[from edge2edge]

Just quoted £80 to do 3 beds landing and 2 sets of stairs which i thought was a bargain then the woman says she had a quote for £30 so would go with that........................KIN unreal............Alan

[Mark@Able Stonecare]

£30!!! Wasn't a Scottish woman was it Alan? Do you know who quoted her that Alan?

Mark

[robert meldrum]

Maybe she's an example of what to expect with the influence of Groupon / Enterprise, etc.

People are being conditioned through newspapers and TV programmes to look for the BEST DEAL which in 99% of cases relates to CHEAPEST.

I think you can expect an increase in this type of marketing rather than find then going down the tubes as suggested in other posts which is just wishful thinking.

We live in an increasingly competitive world and carpet cleaning is just another service.

I was amazed to find ALL of the Rug Doctors in my local Morissons were out on hire over the weekend and thats just one of a dozen outlets for these machines within 10 miles to me.

 

[Russ Chadd]

This country has had it... you only have to look at what they feed us on tv.. programs like cash in the attic and car booty just about says it all!we are a poor nation of people looking for something for nothing.
I feel sorry for the hundreds of carpet cleaners out there who have invested tens of thousands into a TM setup.. taking pride in there work by doing everything right.. nice van, insurance and marketing...
£80 was more than a fair quote in my opinion!

Last week i offered to clean a woman's stairs, landing and hallway for a  cash price and knock off a further 20% because she was just up the road.. she still wanted it cheaper and went with some other firm.

[robert meldrum]

In truth, had there been the same internet availability 30 years ago EXACTLY THE SAME posts would have been made with the same frustrations about CHEAPO'S and not just in this industry. I was a driving instructor for about 15 years before turning to carpet cleaning full time. That business endured exactly the same frustrations and had the same parasites as carpet cleaning........Firemen who had too much time on their hands and retired Policemen with the same problem..............Our problem and it still exists today is that these guys already have a decent salary or pension and can easily undercut the full time c/c's as it's just something to " give them an interest " or to simply " pass the time "

[JandS]

Let's face it some of the prices people quote
on here are so over the top.
There's some on here reckon £170 is a fair price
to clean a 3 piece suite.
Probably 2 hours work with a TM.
Especially the domestic work, commercial's another
thing.
I'd be happy with £170 for a full day's work.
And so, I think, would a few others on here.

John

[mike roberts]

Let's face it some of the prices people quote
on here are so over the top.
There's some on here reckon £170 is a fair price
to clean a 3 piece suite.
Probably 2 hours work with a TM.
Especially the domestic work, commercial's another
thing.
I'd be happy with £170 for a full day's work.
And so, I think, would a few others on here.

John


/quote]



2hrs - 3 piece suite seriously  bloody hell I must be really slow

[from edge2edge]

Mark it wasnt a scottish woman(should recognise accent i was born there and worried many a sheep as a wee laddie).She was from Carterton and said the £30 was from a friend who does cleaning.I nearly shouted at the dopey Cxw but had a real job to go to which gave me a sweet £160 in the bin from a very happy lady.........This job is effin weird at times but i suppose thats what we get by working for the great british public(other people are available by request)......................Alan

[cozy]

Let's face it some of the prices people quote
on here are so over the top.
There's some on here reckon £170 is a fair price
to clean a 3 piece suite.
Probably 2 hours work with a TM.
Especially the domestic work, commercial's another
thing.
I'd be happy with £170 for a full day's work.
And so, I think, would a few others on here.

John

Yeah, we get people with that attitude on the window lickers section too. I can't break wind loud enough to give my opinion of that view. I'm in this game to earn as much as possible and I generally charge whatever I think I can get away with. If I don't make friends along the way, so what?

I'm not happy with 170 quid a day for a full days work. If I had that attitude, I'd go and work for someone. As a self employed person, the first thing I needed to change was my employee way of looking at things. Some learn, some don't, so what?

Some people harp on about earning millions and driving vehicles we dream of blah blah (Hurl) blah. But there are some who still think as a self employed person, that 170 quid is a good and "fair" days wage, whatever that is. Good luck to all who think like that, the main thing is, I don't lose jobs to you. So have the moral high ground, and I'll have the money.

Added later: I haven't got a TM, and I don't normally need longer than 2 hours either.

