Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: a900 on June 26, 2009, 09:36:47 am

Title: Quoting a conservatory
Post by: a900 on June 26, 2009, 09:36:47 am
Hello,

A potential customer of mine is interested in having her conservatory windows and plastics cleaned. She has a glass roof which has long window panes. I counted 17 side window sections thats one large window and a smaller one above. I think it is 16 ft by 14 ft. (I should have checked)

It sorta like this one http://www.conservatoryoutlet.co.uk/images/gallery/1242732846_Edwardian-Five-large.gif

So she wants the roof, outside windows, outside plastics, inside roof, inside windows, inside plastics.

I dont have a clue what to charge her? Are the glass roofs easier to clean or are they a no go?

Look foreward to your replies.
Title: Re: Quoting a conservatory
Post by: Sapphire Window Cleaning on June 26, 2009, 09:38:04 am
WFP or Trad?
Title: Re: Quoting a conservatory
Post by: a900 on June 26, 2009, 09:45:48 am
I will WFP the outside and then trad the inside.

I could give WFP a go on the inside. lol  ;D
Title: Re: Quoting a conservatory
Post by: Sapphire Window Cleaning on June 26, 2009, 09:57:49 am
Is it the inside of the roof too?
a thorough clean on something like that I would charge £75 as the inside roofs sections are a pain in the rear.





Matt
Title: Re: Quoting a conservatory
Post by: a900 on June 26, 2009, 10:08:23 am
Yep the inside roof too.
Title: Re: Quoting a conservatory
Post by: kleanitall ltd on June 26, 2009, 10:25:10 am
Hi a900

Did one this week full clean on outside only
had to use w/up liquid on roof with brush
and frames needed bit of jiff 3hrs total
clearered £120
 custy more than happy
dont under value the service you provide !!
your doing it cause they dont/cant do it

Dave
Title: Re: Quoting a conservatory
Post by: a900 on June 26, 2009, 10:46:14 am
I have sorta dug myself a hole. I mentioned £60 but i told her that is without the inside roof.

I said that i would work out how i will do the roof and get back to her with a price today.

The access to the roof is not great on one of  the shorter sided of the conservatory as there is only about 2m between the cons and a fence. And im not the tallest guy in the word.  :-[ Would you stand on a small step ladder?
Title: Re: Quoting a conservatory
Post by: Oakley Windows on June 26, 2009, 10:53:55 am
Probably the best thing to do is go back, like you say, give her the new price with the inside roof, explain that that part is the hardest to do, which will explain the sizeable difference between the 60 you have quoted so far and the new price.

60 for the outsides and in without the in roof is on the cheap side but not outrageously. Go for £95.00 perhaps; all told no more than 3 hours. The outsides are no more than an hour the insides even less and the roof well done inside maybe an hour considering the awkwardness.

Matt
Title: Re: Quoting a conservatory
Post by: GWCS on June 26, 2009, 12:00:18 pm
I have sorta dug myself a hole. I mentioned £60 but i told her that is without the inside roof.

I said that i would work out how i will do the roof and get back to her with a price today.

The access to the roof is not great on one of  the shorter sided of the conservatory as there is only about 2m between the cons and a fence. And im not the tallest guy in the word.  :-[ Would you stand on a small step ladder?


Id be about £200 depending on how dirty it is. I would charge per hour and give an estimated price.

I use a conservatory roof access ladder or a normal ladder with a stand off tied using suction cups on the glass to prevent sideways slip on the out side, and a trestle set up for inside. (inside work is long duration because you will need to move furniture about all the time and cover it up with dust sheets to prevent dirty drips)

Id also find out if they are smokers!!! If they are id test it first, to see how hard the inside will be. Sometimes i dont touch smokers.. the yellow nicotine ruins scrims/cloths and its a ball ache to remove.

Step ladders are not safe for long duration work and should not be used for sideways work due to instability.

If you have said £60 for the outside, then id at least double it to £120 for inside and out or add an extra 25-50% to make the overall price up. Least that way you can do the outside for £60 and keep to your original quote but also make the money up a bit should everything be required.
Title: Re: Quoting a conservatory
Post by: a900 on June 26, 2009, 12:19:21 pm
Hum ok. I have a lot to think about.

The problem i have is that i do not have the funding to purchase additional ladders at the moment and i do not have a roof rack. But i really want the job and the money.

What i am getting is that i need to be charging a lot more for the job.
Title: Re: Quoting a conservatory
Post by: Helen on June 26, 2009, 01:08:20 pm
Hum ok. I have a lot to think about.

The problem i have is that i do not have the funding to purchase additional ladders at the moment and i do not have a roof rack. But i really want the job and the money.

