Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: jo5hm4n on October 21, 2016, 10:59:35 am

Title: How much to charge?
Post by: jo5hm4n on October 21, 2016, 10:59:35 am
Right, so had a website enquiry come through from a lady who lives in this mahoosive house.  Now she told me her last window cleaner charged her £15, which I think is actually insane.  She only wants the front and right hand side done, and also if I am to clean this I will be only using WFP, and my pole wont reach the 2nd story windows and the angle is too far set back so I wont be including these in my price.  I went yesterday and she wasn't home, decided to take some photos, so I am letting you guys  on here help decide what price I should charge.  She wants it done 8 weekly, but give me a 4 weekly price too, also it's in north wales, not London prices so keep that in mind!


Price away!

Title: Re: How much to charge?
Post by: lal on October 21, 2016, 11:26:27 am

    50 quid every 2 months,  also what happened to her 15 quid shiner ?

    Lal
Title: Re: How much to charge?
Post by: Soupy on October 21, 2016, 11:41:33 am
what happened to her 15 quid shiner ?

He was charging £15, that's what.
Title: Re: How much to charge?
Post by: p1w1 on October 21, 2016, 11:49:11 am
I wouldn't believe everything a customer tells you regarding previous cleaner prices
Title: Re: How much to charge?
Post by: SeanK on October 21, 2016, 12:07:18 pm
Totally agree with p1w1, what I will say is if those windows are wooden painted and in a similar condition to the fence
then good luck getting them up to decent standard using wfp, more so if bedded in with puddy.
Title: Re: How much to charge?
Post by: M & C Window Cleaning on October 21, 2016, 12:08:01 pm
Did she say how long he'd been the window cleaner? He probably only did them once and realised what a numpty he'd been quoting only £15
Title: Re: How much to charge?
Post by: Dave Willis on October 21, 2016, 12:20:27 pm
At least £16!
Title: Re: How much to charge?
Post by: NWH on October 21, 2016, 12:35:58 pm
Those front and side and I only want you to come when I let
You know people are a waste of time,like flowers they only come out in the spring   If they start out being like that how does it end,normally always in tears.
Title: Re: How much to charge?
Post by: Shrek on October 21, 2016, 02:18:46 pm
Depends on if you need the work badly , if your not to bothered then just price it on how long 1 window takes you , x that by how many windows there are and then x that by 2.5  :D
Title: Re: How much to charge?
Post by: Smurf on October 21, 2016, 03:44:28 pm
That's like saying can you give me a price to do the 1st floor windows only as I can clean the ground floor windows myself  ;D
Good luck with that quote as to be honest I think no matter what you price that job at you will be wasting your time.

Messer/oddball springs to mind  ::)roll
Title: Re: How much to charge?
Post by: David Beecroft on October 21, 2016, 04:07:46 pm
If it was near enough my other work I would expect £25 for that, once it's up and running it's a 20minute job. I tend to charge the same for both 4 & 8 weekly jobs. Any longer and they pay more because you're almost starting from scratch. Hope that helps.
Title: Re: How much to charge?
Post by: Smurf on October 21, 2016, 04:13:17 pm
There are 3 major concerns I can see with that job.

1. fragile leads
2. wooden frames
3. bonkers owner

Title: Re: How much to charge?
Post by: AuRavelling79 on October 21, 2016, 04:15:52 pm
Front and side (no dormers) as shown I would go £20 if it is very close to other work, £25 if more than 200 yards away. WFP only - no blading downstairs on any window or door glass.

On the basis it would take 20/25 minutes when I wanted it to. And timing from the point my engine is switched off upon arrival to being switched on again and leaving. (Maybe 25/30 minutes if she is home.)