[wynne jones]

These people are a rarity and that's all there is to it.

The upside is there are also people at the other end of the scale who will pay extremely well, won't mess you about and will keep coming back year after year. These people are also not the norm, therefore hard to stumble upon and required time and effort to acquire, but they do exist, just like this stupid woman.

[clinton]

Our regular clients are really worth there weight to all of us as they dont really start to want a cheaper job.

I do find now with people wanting cheaper work doing and i od loose some work with my prices.

I also did notice in tesco the rug doctor display was low on items so guess its a sign of the times.

[The Great One]

Hi

it's that same for any trade, people don't really care if you have all the toys, ins and training, they want it done and they want it as cheap as possible, we're the same.

i go to tesco to get sugar, one brand is £1.90 the other is £1.30 for the same thing, I pick the cheaper one, if they have a BOGOf all the better. I'm not the cheapest by any stretch, but we are all guilty of the same thing, shopping around for the cheapest.

The car I drive can be £300+ just for a service to tell me what's wrong with the car or I can get a service done by my local garage around the corner for around £80, guess which one I choose?

Martin

[Steve Rothwell]

I think you go for the £300 service coz you is rich 

[The Great One]

he he

I did it once only as I thought that was for a full service with oil change etc, NO! the £300 was to tell me what's wrong with it, then they wanted to charge X amount to put right everything they found... No!

[mike roberts]

I think you go for the £300 service coz you is rich 

Best answer ive seen so far on forum

[davep]

£150 for that Job, plenty will Pay it that will become regular repeats so your better off without her 

[JandS]

Cozy

It's not a moral high ground but a fact of life, at least
over here.
I notice your in Germany which makes a difference as well.
We get people with your attitude on here as well.
If your earning well over there all well and good or are you?
They say that the cut price people are ruining it for the rest
of us.
I also know that the expensive ones are doing the same.

John

[Carpet Dawg]

Hardley seems worth all the effort at £170 a day!

I have a £27,000 roof and stonework bill to pay in the next couple of months is the deadline, work was done a year and half ago.
I'd be struggling to pay such a huge bill if i was earning 170 a day..

[The Great One]

Hi

£27,00 for a roof, what's it made of Gold?

or is it the size of a large church?

Martin

[Tony Gill Carpet Smart]

John whats wrong charging £170 for a suite I don't understand your point.

Tony

[cozy]

Cozy

It's not a moral high ground but a fact of life, at least
over here.
I notice your in Germany which makes a difference as well.
We get people with your attitude on here as well.
If your earning well over there all well and good or are you?
They say that the cut price people are ruining it for the rest
of us.
I also know that the expensive ones are doing the same.

John

Can you make your mind up? I'm earning well here or am I? What a load of rubbish. If anyone in UK or Germany or wherever thinks 170 quid for a full day is a "fair" days earnings, they need to get back to reality mate. 170 quid divided by 8 hours is 21.25. You think that's a good hourly rate for a self employed person do you?

And you worry about this business being ruined?? Yours sounds pretty bad already if that's a good days earnings. Rather you than me.

[Carpet Dawg]

Hi

£27,00 for a roof, what's it made of Gold?

or is it the size of a large church?

Martin

100+ year old georgian property. £250,000 was the final bill, devided by 8 residence. Heritage Scotland paid for some of the stone work. The scafolding was up for a year and half. Also got to new chimneys.

Total rip off, the F'in concil got involved too and charged us all £40k managment fee!

[dave123]

£170 /day works out to over £50,000/year, which doesn't sound bad to me ,and you are not neccesarily working 8 hours a day to earn it either .

Dave

[creighton foyle]

I know tradesmen who had to do a five year apprentiship that are lucky/happy to earn £20 ph especially in the domestic market. I cant get £170 to clean a 3 piece suit (with people only paying 3-£400 for one from dfs why would they pay that much) and i will also charge as much as i think i will get away with but in my neck of the woods it works out at between £25-£35 ph and if i had enogh work to keep me busy for 4 hrs a day i would be over the moon, as it is i am decorating today and i am not even getting £20 ph.

I am sure that with good marketing and hard work some ccrs are getting huge amounts of money for their work but i doubt they are the majority.

