[esky]

I am actively researching starting up my own carpet cleaning business and i have stumbled to a halt regarding pricing and local competitors.
How do you price a job and secondly how do you price fairly and competively without stepping on the toes of your local competitors?

 

[Mike Osbourne]

Ring up a few CCs. That's what some do although not really much use.

Go out and get a few jobs at something you would be happy with and see how many jobs you get.

[Pristine Clean]

Could be tricky. You sound as though you are caring about the competition.

Ask yourself a question. Would another CC in your area compete with you on a large job. I think the answer would be YES. After all its business. In this climate its every man for themselves. Money pays the bills.

We can all say we dont undercut someone else but I beg to differ. If you want the work people will undercut, throw in a freebie or something to entice the client even if its a free spot remover. You will be suprised just ow many custy fall for that.

Jobs vary from size, type and price and you should set yourself aside to the competition.

We have competition here, plenty! We only have portables and low moisture machines. Our competition has truck mounts etc. But we still win alot of the work and have repeat business and recomendations.

Its not all about size. Its what you can do with it that counts.

Prices. Well what do you want to earn? This forum is great. But not great for pricing it a forum. One will tell you low prices, others will say prices if successful will make you a millionare overnight.

If you want jobs that pay well then you have to have the right type of clients. If you want lots of work you may find that you need to lower your prices.

Work will flow in if you give a quality service. Good after care. But becareful not to price low that next time you have to increase your prices by too much of a %. Customers do not like that on repeat work.

All the best.

Dave

[esky]

Yeah i was thinking of contacting other CCs in the area but i am a bit unsure as to how i would be viewed,(a, as a newcomer to the scene and b. a threat to their livlehood) although for me there's nothing better than healthy competition in any area of life.
Pristine clean thanks for the great and truthful answer.
It's not as though i care too much about the others as my own livlihood comes first, just that as a newcomer in any line of business if you go charging in and upsetting the apple cart then it can and does get tough for you somewhere down the line.so for me i would be looking at pricing competitevly but not stupidly,if you know what i am saying.
Regarding pricing is it worth pricing a job as to the size of the area you clean or set price per room no matter size?

[Mike Osbourne]

Surely someone in your family, your friends , someone you know has had their carpets cleaned by a carpet cleaner? If the answer is no I would do something else.

By the way, where do you live?

[chrisjohn]

Esky

If you fill in your profile(ie area you live in!),you might find a CC will volunteer to mentor you for a few days.

Chris

[Pristine Clean]

Esky,

I take it you have a CC Machine. If so what about the idea of cleaning your own home (You could pay yourself for doing such a good job) or friends home. Even if its for free.

That way you could find out how long it takes you. Then you will at least have an idea of how long it takes. Then you could price accordingly.

We price to a set number of factors:

Size
Level of soiling
We discount if there is no furniture to move - moving furniture takes time.
Type of carpet  - some are easier to clean than others

Distance - feul, travel time, Parking ease of access. - what if they are in a hi-rise flat on the 12 floor.

Your market - Residential or commercial. Upper class or in the Bronx. ok Commercial prices vary but if you want the work you need to price LOW! The competition is deadly for commercial work. You could lose it just on £0.5p per square metre. And No I am not kidding. So I price to win the work. But it also has to be worth while. truth is if I can earn at it and the client says i have been quoted such and such, I ask to see the quotation. If I can beat the price I will.

Why it pays for my overheads, Holidays,the wife, the kids and food, My Jaguar XJS X 2 and Soveriegn. and much more.

Others are not so honest but I am.   

Sometinmes as low as £85p per square metre, lower if I need or want the work. Depending on how much, type you have to way in all the variables. Dont just take it for the sake of taking it.

Residential - that a different ball game. Carpets are long pile. and vary much in type, colour runs, stains, kids & pets.

Some competition go in as low as £15.00 per room. But have a minimum call out say of £45.00

LR £25
DN £20
HW £10 - 15
ST £1.50 PER TREAD - AVERAGE IS 13 TREADS
BR £10

all + VAT ABSOLUTE MINIMUM.

However if you are cleaning a large 5 - 6 bed house then you will need to up the price accordingly as you wont earn.

On average you should be able to do atleast 2 - 3 houses per day once you are organised and experienced.

I would at least say you need to earn the minimum of £45 call out.

Just for removing a stain say of lip stick or nail varnish minimum charge of £65.00 + vat thats about 1-2 hours work.

Dave

[esky]

Dave thanks for your honesty it is really appreciated and worth taking on board,so thanks again!
I haven't got a machine as yet but i am looking at portables,namely the prochem steam pro 2000 simply because they seem to be talked about more,does anyone have any recommendations on portables,or where you can pick up a decent second hand machine to get started?
What are the things that are important and i should look for in a portable?
also is there a great difference between the walk behind machines or the stand alone with wand?
Again all advice and answers are greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Robert

[Colin Day]

Esky....

Welcome to the world of carpet cleaning..... You must be mad

I can only recommend what I use which is the Altec Triple Vac, 600psi..... It's costs a little over £3k and I'm so chuffed with it....

I will be looking to upgrade to a Prowler in future, but I don't feel that I could improve what I've got by buying any other type of porty!

With regards to pricing. If you feel like you're working too hard for the money, then you probably are! I've said this before, but if you're happy, the customer's happy and satisfied with the work you've done, you'll get recommended by them and it's a job well done.

Good Luck.... Dave Day (Formerly known as Colin!)