Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Tom-01 on February 01, 2015, 07:15:53 pm
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So I was recommended to a lady who owns a £3.75m house she is trying to sell but can't because its in a right state and she lives in a house worth £2m.
She wants a complete clean, of both - cleaning absolutely everything. So I emailed her the quotes for both properties but not including the roof cleaning part as they also need repairs so I have a subcontractor who will quote for that bit.
The quote for the £3.75m house was £1800 - thats cleaning and re-sanding a massive driveway, 4 gate pillars, gates, patio, 230meters of gutters and very large soffits to clean, garden furniture and climbing frames, sandstone porch etc.
And the place is minging.
Her email to me:
Dear Tom,
Thank you for your quote. I find it extremely expensive especially as it doesn't even include the roof cleaning for either property. Perhaps you could expand on how you arrive at those figures. I get all the soffits cleaned from my window cleaner and he doesn't charge any where near that amount.
Look forward to hearing from you. Would love to give you the work but I can't at the prices you have quoted.
Kind regards
Mrs X
My reply
Dear Mrs X
The quote is worked out using the same pricing structure for everyone. So if it was a 3 bed semi the price would be a lot less as there is a lot less to clean. Its done on a per metre basis. Looking at both properties it looks like the fascias, soffits, windows etc haven't been cleaned in a very long time, or if they have, not cleaned particularly well. XX House in particular has a very large amount of UPVC that needs a lot of cleaning to bring it up to standard, so this is reflected in the price.
The work you have asked us to quote on is of a specialist nature, and we only offer a first class service using professional equipment. We don't cut any corners. We are fully insured professionals, and I price jobs based on the amount of work that needs to be done, not to win business.
Being honest we do come up against other individuals who are a lot cheaper, but there is a reason for this. Also you would be surprised at how many customers actually come to us to get the job done properly after using 'cheaper' alternatives. For example someone has had a go at cleaning the driveway at XX House, and I assume they charged very little to do this. However, looking at what they have done I wouldn't expect you to have paid anyone to do a job to that standard?
Although you deem the quote extremely expensive, I would have to disagree as it is priced based on the size of the properties, the amount of work to be done and the proper equipment we use to do the work. You stated you wanted XX house brought up to standard in order for it to sell, and by using us I can assure you it would be a good investment as you would be able to command more for your asking price once we have done an exceptional job, as we do for all of our customers.
Kind regards
Tom
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great reply
just watch her go to the cheap man and a battered van
it amazes me that the things people expect to be done cheap, but skimp on every thing except when its on themselves
I bet she wont use a cheap lawyer or plastic surgeon but expect you to work for min wage,
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Although not everyone is like that, this exists all the way through the system. I olnce had a guy complain when I increased his windows from £11 to £12 (£12 was still too low really). He started quoting inflation percentages. A few months later his wife apologised for being late paying as they had been on holiday on "a five week cruise". Another one of those many lightbulb moments for me.
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Exactly mate.
She's a specialist physiotherapist with two houses worth about £6mil!
Similar thing happened the other day. Priced a window cleaning job, first clean £76 8 weekly £51. He asked about the price etc. I said that's the price because a,b,c. He said well I'm getting 3 other quotes this week so what can you do on price. I said, nothing that is our price. And I guarantee all the other quotes will be cheaper. He said well I might give you a call.
Anyway yesterday got a message from him saying that all the others were cheaper but he wants to use us when can we do the first clean.
It's a good sales technique, take the 'deal' away from them.. They will then want to pay for it because they think they are missing out. It's all in the mind.
Anyway that's what keeps window cleaning interesting for me :)
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Weirdly I just got this reply from her this evening...
Weirdly I just got this reply from her this evening...
Dear Tom
I take the points you have made and will go with you. Both for XX House and The XX. Please put both jobs on one invoice as agreed. Please do help yourself to access on Tuesday morning. Please have a look over both properties. Please let me know when the roof can be done.
Many thanks.
I appreciate your honesty.
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I'm actually quite surprised! :)
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Weirdly I just got this reply from her this evening...
Weirdly I just got this reply from her this evening...
Dear Tom
I take the points you have made and will go with you. Both for XX House and The XX. Please put both jobs on one invoice as agreed. Please do help yourself to access on Tuesday morning. Please have a look over both properties. Please let me know when the roof can be done.
Many thanks.
I appreciate your honesty.
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I'm actually quite surprised! :)
Good work.
I would be tempted to hit her with a 'we require 50% up front' or 'payment in full before clean' though.
Just in case.