[cozy]

I know tradesmen who had to do a five year apprentiship that are lucky/happy to earn £20 ph especially in the domestic market. I cant get £170 to clean a 3 piece suit (with people only paying 3-£400 for one from dfs why would they pay that much) and i will also charge as much as i think i will get away with but in my neck of the woods it works out at between £25-£35 ph and if i had enogh work to keep me busy for 4 hrs a day i would be over the moon, as it is i am decorating today and i am not even getting £20 ph.

I am sure that with good marketing and hard work some ccrs are getting huge amounts of money for their work but i doubt they are the majority.

Yes, and I'm sure with that attitude I'm sure you will stay that way, happy with what a well paid job pays someone. If I went back to driving a 40 ton truck between Germany and UK, I'd be on slightly less than 17 quid an hour with expenses. That's a well paid job.
However, take your machine and chem costs off your 21 quid, your insurances, any pension you pay into, vehicle costs etc and see how much is left to pay tax on. Then see if you would stop working for someone else to go and earn that?

I don't care if you have a "I'm lucky to have a job" attitude and go through your day happy to earn a few quid. That's up to you. But if I know that people are ready to pay 170 quid to have a 3 piece cleaned and I was only charging 100, I'd be sick to my stomach.

I have custies that call and ask for a quote, and look shocked when I turn up and give a price. Expecting maybe half of what I quoted. Others say things like "Oh great, if I'd have known it was that price, I'd have had it done sooner".

What I don't do, is second guess them. I know some people buy furniture for 500 quid, and some pay over 2500 quid. I just quote what it would cost for me to clean it, not a price to fit what I think they paid for the furniture.

You are your own worst enemy mate. Get that mental block out of the way, and start quoting what the job is worth. If I'm wrong, I wouldn't get the jobs would I? Or do you think the only way to get the proper price is to threaten the custy with a shotgun? Stop under-valueing yourself.

[Steve Rothwell]

Or do you think the only way to get the proper price is to threaten the custy with a shotgun?

Hmmm do you really think that would work ??

must renew the licence   

[cozy]

By the way, if you're decorating today, at your prices, I would have thought you had too much work. What's wrong with this picture? Not meant as a joke either.

[JandS]

Cozy

Your a laugh mate.
I see the post has brought out the realists
and the "£400 a day every day" merchants.

John

[Doug Holloway]

Hi Guys

The biggest stumbling block to achieving higher prices is often ourself.

Why compare us with someone who is working for a company, they have none of the pressures of being in business and therefore deserve none of the rewards.

Remember if you aim low, don't expect to hit high.

Cheers

doug

[Colin Day]

I've seriously been considering putting bargain basement prices in the local rag, 'Helston Advertiser' (Which should be re-named 'Carpet Cleaners Advertiser' )

I work so much more efficiently and effortlessly than I did when I started up, I have invested in the best equipment, chemicals and time to achieve what I have.

A repeat customer told me today that she was happy to pay my prices and since she's been using me for over 3 years, she'd dread to take a chance with another carpet cleaner, especially when they seem to come and go. When I first did her carpets they took me over 4 hours to clean. Today it took under 2 hours, the ticket price was still the same. She commented on how quick, yet how cleaner/drier the carpets were and she paid up no problem. So I'm sticking to my guns, I have more than enough work and to me, repeat customers are worth their weight in gold.

Some other mug can clean for peanuts, they are welcome to the price-wary, greedy and usually disloyal and dissatisfied customers.

[wynne jones]

I've seriously been considering putting bargain basement prices in the local rag, 'Helston Advertiser' (Which should be re-named 'Carpet Cleaners Advertiser' )

I work so much more efficiently and effortlessly than I did when I started up, I have invested in the best equipment, chemicals and time to achieve what I have.

A repeat customer told me today that she was happy to pay my prices and since she's been using me for over 3 years, she'd dread to take a chance with another carpet cleaner, especially when they seem to come and go. When I first did her carpets they took me over 4 hours to clean. Today it took under 2 hours, the ticket price was still the same. She commented on how quick, yet how cleaner/drier the carpets were and she paid up no problem. So I'm sticking to my guns, I have more than enough work and to me, repeat customers are worth their weight in gold.

Some other mug can clean for peanuts, they are welcome to the price-wary, greedy and usually disloyal and dissatisfied customers.

