have crap work or been in the game to long and got stuck in a rutt

Are you skint and wishing you weren't per chance?

NWH doesn't miss an opportunity to remind us how well he does, 99% of his post allude to it!! Anyone would think he's trying to convince us of something?

Or trying to convince himself?