Clean It Up

UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Bbarrow on November 03, 2011, 09:40:59 am

Title: This guy is cheaper than a groupon deal!!
Post by: Bbarrow on November 03, 2011, 09:40:59 am
Dont no how he makes money but check it out.

http://egscleaningandmaintenanceservice.weebly.com/
Title: Re: This guy is cheaper than a groupon deal!!
Post by: AshWhite on November 03, 2011, 09:58:44 am
But he's making more than a Groupon.

He still has his marketing costs to make up though.  I'm far from the most expensive, but those prices did make my eyes water (£30 for a 3pc suite!)
Title: Re: This guy is cheaper than a groupon deal!!
Post by: M.Acorn on November 03, 2011, 10:23:06 am
More fool him is what I say.May as well be employed by Maccy d's if your going to work for those prices
Title: Re: This guy is cheaper than a groupon deal!!
Post by: JandS on November 03, 2011, 11:13:25 am
Just submitted the form.
Entered 3 sized rooms at a total of 52sq m
and said will he do 3 rooms this size for £35.
Title: Re: This guy is cheaper than a groupon deal!!
Post by: AshWhite on November 03, 2011, 11:17:15 am
Wonder what he uses
Title: Re: This guy is cheaper than a groupon deal!!
Post by: Bbarrow on November 03, 2011, 11:31:29 am
a quick spray of air freshner by the sounds of it ;D
Title: Re: This guy is cheaper than a groupon deal!!
Post by: Paul Moss on November 03, 2011, 01:05:38 pm
He also has a special offer on

From November the 1st to Christmas eve receive £5 off every clean £15 and over

 ;D
Title: Re: This guy is cheaper than a groupon deal!!
Post by: Steve Rothwell on November 03, 2011, 01:19:12 pm
More fool him is what I say.May as well be employed by Maccy d's if your going to work for those prices

who are you to call him a fool?? do you know his business plan? his overheads? or indeed anything about him?
Title: Re: This guy is cheaper than a groupon deal!!
Post by: Steve Rothwell on November 03, 2011, 01:20:11 pm
a quick spray of air freshner by the sounds of it ;D

don't judge other people by YOUR standards
Title: Re: This guy is cheaper than a groupon deal!!
Post by: robert meldrum on November 03, 2011, 01:22:06 pm
He's obviously too cheap for just carpet / upholstery, but he may have regular income from house cleaning and is just using the c/c as an add on.

Funnily enough he works  in the same area as Colin Bright who is one of the more expensive operators.


Title: Re: This guy is cheaper than a groupon deal!!
Post by: Johnny Czarnota on November 03, 2011, 02:28:55 pm
this is killing crpt cleaning business!!!
Title: Re: This guy is cheaper than a groupon deal!!
Post by: Bbarrow on November 03, 2011, 02:44:18 pm
a quick spray of air freshner by the sounds of it ;D

don't judge other people by YOUR standards

Im not judging him by my standards far from it, i Just dont understand how he can make money at these prices doing a professional job like most of us. I no i couldnt
Title: Re: This guy is cheaper than a groupon deal!!
Post by: robert meldrum on November 03, 2011, 02:53:21 pm
There have always been cheap carpet cleaners, just as there are are cheap plasterers and cheap driving instructors. They can only work a limited number of hours in a week so as long as there's a demand for the service there will always be work available.

Title: Re: This guy is cheaper than a groupon deal!!
Post by: Mike Mahoney on November 03, 2011, 02:59:23 pm
Hi Guys, i am one of the poorer relations from general cleaning,

I don't believe this sort of pricing structure kills the industry as quality workmanship will always command a decent price, may be this guy is on his uppers and needs to generate cash quick, any way here is my question i sub out quite a lot of carpet work as I do not want to invest all the equipment and do not want to do domestic work as i am quite busy with comm kitchens, builders & ovens.

The job;

210 mile round trip
pub carpet 15 m2
fixed seating 15m

3 hour travel
3.5 hours labour

Could i have your ball park prices as the FM company i work for are refusing to pay what i was charged.

regards

MCM
Title: Re: This guy is cheaper than a groupon deal!!
Post by: JandS on November 03, 2011, 03:03:25 pm
Charge them your day rate 6.5 hours plus
fuel will add up to a days work.

John
Title: Re: This guy is cheaper than a groupon deal!!
Post by: Steve Rothwell on November 03, 2011, 03:04:32 pm
this is killing crpt cleaning business!!!

