Its also a 'free' world where we have a choice. If your current window cleaner isn't doing a satisfactory job then you could look for one that will clean frames and do a better job.
Its my opinion that if the frames are left dirty then its very difficult to only clean the glass and do a good job. As with any trade, you get those who do the least possible for the most reward and then those who take pride in their work. Window cleaning is no different. In fact, we know a window cleaner who looks for customers who are happy with a 90% job. He says you will never do a perfect job. At most you can accomplish is 95% and that takes twice as long to achieve another 5% which is hardly noticeable. Its all about money to him, and window cleaning is a numbers game if that's what drives/motivates the window cleaner.
As has been posted earlier, a trolley user is trying to save water so this could also be an issue. But it could also be that his water isn't as pure as it could/should be.
Pricing is a very contentious issue. If the window cleaner was doing a job to your satisfaction I doubt you would have posted your 'grievance' on here. I also doubt that you would have analysed his local to you route and calcuated his hourly rate.
I clean a 3 story Victorian house on the High Street which was converted to an accountant's offices many years back. It takes me about 40 minutes to complete. I've done this place for nearly 10 years. When I quoted I allowed myself 45 minutes to do the job during normal business hours. But as the High Street has become more busy its was taking me over twice as long. Recently a Wetherspoons has opened next door and foot traffic is horrendous, not to mention parking. So to do the job in reasonable time, I have to get there for 6/7am on a Sunday morning and a little later in the winter. So does this mean that I should reduce my charge because I'm not taking so long? No.
Our customer has broken the actuator lever on one of her new velux windows. Velux will come out and the cost is £100 to have a look at it. He then charges £50 an hour or part thereof to fit the actuator which is held on with a few screws. The actuator cost £100. Total cost £250 and did we mention that VAT needs to be added to that. Now I wouldn't hestitate to say that the overheads to employ that tradesman to do that job isn't anywhere near what my overheads are as a wfp window cleaner. ( I do appreciate that his costs are exaggerated and skewed due to the size of the corporation his works for.) A couple of years back I divided my total annual running costs (expenses) by the number of jobs I had done that year. I didn't include wages. Each job cost me £4 to just arrive at the door; water filtration, insurances, fuel, servicing, equipment etc. - no wages. I run on a shoe string and I don't have a new van which would add to those costs and do most of my own vehicle maintenance. That year I also didn't buy an expensive equipment - poles etc, just a couple of new brushes.
So before I start your 3 properties it will cost me £12 just to be there and then I have to pay myself a wage on top of that. I also have to consider putting a little aside to pay for living when I can't get out during bad and/or windy weather. This last winter has been rather difficult for windows cleaners in the North East because of the bad weather.
As with most window cleaners, we have a minimum charge. I would expect your window cleaner also has one. His minimum charge would take into consideration his costs which would include his wages.
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