What i am getting is that i need to be charging a lot more for the job.
If you don't mind me saying I really don't think you are equipped to do the job. It's ok saying that you need the money, but what if goes wrong and you damage the custies property or worse still yourself ??? You could be worse off than you were before. Why don't you see if you can find a local WC that is equipped and would do the job with you (you share monies and you gain experience). Subject to finding out more about the job, I would put minimum £120.00 plus vat :) We did a similar shaped one this week, inside of con roof only £60 plus vat, They don't smoke and had moved all the furniture for us (nicey people!) We agreed that the job could be split as long as we could schedule with normal window clean So 2 months ago outer con roof was done with windows same price, but nice earners each time we visit. ;)
Title: Re: Quoting a conservatory
Post by: S.A.J on June 26, 2009, 01:48:12 pm
I would say £200+

Pain in the arse doing inside of roofs, i stay well clear of them now cos of sore neck and over heating in them!!

Stuart
Title: Re: Quoting a conservatory
Post by: Tim82 on June 26, 2009, 03:20:06 pm
 I would definitely say AT LEAST between £100 and £125 because squeegeeing the inside roof will be a right pain in the neck! (to use a pun) I reckon she'd be happy with that too.
Title: Re: Quoting a conservatory
Post by: Sapphire Window Cleaning on June 26, 2009, 03:24:57 pm
I would personally rag & polish the roof inside whilst e using a step ladder. I have used mop and blade inside for a roof before and it took ages.
Title: Re: Quoting a conservatory
Post by: a900 on June 26, 2009, 04:09:21 pm
Ok i have given her the quote at £120 and she has said that she will think about it and get back to me. I dug myself a hole by mentioning £60.  :-[

I was going to borrow my uncles mainenance deck ladder. Thats if he will let me.
Title: Re: Quoting a conservatory
Post by: Helen on June 26, 2009, 04:11:23 pm
Ok i have given her the quote at £120 and she has said that she will think about it and get back to me. I dug myself a hole by mentioning £60.  :-[

I was going to borrow my uncles mainenance deck ladder. Thats if he will let me.

Well done. now don't back down from that price.
Title: Re: Quoting a conservatory
Post by: wfp master on June 26, 2009, 05:23:56 pm
£150 ins & outs  no less or walk away
Title: Re: Quoting a conservatory
Post by: GWCS on June 26, 2009, 05:34:25 pm
Hum ok. I have a lot to think about.

The problem i have is that i do not have the funding to purchase additional ladders at the moment and i do not have a roof rack. But i really want the job and the money.

What i am getting is that i need to be charging a lot more for the job.
If you don't mind me saying I really don't think you are equipped to do the job. It's ok saying that you need the money, but what if goes wrong and you damage the custies property or worse still yourself ??? You could be worse off than you were before. Why don't you see if you can find a local WC that is equipped and would do the job with you (you share monies and you gain experience). Subject to finding out more about the job, I would put minimum £120.00 plus vat :)

I agree if you dont have the equipment just dont do it. Stick to what you can do, save up, buy more equipment and branch out to extra services when you can.

Dont run before you can walk!

BUT, as you have already put the quote in, if you do get it Good Luck, your gonna need it - it's a steep learning curve, and invest the money wisely on new equipment for next time.

Dont forget you can always hire equipment for jobs like these.

Title: Re: Quoting a conservatory
Post by: a900 on June 26, 2009, 08:02:06 pm
I really apreciate your advise guys.

I was thinking of hiring if i needed too. What ideal ladder/platform would be best to invest in?

Title: Re: Quoting a conservatory
Post by: Clive McDonald on June 26, 2009, 08:56:47 pm
GWCS
I do these off steps, but accept it's not safe. Any chance of a pic of a suction cup stand off please?

Probably you haven't got one handy, but anyone else got one?
Title: Re: Quoting a conservatory
Post by: mileslake on June 26, 2009, 10:11:09 pm
Charge 5 x extra for the inside.  Inside roofs are terrible
Title: Re: Quoting a conservatory
Post by: Tim82 on June 27, 2009, 09:17:44 am
 I charged £75 just to clean the outside roof of this conservatory. She was very appreciative!

Ps.have you noticed the clear skies even though i'm in the north west!! - It's pouring down with rain in the south!!  ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Quoting a conservatory
Post by: steve a on June 27, 2009, 09:29:04 am
I charged £75 just to clean the outside roof of this conservatory. She was very appreciative!

Please tell, how did you get to the side nearest the wall.
Thanks
Title: Re: Quoting a conservatory
Post by: a900 on June 27, 2009, 11:45:21 am
That small window could have been how he got to it. lol  ;D
Title: Re: Quoting a conservatory
Post by: Tim82 on June 27, 2009, 12:44:18 pm
I charged £75 just to clean the outside roof of this conservatory. She was very appreciative!

Please tell, how did you get to the side nearest the wall.
Thanks

Oh yeah sorry (I took this yesterday while I was just cleaning windows - I did the cons. job the time before) used ladders up against the right hand side of the cons. and reached across with pole from either end.
Title: Re: Quoting a conservatory
Post by: Tim82 on June 27, 2009, 12:44:36 pm
That small window could have been how he got to it. lol  ;D

I was tempted actually!
Title: Re: Quoting a conservatory
Post by: Tim82 on June 27, 2009, 12:46:41 pm
Ok i have given her the quote at £120 and she has said that she will think about it and get back to me. I dug myself a hole by mentioning £60.  :-[



Well it took my customer a year to finally get back to me before doing the conservatory job I've pictured!!