[Carl2009]

I started in April 2009 and have a nice little round built. I didn't put prices up this year because I felt it was too soon, but plan on doing so from the May clean next year. A £10 clean will be going to £11 - a 10% increase, which for 2 years I feel is fair given the RPI is 4.6% at the moment. A £30 clean will go to £32, so I will adjust as I see fit.

I've chosen May because new, higher tax codes come in In April and the State Pension goes up in April too: ideally people will be feeling a bit more flush (if they haven't lost their jobs as a result of next weeks cuts!).

The issue is that there is quite a lot of doom and gloom about in the news at the moment. I've had a spate of "Can you leave it till March" and "Can you clean every other month during the winter months" too, along with some movers and the odd death; i've lost about £2500 pa worth of work in the last 5 weeks or so (saying that, we have the winter coming and I lose a lot of days to wet weather here in West Wales, so don't want to be rammed with work and worrying I am behind), anyway....

Should I put my prices up in May? If so by how much?

[Lee GLS]

If you think like that you will never put them up, I have been thinking like that and havnt put mine up for 5 years, bar a few. So just do it, if you pit them all up you won't loose as much work as the increased prices, worst case you will be earning the same amount as you are now but doing less houses, but I'm sure that you won't loose any if you are good at your job

[mark mann]

imteresting to soo peoples views on price increases to i think yours is perfectly aceptable price of fuel rising etc etc.

personally i think an annual or bi-annual price increase good idea based on a recent feedback from a guy i know  hes window cleaner he has many years wanted to put price up from 2o quid to 25 quid his wife said she wouldnt pay it and would only be prepared to pay 22 to whcih the windy agreed - personally i would have priced at 16-18 but fair play to the windy if you can get it.

im still learning and making pricing mistakes and i think what we do is undervalued anyway and that folk have ceiling to the vlaue they place on having thier windows cleaned.

[Johnny B]

If you think like that you will never put them up, I have been thinking like that and havnt put mine up for 5 years, bar a few. So just do it, if you pit them all up you won't loose as much work as the increased prices, worst case you will be earning the same amount as you are now but doing less houses, but I'm sure that you won't loose any if you are good at your job

I agree with this, as I am guilty of not increasing my prices as often as I should. I have more  work than I can cope with, so I know that mine would be a prime case of 'going for it'. I have always had an irrational fear of upsetting people, which is what I have to battle with when I do implement price increases. The funny thing is when I have done, customers almost unanimously welcomed the increase!

John

[clearlyclean]

I put my prices up start of a new year and now they all expect it to go up every year or youll be doing 3 bed semi for a fiver for the rest of your life

[the bfg]

I started in 2006 and still havent put my prices up,  even had a few customers asking me when I'm putting them up.

defo not at least until 2011 and even maybe not them either but will put them up by 2012 as that will be 5 years.


and to be fair I do quote a decent price to start off.

[Llaaww]

Probably not. Just work harder.

[Helen]

I started in April 2009 and have a nice little round built. I didn't put prices up this year because I felt it was too soon, but plan on doing so from the May clean next year. A £10 clean will be going to £11 - a 10% increase, which for 2 years I feel is fair given the RPI is 4.6% at the moment. A £30 clean will go to £32, so I will adjust as I see fit.

I've chosen May because new, higher tax codes come in In April and the State Pension goes up in April too: ideally people will be feeling a bit more flush (if they haven't lost their jobs as a result of next weeks cuts!).

The issue is that there is quite a lot of doom and gloom about in the news at the moment. I've had a spate of "Can you leave it till March" and "Can you clean every other month during the winter months" too, along with some movers and the odd death; i've lost about £2500 pa worth of work in the last 5 weeks or so (saying that, we have the winter coming and I lose a lot of days to wet weather here in West Wales, so don't want to be rammed with work and worrying I am behind), anyway....

Should I put my prices up in May? If so by how much?

