Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Ian101 on August 16, 2011, 07:53:19 pm

Title: The last window cleaner charged £8
Post by: Ian101 on August 16, 2011, 07:53:19 pm
Had my daughter drop some leaflets whilst I cleaned houses .... got a call today from some dropped yesterday.

"I need a window cleaner as sacked my last one ... too unreliable , turned up when he felt etc etc"

so went around tonight to give a quote .. semi detached 3 bed 9 windows largish conservatory .. told him £14 every month

"HOW MUCH !!!!! last one did it for 8 quid"

he then offers to meet me half way at a tenner  :o

tried to explain that last windy was probably prioritising his work and leaving the underpaying jobs to last

" 10 quid is my final offer ... take it or leave it" says he .....

erm thanks but I will leave it  ;D     hasta la vista baby
Title: Re: The last window cleaner charged £8
Post by: Londoner on August 16, 2011, 07:57:36 pm
I had that exact story in reverse a couple of years ago

"how much??" here we go I though.

"my last window cleaner was £25"

Wish she had told me that at the beginning. Lesson learned, it always pays to ask.
Title: Re: The last window cleaner charged £8
Post by: Avo on August 16, 2011, 07:59:01 pm
They all try that trick dont they " mmm my last windy did it for a pound" yeah right lol hence why they dont have one now  ;D
Title: Re: The last window cleaner charged £8
Post by: bobby p on August 16, 2011, 08:01:16 pm
had one today, not a huge house but 8big windows .
 feeling charitable i said id do it for £8,  old bird (with an 11 plate VW in the drive) , pulls back in disgust, "WE were thinking  you can do it if you had said less than   £5 "
Title: Re: The last window cleaner charged £8
Post by: Avo on August 16, 2011, 08:19:51 pm
I had one i clean for every month last week i normally charge a tenner for the house.. she asked could i clean 3 dormers windows set back on the 3rd floor roof as a one off clean for an extra pound and im not joking...  ' come on i said really you must be joking ' she says how much then?? ' look i will do the 3 for £5 ok as a one off only' she turns me down lol..   i aint no mug!!!!!
Title: Re: The last window cleaner charged £8
Post by: EandM on August 16, 2011, 08:42:24 pm
My standard answer:

"Where is he?"
Title: Re: The last window cleaner charged £8
Post by: Avo on August 16, 2011, 08:50:59 pm
yep.....
Title: Re: The last window cleaner charged £8
Post by: mci services on August 16, 2011, 08:56:23 pm
My standard answer:

"Where is he?"

read his post they sacked him ;)
Title: Re: The last window cleaner charged £8
Post by: Steve Sed on August 16, 2011, 09:02:56 pm
Had identical today OP except I wanted £15. Last wc charged £8.
Title: Re: The last window cleaner charged £8
Post by: bobplum on August 16, 2011, 09:19:25 pm
Had my daughter drop some leaflets whilst I cleaned houses .... got a call today from some dropped yesterday.

"I need a window cleaner as sacked my last one ... too unreliable , turned up when he felt etc etc"

so went around tonight to give a quote .. semi detached 3 bed 9 windows largish conservatory .. told him £14 every month

"HOW MUCH !!!!! last one did it for 8 quid"

he then offers to meet me half way at a tenner  :o

tried to explain that last windy was probably prioritising his work and leaving the underpaying jobs to last

" 10 quid is my final offer ... take it or leave it" says he .....

erm thanks but I will leave it  ;D     hasta la vista baby

£1.00 a window couple of pounds for the conny,say £12.00 in total................greedy numpty ;D
Title: Re: The last window cleaner charged £8
Post by: EandM on August 16, 2011, 09:45:55 pm
My standard answer:

"Where is he?"

read his post they sacked him ;)

