[Tosh]

I guess many of us have quoted for jobs where we've given our price and been told, 'Oh, but my last window cleaner only charged a fiver!'

I did similar for three properties today, all in the same street, and I quoted DOUBLE the price their last LONG TERM window cleaner charged...

What do you think happened?











I got the lot... with another two potential customers not in!

Howzat!

(Cheers Squeaky  )

[drakestar!]

they take it or leave it! never go in cheap or your regret it

[spotless2000]

Have just taken on a job where the last WC charged £6 (monthly).  I quoted £18 (8 weekly) without knowing the previous price.

Not much of a difference 

Steve

[Paul Coleman]

I guess many of us have quoted for jobs where we've given our price and been told, 'Oh, but my last window cleaner only charged a fiver!'

I did similar for three properties today, all in the same street, and I quoted DOUBLE the price their last LONG TERM window cleaner charged...

What do you think happened?











I got the lot... with another two potential customers not in!

Howzat!

(Cheers Squeaky  )

I was asked to do a quote the other day and was asked why I'm more expensive than other window cleaners.  It turned out she had never kept one for more than 6 months (I asked her).  Coincidentally, I met a guy who did a clean for her a while back.  He charged more than me but she never paid him so he got the hump and didn't do the job again.
Don't think I will be either.

[LWC]

i went to a house today with 25 ish windows, all new pvc windows... said 20 as some of those windows were smallish...

she was like the last window cleaner charger 15, can you do it a bit cheaper....but hes given up now, hasnt been for months...

i said look thats what we charge. i clean everything down including the frames...which by the way hadnt been done for a long long time.

and got the job 

but the point is here me thinks, imagine going into a petrol station and saying, hmmm 99.9p per litre, well the last garage charged me 90.9p per litre a few months back, can you do it any cheaper, imagine the reply...so why try and haggle with us lol!

they get my blunt sturn look when they say can you do it cheaper...big fat NO NO NO

[Trevor Knight]

Nice one Tosh!!

I laugh when people say "but my last window cleaner only charged x!" I reply, so where is he then???

I explain this is a business, we pay tax, VAT and insurance as well as many other running costs, if you want a professional, reliable service you have to pay for that, and this is my charge!

Like others have said, they either take it or leave it, I won't lose any sleep on trying to price match on a cheaper company, there's plenty more fish in this lovely big deep blue ocean 

[SherwoodCleaningSe]

When  they say can you do it cheaper my last window cleaner charged x I say well get them to do it then.  More often than not though they don't say a word and just take the quote even saying I thought the last window cleaner was really cheap, didn't feel like giving him a pay rise though did you.

Simon.

[Tosh]

Cheers guys...

I was actually fishing for a 'bite' from Squeaky; they were ex-customers of his and he did tell me he'd stopped servicing them; but they found me, before I called on them (I already clean a lot of properties at the top end of this street); it was the only place Squeaks and I 'overlapped'.

To be fair, I'm only talking about a few customers and Squeaky knows they're underpriced and for him to double his prices there would obviously upset his customers (a fresh face does wonders sometime; especially if it's a good-looking one! ).  I'd have dropped them also.

He also has some major access issues with parking and 'hose length' which a backpack will overcome easily.

He's also enjoying using a WFP, which is surprising given his previous anti-WFP stance; and he's went the 'whole hog' (100% WFP) and as far as I know doesn't touch a ladder these days.

I'm kinda jealous of him!

[Trevor Knight]

He's also enjoying using a WFP, which is surprising given his previous anti-WFP stance; and he's went the 'whole hog' (100% WFP) and as far as I know doesn't touch a ladder these days.

Funny thing is Tosh, you know better than me the heated arguments he added fuel to the fire with and yet now here he is joining the ranks of the WFP brigade.

You never know mate, maybe, just maybe, he will apologise to us for the grief he caused us moderating his posts and admit that WFP rules 

Hmmmm, like that will ever happen lol

[Spiceworld]

Hi

It's nice to be in the position of being able to take it or leave it. I had a Turkish bloke ask me to do his restaurant the other day, we are talking 4 big sash windows on 1st floor, so i said £10 and he started ranting about the last one charged £5 then "You do £5". So i just said "No thanks" and walked away and started cleaning other windows in the street. Then all of a sudden he comes up to me and said "Ok you do now". So i did and goes to get the money after and he pulls out like £3000 in £20 notes. Jammy git even wanted the change  no tip 

The moral of the story is  - Charge what you think the job is worth to you and don't budge, theres loads of work out there.

Richard

[Paul Coleman]

He's also enjoying using a WFP, which is surprising given his previous anti-WFP stance; and he's went the 'whole hog' (100% WFP) and as far as I know doesn't touch a ladder these days.

Funny thing is Tosh, you know better than me the heated arguments he added fuel to the fire with and yet now here he is joining the ranks of the WFP brigade.

You never know mate, maybe, just maybe, he will apologise to us for the grief he caused us moderating his posts and admit that WFP rules 

Hmmmm, like that will ever happen lol

Apologise for giving us such a great laugh? 
I really enjoyed the banter.  Squeaky sounds like he's got a great sense of humour and I was disappointed he never got to the NEC.

[Sir Squeaky]

I wish I'd gone to the NEC too.

Not to see window cleaning stuff, I already have that. Couldn't think of anything more boring. :
Just to meet a few people...

Tosh, glad you've got them.
It was only time before I bumped into one of them in Tescos!

One question though... how did you get them to pay £14 for 6  or 7 windows at 10 mins per house?

I bet you didn't.

[Tosh]

One question though... how did you get them to pay £14 for 6  or 7 windows at 10 mins per house?

I bet you didn't.

Bet I did!

(£12.00 though; not £14.00) Mrs Birkit told me that her previous window cleaner charged half of what I charge; so I guessed you were about the £6.00 mark. 

Not bad though, eh?

[Paul Coleman]

I wish I'd gone to the NEC too.

Not to see window cleaning stuff, I already have that. Couldn't think of anything more boring. :
Just to meet a few people...

Tosh, glad you've got them.
It was only time before I bumped into one of them in Tescos!

One question though... how did you get them to pay £14 for 6  or 7 windows at 10 mins per house?

I bet you didn't.

They were probably glad to get rid of him quick because they thought he had hepatitis.

[Sir Squeaky]

One question though... how did you get them to pay £14 for 6  or 7 windows at 10 mins per house?

I bet you didn't.

Bet I did!

(£12.00 though; not £14.00) Mrs Birkit told me that her previous window cleaner charged half of what I charge; so I guessed you were about the £6.00 mark. 

Not bad though, eh?

A bit more than ok.
They were £30+ per hour for me.
If you can do them as quick it's nearer £60.

Don't know how you got away with that.
Rude.

[Tosh]

They were £30+ per hour for me.

Yawn... time for bed I think!