Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: lcwalker on November 29, 2009, 09:05:29 am

Title: Minimum charges?.
Post by: lcwalker on November 29, 2009, 09:05:29 am
I was just wondering what you charge as a minimum charge for a domestic window clean i live rural and charge a minimum of £10 is this a fair price?.
Title: Re: Minimum charges?.
Post by: leapstallbuildings on November 29, 2009, 09:09:28 am
I was just wondering what you charge as a minimum charge for a domestic window clean i live rural and charge a minimum of £10 is this a fair price?.

That is also my minimum for new work but in practice, it's unusual for me to quote less than £12 these days.
Title: Re: Minimum charges?.
Post by: lcwalker on November 29, 2009, 09:18:44 am
I was just wondering what you charge as a minimum charge for a domestic window clean i live rural and charge a minimum of £10 is this a fair price?.

That is also my minimum for new work but in practice, it's unusual for me to quote less than £12 these days.
Yes i always think they would pay the extra £2, but i quoted for a bunglow last week and got it for £10 it only had 7 windows so i thought it was pushing it asking for £12.But on a house i think ill try to make it at least £12 because i have to get the ladder out.
Title: Re: Minimum charges?.
Post by: jonnyald on November 29, 2009, 09:25:08 am
id go with a pound per window and stick with that . then you can quote easily over the phone
Title: Re: Minimum charges?.
Post by: lcwalker on November 29, 2009, 09:29:40 am
id go with a pound per window and stick with that . then you can quote easily over the phone
I like to have alook because i like to check the access and any any difficult windows if there are id put a pound or two on.
Title: Re: Minimum charges?.
Post by: bignick on December 01, 2009, 12:10:44 pm
I always check out the house for access etc, also I say can i have a look so i can give an accurate price, that way it looks like they get a fair price.  One company my way states £1.25 per window.  This is ok but depends on size.  bay window or patio doors are bigger so charge more.  Easy way to price up a job is in your head charge £1 per window then add 25% on normal house and add additional few quid if access not staright forward.

One point not sure on do you guys charge more for 8 week cleans than a 4 week clean as the windows/ sills get dirtier??
Title: Re: Minimum charges?.
Post by: Scrimble on December 01, 2009, 12:35:32 pm
minimum charge £10 unless its very small or fronts only then its £8, same here i rarely charge less than 12 nowadays
Title: Re: Minimum charges?.
Post by: Murdie window cleaning on December 01, 2009, 02:11:43 pm
Also depends on where about in the country you are.
Title: Re: Minimum charges?.
Post by: mlscontractcleaner on December 01, 2009, 02:49:05 pm
I think it does make a difference where you're based. I live in Plymouth and clean a lot of flats on council estates. If I were to start quoting £10 at prospective customers they'd laugh at me. The minimum I charge on these estates is £6; they're very compact and allow me to clean at least 6/7 per hour, and an hourly rate of £36/42 for a whole day isn't too bad at all.

It does make me laugh on this forum sometimes when folk state that they quote a minimum of £30 per hour upwards. Am I correct then to assume that everyone on here is taking home at least £1,200 per week ( based on a 40 hour week )? ::)

I doubt it, just as I doubt some of the claims made on here. It's enternaining though ;D
Title: Re: Minimum charges?.
Post by: mlscontractcleaner on December 01, 2009, 05:46:15 pm
Evidance to prove what exactly; I'm just telling you that if you tried to charge these customers a tenner a throw to have their windows cleaned you wouldn't get very many of them on your books.

I fish an awful lot on beaches in the south west and the biggest claim made by anglers is about the distance they're casting their bait. Like earnings claimed on this forum they're very often exagerated by strange folk who feel they must try to impress everyone else ::).

Like I said, it's entertaining though ;)
Title: Re: Minimum charges?.
Post by: windowswashed on December 01, 2009, 05:52:09 pm
Evidance to prove what exactly; I'm just telling you that if you tried to charge these customers a tenner a throw to have their windows cleaned you wouldn't get very many of them on your books.

I fish an awful lot on beaches in the south west and the biggest claim made by anglers is about the distance they're casting their bait. Like earnings claimed on this forum they're very often exagerated by strange folk who feel they must try to impress everyone else ::).

Like I said, it's entertaining though ;)

Refreshing to see some realistic comments from the real world again :)
Title: Re: Minimum charges?.
Post by: mlscontractcleaner on December 01, 2009, 05:55:24 pm
Thank you Windowswashed; I was beginning to think I was doing something wrong; twenty years in the job and I'm not starring on Dragons Den yet ;D
Title: Re: Minimum charges?.
Post by: mlscontractcleaner on December 01, 2009, 06:51:11 pm
Well if I used your minimum price I'd be charging £60/70 per hour wouldn't I ???

I know some plumbers who don't make that sort of money ;D
Title: Re: Minimum charges?.
Post by: leapstallbuildings on December 01, 2009, 09:40:13 pm
Evidance to prove what exactly; I'm just telling you that if you tried to charge these customers a tenner a throw to have their windows cleaned you wouldn't get very many of them on your books.

