[[GQC] Tim]

How do you price this?

I'm having to travel to London, from Gatwick, traveltime 1Hr 15min, so  let's say 3 hours to travel that day, to do two big houses there, my customer is in the property market, and he needs them asap cleaned, I can see loads of work coming from him in future if I do a good job. Doesn't mind paying big bucks, got a mansion himself.

Miles : 42.6m, Tot. 87 miles (two miles in between jobs)

Now, being the complete anorak in this, I would say that I'd charge the same as I would when working, which would be £50-£60 an hour. To me it seems only fair, since I could make that sort of money if I would be cleaning properties. Buuuuuut, that's probably not the way it works is it?

Thanks.

[NWH]

It`s absolutley the way it works.

[WCE]

yeah but I doubt you could charge anyone £180 for travel time so you will need to be a bit sneaky. Bump up the property price then mention a small charge to cover travel costs as out of your area. 

[m.b.s.]

as you said dont forget you could get a lot of work from this so dont go too mad on travel time like wce said bump the price up abit on the property and ask for a small amount of lets say diesel cost

[NWH]

You could get a lot of work from it yeah,but you could also get a lot of travelling aswell by the sound of it.

[WCE]

which ever way you do it ,by the time you put cleaning price on top of £180 you will be to dear.

I would tend to agree. Another way to approach it is if you leave earlier than you usually would and try to get the job done outside of usual hours, then you could only charge for fuel and be back in time to do your usual work. Yes it would be a longer day than usual but you'd still have more money than usual depends on if you can be bothered to go to the effort of not ( for in reality less money P.H than usual)

[Neil Williams]

Sorry but you can't charge £50/hour for travelling.
If you needed a plumber and he said the clock starts from when I leave home, oh and it's £60/hour and I live one hour away what would you say? I know what I would say.
So explain that with fuel being so expensive and being really busy, that you will have to account for this. Don't overdo it because afterall you're after a larger goal at the end of it.

[NWH]

Havn`t you noticed that whenever you use a plumber he always makes it go on till the next hour though,i would just price it in to the job.I can`t see the point in going miles out of your way for the same money you would normally earn pointless.

[Neil Williams]

Decisions decisions
Big bucks now or possible bigger bucks further down the line.
£180 for what is really a £50 job. The words 'taking the p--- come to mind.

[ronnie paton]

i would say if you can get away with it, but i wouldnt and how long will it be before he OPENS is eyes?? he could get some one closer and most defo cheaper who would do a perfect job!!

[NWH]

That`s what that bloke would like you to think getting you running round all over the countryside big bucks,when you work out how much earlier you have to leave for work etc it amounts to far more time than you think.

[[GQC] Tim]

Maybe he doesn't. He knows he can get window cleaners up there, I think he just wants me to do it.

His secretary spoke to me, it wasn't even a how much would it be. It was mr. x wants this and this property cleaned, how fast can you do it?

In fact when I gave him the quote on his house, he was reading his newspaper, I said £230, and he mumbled sure that's fine, didn't even look up from his paper. It's that sort of work, been doing it for a year now or so.

I tend to agree with NWH, in my mind, why would I charge less for travel time, I'd be making bucks if I wouldn't be driving.

[Clive McDonald]

You are being called out as someone reliable to give  kerbside appeal cleans to two million pound plus houses that are about to go on the market. If he'd wanted someone cheaper he would have got them. The principle is that you are dropping everything to do this.

[[GQC] Tim]

You are being called out as someone reliable to give  kerbside appeal cleans to two million pound plus houses that are about to go on the market. If he'd wanted someone cheaper he would have got them. The principle is that you are dropping everything to do this.

Indeed, it's kind of exciting really, things like this keep your work interesting, and really keep you on your toes, because you have to perform to a high standard, because, well...they do sort of deserve it with good prices they pay.

He goes to his work with a helicopter sometimes, big outside pool, with lounge, bar and gym, 4 garages. Massive house, massive grounds.

