Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: windows_chepstow on November 11, 2006, 03:27:14 pm
-
I've various methods for pricing, for example in some of my estates I know what other window cleaners charge, so I just charge slightly more than them for a similar type of house.
For example in one terraced area I do, I charge 7 quid per house, instead of the going rate of 5.50 to 6.00, and meet very little resistance to this.
But when faced with a larger property, I try to price around 1 pound per window, and will add or subtract depending on ease of access, frequency of clean and how much I want the job.
It's not an exact science is it?
I'm also, after four years, still rubbish at estimating how long each job will take; before I actually do it, so when I read posts about estimating the time and charging by the hour; I think 'how do they do that'?
How do you price and can you estimate how long it'll take to do a job, before actually doing it?
-
I have just really come across this, like you "normal" houses are easy as you know roughly how much you charge on a simular property, had one last week asked for a price walked round and was thinking cool, thinking £15 and going over and over in my head £15, £15, £15, £15 then when it came to how much will it be then i said £14, what was i on, luckily the woman said shall we call it £15 so obviously i bit her hand off.
Then had to price a school, how the hell do you price that????
I think it will take me 2 days so did what i wanted for a days work x2 the added 10% incase, just hope it doesnt take longer than that if it does oh well.
My Mrs really stuggles with this, now and then shes does some door knocking and always nearly underprices what i would charge and its always by a couple of quid.
I dont think there is a science i think its just something you pick up from pricing lots of different sized properties over time, as i know some of my first bigger domestic stuff is now under priced to what i charge 5 month on.
-
I always price at a pound a window. On larger properties, after working out the pound a window, I consider the price as a whole and then add or subtract as I feel necessary
-
the way i price out on how long the place would take example a 3 bed with bay window i give so much time per ladder move so 4 expample 1 half of the bay id say 3mins for that then other half 3mins for that =6mins then ad about 5 on for the bottom 11mins etc! thats rough estimate on how i do it and then i price it most are happy and iv learnt this way now and am 98% right all the time! and i have some were i am even faster than i estimted. on big property mayb flats i will either price my daily rate or half of it or if its very small then normaly il work it out 2 the nearest hour our or something. most houses now i can estimate how long anyway.
i have never used the price per window method dont really see how it could work.
Dave
-
Very easy for me, (judging by frame size, not individual panes except for extreme cases)
Big windows/French doors : £2
Medium windows £1,50
Small ones : £1
Tiny ones : £0.70
Add all the windows up, compare that to what you should earn an hour, and see how long it will take you.
Georgian windows : x2
Leaded glass : x2
Conservatories : ~1 pound a pane
Take access and pole work into consideration, and finalize your price.
Works all the time for me. £25-£30 an hour Surrey area.
Also closely related is the amount of customers you need a day. I need a little over £100 a day to make a comfortable living. I will not go over 15 customers a day. I'm working to live, not the other way around. You have more time in the end for detailing (as in, pay attention to detail, check everything when your finished), and do an excellent customer service. It's not about cramming as many houses in one day as you can. Price a bit more, but be relaxed when your working, do not get under time stress just to make an extra bit of money.
I've done the full time job, I've done the 9 hours a day behind the PC as a System Administrator. Never ever going back. ;D
-
I think you get a feel for knowing how long a job will take you.
I would look at a job and say that'll take me 15 mins, half an hour whatever.
I have a figure in mind of what I want to be earning an hour so if its a half hour job, it would be half of the hourly rate I want to be on, plus a bit for travel or whatever.
Various factors come into how long a job would take, so going purely by price per window would be difficult.
-
Personally i price per window roughly a pound - 1.50.
thenj add a couple of quid on for good measures. if it's leaded or georgian £2 each.
and if 3 storey then £2 each too.
-
As you know Tosh, area does come into pricing. (maybe that is another topic)
You go into a Garage, not a main dealer, just a repair shop etc. You say, "My car needs a service, it might need oil change, oil filter, spark plugs, air filter, brake pads, oh, and can you sort out a smell of fuel! I think it's got a leak somewhere."
"How much will that be?" They can't tell you. "OK", you say, "What do you charge per hour?"
Some, most will tell you their labour charges per hour. Lets say it's £30 ph. and they take 3 hours, and they sort your problems. You get a bill for £227.41 + vat.
You are horrified! They only said £30 ph.
They are no different to us. They see what type of vehicle is rolling in, the rust, the neglect etc, you, your status..They see it in a thrice!
In short, we do the same..use all your resources, walk around the house, get a figure in your own mind....Keep to the one you would like
If you can do the job before you quote, remember, they just want the windows cleaned! Time it! Bingo!
Don't make the mistake of telling them it'll be cheaper next time! How you price it first time is how it is.
Pj
-
I loosely base my prices on £1.00 per window.
When I'm counting up the windows I'll break a big window down into what I consider to be a standard size, and then depending on how easy or difficult the job is I'll adjust the price accordingly.
On housing estates that I already work on, I know roughly what the base price is, so I can tell a potential customer straight away what the minimum price will be when they ring me.
If they have extensions or conservatories they get told it will cost more.
On stand alone accounts it is just a quid a window, if a fair bit of travelling is involved I'll add another couple of quid.