An on the basis the paintwork and lead is sound.
Title: Re: How much to charge?
Post by: Ian101 on October 21, 2016, 04:28:14 pm
those lead windows on the 3rd picture - I still do a large manor house near us and its got those type of lead windows in it and they move in and out even with the lightest of touches oh and they leak like a sieve so be very careful - inspect before you take job on even if you have to go inside to inspect their condition - hundreds to fix IF you can find someone to fix it

like someone else said wooden frames so wfp can do a poor job

personally I would just decline it as too many negatives and if she pushes give a very very high price
Title: Re: How much to charge?
Post by: NWH on October 21, 2016, 04:29:44 pm
Waste of time people like that penny pinching as said you clean the tops for me coz i can reach the bottoms,they have more than likely had every window cleaner in the area over the years.
Title: Re: How much to charge?
Post by: simonr on October 21, 2016, 04:46:56 pm
If you can't reach some of the windows she wants doing why are you bothering
Title: Re: How much to charge?
Post by: jo5hm4n on October 21, 2016, 05:25:43 pm
Appreciate all the comments.  I'll charge her £50 but will also tell her first that really I am not keen on the job because of the condition of the wooden frames and leaded lights which may leak.  I will tell her I will only do it if she really is desperate and even then theres a chance that WFP may not do a perfect job.  If she knows all of the risks in advance then that takes away most of the worry I suppose.  At least if I charge her £50 it will probs take me 30 mins on a regular clean and if she bins me off, then that is that I suppose....  Incidentally the nearest customer I have is about a 10 min drive away at present....
Title: Re: How much to charge?
Post by: E.C.S on October 21, 2016, 07:38:27 pm
She's using the whole my old window cleaner (insert ridiculous price here) speech.

It looks a nightmare to be honest. As everyone else has said, brittle leded windows that will leak and wooden frames that need some love..

And that's without the customer trying to have you over before you have even started!

Sometimes you just have to say you can't fit them in?!

Good luck!
Title: Re: How much to charge?
Post by: CleanClear on October 21, 2016, 07:56:07 pm
The windows look very well maintained to me. So whoever was doing them before has had no problems with lead lights etc.. I'd be looking for £40, like they asked every 8 weeks. I wouldn't offer a 4 weekly price.
Title: Re: How much to charge?
Post by: nathankaye on October 21, 2016, 09:56:49 pm
Appreciate all the comments.  I'll charge her £50 but will also tell her first that really I am not keen on the job because of the condition of the wooden frames and leaded lights which may leak.  I will tell her I will only do it if she really is desperate and even then theres a chance that WFP may not do a perfect job.  If she knows all of the risks in advance then that takes away most of the worry I suppose.  At least if I charge her £50 it will probs take me 30 mins on a regular clean and if she bins me off, then that is that I suppose....  Incidentally the nearest customer I have is about a 10 min drive away at present....

I always ignore whatever they say about a previous window cleaner and previous prices.  I just tell them, "well for me to clean them they sould be £xx and if there was any concerns i would highlight this first. I certainly wouldnt start by saying i dont particularly want to do them or only if shes desperately wants them doing.
Make uo your m8nd if your doing them or not and what your price is.
Title: Re: How much to charge?
Post by: nathankaye on October 21, 2016, 10:03:17 pm
I had a call out by a new potential client and whilst there a neighbour enquired as well. Both properties on this farmers land, this neighbour rents his property tho. He was telling me how tight fisted his landlord was and then i checked out his property. Wooden frames and most were well rotten. I tild him i could do a one of for £40 as they havent been cleaned for a very long time. But i wouldnt do them after that as frames in a bad state and if landlord is as tight and horrid as he was making him out to be, i didnt want him on my back trying to accuse me of any window damage or problems etc.
If it was an ok house n frames, it would have been 20quid every 4wks. So as u can imagine he didnt like the one of 40pound idea  ::)roll
Title: Re: How much to charge?
Post by: Smurf on October 23, 2016, 11:36:25 am
I think newbies tend to forget you can pick & choose what work you want to take on as some are more hassle than they are worth.

Title: Re: How much to charge?
Post by: the king on October 23, 2016, 04:01:37 pm
job looks easy to me the lead may leak so tell her before hand the wood fraims look fine , alarm  bells tho as she had a wc now he not coming any more does sound like a messer so go in high  if u get it all good if u dont who gives a hoot ;D