No ........................

what kills the carpet cleaning business is splash and dash who leave the carpets soaking.

You do not know the standard of this guy's work so how can you say it is killing the business??

There are an awful lot of people on this forum (not me I must add) who think that you Johnny with your set up are killing the business, but I bet that you disagree with them....
Title: Re: This guy is cheaper than a groupon deal!!
Post by: Helen on November 03, 2011, 03:09:23 pm
The job;

210 mile round trip
pub carpet 15 m2
fixed seating 15m

3 hour travel
3.5 hours labour

Could i have your ball park prices as the FM company i work for are refusing to pay what i was charged.

regards

MCM

Only 15m2 of carpet and 15m of seating, who has measured this? or is it a small pub?

A FM Company who deals with a pub? Never heard of that round here, usually down to the landlords/owners themselves to source it :)
Title: Re: This guy is cheaper than a groupon deal!!
Post by: Mike Mahoney on November 03, 2011, 03:12:21 pm
Hi JandS

Am just at a loss at the moment, I have recieved two quotes for the job, allbeit after the event and they are miles out, i know what i charge for one person for a day but I could do with some prices for the job, I have had quotes for £195 & £275, Is £420 excessive or is that a fair price, have given the guy two jobs in a week and 15 more to come guarunteed.

MCM
Title: Re: This guy is cheaper than a groupon deal!!
Post by: Mike Mahoney on November 03, 2011, 03:19:16 pm
Hi helen

these are re-furbs,

the FM company supplies a turnkey operation, I usually do the kitchen & extraction system the the builders & sparkle at the handover date, they have asked me to do carpets as well as the QS is saving money by restoration rather than replacement, we have done over 30 this year for them and there are another 63 to go.

I would never expect another business to do anything less than its market value on the promise of more work as I have been bitten on the bum before and I know full well you are only as good as your last job in the commercial sector.

MCM
Title: Re: This guy is cheaper than a groupon deal!!
Post by: Steve Barnett (Carpet Care Plus) on November 03, 2011, 03:21:45 pm
Mike, for what it's worth I would charge £ 300 all in.
Title: Re: This guy is cheaper than a groupon deal!!
Post by: Mike Mahoney on November 03, 2011, 03:28:27 pm
Hi Steve,

Cheers for that, i was expecting around £285 - £315.

I appreciate you giving me some figures, I am gonna take a hit on this one to save face with the client.




MCM
Title: Re: This guy is cheaper than a groupon deal!!
Post by: mark joyce on November 03, 2011, 03:33:26 pm
was just going to post 275 ish  but if it was local someone would do it for about half that
Title: Re: This guy is cheaper than a groupon deal!!
Post by: robert meldrum on November 03, 2011, 03:37:49 pm
I imagine the FM company would be aggrieved at the travelling / non productive time and wonder why you don't find someone nearer to each job which should make the costs a lot more acceptable .

Without the travelling time the job could easily be done for nearer £160.


Title: Re: This guy is cheaper than a groupon deal!!
Post by: mark joyce on November 03, 2011, 03:42:04 pm
yes I think you missing a trick there on this forum you have access to loads of CCrs every job would be local to someone you could make more profit without travel time, I have never charged or been paid travel time
Title: Re: This guy is cheaper than a groupon deal!!
Post by: AshWhite on November 03, 2011, 03:43:33 pm
yes I think you missing a trick there on this forum you have access to loads of CCrs every job would be local to someone you could make more profit without travel time, I have never charged or been paid travel time

Took the words right out of my mouth!
Title: Re: This guy is cheaper than a groupon deal!!
Post by: JandS on November 03, 2011, 03:49:09 pm
£200................not a very big carpet.
But like someone says why not use local.
3.5 hours you probably get it done local
for just under a ton.

John
Title: Re: This guy is cheaper than a groupon deal!!
Post by: Mike Mahoney on November 03, 2011, 03:49:35 pm
Hi Robert, Hi Mark,

I explored the local CCs and nobody could fit it in, It was a rush job and I appreciate the efforts of the company that did the work, I just feel i have had my pants taken down.

needless to say no more work going in that direction and I feel more confident in taking up the pricing issue with them, I know its some you win, some you lose but none of us should ever have to take a hit unless through fault of our own.

