Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: lee_dewing on January 06, 2015, 09:02:28 am

Title: Pricing for frequency of visits
Post by: lee_dewing on January 06, 2015, 09:02:28 am
 ;D yes another pricing post.

Just thinking out loud.

1st clean double monthly price.

every other month (6 cleans a year) 50% more than monthly price.

So example house £15 monthly cleans, £22.50 every other month.  First clean on this house £30.


What do you guys think, i know most charge 50% more for every other month and I think that's fair.
I know some guys on here argue if custie wants every other month it's because they haven't got the money so you will put custie off with 50% more.

But I don't do every other month at present and if i did do it then it would have to be in my interest as well as the customers.

So my main concern is the first clean price who thinks double is too much?

Thought of charging 50% more for first clean but then should first clean price match every other month?
price? just looking to make pricing structure fair and logical to new customers.

Had quite a few enquiries last year due to website but most just one off window cleans; did some that were
near my round, charged 50% more and quoted price for monthlies only one turned regular.

Just to add i have a full round but looking to earn more, have managed to earn more this year than last but looking to increase turn over 20% +

Happy new year everyone
Title: Re: Pricing for frequency of visits
Post by: Ian101 on January 06, 2015, 09:27:14 am
"Mrs Jones (all called Jones in my area  :)) Our normal price is £20 but once you become a regular monthly customer it drops to £12"

I used this a few times last year ... tended to work for me

I try not to offer bimonthly if I can help it .... residential im talking.
Title: Re: Pricing for frequency of visits
Post by: dazmond on January 06, 2015, 09:29:03 am
if i charge £15 for a particular house monthly.i would charge £20 2 monthly.

i very rarely charge any more for a first clean unless its a real minger of a job.maybe a bit more(a fiver say).i very rarely get a  customer who doesnt take me on regularly after a first clean.

obviously if its a one off i charger higher.

im aiming for a turnover of £40,000 this year.
Title: Re: Pricing for frequency of visits
Post by: Walter Mitty on January 06, 2015, 09:29:31 am
A 6 weekly price.  Sometimes charge more for first clean - but not always.  12 weekly is about 30% more.
Title: Re: Pricing for frequency of visits
Post by: dazmond on January 06, 2015, 09:51:52 am
lee over the last 4 or 5 years ive took on a lot more 2 monthly jobs  at higher prices.you do earn more for time taken to do the job.these are mainly bigger domestic houses though.customers are more willing to accept the higher price on longer frequency cleans.

ive got a fair few 2 monthly jobs scheduled in for this week including commercial offices etc.

its hammering it down here with rain but forecast to clear up by lunchtime so will head out later! :)
Title: Re: Pricing for frequency of visits
Post by: Smudger on January 06, 2015, 03:16:52 pm
Hi lee

We target 8 wky cleans more now than ever, yes it takes a little longer to build a round up, but boy, when your doing them day in day out you get a really good hourly rate, and you only see them every couple of months, so you don't get so bored, are they genuinely more happy to see you.

Usually charge between 70 to 100% extra on 4 wky price for first clean depending on how green they are.

I promote the 8 wky service as 'standard'.( 50% higher than what I calculated a 4 wky clean to be ) Then offer a 'discounted' 4 wky service ( 4 wky price being the price I want ) at between 25 and 35% cheaper than the 8 wky price.

If I feel they are unsure on frequency, I push 8 wky with a small discount, those with a good vibe are offered a bigger 4 wky discount

Darran
Title: Re: Pricing for frequency of visits
Post by: Tom-01 on January 06, 2015, 05:39:40 pm
Hi lee

We target 8 wky cleans more now than ever, yes it takes a little longer to build a round up, but boy, when your doing them day in day out you get a really good hourly rate, and you only see them every couple of months, so you don't get so bored, are they genuinely more happy to see you.

Usually charge between 70 to 100% extra on 4 wky price for first clean depending on how green they are.

I promote the 8 wky service as 'standard'.( 50% higher than what I calculated a 4 wky clean to be ) Then offer a 'discounted' 4 wky service ( 4 wky price being the price I want ) at between 25 and 35% cheaper than the 8 wky price.