Commercial offices and so on, or pubs and the like then it is at least a quid a window...minimum and for every floor it goes up, so does the price per window.
Because of WFP, georgian or leaded makes little difference to a normal casement window, but I still price it as if I am doing it trad...or very nearly so.
Probably at about £1.50 per window.
Georgian and leaded are therefore my best earner, whereas before they were my worst :-\
Ian
-
I've various methods for pricing, for example in some of my estates I know what other window cleaners charge, so I just charge slightly more than them for a similar type of house.
For example in one terraced area I do, I charge 7 quid per house, instead of the going rate of 5.50 to 6.00, and meet very little resistance to this.
But when faced with a larger property, I try to price around 1 pound per window, and will add or subtract depending on ease of access, frequency of clean and how much I want the job.
It's not an exact science is it?
I'm also, after four years, still rubbish at estimating how long each job will take; before I actually do it, so when I read posts about estimating the time and charging by the hour; I think 'how do they do that'?
How do you price and can you estimate how long it'll take to do a job, before actually doing it?
Tosh. I have my ideas on prices but still occasionally mess it up. Had one the other day. My minimum is £10. It was a first clean so added 50% so £15. It has 10 windows so that's about right for my area. Went to do it and there's a load of pug on the side windows that needed scraping off. The place was re-tiled a while back and the side windows were under the verges and the roofers hadn't cleaned the pug off. I imagine there was a scaffold board at that level and it splashed onto the glass.
Anyway, that meant getting the ladder off. Those roofers must have been using some seriously strong mix on those verges because it felt like hardened glue. Two windows took me longer than the rest of the entire job - a lot longer.
On top of that, I hadn't allowed for the oak tree overhanging the front windows. Years of cpmplete and uitter c*ap on them from the tree and the birds. Nightmare.
This £15 first clean ended up taking me one and a half hours - oops !!
So although I've been at it 15 years, it is still possible to make some real howlers.
I learned a lesson about quoting in the dark and also about filthy first cleans where there are overhanging trees.
-
I just keep it basic.Average house £8-£12.Large house £15 upwards.Ive never priced per window.
-
There is no way of accurately pricing up a job. The technical name for my technique is "guesswork".
Minimum price for basic 3 bed semi is £12 then scale up from there.
Its based really on what you think you can get away with, I haven't had a customer refuse my price for ages so I reckon I'm too cheap. Going to try £14 minimum and see how that goes.
But like Tosh I'm rubbish really. If I were like some of the hard faced b****rds I would be getting much more.
-
I couldnt charge those sort of prices up here I dont think. Always priced up at about 50p a window. However, after going WFP I've realised that its not enough because the customers aren't paying just for a service anymore - they are paying for a product, ie: the Water. Time to up those prices!
Dave
-
Why is there a competition up there or are customers cheap skates or something!!
-
Yeah they're stingy beggars! They'd start boarding the windows up rather than pay for them being cleaned! :D Only joking. Just due a price increase I think!
Dave
-
I don't price per window because i think that's a bit too scientific when you're standing at someones house trying to tot it all up. What do you do when they'res a tiny little single bathroom window and then a great big 5 paned lounge window?? I've always based it on how long it will take. I aim to earn £16 - £18 per hour and base my prices on how long it will take me to do a house. I'm always honest with people if they have some really strange windows in places which are impossible to get to..That way they can't say to you later " why didnt you clean that window ?". Only been going 18 months but would say now that Ive got quoting sussed. In fact what I now do is maybe try and be a bit clever and slightly over price..even if only by a £1.00 or £2.00. If i get the house then i can drop someone who is not such a good payer. YOU'VE GOT TO LOOK AFTER NUMBER ONE IN THIS LIFE!!!!
-
I priced a house yesterday. Basic semi with good side access no extensions or conservatory. Also this is my first house in a new road that I have leafleted.and want to get a foothold in.
I quoted him £12, he paused for a moment then said "Is that all? Gosh I thought it would be a lot more than that"
Now you tell me. How much did he think it was going to be? £15? £20? £25?
The more you do the more you realise its not as easy as all that.
-
Hm, you gotta keep in mind that some people really don't care about money at all, and have no clue how much it will cost. I quoted one house 22 pounds, and she was like (ms Moneybags) oh, that's allright. I was like....heh, oh well!!
-
Hm, you gotta keep in mind that some people really don't care about money at all, and have no clue how much it will cost. I quoted one house 22 pounds, and she was like (ms Moneybags) oh, that's allright. I was like....heh, oh well!!
Good for you mate, isn't cool when you meet people like that!!
-
The trouble is you don't know you have met one like that till after you have given them the quote.
-
I judge how long it will take, and charge a £1 a minute.
15 min = £15
30 min = £30
60 min - £60
Based on one man working.
Roy
-
I judge how long it will take, and charge a £1 a minute.
15 min = £15
30 min = £30
60 min - £60
Based on one man working.
Roy
60 an hour! :o :o ;D
That's one way of getting rich! The trouble is you don't know you have met one like that till after you have given them the quote.
Yea, what a shame, wish I could read minds, instead of just £22, Bam £30 haha