Very nice relaxed people too.

[Joe Lauzon]

The furthest I go from home on my round is 4 miles.  Thats it.  Fuel and travelling are a profit killer I find.  Adding that cost always ment I never got jobs in my next town, so don't even bother to quote now as I'm flat out.  The Trowbridge boys will be pleased about that  

If you can make 50 or 60 an hour Tim, your doing bloody well.  Although I guess London prices are a fair bit more.

If you have a full round I wouldn't even bother considering this work.  You could end up sat in traffic and be on a loser.  You have to charge full whack if you need the work, plus fuel and wear and tear in my opinion.  Its not worth bothering with otherwise is it?  

[ronnie paton]

well good on you for how long it lasts, £50 travelling time is excessive, you have to travel from job to job anyway.
Now if i say have to travel 2 hours to the job i will work 5hours and earn my date rate.

You can be too greedy and i leart this losing my biggest job, so this is why i feel £50 travellin is excesive

[NWH]

The furthest I go from home on my round is 4 miles.  Thats it.  Fuel and travelling are a profit killer I find.  Adding that cost always ment I never got jobs in my next town, so don't even bother to quote now as I'm flat out.  The Trowbridge boys will be pleased about that  

If you can make 50 or 60 an hour Tim, your doing bloody well.  Although I guess London prices are a fair bit more.

If you have a full round I wouldn't even bother considering this work.  You could end up sat in traffic and be on a loser.  You have to charge full whack if you need the work, plus fuel and wear and tear in my opinion.  Its not worth bothering with otherwise is it?  

You`ve said it all.

[Clive McDonald]

Would he take his new bentley to the car wash to be valeted, or let the £5 pollacks on it, or would he call someone out and pay way over the odds but have peace of mind?

This works the other way too. I had a woman phone me up she was deperate.Decoraters and carpet fitters coming, she wanting to move in. Windows covered in paint etc, frames in plaster, some new some old (upvc). Old needed restoring. Inside and out.

Quotted £80. Because she started trying to knock me down and didn't realize what was involved i passed, but she begged. Got there on short notice to try and help, start upstairs inside the decoraters can't finish till you've done the window. And that was how the whole job waS, chasing from room to room trying to keep other tradesmen working. She cleared off and told me that the main builder would pay me. He then said could i invoice him?
You've heard me bragg about my hot system, well the outsides were dreadfull but they came up well and I was able to pull some time back from being overlong inside.

You've guessed it she didn't pay. Said I hadn't done this and I hadn't done that. I was there 3.5 hrs, and the builder said that for eighty pounds i should have been there over four.
I think she was something high powered with quite a responsible job, and the builder fancied himself a developer.It struck me that she was attempting to bring these business skills to bear on me when i had genuinely put myself out for her.

When I phoned asking why I hadn't been paid after some argment she challenged me to go over there and speak to her face to face. Needless to say this toughnut business woman ended up running upstairs in tears and the builder got the dressing down of his life.
I did get paid, but it was annoying because i had done a good job, and I had dropped everything to do it.

[ronnie paton]

discount people with money usually have money cause they watch there money bery well, now i guess they wont want osme cowboy but they would want value and quality.
there are lots of window cleaners who offer this at less than say £50 a hour, it is good when you get it and do have a little TOP MONEY WORK but i know by charging this a take the risk in losing it were has most my work is real good value not cheap not at all but value.

I say well played TIm and get what you can and enjoy whilst it lasts cause it doesnt always.

[WCE]

You are being called out as someone reliable to give  kerbside appeal cleans to two million pound plus houses that are about to go on the market. If he'd wanted someone cheaper he would have got them. The principle is that you are dropping everything to do this.

No offence but if I was a millionaire and asked someone called DISCOUNT Window cleaning I would think I was going for the cheaper option. If you then tried to justify a massive charge for traveling then I would tell you where to get off. Anyway just because these people are rich is dosen't mean that they spend their money willy nilly. Generally the more money they have got the tighter they are. They are rich and want to stay that way! 