If I feel they are unsure on frequency, I push 8 wky with a small discount, those with a good vibe are offered a bigger 4 wky discount

Darran

I like it Smudge, pretty similar here. I find the 8 weekly's the best hourly rate wise and they are never really minging.

Smudger do you go out and quote all work or do you have a pricing structure? I'm asking because I built what I've got from canvassing and going out to quote but I'm struggling to find the time to do this so I am weighing up the alternatives - pricing calculator and mass leaflet drops being the favourite at the moment.

Am I correct in saying you're not on the tools anymore? I'm hopefully having another worker on 3 days a week soon which will give me a lot of time to develop on what I have already - just wondered how you do it?

Thanks
Tom
Title: Re: Pricing for frequency of visits
Post by: Smudger on January 06, 2015, 06:48:22 pm
Hi Tom,

Yes I still go out to quote work, we rarely give prices over the phone, and those who insist on it, never take up a service as just looking for cheapo pricing.

Face to face quoting ( like canvassing ) works best, you can sell your service so much better.

Yes, I'm off the tools around 70% of the time now, can't remember the last time I did a day of regular window cleaning work...

My role now is to keep the guys busy, so out quoting, office work ( with Mrs smudger ), planning, etc...

It's hard to make the jump from sole trader to employing, it can be a rocky road, but once your on to the second employee it starts to get easier ( sometimes )

Darran
Title: Re: Pricing for frequency of visits
Post by: Mike #1 on January 06, 2015, 06:53:23 pm
8 weekly 50% more first cleans 50% more .
Title: Re: Pricing for frequency of visits
Post by: Tony dunmall on January 06, 2015, 08:38:49 pm
Fairly similar 6 weekly then 12 weekly 30- 50% Depends if there estates more to 30%

First clean generally minimum £45 

if it's a tenancy end of clean or one off there's a minimum call Out £85, sounds high but I do get lots of one off cleans as no other window cleaners seem to want to do them in this area, all seem to want just regulars I do one or two a week most weeks
Title: Re: Pricing for frequency of visits
Post by: Smudger on January 06, 2015, 08:40:20 pm
Sounds a fair price to me tony.

Darran
Title: Re: Pricing for frequency of visits
Post by: Window Lickers on January 06, 2015, 08:46:16 pm
First cleans we have a minimum charge of £145.00. Even if there's no glass in the windows.

Monthly cleans start at 5 times their husbands hourly rate plus his annual bonus. Bi monthly, we insist on being wined and dined and being offered either there daughters hand in marriage, the family silver or a weeks holiday in Barbados paid for by them, upfront you understand.

We offer two standards of service.

One is "with" the other is "without".

That's with or without Vision.

With Vision we don't guarantee any of our work, most customers prefer this service.

Our books are brimming. Overflowing. That's because we're the best and so are our customers.
Title: Re: Pricing for frequency of visits
Post by: Smudger on January 06, 2015, 09:02:22 pm
First cleans we have a minimum charge of £145.00. Even if there's no glass in the windows.

Monthly cleans start at 5 times their husbands hourly rate plus his annual bonus. Bi monthly, we insist on being wined and dined and being offered either there daughters hand in marriage, the family silver or a weeks holiday in Barbados paid for by them, upfront you understand.

We offer two standards of service.

One is "with" the other is "without".

That's with or without Vision.

With Vision we don't guarantee any of our work, most customers prefer this service.

Our books are brimming. Overflowing. That's because we're the best and so are our customers.

Feeling a bit touchy are we Matt ??

Darran
Title: Re: Pricing for frequency of visits
Post by: Window Lickers on January 06, 2015, 09:10:10 pm
Bored  ;D
Title: Re: Pricing for frequency of visits
Post by: Smudger on January 06, 2015, 09:18:01 pm
 8)

Darran
Title: Re: Pricing for frequency of visits
Post by: tonyoliver on January 06, 2015, 11:00:17 pm
i find they ask for a price you say 15.oo. then they say  price is good you do the  clean then the custie says call every two or three months.
how do you come back from that?
Title: Re: Pricing for frequency of visits
Post by: Ian101 on January 06, 2015, 11:12:54 pm
i find they ask for a price you say 15.oo. then they say  price is good you do the  clean then the custie says call every two or three months.
how do you come back from that?