Personally I wouldn't spend the next 6 months thinking about it. I would concentrate on what you already have and keeping them! You've already said you've lost some!
You can think about price changes in March/April time.
No you shouldn't leave your prices the same for too long, but you do have to be realistic. The current economic climate is not good . Window cleaning is a "luxury" item and some may have to cancel as they will want to pay for other things before window cleaning.
Get through the winter, have a a look at things then and then decide on your pricing.

[Carl2009]

Hi Helen (and all others) - good advice.

I think a mix and match approach may be appropriate. Up for those that are under-priced; the same price for those that aren't, however...

I feel I provide a top quality service, second to none, so am feel comfortable charging a little extra. I lost a few last year as I have this, but am up year on year by 25% (gross turnover year on year). Equally so inflation bears down on all of us. I think i'll see how the winter / cuts / if work drops off go and review it, with a slight leaning towards an increase for some if not all.

Window cleaning is a luxury. Except for us.

[prestige cleaners]

you know what winds me up, when people say is it the same price? expecting a rise, and i say, yeah of course! doh!

[mci services]

you know what winds me up, when people say is it the same price? expecting a rise, and i say, yeah of course! doh!

yep I do that : guilty as charged

[RO-Sheen]

I have a golden rule......If I begin to resent doing a house for the money I'm charging it is time to put the price up to a amount I wont resent. If the customer doesnt accept the new price, then there is nothing lost. Move on and replace with a new customer that is priced good.
Just don't get greedy though and charge stupid high amounts as it will tarnish your reputation.

[mci services]

I have a golden rule......If I begin to resent doing a house for the money I'm charging it is time to put the price up to a amount I wont resent. If the customer doesnt accept the new price, then there is nothing lost. Move on and replace with a new customer that is priced good.
Just don't get greedy though and charge stupid high amounts as it will tarnish your reputation.

thats a good rule I think it is a fear thing that holds a lot of people back, me included

I will give three examples

1. trad to wfp= dont want to lose customers, but many have changed over and benefited so they got over the fear
2. don't work in the rain= don't want to lose customers again many have benefited and increased there turnover
3. put prices up= lose customers again many do it and do not lose customers, its a horrible fear we all suffer from but we need to get over it, I am still working on number three but I will get there

[Gav Camm lammy 283]

so wots yr average stu im taking it yr fortnightly ?

[mci services]

so wots yr average stu im taking it yr fortnightly ?

no I used to be fortnightly but now mostly monthly, I even had a few weeklys

my average would be pretty poor compared to most on here but I reckon the hourly rate would be that not much difference

but thats because I can clean quickly,

if you really want to know my average price I will work it out for domestic but the last time I did it was around the £6 mark but I have work ranging from £3.50 to well a lot higher

[Gav Camm lammy 283]

stu i still clean fortnightly
average 6 ish i clean fast trad 26yrs under me belt lol
monthly 10 s sum wfp mostly trad i love it no hassle
a loads ask for wfp but they want perfection
so get tradded lol

[zimzam]

you know what winds me up, when people say is it the same price? expecting a rise, and i say, yeah of course! doh!

yep I do that : guilty as charged

me too.

[mci services]

stu i still clean fortnightly
average 6 ish i clean fast trad 26yrs under me belt lol
monthly 10 s sum wfp mostly trad i love it no hassle
a loads ask for wfp but they want perfection
so get tradded lol

my average house is around the fiver mark, thats small council house type

although I have a few at four quid that brings in better money quicker than all the ten quiders and plus,

I will trad or wfp whatever makes the money

when I read the commercial quotes on here I really wish they would all move up here as I could beat all prices quoted and still make the same money but hey thats life

[Gav Camm lammy 283]

get hold ov dean m8 for lidls iv got
is number i do is n/wales ones 

[mci services]

get hold ov dean m8 for lidls iv got
is number i do is n/wales ones 

pretty sure a company up here have them already but if dean has them, well I am up for it

I will look at it