[tonyoliver]

you know your man but they have a habbit of getting you to run here there and everywhere and the when you cant make an impossible deadline like liverpool by six and its 400 miles away he will drop you and find another fool..................................i was that fool once
 a bird in the hand is worth a bird in the handno more take it as it comes and enjoy the ride it is what makes this job what it is but do n ot get sucked in
jus enjoy the ride

[Clive McDonald]

Talking about my little job I thought it would take 1.5 hrs. I looked but only briefly and didn't go inside. Basically the builder wanted me to finish the job off for him and told her things like it was quite normal for wcH to get all the cement off the back door where he had screeded the floor. Also I was to get the finish between plaster and frame. He even offered me the use of some of his tools.

He lives near me, and I do his windows too, but for all his talk about me being there over four hours for eighty pounds, this guys got a porshe, so it's one rule for everyone else and another for himself.He has a labourer who works for him for ten pounds an hour and thats what he tried to manipulate me into.


Back to Tim, I think the customer sees a bigger picture, and even the money tim is charging is laughable to the figures and importance of what's involved.

[[GQC] Tim]

you know your man but they have a habbit of getting you to run here there and everywhere and the when you cant make an impossible deadline like liverpool by six and its 400 miles away he will drop you and find another fool..................................i was that fool once
 a bird in the hand is worth a bird in the handno more take it as it comes and enjoy the ride it is what makes this job what it is but do n ot get sucked in
jus enjoy the ride

True, I won't put all my eggs into that basket though, don't worry, I need the money, if they pay for it, fine, I've got a couple of empty days in my schedule which I would love to fill with things like this.

Talking about my little job I thought it would take 1.5 hrs. I looked but only briefly and didn't go inside. Basically the builder wanted me to finish the job off for him and told her things like it was quite normal for wcH to get all the cement off the back door where he had screeded the floor. Also I was to get the finish between plaster and frame. He even offered me the use of some of his tools.

He lives near me, and I do his windows too, but for all his talk about me being there over four hours for eighty pounds, this guys got a porshe, so it's one rule for everyone else and another for himself.He has a labourer who works for him for ten pounds an hour and thats what he tried to manipulate me into.


Back to Tim, I think the customer sees a bigger picture, and even the money tim is charging is laughable to the figures and importance of what's involved.

Wow, that's crazy that he wanted you to do it, I think you're right about my customer though, for him it's very important, I mean, he's selling a what? 3 story house in London, 2 million if your lucky, if he can get the placed superclean, with all the windows sparkling, he'll be able to tenfold my price on top of the value of the house easily.

[simon knight]

Obviously I don't know where abouts in London these 2 houses are but consider also the parking situation and congestion charge. Also if the properties have no off-street parking (which in London is 90% of the time) and you have to park in a nearby street how you going to use wfp?  Have you seen the properties?

[simon knight]

I would add also that if it's central london parking can be £4ph and restrictions as to how long you can stay there...in some places it's 2 hours max.

[Londoner]

A lot of places there is no on street parking at all. I would definitely find out where these houses are. You may need someone to go with you to drive around while you do the cleaning. Thats why the WCs in London are out at 5am.

[simon knight]

A lot of places there is no on street parking at all. I would definitely find out where these houses are. You may need someone to go with you to drive around while you do the cleaning. Thats why the WCs in London are out at 5am.

The local boys have probably been approached and said thanks but no thanks!

[AuRavelling79]

Look, you've dealt with this guy and he's come up trumps - you want more of what he has in the way of work - great.

Think of the potential but the "bird in the hand" comment is valid too.

And "you've a couple of days spare in your schedule" means that taking a punt isn't going to damage your work schedule.