you say " its £15 and we call once a month"
Title: Re: Pricing for frequency of visits
Post by: dazmond on January 07, 2015, 07:08:47 am
i find they ask for a price you say 15.oo. then they say  price is good you do the  clean then the custie says call every two or three months.
how do you come back from that?

i give them 2 prices.4 weekly or 8 weekly so £15 or £20

if the job is down roads where i have 6 weekly work then i just give them one price.if they want a longer frequency then it has to be 12 weekly and i charge higher obviously as im not going back in between.
Title: Re: Pricing for frequency of visits
Post by: Dave Willis on January 07, 2015, 04:57:57 pm
if i charge £15 for a particular house monthly.i would charge £20 2 monthly.

i very rarely charge any more for a first clean unless its a real minger of a job.maybe a bit more(a fiver say).i very rarely get a  customer who doesnt take me on regularly after a first clean.

obviously if its a one off i charger higher.

im aiming for a turnover of £40,000 this year.


Yes, I'm hoping to reduce my income right down this year too.
Title: Re: Pricing for frequency of visits
Post by: Gerald Ash on January 07, 2015, 05:27:56 pm
Quite a few guys round me charge extra for first clean, bi-monthly etc. I pick up work because I charge one price no matter what. If a first clean is bad I don`t charge extra for the first clean but I put the price up as I find when they`re like that they can be messers.
  Problem I`m having is the windows are staying clean too long. I`ve now got some going to quarterly cleans. It`s getting out of hand what am I doing wrong.
  Cleaned a new build  in June, November they were not that bad. Might go trad, pure water lasts too long.
Title: Re: Pricing for frequency of visits
Post by: lee_dewing on January 07, 2015, 05:29:51 pm
Thanks very much everyone for your replies.

Smudger thanks very much for the detailed explanation.

Your original 4 weekly price is then topped up from your 8 weekly.  :D like it.

Will draft up some quote sheets with 1st clean,  monthly and 2 monthly on.
Putting something like yourself standard for 2 monthly.

Let potential custie do the maths.
I'm monthly cleans so logical to make bi monthly.

Thanks again Darran.
Ps. Like your website made me smile looking at areas covered section been to scratby a few times to green farm caravan park.

Also alot of the other places mentioned. .hopton on sea, Gorleston etc lovely part the world.
Would like to get to wells next the sea this year heard is very nice.

Lee
Title: Re: Pricing for frequency of visits
Post by: andyM on January 07, 2015, 05:34:01 pm
Quite a few guys round me charge extra for first clean, bi-monthly etc. I pick up work because I charge one price no matter what. If a first clean is bad I don`t charge extra for the first clean but I put the price up as I find when they`re like that they can be messers.
  Problem I`m having is the windows are staying clean too long. I`ve now got some going to quarterly cleans. It`s getting out of hand what am I doing wrong.
  Cleaned a new build  in June, November they were not that bad. Might go trad, pure water lasts too long.

If you're busy it makes sense to charge extra for the first clean if it's going to take longer than the usual maintenance clean, otherwise you are spending extra time on it for no reward while you could be cleaning another property.

Title: Re: Pricing for frequency of visits
Post by: lee_dewing on January 07, 2015, 05:50:27 pm
Gerald.
Not meaning to sound sarcastic but if your not charging extra for extended cleaning frequency maybe you've picked up some other windies cast offs, as they're cheap skates and think they've come up trumps as you're letting them call the shots.

Hope you get some nice new custies soon mate.
Maybe tell some of your old custies you can offer them a very extended frequency for free  ;)

Put a premium on longer frequencies so you winning as well as the custie.

Lee
Title: Re: Pricing for frequency of visits
Post by: Smudger on January 07, 2015, 06:04:23 pm
That's alright Lee - if your ever in the area drop in for a cuppa or something stronger  ;)

Darran
Title: Re: Pricing for frequency of visits
Post by: lee_dewing on January 07, 2015, 06:24:43 pm
Will do  ;D
Thanks Darran.