MCM
Title: Re: This guy is cheaper than a groupon deal!!
Post by: wayne zabel on November 03, 2011, 03:59:42 pm
I think my prices need to go up Mike ;D ;D
Title: Re: This guy is cheaper than a groupon deal!!
Post by: Mike Mahoney on November 03, 2011, 04:08:02 pm
Hi Wayne,  :o

I would gladly pay more as you always do a great job, you know how the FM company works, you always quote spot on, hope you are available for the next 15  ::) ::) ::)

I am on echo falls 3 for a tenner from bargain booze this weekend, as opposed to the nice little frech number I left you when i dropped last payment off.  :P


MCM
Title: Re: This guy is cheaper than a groupon deal!!
Post by: james roffey on November 03, 2011, 05:58:39 pm
 Hector....

Your right, none of us know this guys business plan but it takes me and many others on this forum at least 2 hours sometimes over 3 hours to clean a 3pc suite especially if they have reversible cushions, am i cleaning it wrong ? i was shown how to clean them by Paul Pearce who many on this forum will vouch for as knowing his stuff.
The laws of physics apply even to this guy, so he is cutting a hell of a lot of corners, if he isn't and is cleaning properly then he is making a loss and his business plan is somewhat flawed.

If there is some magical way of achieving the results i am getting after a hell of a lot of hard work, expensive equipment and chemicals then please tell me, my hourly rate is between £35 and £60 so if i charged £30 for three hours work which is approx £13 how much would i have left after petrol, car tax and insurance, wear on equipment even this guys got those expenses, deduct those from his £13 and he would be left with pennies, so i suspect he he must be cleaning a suite in under and hour including setting up.
I think i provide good value for money and i charge enough to be thorough in what i do, like many others on this forum if this guy thinks thats what he's worth then i feel sorry for him.
Title: Re: This guy is cheaper than a groupon deal!!
Post by: Steve Rothwell on November 03, 2011, 06:49:48 pm
Good points there James and I am not gonna argue on that.

It seems to me that the guy is using the carpet cleaning as a loss leader to get the other work though, and he may be very good at the carpet and suite cleaning and just work for low wages to make sure that he gets the other more profitable work...

Not my ideal business plan but may work for him, but as he has not asked for his website to be reviewed on here, and is not here to defend himself ............. why should he be assasinated??
Title: Re: This guy is cheaper than a groupon deal!!
Post by: JandS on November 03, 2011, 08:04:37 pm
Fixed seating is quicker to clean than a 3 piece
suite.
That's what I've found anyway.

John
Title: Re: This guy is cheaper than a groupon deal!!
Post by: Carpet Dawg on November 03, 2011, 09:01:40 pm
One of the jobs i did today was two synthetic 3 seater sofas. All the cushions where fixed (back and seating)

Light to moderate soiling.

Method, pre-spray, scrub with hand brush, towel, light spray again, extract and towel to soak up excess.

Have a guess how long it took me too clean them?
Title: Re: This guy is cheaper than a groupon deal!!
Post by: wynne jones on November 03, 2011, 09:16:13 pm
Unless someone knows what happens when he is in someones house I can't see how anyone can pass judgement. He may be doing very well thank you with a happy customer and a lot more money in his pocket than his advert suggests.
Title: Re: This guy is cheaper than a groupon deal!!
Post by: Carpet Dawg on November 03, 2011, 09:18:31 pm
Probably upselling or just wanting more once in the house cause the carpet needs "special" treatment.

1 hour and 5 minutes.
Title: Re: This guy is cheaper than a groupon deal!!
Post by: Craigp on November 03, 2011, 10:21:22 pm
Hi Robert, Hi Mark,

I explored the local CCs and nobody could fit it in, It was a rush job and I appreciate the efforts of the company that did the work, I just feel i have had my pants taken down.

needless to say no more work going in that direction and I feel more confident in taking up the pricing issue with them, I know its some you win, some you lose but none of us should ever have to take a hit unless through fault of our own

MCM
[/quote

I really lost on this,

Why would you take a hit? Did you not disscuss cost before hand?

Or was it just a "get it done it costs what it costs" instruction, if so and they never set/said an upper limit then they should pay.
Title: Re: This guy is cheaper than a groupon deal!!
Post by: Matt Lindus on November 03, 2011, 11:35:10 pm
Oh dear oh dear. As Mr West said, he might as well get a job at macy d's!!.