I did. My answer is still the same.
Getting the customer to repeat that THEY sacked him is sometimes a good negotiation point.
When you quote x£ more ask them what guarantee do you have that they won't sack you too?
This factor is reflected in the price you quote and may reinforce to the customer that they may be being unreasonable.
Some will get the message. Some will not.
Either way, it's worth a try  ;)
Title: Re: The last window cleaner charged £8
Post by: mci services on August 16, 2011, 09:47:06 pm
fair enough makes sense ;)
Title: Re: The last window cleaner charged £8
Post by: mac74 on August 16, 2011, 10:01:42 pm
TBH mate, these are the type of a people that u DONT want on your books, bcos even if they reluctantly agree a price at the time - u know that they have a mercenary attituide and will drop u  the next time the dole brigade knocks on their door!
Title: Re: The last window cleaner charged £8
Post by: EandM on August 16, 2011, 10:07:32 pm
TBH mate, these are the type of a people that u DONT want on your books, bcos even if they reluctantly agree a price at the time - u know that they have a mercenary attituide and will drop u  the next time the dole brigade knocks on their door!

Indeed.
Title: Re: The last window cleaner charged £8
Post by: jouk45 on August 16, 2011, 10:54:41 pm
ian, why did you not break it down, i would have price the windows, then given a price for the conservatory, after all your their to clean the windows, not the con, that is extra,
Title: Re: The last window cleaner charged £8
Post by: joshem on August 16, 2011, 11:02:00 pm
When I first took on cleaning a (top floor) maisonette not long after I started window cleaning last year the householder below comes out asking me one day, "How much do you charge?"

"£6" I say,

"£6??? I only pay £3"

What is the matter with people? In the first place did she honestly think I'd be cheaper than that? And the fact she may have changed her window cleaner if I was!
Title: Re: The last window cleaner charged £8
Post by: H2GoKent on August 17, 2011, 05:34:55 am
I had one say to me, after I had explained why I had quoted £16,
 'Go on 10 quid, do me a deal, I'm a businessman'
'So am I' I said 'And I'd like to stay in business, thanks'
All said with a smile of course.
Title: Re: The last window cleaner charged £8
Post by: Lee Gilroy on August 17, 2011, 02:30:29 pm
When I first took on cleaning a (top floor) maisonette not long after I started window cleaning last year the householder below comes out asking me one day, "How much do you charge?"

"£6" I say,

"£6??? I only pay £3"

What is the matter with people? In the first place did she honestly think I'd be cheaper than that? And the fact she may have changed her window cleaner if I was!

 :'( WTF
Title: Re: The last window cleaner charged £8
Post by: L.J.Thorpe on August 17, 2011, 06:52:20 pm
They all try that trick dont they " mmm my last windy did it for a pound" yeah right lol hence why they dont have one now  ;D
probably because he starved to death ;D
Title: Re: The last window cleaner charged £8
Post by: northstar161 on August 18, 2011, 07:34:07 am
The nice guy who showed me the ropes at the start of the summer used to ask: What did your last window cleaner charge and I will see if I can match it...
Title: Re: The last window cleaner charged £8
Post by: Wc Solutions on August 18, 2011, 09:57:03 am
Had my daughter drop some leaflets whilst I cleaned houses .... got a call today from some dropped yesterday.

"I need a window cleaner as sacked my last one ... too unreliable , turned up when he felt etc etc"

so went around tonight to give a quote .. semi detached 3 bed 9 windows largish conservatory .. told him £14 every month

"HOW MUCH !!!!! last one did it for 8 quid"

he then offers to meet me half way at a tenner  :o

tried to explain that last windy was probably prioritising his work and leaving the underpaying jobs to last

" 10 quid is my final offer ... take it or leave it" says he .....

erm thanks but I will leave it  ;D     hasta la vista baby

had the same thing on monday.

windows priced at £12 - last charged £8.50, bloke says £10 for cash - no i say its £12 for cash or cheque.

he then wanted the gutter cleaned on the back of the house only - very green, so i say £35 - last window cleaner said £20 for it.

so anyway i still did the job at my price!

he then gave me an envelope with the full amount in - must have had it ready for the previous chap as it had £28.50 for the window cleaner on it crossed out with £47 put over the top.

he said to the bloke very dirty windows - he snaps why you after a bonus!