If I can earn £XXX in the same door to door time on my own work then I'd work on that, add a reasonable % for inconvenience, add on all my travel and parking costs, leave home really early (light mornings now) like 5 am to beat the traffic, get stuck in.

I love the feeling of getting started at 6 am once in a while and hitting three figures by 9 am and coasting to a really good day ...

Treat it as a bit of an adventure and if more good stuff comes from it fantastic - if not, well you've been paid and gained experience.


Edited to remove last half sentence posted in error... :

[[GQC] Tim]

Obviously I don't know where abouts in London these 2 houses are but consider also the parking situation and congestion charge. Also if the properties have no off-street parking (which in London is 90% of the time) and you have to park in a nearby street how you going to use wfp?  Have you seen the properties?

That's the first thing I asked, it's a quiet street with parking, and they've got their own garage as well.

Look, you've dealt with this guy and he's come up trumps - you want more of what he has in the way of work - great.

Think of the potential but the "bird in the hand" comment is valid too.

And "you've a couple of days spare in your schedule" means that taking a punt isn't going to damage your work schedule.

If I can earn £XXX in the same door to door time on my own work then I'd work on that, add a reasonable % for inconvenience, add on all my travel and parking costs, leave home really early (light mornings now) like 5 am to beat the traffic, get stuck in.

I love the feeling of getting started at 6 am once in a while and hitting three figures by 9 am and coasting to a really good day ...

Treat it as a bit of an adventure and if more good stuff comes from it fantastic - if not, well you've been paid and gained experience.

If one of you guys asked me to work for

Good points, I won't charge £50 or £60 I think, because on average, you might hit that when your working on a house, but over the day you won't get that.

I'll charge a good price, perhaps £45 an hour for driving, then £50 or 60 for first cleans.

Thanks guys, appreciated your comments.

[simon knight]

Obviously I don't know where abouts in London these 2 houses are but consider also the parking situation and congestion charge. Also if the properties have no off-street parking (which in London is 90% of the time) and you have to park in a nearby street how you going to use wfp?  Have you seen the properties?

That's the first thing I asked, it's a quiet street with parking, and they've got their own garage as well.

It seems you're keen to do it...so why not?  It's one of those suck it and see situations.

Good luck to you.

DO NOT forget to pay the congestion charge or the b'stards fine you £120.

[Alex Gardiner]

This Guy obviously want you to do the job. He wants the job done quickly and he wants it done well.

In my mind that means he will be prepared to pay for a premium service. He knows that you will have to travel to them, but he is prepared for this instead of the hassle of getting someone else local to do it that he doesn't know.

There is no point in undercharging for your time in the hope of more work. If you charge a fair price for the total time taken then you will be happy and I'm sure that he will be happy. I would imagine that he will never even look at the price just the quality and promptness of the job.

[[GQC] Tim]

Yea I think so too Alex, his Secretary always handles the payments, I don't think he ever thinks about it.

(Thanks for your advice yesterday on the phone Alex, it's G.Q.C W1ndow Clean1ng, changed my forum name)

  

[[GQC] Tim]

His secretary just replied that congestion charge will have to be paid, and  - and added to our bill:) she said, gotta arrange that now then. Hmm.....how do I do that then....

[[GQC] Tim]

Okay, done that, easily done on the tfl website. Great.

Will provide them with the necessary health and safety documents just to be certain, and then clean some windows!

[Joe Lauzon]

I enjoyed your story Discount.  When dealing with that sector I tend to be absolutely ruthless these days.  You give an inch they take a mile.  The moment there is even a hint of taking the p I jump on it.

I was doing a front for a printing firm the other day, 15 quid for about 25 mins work.  Go inside to collect from the receptionist..."couldn't just do that (interior) door could you".  From experience you do it once, they then expect it, then there will be another door...

I said ok, that will be 17 altogether    She couldn't be bothered to clear it, so it didn't get done.

I have found a few decent jobs ruined by being kind, give an inch they take a mile.