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slap bash

  • Posts: 1366
The question of pricing
« on: July 31, 2016, 06:16:56 pm »
I love these how to price threads : most prices are not base any sound strategy at all. I know it will get an avalanche of abuse because of my statement
The reason I can say this is due to a few facts of I have seen on here in the past.
1) A fixed fee per window EG. £ 1 per window . Which is the amount advised from day one of this forum?
My question is how big is a window. Does it have more that one or multi-paned?
Does it have many cuttings, eg. Edwardian windows.
Is it a leaded glass?
How difficult is the window to reach?
Will it cost more to clean the one pound window if it`s on the third floor?
Is a door with glass in it a window.
Is a \French door a double paned window. Also  if one pound was a good price 10 years ago then what should this fee be today .
Then we come to a time quote. If you are slow do you charge more due to the time it will take you ?
Do you as a customer pay less to a window cleaner who is able to work quicker.
How much do you charge if you are on ladders or WFP.

Do you live and operate North of the proverbial  money curtain or Southern  were you can charge any price. And does this curtain exist or only in the minds of the none confident service providers?
Many of these things to be discussed on a forum like this.
All these factors make pricing, a very difficult subjects.


Phil J

  • Posts: 643
Re: The question of pricing
« Reply #1 on: July 31, 2016, 08:34:55 pm »
poop slap,
you've got way too much time on your hands!!!!

dazmond

  • Posts: 24450
Re: The question of pricing
« Reply #2 on: August 01, 2016, 09:16:47 am »
you think/overcomplicate it too much.

the truth is ........charge what YOU think is a fair price for a job.regardless of what other window cleaners charge and what part of the country you work/live in.

its your business you can do what you want.

there is definitely no standard price when you look at the prices charged for similar sized properties by different window cleaners.

some ultra  run of the mill compact work i clean is cheaper than some other window cleaners in the same area.i clean 90+ houses ,they clean 2 properties.im still quids in. :)

other parts of my round and im 3 times more expensive than other guys depending on the size of property/frequency etc.
price higher/work harder!

ascjim

Re: The question of pricing
« Reply #3 on: August 01, 2016, 11:11:19 am »
poop slap,
you've got way too much time on your hands!!!!

Too true, don't worry what everyone else is doing, just crack on

Ian101

  • Posts: 7889
Re: The question of pricing
« Reply #4 on: August 01, 2016, 12:23:49 pm »
I love these how to price threads : most prices are not base any sound strategy at all. I know it will get an avalanche of abuse because of my statement
The reason I can say this is due to a few facts of I have seen on here in the past.
1) A fixed fee per window EG. £ 1 per window . Which is the amount advised from day one of this forum?
My question is how big is a window. Does it have more that one or multi-paned?
Does it have many cuttings, eg. Edwardian windows.
Is it a leaded glass?
How difficult is the window to reach?
Will it cost more to clean the one pound window if it`s on the third floor?
Is a door with glass in it a window.
Is a \French door a double paned window. Also  if one pound was a good price 10 years ago then what should this fee be today .
Then we come to a time quote. If you are slow do you charge more due to the time it will take you ?
Do you as a customer pay less to a window cleaner who is able to work quicker.
How much do you charge if you are on ladders or WFP.

Do you live and operate North of the proverbial  money curtain or Southern  were you can charge any price. And does this curtain exist or only in the minds of the none confident service providers?
Many of these things to be discussed on a forum like this.
All these factors make pricing, a very difficult subjects.

I can shorten all of this for you to one sentence  ;D

"As much as I can"


steve rix

  • Posts: 816
Re: The question of pricing
« Reply #5 on: August 01, 2016, 01:08:45 pm »
Depends on what sort of car is on the driveway

Smurf

  • Posts: 8538
Re: The question of pricing
« Reply #6 on: August 01, 2016, 05:24:35 pm »
I love these how to price threads : most prices are not base any sound strategy at all. I know it will get an avalanche of abuse because of my statement
The reason I can say this is due to a few facts of I have seen on here in the past.
1) A fixed fee per window EG. £ 1 per window . Which is the amount advised from day one of this forum?
My question is how big is a window. Does it have more that one or multi-paned?
Does it have many cuttings, eg. Edwardian windows.
Is it a leaded glass?
How difficult is the window to reach?
Will it cost more to clean the one pound window if it`s on the third floor?
Is a door with glass in it a window.
Is a \French door a double paned window. Also  if one pound was a good price 10 years ago then what should this fee be today .
Then we come to a time quote. If you are slow do you charge more due to the time it will take you ?
Do you as a customer pay less to a window cleaner who is able to work quicker.
How much do you charge if you are on ladders or WFP.

Do you live and operate North of the proverbial  money curtain or Southern  were you can charge any price. And does this curtain exist or only in the minds of the none confident service providers?
Many of these things to be discussed on a forum like this.
All these factors make pricing, a very difficult subjects.

I can shorten all of this for you to one sentence  ;D

"As much as I can"

Ditto Steve  ;D

slap bash

  • Posts: 1366
Re: The question of pricing
« Reply #7 on: August 01, 2016, 10:00:03 pm »
All this is based on information we give newbies on this forum. We are a very confused industry. Obviously, most  will not see the importance of this. 

