[Neil Williams]

Case 1: Whilst doing a sofa, living, dining room (£120) today the woman chirped up with I mentioned to a friend you were doing mine again. (We do this job every year). When this friend was told how much we charge we said that she had all the house carpets done for the same price as the job we do but by someone else
Difference being he took 45 minutes to do all the carpets in a 3 bed property which took his hourly rate to £150/hour Strangely enough she was happy with that.

Case 2: Phone call asking how much to 3 bedrooms and living/dining room for a military EOT. These were large rooms going by her sizes.
Knowing it would already be empty I said £120 but she said that far more than I've been told by someone else. I asked who that was and was surprised to hear it is a well established local truckmounter. Thinking I might be able to lower it a bit I asked how much he was charging........£85 and that included Vat.
Now I know you can apparently work quicker with a TM but that is just plainly stupid

[M.Acorn]

My sis in law is getting her lounge done,by a bloke from Cambridge (not sure who) Charging her £18. it's a good 45 min drive to where she lives !!
Just quoted on 1 at £150,they had another quote of £90.they asked if I could match it and I just said no sorry.

[cozy]

We do alot of MOD end of tenancies, we also have a TM operator here but he doesn't use it on these jobs. He does complete 2 bed houses for less than 80 quid where we charge 145. They take about 90 mins to 2 hours in a bad state.
It's all about animal hair removal and allergy reactions for the next tenant. He doesn't even pre vac!!

Don't know how he does it.

[Colin Day]

It's hard not to get too wound up with under-cutting. But I've seen carpet cleaners come and go. It's always just a matter of time before they disappear..... 

[Steve Barnett (Carpet Care Plus)]

I stopped worrying a long time ago about what other cleaners charge in my area.

The prices I charge are based on what I need to earn per hour to run my business and my home. I don't run my business based on what other people charge.

[Paul H]

neil
i had the case 2 call last week...exact same crack...i said i'll visit and survey etc.. as i try to do most time ...but wanted price over phone ....got the same crack as you...gave price...her response was she could have it done for £70 through some kind of military move out scheme....so i asked why the call then...her response....i'm phoning around all the yell.com yellow pages thompsom local etc....as my neighbour had hers done through a firm for £50 ( i think that was the figure she said)!!!!!....so i'm trying to find that company so i can save £20!!!!!......WTF...

[M.Acorn]

Just had the husband of the one I quoted £150 for on the phone !! Wanting to know why I was the most expensive quote out of all the quotes he had done !!
Jesus I just got the third degree on the phone

[Colin Day]

Just had the husband of the one I quoted £150 for on the phone !! Wanting to know why I was the most expensive quote out of all the quotes he had done !!
Jesus I just got the third degree on the phone

If I was him, I'd be more concerned at how the other carpet cleaners could manage to do the job at such a cheap price. I'm afraid I'd have told the fella who rang you where to get off....

[M.Acorn]

He said they had had a few quotes,and mine was considerably higher than the others,I didn't fill in the entire survey form,as his wife said "we have had a much lower price",in hindsight I should have filled it in.

[Neil Williams]

I'm all for any work is better than no work but there comes a point when you'd be better off filling up your day with some form of advertising work than being out there working for next to nothing.
As for Marks case I could probably counter the guy with numerous reasons why I would be more expensive but why is he so bothered. You have a choice where to buy baked beans but you don't demand to speak to the manager of Waitrose why his beans are 12p more expensive than Tescos. If you want baked beans 12p cheaper then just go to Tescos.....it's your choice.

[Colin Day]

I agree Neil. Mark should have perhaps have suggested that he warrants the higher pay bracket because he's had many more years experience, uses the best equipment/solutions money can buy, and is insured up to the ying yang! Those who are doing the same job for £50 less or so are probably cleaning carpets as a second income with no experience, no insurance and a hire machine. At least this guy would have been given something to consider....

[John Kelly]

The big problem as the general public don't have the first clue about carpet cleaning or any other trade for that matter. Majority of them have never run a business and consequently they think all carpet cleaners are the same. Afraid its up to you to persuade them otherwise.

[M.Acorn]

Well today I went and had a chat with the letting agent who is managing the property.
Was expecting him to ring them,I did tell the guys wife that there have been problems with the cheap people in the past,and I had had to go back and do the carpets again properly.as the first person would not answer the phone,then point blank refused to go back when he did.
So in effect the tenant would have to pay twice.
This was not a lie,I have paperwork to prove this,and it was a place just around the corner.
I got accused of being in cahoots with the agency,it states in their paperwork,that carpets must be cleaned professionally when leaving.
He thought my business name was something to do with it ?
Agency said I was within my rights to say that,as they also don't want property owners carpets ruined either 
They also said I should have just told him to F off,what I charge is my business,and they had not booked me so where was the issue.
Also went and saw trading standards,but will put that bit in the relevant topic

[Neil Williams]

And then today I did a telephone quote for nearly £600 for an afternoons work and got it without any quibbles.
I suppose it's asking too much that some form of standardisation with potential customers might break out soon. One day a £100 nearly results in a heart attack whilst another day £100 can be read as too pikey.

Case 1: Whilst doing a sofa, living, dining room (£120) today the woman chirped up with I mentioned to a friend you were doing mine again. (We do this job every year). When this friend was told how much we charge we said that she had all the house carpets done for the same price as the job we do but by someone else
Difference being he took 45 minutes to do all the carpets in a 3 bed property which took his hourly rate to £150/hour Strangely enough she was happy with that.

Case 2: Phone call asking how much to 3 bedrooms and living/dining room for a military EOT. These were large rooms going by her sizes.
Knowing it would already be empty I said £120 but she said that far more than I've been told by someone else. I asked who that was and was surprised to hear it is a well established local truckmounter. Thinking I might be able to lower it a bit I asked how much he was charging........£85 and that included Vat.
Now I know you can apparently work quicker with a TM but that is just plainly stupid