I fish an awful lot on beaches in the south west and the biggest claim made by anglers is about the distance they're casting their bait. Like earnings claimed on this forum they're very often exagerated by strange folk who feel they must try to impress everyone else ::).

Like I said, it's entertaining though ;)

Sure thing.  Most of us can get a colossal hourly rate if we are talking about working our guts out on our cream work.  However, it's about what can be earned on the OKish work at a pace that can be sustained throughout a day or few.  If I were to quote my top job we would be talking a three figure sum for the hourly rate.  No way is all (or much) of my work like that and I certainly wouldn't want to keep that speed up all the time.  Indeed, I wouldn't be able to sustain it.
Title: Re: Minimum charges?.
Post by: cockney rebel on December 03, 2009, 06:23:46 am
I always check out the house for access etc, also I say can i have a look so i can give an accurate price, that way it looks like they get a fair price.  One company my way states £1.25 per window.  This is ok but depends on size.  bay window or patio doors are bigger so charge more.  Easy way to price up a job is in your head charge £1 per window then add 25% on normal house and add additional few quid if access not staright forward.

One point not sure on do you guys charge more for 8 week cleans than a 4 week clean as the windows/ sills get dirtier??
.
I would add an extra pound or two for 8 weekly cleans.
Title: Re: Minimum charges?.
Post by: groundhog on December 03, 2009, 08:59:37 am
My minimum price is £25, I don't like messing about with little £10 jobs anymore!!
Title: Re: Minimum charges?.
Post by: rg1 on December 03, 2009, 02:53:20 pm
I price a job per window, so the average semi for me is £12 and average detached is £20
Title: Re: Minimum charges?.
Post by: Sir Squeaky on December 03, 2009, 04:35:37 pm
My minimum price is £25, I don't like messing about with little £10 jobs anymore!!
Oh Bushpig, we've missed you!
Like to see you charge £25 for a small semi and get the job! Come on! ;D
Title: Re: Minimum charges?.
Post by: cockney rebel on December 03, 2009, 06:12:11 pm
My minimum price is £25, I don't like messing about with little £10 jobs anymore!!
Blimey.... if i charged 25 quid for a semi, i think people would tell me to stick my pole right up my poo shoot.
Title: Re: Minimum charges?.
Post by: groundhog on December 03, 2009, 07:53:06 pm
My minimum price is £25, I don't like messing about with little £10 jobs anymore!!
Oh Bushpig, we've missed you!
Like to see you charge £25 for a small semi and get the job! Come on! ;D

Hi Squealer, my old sparring partner!! That's the point... I don't want any small semi's on my round (unless they are prepared to pay £25 that is!!) I only want high end quality work!!!  ;)
Title: Re: Minimum charges?.
Post by: Sir Squeaky on December 04, 2009, 12:40:16 am
My minimum price is £25, I don't like messing about with little £10 jobs anymore!!
Oh Bushpig, we've missed you!
Like to see you charge £25 for a small semi and get the job! Come on! ;D

Hi Squealer, my old sparring partner!! That's the point... I don't want any small semi's on my round (unless they are prepared to pay £25 that is!!) I only want high end quality work!!!  ;)
Ha ha! Fair enough mate. Good to see you again anyway. ;)
Title: Re: Minimum charges?.
Post by: Frankybadboy on December 04, 2009, 06:31:05 am
i have a min charge of £5 thats even if i do 1 window.

i price my jobs up at a £1 awindow.
Title: Re: Minimum charges?.
Post by: Tosh on December 04, 2009, 07:22:50 am
I think you've got to use some common sense with regards to having a minimum price.  A friend of mine does many of our town centre shops and some of those are just a few quid, ranging to some nicer jobs, but they'll be for a few windows and the work is weekly mostly, and extremely compact.

He can start work really early and by 10.00 am he's turned over a good wadge; in any weather almost.

Also if you do rural houses at £25 a minimum price, and I have quite a few days work like this, it would be daft to try and charge £25 for a small bungalow which you know you won't get if that property is adjacent to a current customer whom you're charging £25+ plus for.
Title: Re: Minimum charges?.
Post by: GBWWFC on December 04, 2009, 03:29:46 pm
how many customers you got then @ £25 minimum ?
Title: Re: Minimum charges?.
Post by: Mist A Bit on December 04, 2009, 03:34:46 pm
i`ve started going on the £1 per window rule. but dont go any less than £5 for the very small jobs in a compact area
Title: Re: Minimum charges?.
Post by: JRDEasiReach on December 04, 2009, 03:54:26 pm
I go on the £1 per window rule too in most cases, sometimes though i can sense the area and drop it slightly to accomodate, my cheapest job is £5
Title: Re: Minimum charges?.
Post by: groundhog on December 05, 2009, 09:30:05 pm
how many customers you got then @ £25 minimum ?

I have 350 customers, and about half of them are £25 or over... I am slowly getting rid of all my rubbish little jobs, and replacing them with decent ones!!!  :)
Title: Re: Minimum charges?.
Post by: Moderator David@stives on December 06, 2009, 12:27:42 am
Dont let anyone kid you, there is plenty of money in Plymouth