[lee sobol]

I got a call from an elderly lady the week before christmas to come give her a quote for her windows in a small warden block of flats. She only had three or four small windows but needed ladders to reach, I was gob smacked when she said her last window cleaner charged her about £2.50. I laughed to myself as I decided I wouldn't even contemplate doing it for that price, after a while of walking around and sussing it all out and the fact it was literally a few hundred yards from my house I said I'd do them for £5. I think she was a little surprised at the charge and said ok and we agreed on a certain day the next week. When I left the premises I noticed two window cleaners up ladders doing the windows at a pub opposite. A couple of days later she left me a voice mail to say that although she didn't know beforehand that her son had arranged for a window cleaner to come around and do her windows so for me not to bother coming around. About half an hour later I drove by her flat and noticed the two same window cleaners from the pub walking by the flats. It's taken me this long (slow I know) to possibly realize I screwed up big time ! Me thinks I could have done her windows for £2.50 plus possibly picked up "potentially" the rest of the block.....killing several birds with one stone... and on my doorstep... did I do wrong or what, I blame my inexperience my hey I'm learning the market every day.

[Paul Coleman]

Probably did right.  Such jobs are very time consuming in ways other than just the window cleaning.  Such jobs, IME< are better done en bloc with the property freeholders.  One payment.  One point of contact etc.

[Ian101]

£2.50 too low i thinks even if u picked up another 20 in the block u be there all day (well most of it perhaps)for  50quid .... think u done right .... plenty of glass out there thats needs to be cleaned .... at better money than £2.50 

[mark311069]

i think you shot yourself in the foot. i had the same situation warden controlled blocks of flats, went to price one up, and before i got to the flat two more had ask me to qoute for there flats, each flat 3 windows and a door i do them for £2.50 each. i also picked up the wardens flat which is bigger for £8, i now can get them all done in 2 hours and i earn £62 

[lee sobol]

Yup I sure did, but I'm learning from it and the good thing is I realized it... all maybe a little while after 

[dazmond]

i have 30 odd very compact 1 bedroom granny flats.most have 3 small windows and a door.YEP!!£2-50 a flat!!

i pole all the upstairs flats and trad the downs.takes me 2 and a half hours for £80 and nearly all pay when i clean bar the odd one or two.

who s the fool?not me im happy with it and im not being greedy!these flats are in a very poor area but my hourly rate is still good!!

ive been cleaning these for 16 years and they started at £1 a flat then!!



dazmond

[john k]

4 little windows for a fiver daylight robbery

[lee sobol]

Ian, £50 is not to be sniffed at especially when you can only make on it plus recommendations ongoing and especially when like me I'm really just starting out

[Paul Coleman]

Such jobs can indeed be OK.  My experience though is that with many customers, the time taken to get to the door, sort out the money and then trying to keep you chatting can actually take longer than cleaning the windows.
It can work but you do need ground rules - even if you don't tell them what those ground rules are  .
It's the sort of setup where you do need all the residents onside to make it work IMO.

[Ian101]

Ian, £50 is not to be sniffed at especially when you can only make on it plus recommendations ongoing and especially when like me I'm really just starting out

depends on how fast u can do the work but sorry didnt realise u just starting out so yup perhaps u made a mistake but at least u can learn from it btw nothing to stop u going back and canvassing the others if u want to get yer foot in the door.

[tonyoliver]

each flat costs you tax insurance time equipment replacements ect ect
basicly brfore you even clean a single window it costs you xx
is it worth 2.50 doubt it dont get stressed get better jobs also are they insured doubt it are they pro again and before anyone goes mad ladders and alchol dont mix.

[mileslake]

I had something a bit like it. An OAP block of individual maisonettes. Used to charge £5 for about 5 windows plus the internal kitchen window. Did about 10 but some weeks they weren't there etc etc. So after about 3 times never returned. Too much hassle.

4 little windows for a fiver daylight robbery

John K  must be a charity