[Steve Rothwell]

What I am saying is that in this economic climate, how can anyone call cleaners who are prepared to do the job cheap "fly by night"

But in answer to your question.....

If the rent was due and I was £60 short for the month then yes as a 1 off I would do it for £60, would you not??? or would your principals let you get turfed out of your home

All I was doing was being devils advocate and saying that not all cheap cleaners are fly by night.

Neither you nor I know the overheads of any other cleaner do we ?

So although £60 might be absurdly cheap to you and I, it may be a good price for another cleaner. After all If he does 3 of those in a day then £180 is not bad for a days work is it

[JandS]

Wouldn't do it myself for that but
as hector said even 2 of those a
day is £120 or £600 a week.
Better than most paid jobs.

jOHN

[Doug Holloway]

Hi Guys

The big danger of quoting low prices is whether you have really costed it.

Even if you were made redundant and bought your equipment with that money, you should still build in the cost of replacing it as you won't be made redundant again.

Too many see takings as wages/profit.

Do the maths properly and you will probably survive, fiddle it and you won't.

Cheers

Doug

[Russ Chadd]

You have hit the nail on the head Doug... I have to be careful what i say here because i don't want to offend anyone.. but... I have spoken to someone today who spoke to the company in question and turns out the machinery they are using is what car valeters use. (blue vacs with twin motors)
Don't get me wrong, I do admire people who get off their backsides and try and make a go of things but when established carpet cleaning companies who have invested time, money and lots of hard work building a local client base are getting undercut by people who clearly haven't the same approach...   im not sure what to think to be honest.

Its the "O'Reilly's versus the "Stubs" scenario  :

I had a thriving valeting business back in the 90's and I literately lost long term customers to "mobile car washers" who were buying all their equipment from B&Q and operating out the back of a beaten up old estate car!
Customers are by nature always looking for a bargain and loyalty and quality doesn't come in to it!

[clinton]

Doug has made  a great post.

Its all true what he said and you still have to put some thing back into the pot for a new set up in a few years time.

[Steve Rothwell]

Hi Guys

The big danger of quoting low prices is whether you have really costed it.

Even if you were made redundant and bought your equipment with that money, you should still build in the cost of replacing it as you won't be made redundant again.

Too many see takings as wages/profit.

Do the maths properly and you will probably survive, fiddle it and you won't.

Cheers

Doug

Fully agree with you Doug,
but I bet your overheads are a lot higher than mine,

and I bet my overheads are a lot higher than Joe Bloggs with his Numatic CTD.

What it all boils down to is profit

that is not a dirty word.

So a guy can clean a house for £60 and if as John has said he can do 2 a day
that is £600 per week.
1/2 back into his business, it is still £300 a week in his pocket which is more than your average 9-5 day job.

£300 a week to cover expenses insurance and new kit fund is plenty for some.

Not saying that this is what I do as it is not.

Once again just being devils advocate.

[craig partridge]

But here's the point 2 full house cleans a day?

What if for 3 days running he only gets 1 room cleans once a day he's now only earning 20 a day. (assuming he charges 20 a room)

In short he only does ok when he's busy when he's slow he gets into debt.

[Steve Rothwell]

True,

but not as much debt as he would be in if he had high prices and was sat at home because people would  not pay the prices.

[Helen]

But here's the point 2 full house cleans a day?

What if for 3 days running he only gets 1 room cleans once a day he's now only earning 20 a day. (assuming he charges 20 a room)

In short he only does ok when he's busy when he's slow he gets into debt.

when he's busy, he should be putting money away and not spending for the sake of spending.
when he's quiet, he should be marketing his socks off.

It's called cashflow management and I appreciate in a start up or first couple of years situation it is hard to get your cashflow right.

[Hilton]

Not worth getting your knickers in a twist over,

I have mentioned before a CC I know who is one of the busiest CC I know, he is very good and could teach a lot on here a thing or two.

His prices are low by comparison but as mentioned because he does a good job in his own time, he makes a very very good living and his customers of course are very loyal and referals flood in. He does not advertise at all I suppose you could say he now has critical mass and when you reach this you are made.

If the guy is happy getting £60 for all that work then so be it, if any good he'll keep busy if not the customer will not pay such a low sum in the future as she/he will deem it the reason for the poor service as consequence another CC will pick up the work at a higher rate.