[Tony Edwards]

Been asked to quote for a local school after doing some other work for them. The school is huge and has just had another new block built.

I only do residential top end and work on £40-50 an hour for windows. I appreciate that I will not earn anywhere near that doing a school but at the same time dont want to underprice it.

Any advice pls as how to price up.I never price residential per window,I  simply work out the time it will take and then work out price based on time.

Whats the best way to price a school and any conditions that I should add to the price, ie no removing stickers from window,

thanks guys

[Aqua Power Solutions]

Tony , you have answered your own question. Estimate how long the job is going to take you then times that by your hourly rate. 

[AJ]

Price it by the day ra\ther than the hour.

Estimate how many days it will take to complete on your own and multiply by your day rate.

i.e. if its going to take you 4 days, then it will take 4 men 1 day

4 days times £££ per day per man. its a lot easier than hourly rate, and you make up your days money off the other lads. If you price it 200 per day per man and pay out 120, then the 3 lots of 80 go on top of your 200, which should equate close to your hourly rate + a bit of profit.

[Tony Edwards]

AJ

Thanks mate. Any problems to be aware of with schools like tape on windows, pictures etc ?

[AJ]

yes definately get it clear from the beginning whether you are to remove the tape, blue tack etc.
and if they expect you to clear cills and replace everything or will they have the everything ready to go.
Best if you set the bar by telling them in your quote that you are to clean the windows only and the removal of obstructions etc etc is the responsibility of the school.
Good luck with it

[Soupy]

If you think you won't get near your hourly rate then why bother?

Are you struggling to get houses?

[Soupy]

yes definately get it clear from the beginning whether you are to remove the tape, blue tack etc.

+1

In my experience it is the janitor who runs the show as far as the window cleaner is concerned. When I price schools I get them to arrange a walk round with the janitor, at which time I explain that the windows need to be cleared of pictures posters etc.

[Clever Forum Name]

yes definately get it clear from the beginning whether you are to remove the tape, blue tack etc.

+1

In my experience it is the janitor who runs the show as far as the window cleaner is concerned. When I price schools I get them to arrange a walk round with the janitor, at which time I explain that the windows need to be cleared of pictures posters etc.

Blimey some decent advice lol 120% agree with this! If you do insides get a degreasing fluid mixed in with ya trad soap. Cuts through finger prints etc etc

[deeege]

If you think you won't get near your hourly rate then why bother?

Are you struggling to get houses?

This ^

Why would you even consider any work that will pay nowhere near your normal hourly rate? (Unless your normal hourly rate is actually a made up figure or you are not very busy?)

[Clever Forum Name]

If its the edward brothers who have the sign written vans with a wrap on it (people cleaning houses) then have one hell of a reputation in areas we clean in.

High standard of cleaning and always busy.

If not then urmmmmm i dunno lol

[Tony Edwards]

Cheers guys for the advice


To you smart alecs,

Its because I dont turn any work down

It will be done early before I start normal work

It will be another reference that i can use for future business


Shame you cant offer proper advice like the other guys instead of the snidey comments.

[deeege]

It's just common sense mate. If your busy and earning £50 per hour why consider work that will be £20-£30 per hour? It would actually be costing you money to take the job on. No need to get your knickers in a twist.

[AJ]

Of course he will make the hourly rate, its just go to be staffed correctly. no school is going to pay 50 per hour per man, but if you've a few men working on it then he wont need to charge that much cos he's making a decent mark up from the staff.
using the example of 200 a day per man (just an example), thats 800

200 for each man and paying 120 to 3 staff, thats 80 each from 3 men, he earns 440 for the days work.

Alternatively, stick 4 men on it at 120 and earn 320 on top of the houses he would normally do. just depends on the involvement he wants.

[Soupy]

Wasn't trying be snide. It is a fair point.

[Archer]

Tony edwards

Just reading your post, just one bit of advice, don't be a busy fool.

What I mean is, sometimes you can turn work down,

[Scrimble]

grow some balls and price it up at your current rate, dont doubt yourself already

[windowswashed]

I like being busy (not a fool) as with having too much work I'm not afraid to quote good prices as I'm in a comfortable position to be able to put in my desired prices when quoting as I don't expect to get some of them as I'm not desperate for work   Only desperate w/c's quote cheap prices as they are trying to fill their rounds or they're workaholics with no commonsense

[Archer]

Windows washed,

I think you will agree, about my busy fool comment.

Sometimes turning work down is not a bad thing, it's all about be comfortable with what you can manage

[windowswashed]

I don't like turning down work from referals because of my reputation for good work. If I take on new work then I lose a bad payer or my lowest priced work.

Got asked to quote my last house as they wasn't happy with the price their previous window cleaner was charging....I didn't ask how much he charged ......I just turned up, looked at the property and said that would be £50 how often would you like them cleaned? She said 2 monthly, I'm happy, she's happy and I still have no idea how much previous window cleaner charged as I'm not interested cause I'm happy with the price and so is she, quote obtained based on my recommendation from other customers who referred me to her.

Now I have to choose which customers to lose lower down my round as I don't wish to become a busy fool as my girlfriend would object to rarely seeing me and I keep a health work and social life balance

[Archer]

Forget the rest, health is the one thing we need, without that, we are knackered.

I pick up quite a bit of work, and also turn quite a bit down, otherwise things catch up with you.