Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: AuRavelling79 on September 20, 2011, 08:15:09 am

Title: Doh! Underpriced Conny Roof (Groan)
Post by: AuRavelling79 on September 20, 2011, 08:15:09 am
So I'm at work showing the ropes to my new guy and we're chuffing through the work - me out the van, him out the trailer - separating them where useful and by 1pm I reckon we'll be finished by 2 o'clock.

One of my regular (front only) custies says can I book in the back and the conny for my annual clean?

Tell you what says I - I'll finish of a coupla houses and come round the back in half an hour thirty quid as usual?

Okeydokey.

So I spout off to my new guy that it's good to be flexible and strike while the iron's hot, fill the day etc etc (yawn).

Now this is a lean-to conny on a small terrace which you access through the garage. No sides just roof and front plus two windows at the top.

So I plan to show the new guy how to clean this job in 20 minutes flat because I've done it three times before.

Tell him to rag away the spiders nests and crap on the windows while I use my short ladder to stand on to scrub the top.

I've done the two upper windows by the time he's out the van with his rags and stuff and then I see it - grease and tree sap and piles of moss and a black-grey mix that won't come off!

But I'm committed aren't I? Price given - man of my word etc.

Go and get the tfr - all very slow.

I then say I'll put the TFR on and scrub - you come behind and wash/brush off.

Much moaning and groaning and 2 hours later (That's £7.50 an hour per man!) I've done an acceptable job!

What happened was the downflow to the gutter above was blocked with a huge tump of grass and weeds and over the last six months all the roof muck overflowed onto the conny and down it's drain pipe. Add to that the tree sap and muck from the neighbours trees and it was a right pig of a job.

"What have we learned?" I ask, ruefully.

"Never, ever, give a price before you look at the job!"

Title: Re: Doh! Underpriced Conny Roof (Groan)
Post by: supernova77 on September 20, 2011, 08:26:24 am
Sounds like a nightmare mate!

I would have looked at the mess on the roof and told the customer it would be more because of the blockage and spillage problem.

Andy
Title: Re: Doh! Underpriced Conny Roof (Groan)
Post by: AuRavelling79 on September 20, 2011, 08:31:23 am
Sounds like a nightmare mate!

I would have looked at the mess on the roof and told the customer it would be more because of the blockage and spillage problem.

Andy

So would I if I had realised straight away - I was so convinced it was just one of those things and determined to show I could deal with it to my new employee I didn't twig the prob until I was an hour in!  ;D Rolley Eyes!
Title: Re: Doh! Underpriced Conny Roof (Groan)
Post by: dazmond on September 20, 2011, 08:38:49 am
i hate them lean to roofs with hardly any fall on them esp if you need a ladder to stand on while your poling and scrubbing.i refuse them now!cant be doing with the hassle!their even worse if  glass and really dirty! ;D ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Doh! Underpriced Conny Roof (Groan)
Post by: StockClean on September 20, 2011, 08:39:57 am
So I'm at work showing the ropes to my new guy and we're chuffing through the work - me out the van, him out the trailer - separating them where useful and by 1pm I reckon we'll be finished by 2 o'clock.

One of my regular (front only) custies says can I book in the back and the conny for my annual clean?

Tell you what says I - I'll finish of a coupla houses and come round the back in half an hour thirty quid as usual?

Okeydokey.


So I spout off to my new guy that it's good to be flexible and strike while the iron's hot, fill the day etc etc (yawn).

Now this is a lean-to conny on a small terrace which you access through the garage. No sides just roof and front plus two windows at the top.

So I plan to show the new guy how to clean this job in 20 minutes flat because I've done it three times before.

Tell him to rag away the spiders nests and crap on the windows while I use my short ladder to stand on to scrub the top.

I've done the two upper windows by the time he's out the van with his rags and stuff and then I see it - grease and tree sap and piles of moss and a black-grey mix that won't come off!

But I'm committed aren't I? Price given - man of my word etc.

Go and get the tfr - all very slow.

I then say I'll put the TFR on and scrub - you come behind and wash/brush off.

Much moaning and groaning and 2 hours later (That's £7.50 an hour per man!) I've done an acceptable job!