You're on the right track Colin, the easiest thing to do is just sell on price but it takes patience, investmet and skill to build up a  loyal following who will come back time and time again and pay you well.

So long as you find people you can offer greater value than the price you charge you will do well and no one can argue with that because it's your customers who ultimately prove you right or wrong. 

[Phillip Mold]

I work so much more efficiently and effortlessly than I did when I started up, I have invested in the best equipment, chemicals and time to achieve what I have.

A repeat customer told me today that she was happy to pay my prices and since she's been using me for over 3 years, she'd dread to take a chance with another carpet cleaner, especially when they seem to come and go. When I first did her carpets they took me over 4 hours to clean. Today it took under 2 hours, the ticket price was still the same. She commented on how quick, yet how cleaner/drier the carpets were and she paid up no problem. So I'm sticking to my guns, I have more than enough work and to me, repeat customers are worth their weight in gold.

Some other mug can clean for peanuts, they are welcome to the price-wary, greedy and usually disloyal and dissatisfied customers.



I'm finding the same thing, fitting in an extra job in the day compared to a couple of years ago yet getting better results.

[cozy]

Cozy

Your a laugh mate.
I see the post has brought out the realists
and the "£400 a day every day" merchants.

John

Years ago, I was in one of those multi level marketing things, Amway. They had a system for self improvement, book s and tapes for self motivation. Really strange stuff some people thought. I found it really useful though. I read one of the books about limits. There was a small experiment done in some university somewhere, and they put fleas in a glass jar with a lid on it. The fleas would try to jump out of the jar to get away. When they did this, they’d bang their heads on the lid, that must have been painful.
 After a time, the lid was removed. Guess what, the fleas only jumped as high as the  non existent lid, because they had become used to the lid being there, they only jumped to that height.

People can be like that. They set mental barriers. Whether it’s physical limits or earning limits. Some people have got to the stage where they think 170 quid a day is the limit.

These people need to take the lid off their jar.

If you always have these self-imposed limits, you could live in the middle of London, and you’d have problems earning more than 170 a day. There are too many carpet cleaners here. There are too many cheap furniture shops selling cheap furniture, there are too many carpet cleaners charging a tenner for a sofa here, I haven’t got time to clean enough sofas because I have to decorate etc etc etc.

Take the lid off your jar.

[creighton foyle]

cozy you must be living in eutopia , tradesmen who work for companies are lucky to earn £10 ph (just take a look at the jobcentre website) so why should'nt i think to get double that is good money as a self employed decorator, i could big it up on here with the better rates i have been able to get for myself but they are not the norm, and i have not got a "working for a company attitude" i just know my local market and what it will pay to a one man band like me. and as for being inundated with work at my prices , i count myself very lucky to be doing anything as i know a number of good trades whom i have never known to be out of work before who are now scratching around for work as it just is not out there

[cozy]

Yeah, you're right. Think yourself "lucky" to have any work. You just hunker down and graft for a "fair" days rate mate. I'm just dreaming. It's all just bluff. Most carpet cleaners knock out about 15 quid an hour. Don't believe any of that old dross about 40 and 60 quid an hour jobs. Just concentrate on what I've posted and ignore all the rest of the posters on this thread. You show the world mate.

If I go out with a dolly and squeegy to clean windows, I'd be sick as a pig to bring home less than 300 quid for a full 8 hours window cleaning, and you reckon CC's should be happy earning less than that, with all the kit and vehicle costs?

I've just got back from cleaning a 3,2,1 in a nearby town for some squaddie. Took 30 mins to get there, two and a quarter hours to clean and half hour to get back home. Average job, paid €235, about 200 quid.

There are blokes on CIU that I know earn at least that on the same sort of job.

Looks like you don't. No point in trying to make me look like I'm bluffing, read what your own posters on here write, they are in the same boat as you. I don't give a monkey's if you believe what I post about earnings or not. I'm not bragging. I think I earn an average amount compared to other CC's. You're the one on your limit. Not me.

Not trying to look clever or take the mick, I've got nothing against you mate.Take the lid off your jar.

[Tony Gill Carpet Smart]

John why is it a problem if someone charges £170 to clean a suite I don't understand you. Are you saying if you could get that amount to clean a suite you would not charge that amount because YOU think it is to much.

