[erithwc]

today was the last time i will do a first clean on dirty windows & frames for the same price as a normal mantainance clean  , i have never charged extra for the first clean as i don't want to put customers off.

i have three questions for you

1, if the windows and frames aren't that dirty how much extra do you charge?

2, if the windows and frames are really dirty what do you charge extra i was thinking of charging double ?

3, Do you find people are happy to pay extra for the first clean or does it put people off ?

thanks in advance

[Sean Dyer]

if they are really rank people epect to pay more i find and no one has ever been bothered paying a bit more for first cleans but i dont always charge it, if say i put a good price in for regular cleaning , i will take that bit longer first time, but when cnvassing loads of work i will add 50 - 100% more for first cleans to seperate the messers and so that i can still earn when doing days of first cleans

[clearlyclean]

I charge at least double now I got fed up with people taking advantage of me and saying "we give you call when they get dirty" and now say the regular rate will be half the price of the first clean sorts out the one offs from the regs

[Smudger]

a first clean is normally double - and i have never had anyone complain about the extra on a 1st clean.

if they a in reasonable shape i will charge just extra 50% ( or equivalent to the 8 wky price )

all quotes have a 1st clean price (usually double 4 wky)  an 8 wky price ( 50% more than 4 wky )  then a 4 wky'price.


Darran

[erithwc]

thanks for the replys my pricing is around the £30 per hour for my mantainance cleaning. i think for the dirty first cleans i will have to start charging double or minimum of £20 for the first clean  

[windowswashed]

If it's a first clean and they are black definitely double the price and explain it twill take twice as long hence double the price.
If they are genuine customers in it for regular cleaning they'll understand and if they get shirty they probably only wanted a one off and to take advantage making out they were going to be regular when they weren't.

[Paul Coleman]

today was the last time i will do a first clean on dirty windows & frames for the same price as a normal mantainance clean  , i have never charged extra for the first clean as i don't want to put customers off.

i have three questions for you

1, if the windows and frames aren't that dirty how much extra do you charge?

2, if the windows and frames are really dirty what do you charge extra i was thinking of charging double ?

3, Do you find people are happy to pay extra for the first clean or does it put people off ?

thanks in advance

Generally I will charge an extra 50% - though if I timed it, it probably ought to be more sometimes.
If it's a nice job that I really want, maybe I will waive it if I sense that it's going to be good, regular work.

[wpclean]

There is an easy way to solve this . . . . . explain that the first clean is double, and they will get a free clean after 12 months 

[mark mann]

im stilll a newbie after starting this year but i so get this topic in the way of folk who take the pee when u dont charge extra for 1st clean and fail to become a regular or good custy

really ticks you off when u whip thier windows and frames into good shape and then suddenly thier okay -

somebody mentioned on here fairly recently no such thing as a bad custy just a bad price - aint this the truth with these type of custies.

minging 1st cleans will be a min 20quid charge from me in future - how quick u learn in this trade lol ...

[bobby p]

like many, i have never charged extra for those first cleans and when i think about it ,every single one that was a true minger has never had me carry on cleaning for more than a month or two . i probably slogged my guts out on at least a hundred of those wasters when i built my round.  

[Ian101]

Ive never charged extra for a first clean but thinking about it I should really.

Customer shouldn't have an issue as if your regular price is say £10 monthly thats £120 per year and if they haven't been cleaned for say 12 months then they have still saved £100 after they pay £20 for the 1st clean.

Simples    .... just have to start taking my own advice now 

[chopsie]

I do not charge any extra. I would like to one day and maybe it will happen soon. But I think £20 min is unrealistic, If I went to some of my 2 bed starter/council houses and told them it would be twenty quid first clean I simply would not be cleaning their windows as they would tell me to stick my pole where the sun dont shine!!!
I think if you have a full or nearly full round then you can charge double, or even a min £20 on first cleans as it makes no difference to you whether you get the job or not, But as for us building up a round then I am not so sure, 50% extra might be a good compromise.

[clearlyclean]

I do not charge any extra. I would like to one day and maybe it will happen soon. But I think £20 min is unrealistic, If I went to some of my 2 bed starter/council houses and told them it would be twenty quid first clean I simply would not be cleaning their windows as they would tell me to stick my pole where the sun dont shine!!!
I think if you have a full or nearly full round then you can charge double, or even a min £20 on first cleans as it makes no difference to you whether you get the job or not, But as for us building up a round then I am not so sure, 50% extra might be a good compromise.

you have do whats best for your business when i was building up 50% full I would'nt charge extra but now I charge double first clean because it takes twice as long

[Ian Lancaster]

I've thought about this business of charging extra for first cleans many times but my opinion is still that I can create better customer loyalty by not doing so.  When I give the quote I always say something like:

"We don't charge any extra for the first time, no matter how dirty the windows are because we don't do one offs.  Because we expect a regular ongoing arrangement, we are happy to spend as much time as it takes to get them clean the first time and you understand that this is the service I'm offering.  If you only need a one off, I can recommend someone else who would be prepared to do this for you but of course he charges accordingly."

This doesn't guarantee anything, of course, as there are always unscrupulous people who have no qualms about taking advantage, but we get very few 'second vist' cancellations and once the customer has listened to my little speech and said "Oh, yes, I can understand that" they tend to stay with us.  It takes a particularly hard nosed type to tell you they don't want it anymore when they know it's perfectly clear that they intended to turn us over in the first place.

[ant french]

i had a woman come to me today up the school saying she heard i done windows and i said yes and she told me about the last cleaner left suds on the window ledge and smears on the glass and said she paid him 8.50 for it and i said funny you talk about this i wouldnt charge 8.50 for just 7 windows that are not big, so i got the job for 6 as shes desperate for a windy and im desperate for custys lol thing is shes exspecting me to wipe frames and ledge all for 6 quid, im starting to think i did wrong, but in april i will up my prices a quid i think. thing is i hate heights so would pole system work lol 

i think i was stupid to agree for 6 quid every 4 weeks coz her windows aint been cleaned since may 

[cozy]

I do not charge any extra. I would like to one day and maybe it will happen soon. But I think £20 min is unrealistic, If I went to some of my 2 bed starter/council houses and told them it would be twenty quid first clean I simply would not be cleaning their windows as they would tell me to stick my pole where the sun dont shine!!!
I think if you have a full or nearly full round then you can charge double, or even a min £20 on first cleans as it makes no difference to you whether you get the job or not, But as for us building up a round then I am not so sure, 50% extra might be a good compromise.

Good point Chopsie, it gets easier to charge more when you get a bigger round mate. We charge double now, but 50% on a 3 bed semi sounds OK too, even in a dump like Derby 

[chopsie]

cheers cozy, you know you still have a soft spot for the place really 

[clearlyclean]

ant french you could always do just bungalows  or look at the Pro curve pole I use one on big shop windows there easy use and about £40 for a pole and £20 for the squeegee and mop

[Smudger]

Chops - have to disagree, it's not easier to charge more because your full or busy - getting caught by people
brings a sense or reality - there's an old saying if you start out with cheap prices you'll be stuck with cheap prices.
£20 may be too much but if the 4 wky is £6 then £12 for a first is not unreasonable.

Ian - i no longer have your faith in customers honesty! - i always believed that approach would keep me in good
stead BUT i got burn't twice by doing really dirty 1st cleans ( over an hour ) for standard money only to be told 4 weeks later that as the windows are clean i won't be required.
On the flip side all the custy's that have been charged a 1st clean price seem to appreciate my services more than others that were a straight 4 wky price.

Darran

[mileslake]

I agree with Ian Lancaster but do try to guard against the one off Xmas clean con artists