What happened was the downflow to the gutter above was blocked with a huge tump of grass and weeds and over the last six months all the roof muck overflowed onto the conny and down it's drain pipe. Add to that the tree sap and muck from the neighbours trees and it was a right pig of a job.

"What have we learned?" I ask, ruefully.

"Never, ever, give a price before you look at the job!"




I hate conservatory roof jobs, i price them high as a result i dont get many and when i do get the odd one, im at least thinking of the dosh which motivates me to complete it to a high standard.
Title: Re: Doh! Underpriced Conny Roof (Groan)
Post by: Tom White on September 20, 2011, 09:11:53 am


"Never, ever, give a price before you look at the job!"



Yeh yeh, till the next time that WE can't be bothered to take a look and just hazzard a price.  ;D
Title: Re: Doh! Underpriced Conny Roof (Groan)
Post by: the bfg on September 20, 2011, 11:53:19 am
these things are sent to try us  ;D ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Doh! Underpriced Conny Roof (Groan)
Post by: CLEANCARE WC on September 20, 2011, 02:16:42 pm
So I'm at work showing the ropes to my new guy and we're chuffing through the work - me out the van, him out the trailer - separating them where useful and by 1pm I reckon we'll be finished by 2 o'clock.

One of my regular (front only) custies says can I book in the back and the conny for my annual clean?

Tell you what says I - I'll finish of a coupla houses and come round the back in half an hour thirty quid as usual?

Okeydokey.

So I spout off to my new guy that it's good to be flexible and strike while the iron's hot, fill the day etc etc (yawn).

Now this is a lean-to conny on a small terrace which you access through the garage. No sides just roof and front plus two windows at the top.

So I plan to show the new guy how to clean this job in 20 minutes flat because I've done it three times before.

Tell him to rag away the spiders nests and crap on the windows while I use my short ladder to stand on to scrub the top.

I've done the two upper windows by the time he's out the van with his rags and stuff and then I see it - grease and tree sap and piles of moss and a black-grey mix that won't come off!

But I'm committed aren't I? Price given - man of my word etc.

Go and get the tfr - all very slow.

I then say I'll put the TFR on and scrub - you come behind and wash/brush off.

Much moaning and groaning and 2 hours later (That's £7.50 an hour per man!) I've done an acceptable job!

What happened was the downflow to the gutter above was blocked with a huge tump of grass and weeds and over the last six months all the roof muck overflowed onto the conny and down it's drain pipe. Add to that the tree sap and muck from the neighbours trees and it was a right pig of a job.

"What have we learned?" I ask, ruefully.

"Never, ever, give a price before you look at the job!"




GET SOME MONEY BACK ON A GUTTER CLEAN
Title: Re: Doh! Underpriced Conny Roof (Groan)
Post by: Lee GLS on September 20, 2011, 02:42:33 pm
Do you ever work dan??  ;D
Title: Re: Doh! Underpriced Conny Roof (Groan)
Post by: CLEANCARE WC on September 20, 2011, 02:47:23 pm
Do you ever work dan??  ;D

LOL  ;D just a half day today mate  ;) was doing some out of hours stuff last night. did about 4 hours today.
Title: Re: Doh! Underpriced Conny Roof (Groan)
Post by: Small but perfectley formed on September 20, 2011, 03:45:23 pm
Why didnt you tell her it would be more because it was a mess?
Title: Re: Doh! Underpriced Conny Roof (Groan)
Post by: AuRavelling79 on September 20, 2011, 04:58:04 pm
Why didnt you tell her it would be more because it was a mess?

Because she's a long term custy.
Because I gave a price with out checking.
Because I didn't realise what the cause was straight away.
Because long term I make good money from her.
Because I'm a numpty.

 ;D
Title: Re: Doh! Underpriced Conny Roof (Groan)
Post by: Ian101 on September 20, 2011, 05:13:49 pm
Because your a nice guy
Title: Re: Doh! Underpriced Conny Roof (Groan)
Post by: bad trippy on September 20, 2011, 05:44:31 pm
my mother was over the moon with the finished job Mr Gold,thank you so much
Title: Re: Doh! Underpriced Conny Roof (Groan)
Post by: AuRavelling79 on September 21, 2011, 06:20:08 am
my mother was over the moon with the finished job Mr Gold,thank you so much

Blimey! She must have started young - I reckon she's only about 40 tops!  ;D