[AquaMagic]

Does anyone know the national average cost per square foot or per square meter for carpet cleaning?

Dene

[Mike Halliday]

no, a simple answer, but true.

 no one does know the 'national' average, people can guess but an official figure doesn't exist.

Mike

[carpetguy]

National averages are what politicians talk about, in other words FICTION.

[AquaMagic]

Just wondered if any of the NCCA directors had a rough Idea?

Ken?

Dene

[carpetguy]

To find a national average, would require people to give information, honestly and freely, it simply does not happen !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Ken Wainwright]

Dene

I would have to agree with others here that this sort of information is not available.

I'd have to ask Who would compile it? Who would supply the information? What would be the criteria? Who would pay for the process? What would be their gain?

Safe and happy cleaning
Ken

[ianharper]

Dene

contact NCCA they should know

Respect

Ian Harper

[AquaMagic]

I wondered if maybee the NCCA had reasearched this kind of thing, it would be a great advertisment to our trade if you could suggest carpet cleaners on average earn say £40 an hour (for example).  Another possible source would have been one of the larger franchises.  I was hopining one of them had reseached an average cost to help set thier own prices, im sure they wouldnt share this info but thought maybe an ex disgruntled frenchisee would reveal all.  Another reason i asked is becuase im sure ive heard someone mention a figure before but cannot remember if it was on here or at a training course, open day etc.

Dene

[AquaMagic]

Ian, Ken is an NCCA Director.

Dene

[Ken Wainwright]

If everyone was totally honest, you could work your own average ticket price over, say, one year, then poost it on here and call it The CIU Average or whatever.

It would be too complex to do an average per SqM or whatever, hourly rates are not usually recorded plus some will include set up and travel time and others don't. For myself, I've got better things to do than go through all my old invoices and work out a typical ticket price.

Safe and happy cleaning
Ken

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Oo ken you bad man!

The best businessmen (that includes you) know thier figures, you yourself endorse the charging of better prices to make an honest living in our industry so you must know your figures somewhere.

As for a national average how would you work it out? there are so many different ways, ie if you have multiple items at a job 3pc, lounge, diner, hsl, 3 bedrooms you may want to discount your price as the work won't take as long in 1 trip (breaking it up) as 7 trips with travel and expenses.

I got a pack from DP print and some cleaners on their leaflets had prices of from £15 a carpet, I start from £59 there is too much difference to work an honest average out.

Shaun

PS don't start on suite prices!

[calmore]

I dunno if a national average is relevant at all. What's important to me is what my local competitors are charging, and how their service compares to mine.

If I can offer a better service for the same price then I'm on to a winner.

[AquaMagic]

Calmore i coudnt agree more, ill tell you what got me wondering, i saw a post on a US forum about dealing with price shoppers, there was a guy who said " i can sell you it will cost you no less than $55 other than that all i can say it it depends on size of area but i am less expensive than the national average"  He quoted thoer national average which got me owndering about ours.

Dene

[David_Annable]

Hi

On that basis you know yourself if your slightly higher or much higher than average by how many quotes you convert.

If you want every job you need to be very good at selling yourself be average priced an quote on site.

Change any of the above & your convertion rate would go down.

If i were starting again I would charge higher than average prices, but i accest that is simplistic.

Dave

PS If you say to Mrs Brown that will be £100 & she say thats much to dear, you may as well have said £200.

[calmore]

Well, I expect the national average is on the high side, what with Ch*mdry and whatnot.

When faced with the question of prices you could always reply: "In the long run far cheaper than a splash and dash merchant that will leave you needing a new carpet"

[calmore]

If you say to Mrs Brown that will be £100 & she say thats much to dear, you may as well have said £200.

Very true.

Whilst on the subject, why is it that it's only the middle earners who don't moan about the cost?

Low earners you turn up and quote £100 and they say "too expensive". I can understand that, they don't have any money.

Middle earners you turn up and they accept whatever price you quote..

High earners however, will quibble over a couple of quid! "will you do a £5 discount for cash?", "can I pay by monthly installments?" " can I get you to do it at 3am Tuesday morning for twenty quid and a packet of biscuits?"etc..etc.

Despite the fact there's a £45K Audi on the drive and the house is worth £500k they still want to argue about pennies!

[will01]

That's why they have "Pennies"

[matt jones]

true, they are the worst ones to work for pain in the axxe

[Buster Ingram]

Interesting reading lads but have any of you ever asked the client what they think it should cost when they say its to expensive?
Lets say the job total is £100 and they say they will only spend £80!
Your now faced with two things either you turn round and leave or stand your ground and sell the extra £20, after all in their mind they have already spent £80 so the difference between them having the job done or not is £20.

[Doug Holloway]

Hi Guys

In expensive to live areas like the South East and especially London, quoting anything to do with the national average would be counter productive as almost everyone accepts prices generally, are above this average.

Remeber price is also associated with quality so advertising below the nat av. would only get you low quality work.

Cheers

Doug