Tony

p.s. I served my time took me from 15 to the age of 21 six years in all. Now I'm carpet cleaning wonder why
p.p.s. Run my own business decorating for over 20 years wish I'd known about carpet cleaning then

[Paul W Jones]

I think the simple answer is that, like in all walks of life, some people will earn more than others.  You set your own pricing structure and work accordingly.  If that means charging £50.00, £150.00 or £250.00 for a sofa then fine.  If you get the jobs at your prices and you and your customers are happy then I can't see a problem. 

[cozy]

I agree. Well put.

[Tony Gill Carpet Smart]

Spot on m8

[John Kelly]

It certainly is a mental thing. I did exactly the same when I started as a carpet cleaner 18 years ago, 1 advertised £12 per carpet because thats what all the other clowns were advertising in the local paper. I got dribs and drabs of work and the phone never rang. I put the price down doh. It still never rang. Then I met a few guys at suppliers, no effective internet then, and changed my ways. Put the price straight up to £35 minimum and suites up to £75 and it went ballistic. Gradually crept the prices over next 2 years  up to £56 minimum and £117.50 for suites. Average job was £90. That was in 1996. Ended up with a cracking customer base of mainly middle class people with nice homes who had things cleaned regularly so they were never that dirty. In fact it was a relief to clean the odd minger that did come along. Threw it all away when I became involved in the fire & flood restoration industry. The two did marry well together as you have to drop everything when a flood or fire comes in so had to cancel cleaning jobs and trade gradually dwindled away. The rewards are there if you want them. I see the full spectrum of cleaners at my unit. The ones working out of the back of a family car to the ones with new vans every couple of years and then the multi faceted companies who do a range of things such as window cleaning, carpet cleaning, grounds maintenance etc. Each to their own. But guess which ones are driving the Audis, Mercs and BM's. People come into business for all sorts of reasons and some are quite happy toddling along making a resonable living, nothing wrong with that and as long as ther're happy. But my opinion is that its a hard life so if you are going to do it get the bloody rewards from it. If you are running a business and you can't pull money out the bank to go out and buy a new machine when you need too then I can't see the point. To me the whole point is to be financially secure, not rich, but to have enough that at the end of the day you know you've done a good days works and reaped the benefits of the hard graft. I did that when I was cleaning carpets.

[wynne jones]

I think the simple answer is that, like in all walks of life, some people will earn more than others.  You set your own pricing structure and work accordingly.  If that means charging £50.00, £150.00 or £250.00 for a sofa then fine.  If you get the jobs at your prices and you and your customers are happy then I can't see a problem. 

The problem is if you hear enough times that you are a robber if you charge more than £50 to clean a suite you will start to believe it and suddenly, try as you might you start losing business.

Don't listen to those who can't sell and can't market and tell you you should be more like them.

[JandS]

I didn't say limit yourself or myself to £170 per day I said
I'd be happy at £170 per day.
Even with my prices I can turn out £250 per day.
My trouble is I won't start before 9.30 unless someone
specifically request a time before then or it's commercial.
I also like to be home by about 4 if possible.
Talking to the window cleaner round here the other day
and he says he knocks out about £250 using WFP.
He did also say though that it's not that every day due
to weather constraints.

John

[cozy]

Why didn't you say that you don't want to start untill about half way through the day and you want to be home with your feet up infront of the TV by early afternoon!!!   I could've saved all that typing!!!


Lazy git  

[jasonl]

When I used to visit my Brothers family in Herford Germany , he paid 40 euros for a window cleaner ,and double that to have his small lawn cut , the costs of doing business were so much higher there , in turn he got a higher than British salary , the market is different .

[cozy]

Yes, it's different if you only have British custies and they are daft enough to pay €40 for a 3 bed semi. we charge roughly the same as UK windies, €15

[cozy]

When I used to visit my Brothers family in Herford Germany , he paid 40 euros for a window cleaner ,and double that to have his small lawn cut , the costs of doing business were so much higher there , in turn he got a higher than British salary , the market is different .

I've just realized who posted that!! Nearly caught me out there 

[justin 88]

this just shows the difference between cleaners and actual businessmen. There is a world of difference which is evident here. good luck to everyone, but its clear some work alot smarter than others and charge accordingly?

[JandS]

And some are just dreamers.

John