The horrible fact is, customers treat you more like dirt and look at you with pity when you charge these sort of prices. You attract the cockroaches of society.
All professionalism is diminished with low prices, it just looks like desperation.

Respect is coupled to high pricing, smart aesthetics and quality workmanship.
If your marketing, be it print or web, is of high quality it tends to naturally filter out the scum before they pick up the phone.

Matt
Title: Re: This guy is cheaper than a groupon deal!!
Post by: Jim_77 on November 03, 2011, 11:50:51 pm
Mike, you have the ideal solution to your problem, contained in the first post in this topic!

Quote
Dont no how he makes money but check it out.

http://egscleaningandmaintenanceservice.weebly.com/

For the princely prices he charges, you could pay him to travel the length and breadth of the country and still make a bit on top :)
Title: Re: This guy is cheaper than a groupon deal!!
Post by: steven Banks on November 03, 2011, 11:52:46 pm
Hi Guys, i am one of the poorer relations from general cleaning,

any way here is my question i sub out quite a lot of carpet work as I do not want to invest all the equipment and do not want to do domestic work as i am quite busy with comm kitchens, builders & ovens.

The job;

210 mile round trip
pub carpet 15 m2
fixed seating 15m

3 hour travel
3.5 hours labour

Could i have your ball park prices as the FM company i work for are refusing to pay what i was charged.

regards

MCM

thread hijacking.
Title: Re: This guy is cheaper than a groupon deal!!
Post by: wynne jones on November 04, 2011, 12:17:56 am
Probably upselling or just wanting more once in the house cause the carpet needs "special" treatment.

1 hour and 5 minutes.

A lot of people faff about with upholstery. If you have good training and a methodical approach you can do a good job in that time.
Title: Re: This guy is cheaper than a groupon deal!!
Post by: Steve Rothwell on November 04, 2011, 07:01:41 am
I agree with Wynne










good grief what is happening first Simon and now Wynne  :o :o
Title: Re: This guy is cheaper than a groupon deal!!
Post by: M.Acorn on November 04, 2011, 07:17:41 am
I am not Mr West !!

Quote
Oh dear oh dear. As Mr West said, he might as well get a job at macy d's!!.
Title: Re: This guy is cheaper than a groupon deal!!
Post by: Craigp on November 04, 2011, 09:01:17 am
Oh dear oh dear. As Mr West said, he might as well get a job at macy d's!!.

The horrible fact is, customers treat you more like dirt and look at you with pity when you charge these sort of prices. You attract the cockroaches of society.
All professionalism is diminished with low prices, it just looks like desperation.

Respect is coupled to high pricing, smart aesthetics and quality workmanship.
If your marketing, be it print or web, is of high quality it tends to naturally filter out the scum before they pick up the phone.

Matt

Title: Re: This guy is cheaper than a groupon deal!!
Post by: Craigp on November 04, 2011, 09:04:43 am
Matt, that's very true, I had a customer tell me they was put off using a company because "they was too cheap!" and the said company charge £50 a lounge which is not too cheap compared to some.

Another thing that makes c/c ers look desperate is this;

"Call us 6am to 10pm 7 days a week"

Title: Re: This guy is cheaper than a groupon deal!!
Post by: JandS on November 04, 2011, 02:44:52 pm
This is the reply I got from him re 3 rooms
totaling 52sq m.

Hi thanx for your email, yes i would do it for £35 for u, however at the moment it will only cost u £30 because i have an offer running that if you spend over £15 u get £5 off, plz get in touch if this is ok for u,
Title: Re: This guy is cheaper than a groupon deal!!
Post by: AshWhite on November 04, 2011, 03:00:32 pm
Well, he's professional with his communications. What is he, 14?
Title: Re: This guy is cheaper than a groupon deal!!
Post by: Mike Mahoney on November 04, 2011, 03:18:52 pm
Hi Guys, i am one of the poorer relations from general cleaning,

any way here is my question i sub out quite a lot of carpet work as I do not want to invest all the equipment and do not want to do domestic work as i am quite busy with comm kitchens, builders & ovens.

The job;

210 mile round trip
pub carpet 15 m2
fixed seating 15m

3 hour travel
3.5 hours labour

Could i have your ball park prices as the FM company i work for are refusing to pay what i was charged.

regards

MCM

thread hijacking.