Smurf

  • Posts: 8538
Re: The question of pricing
« Reply #8 on: August 01, 2016, 10:31:34 pm »
Regards to pricing that is a very personal choice people make as there is no right or wrong price really.
All I can say I started off what I would call cheap as most start out learning as you go.
I soon learnt to keep pushing the boundaries on pricing to try to take on only well paid work.
That is easier said than done at times as I've found still it's so easy to screw up.

lal

  • Posts: 1117
Re: The question of pricing
« Reply #9 on: August 02, 2016, 10:29:29 am »
Regards to pricing that is a very personal choice people make as there is no right or wrong price really.
All I can say I started off what I would call cheap as most start out learning as you go.
I soon learnt to keep pushing the boundaries on pricing to try to take on only well paid work.
That is easier said than done at times as I've found still it's so easy to screw up.

Very good Post Smurf, as you said we all hopefully learn as we go, but we all screw up occasionally, its just
part & parcel of the job.

Smurf

  • Posts: 8538
Re: The question of pricing
« Reply #10 on: August 02, 2016, 11:14:31 am »
Regard to the type of people we deal everyday when pricing jobs up I find very frustrating at times too. 

I cottoned on very quickly you can give the same price to different people and they will either think  it's too expensive, very reasonable or too cheap so you just can't bloody win.

How many times have you walked away thinking I could have got more for that job. Then end up kicking yourself for taking the job on and with this playing on your mind you end up hating doing it.  I know I have quite a few times and still do now and then.

I'm not worried about the ones that say it's too expensive (I'm not paying that) as most seem to be priced conditioned by cheap prices or just living in the past anyway. The ones that say "seems very reasonable" or "I was expecting to pay more" makes me start to think am I too cheap still.  ::)roll

Really pricing jobs up can be a strugle at times a no one person will think the same way.

sunshine windows

  • Posts: 2361
Re: The question of pricing
« Reply #11 on: August 02, 2016, 12:00:33 pm »
I think if you're gaining around 50% of the quotes you put in, you've got it about right. I'd hate to be accepted for everything, as it means you're way below the expected prices for the area. We don't even get 50% I shouldn't have thought, but still have plenty of work coming in.
To climb mount fuji you must first find a path
(Swindon, Wiltshire)

www.sunshinewindowcleaning.co.uk
www.sunshinesoftwashing.co.uk

Soupy

  • Posts: 21263
Re: The question of pricing
« Reply #12 on: August 02, 2016, 12:03:43 pm »
I think if you're gaining around 50% of the quotes you put in, you've got it about right. I'd hate to be accepted for everything, as it means you're way below the expected prices for the area. We don't even get 50% I shouldn't have thought, but still have plenty of work coming in.

^That.
#FreeTheBrightonOne
#aliens

Smurf

  • Posts: 8538
Re: The question of pricing
« Reply #13 on: August 02, 2016, 12:08:07 pm »
I'm running about 95% converstion rate so still room for improvement for me.
Mind you I like to think I'm a darn good salesman though all the same ;D

Dave Willis

Re: The question of pricing
« Reply #14 on: August 02, 2016, 12:53:08 pm »
I just cleaned a custies gutters soffits and fascias. Didn't agree a price before. Charged her 25 front and back plus her usual £15 for the windows. She seriously thought I was joking when I gave her the bill. She even asked me if I was joking. I actually thought she assumed it would be a lot more and told her I would double it if it made her feel better. She wasn't laughing.

Ian Lancaster

  • Posts: 2811
Re: The question of pricing
« Reply #15 on: August 02, 2016, 01:15:07 pm »
I just cleaned a custies gutters soffits and fascias. Didn't agree a price before.

 I would have assumed you were chucking it in as a freebie ;D

Smurf

  • Posts: 8538
Re: The question of pricing
« Reply #16 on: August 02, 2016, 02:05:20 pm »
I can just hear her now “HOW MUCH!!!! You must be joking right? I'm not paying that much" 
It seems she now feels that you have ripped her off so is not a happy bunny... Bless her.

Myself I would never do any jobs or extras without the customer agreeing on the price first as that's just asking for trouble if you ask me. The only time I don't agree on a price beforehand is once in a while would be a kind hearted gesture if I want to do something for free to help someone out.

The last freedbe I did was the other day which was to wash over the front apex plastics going green on a bungalow for an old boy whilst I was cleaning up splatter after cleaning his drive. Now he thinks the sunshine comes out of my arse  ;D ;D

nathankaye

  • Posts: 5366
Re: The question of pricing
« Reply #17 on: August 02, 2016, 02:25:00 pm »
Same as above. Never do any additional jobs asked for, without first comfirming the price.

I love the older customers who say,
 "If i give you a couple of quid extra, could you just..........."
Their faces when you explain that this is a business and those extra jobs cost.........

However your own appearance and professionalism plays a huge part in pricing. If you (cant believe people employ them) as ive seen,  are a window cleaner eho wear faded baggy tracky bottoms n t shirt, carry a plastic shopping bag full of scrims, no pouches n have scrims tucked in your trackies, then you cant expect to get paid a whole lot can you? (I just cant believe people employ them to look thru their property)
Com on you know the sort of shiners im refering too
facebook.com/1NKServices
1NKServices.co.uk

Soupy

  • Posts: 21263
Re: The question of pricing
« Reply #18 on: August 02, 2016, 02:29:14 pm »
Com on you know the sort of shiners im refering too

SeanK??

Tosh?

Smurf, gotta be Smurf.
#FreeTheBrightonOne
#aliens

Smurf

  • Posts: 8538
Re: The question of pricing
« Reply #19 on: August 02, 2016, 02:53:49 pm »
Com on you know the sort of shiners im refering too

SeanK??

Tosh?

Smurf, gotta be Smurf.

Can't be me as I like to wear a hard hat & high viz vest or jacket .
Mind you the platic shopping baskets you can nick from aldi are no good for holding water in ;D ;D