[paul mather]

Would anyone bother to quote for them. I've always shyed away from them as windows are always hangin & school budgets demand very cheap prices.
 However as some may have noticed by my recent postings I have joined the happy ranks of the WFP users. Wondering if this should affect my decision on whether to bother quoting for a school that called me today.

[marc al]

  Go and quote, you may be surprised.

  Marc

[windows_chepstow]

I've only ever quoted for one school.

They wanted one clean per term and I quoted a low price (so I thought) and didn't get the job.

I may quote for local schools (this one was in Newport - 30 minutes drive from me) if asked, but I wouldn't go out of my way for them.

Wor Little Un's school hasn't had their windows cleaned in the four years she's attended there.

I've even been tempted to do them a 'free clean'  (cough cough, free, splutter; 'nurse, my pills; quick), just to give Wor Little Un a clean window to stare out of when she's bored with maths and stuff!

[Moderator David@stives]

Paul

Go and Qoute it , School contracts are as rare as hens teeth, once you have got it , its yours for life.

My schools are done every term and the invoice is never questioned.

Schools will pay the going rate, they have got to be done so they will pay the price, If you lose out to a cheap quote then you are extremely unlucky.

schools usually associate cheap with unreliability.

Dave

[C Senor]

Hello,

Do you have to go via councils to get school work ?

Carl   

[windows_chepstow]

Hello,

Do you have to go via councils to get school work ?

Carl   

Carl,

On the one occassion I was asked to quote for a school, it was the school secretary who phoned me; she took my number from the phone book.

So I would say no; you don't have to go via councils to get school work.

I also phoned my council around a year ago to get on their tender list; but they told me they didn't have a council tender list at all for window cleaners.

They told me that if a council establishment wants their windows cleaned in my area (Monmouthshire), they'll seek a window cleaner out for themselves.

This appears to be true as I clean the windows of a local authority, an adult education centre, and it was the manager that phoned me to ask for a quote.

But other council areas may differ in their policies.

[williamx]

With the new rules that schools have to employ now, whereas all staff must be police vetted does this now include window cleaners?

[JM123]

With the new rules that schools have to employ now, whereas all staff must be police vetted does this now include window cleaners?

with an avatar like that I should hope so!!

[Sarah Sarill]

We have 2 comprehensive schools and one primary school and are without doubt our best paying jobs.

Once you have been police checked by your local  authority the school can ask for the results,otherwise they will want it done,particularly if you clean during school hours, which we do.

In our experience Most schools require PL of 5Mill and will ask for a copy before you start.

Dont underquote as w/c forms part of most LEA schools maintenance budget.

We get paid by BACS usually within 7 days as immediate payment form part of our quotation.  Dont get put off by the mention of monthly Accounts - most have the facilities to pay weekly even if it has to go to the local council for issue.

Go for it - dont underquote and if you get it youve cracked it, if not, what have you lost !!!

Sarah

Enough now the BBQ's ready 

[paul mather]

Sarah,

Do you use WFPs to do your schools? Do you find they cope OK with a years muck?

[paul mather]

Sarah could you look @ my previous posting & give me your thoughts, thankx

[Sarah Sarill]

Paul,

Yes we always use wfp now-no exceptions. We were told it was one of the reasons we got the job because the LA in our area is in a panic about H&S working at heights. Personally I would focus on this point quote heavily.

We had a major problems with the last new job we did because the gym windows were powder coated and peeling !!  This resulted in a white milky run which was a nightmare to get clean and despite many attempts we resorted to blading off.

The last job wanted Risk Assessments for each day worked and we were only permitted to be on site during the Witsun Week and weekends so dontf orget to build any extra in for that.

If I can help furtherlet me know Paul.

Sarah

[paul mather]

Thank you for that sarah, just wondered when you go to price up do you normally take a digi camera, noticed quite a few on this forum do that.
I thought it was a good idea but then it crossed my mind that a school might take exception to that ( there are some perverts out there)

[marc]

when you say £500 per day is that a 2 man team ?

[Sarah Sarill]

Paul,

We do take the camera.  We take pictures of any  problems we see and need to mention in the quote itself. (ie Unlockable windows, built in air conditioning units, flaking paint etc).  They wont allow you to take pics in schooltimes so we usually go to quote beforehand (the caretakers are normally in from about 7.30am)

Marc,


From what I have read here it seems as if the price you get is based on your area and the competition - we have been lucky as up until recently we were the only wfp in our town.  In some areas schools are not as profitable.

Sarah