Many apologies if this appears to be thread hijacking, but if you notice my initial point is related to the thread and people seemed happy to add comments to my question.

Should I put my hand up before I ask a question next time.

MCM
Title: Re: This guy is cheaper than a groupon deal!!
Post by: Mike Mahoney on November 04, 2011, 03:23:42 pm
Oh,

you can't see the whole of my post because you chose to leave out the point about the original thread.

MCM
Title: Re: This guy is cheaper than a groupon deal!!
Post by: Steve Rothwell on November 04, 2011, 03:24:28 pm
Off you trot ..................

to the naughty corner.............




go on...................





punishment time..................


naughty corner then ........................





 ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: This guy is cheaper than a groupon deal!!
Post by: Jim_77 on November 04, 2011, 03:27:00 pm
Don't worry Mike.  I would call it "thread evolution" rather than hijacking!  How many pages of cr@p would be spouted about the latest low price merchant out there before it got boring anyway?
Title: Re: This guy is cheaper than a groupon deal!!
Post by: Mike Mahoney on November 04, 2011, 03:27:58 pm
Hector,

pls let me know when I am thoroughly chastised, until that point I will remain in the corner and not ask any questions, whether relevant or stupid.  ??? ??? ??? ???


MCM (In a corner)
Title: Re: This guy is cheaper than a groupon deal!!
Post by: Steve Rothwell on November 04, 2011, 03:29:12 pm
 ;D
Title: Re: This guy is cheaper than a groupon deal!!
Post by: Steve Rothwell on November 04, 2011, 03:41:19 pm
Ok Mike

have you learned your lesson now?

are you going to be a good interloper??

are you going to behave well ??

have you had a word with yourself about your behaviour ??








if you answered yes to any of the above












stay in the naughty corner forever   







oh alright then





come on out and try to behave

 ;D ;D
Title: Re: This guy is cheaper than a groupon deal!!
Post by: Mike Mahoney on November 04, 2011, 03:51:41 pm
Hector,

I could not possibly comment as i am still, as instructed in the corner, I went to one of them really bad corners, you know the one, the one behind the tele, how many (bad word) spiders, and how many more empty packs of mini cheddars can my four year old hide.

Can I play please, I promise as Jim put it 'evolve a thread'

Come on mate its 'BOW TIME'

MCM
Title: Re: This guy is cheaper than a groupon deal!!
Post by: Steve Rothwell on November 04, 2011, 04:07:18 pm
ok



you is free to play now

 ;D ;D
Title: Re: This guy is cheaper than a groupon deal!!
Post by: Helen on November 04, 2011, 06:45:42 pm
Well, he's professional with his communications. What is he, 14?

Don't knock it at least he used a few commas which is rare for that age group ;D
Title: Re: This guy is cheaper than a groupon deal!!
Post by: JandS on November 04, 2011, 07:00:49 pm
Surely it must be harder to write like that than
to write properly.
After all you've got to think about it whereas to
write normally is more or less automatic.

John
Title: Re: This guy is cheaper than a groupon deal!!
Post by: robert meldrum on November 04, 2011, 07:06:28 pm
Don't knock it at least he used a few commas which is rare for that age group

I got slagged for " overuse " of comas recently. ::) ::) ::)
Title: Re: This guy is cheaper than a groupon deal!!
Post by: Matt Lindus on November 04, 2011, 10:47:59 pm
I am not Mr West !!

Quote
Oh dear oh dear. As Mr West said, he might as well get a job at macy d's!!.

Sorry Mark, didnt realise you said it.
Title: Re: This guy is cheaper than a groupon deal!!
Post by: Ricky M on November 05, 2011, 12:03:17 pm
Just had a chat with the young man charging those prices:

in a nut shell for 3 rooms lounge Master bed and kids bed room it would be £30 as he is running a promo leading up to xmas and if you spend £15 you get a £5 knocked off the price.

Asked how long it would take and he said depends how bad they are but between 20 min to ten mins per room and this would inc removal and resite of furniture.

I assume he is very new to the industry and he see's £30 and hour as big money and rightly so if your used to £7 - £8 an hour, I assume he will learn from his mistakes if he lasts.

it could be a very expensive learning curve !!

Bless him  :)
Title: Re: This guy is cheaper than a groupon deal!!
Post by: wynne jones on November 05, 2011, 12:54:46 pm
Ten minutes a room works out more than I charge though.  ::)