[cleanability]

These "how much do i charge" questions are peeing me off. The amazing advice on what to charge is jaw dropping soemtimes. I ask you, how can some people advise to charge say £50-£70 for a a 12 x 14 lounge. I bought carpet(berber), underlay and gripper for 12 x 10 bedroom for £100 last Sunday.
The answer to all the "how much" questions is easy. Only YOU knows how slow/fast you work. Only YOU know the area you live in and your customer base. Only YOU know how much an hour you want to earn. And only YOU knows what you're happy to charge. So take the hourly rate you want to earn and multiply this buy how long the job will take.
Theres's no use a carpet cleaner in central London advising me what to charge in the valleys of South Wales. And dont some smart Alec Joe Polish convert tell me i can charge £200 to clean a suite in South Wales coz it just wont happen.

Chris

[John Gregory]

£200 to clean a suite is that all you get ?

[cleanability]

You gotta be joking John. Half that. I'm just saying some on here claim to charge that. If I quoted £200 to clean a suite where I live I'd never clean one.

Chris

[John Gregory]

I was joking, I aim at £19 a seating area and still struggle, theres a advert in my local paper ,  saying let me clean your lounge carpet and I will clean your suite for Free ,  Muppets

[Mike Halliday]

I agree with you Chris, these questions are pointless. its up to the person to decide what they want to earn and charge that amount.

mike

[Ian Gourlay]

Although I agree the question is more like how long is string.

It does give a guide. Personally I used to find the answers confusing and along with all the JP stuff they did my head in.

I would advise anyone wanting to know how much to charge to use the search facility.

Look at Extracta Ashbys and Alltecs Web Sites  Make friends with suppliers like John kelly, Matt Flewitt, Nic  White, Go along to discovery Days at ALLTEC

Look at Leaflets from other cleaners


You still would not have the answer.


Alternitively

Think how much do I need to live on

How much does it cost me to Pay for Van Equipment Advertising

How much do I need to put in reserve

How many Carpets can I clean a week

How much would it cost if I only had 10 customers a week

 




 

[Doug Holloway]

Hi Guys

Carpet cleaning is an classic market i.e no regulation to distort it.

What you can charge depends on number of CC's, number of potential customers, cost of carpet replacement, skill level, marketing quality, sales ability, reputation  etc etc.

In short, I charge prices which will keep me busy with good quality work.

Cheers

Doug

[Phillip Mold]

Agree with mostof the above, tere is no way anyone else can give you the right price to succeed in your area.

I started at 20p/sq foot 8 months ago, and have upped it gradually ever since, I still get 80% of the jobs I quote for so I guess I am now about right, for me , in my area with my prospective customers.

[ollie]

 chris...I have to say that those prices can be achieved in south wales ( I live in Llanelli) obviously not in poverty stricken areas but thats the same wherever you run a business. I dont get £200 for every suite i clean but I have customers that wouldnt blink an eye at that amount. my brother runs a carpet cleaning business in south east england and he charges the same as i do. I think its down to who you target... my local competition quotes £45 over the phone for a suite but i still get customers who have phoned him first using me at my prices.

[brights cleaning]

just cleaned a leather suite for £191.50
custy over the moon
took 1.75 hrs
never clean a 3 piece for less than £180

[darren72]

You can buy them new for £400 dfs.

[brights cleaning]

This one cost £2500 and thats why the custy wanted it cleaning
the £400 ones at DFS are not the best quality but i suppose you get what you pay for.

[Shaun_Ashmore]

I have booked in a job to apply top coat finish to pigmented leather chair as the customer has cleaned the chair and taken it off. £100 for 30 minutes including a cuppa. These people are looking for professionals who know what they are doing and they don't mind paying.

Shaun

[brights cleaning]

shaun, any more talk like that and i'll start to fancy you

[Neil Williams]

There are 2 elements here. One is the quality of the goods and second is the area you work in.
If someone can get a brand new leather suite from DFS (ignore the quality) for £350 then they ain't going to pay £250 to get the old one cleaned.
Being origional from the valleys of South Wales I can assure you that no way would I get the prices there I can get here in South England.
But then this....
The other week I quoted for 240 sq/m of carpet in a property where the rent must be £3,000/month minimum (it was a moving out clean). Because of the quantity of carpet I went in at £1.5 sq/m (normally I charge around £2.) Following up this quote we were told we were far too expensive someone with a truck mount was prepared to do it for what worked out at £1 sq/m
S0 people who can afford £3k a month rent with the cars on the drive way too and they won't pay £1.5 sq/m

[gwrightson]

S0 people who can afford £3k a month rent with the cars on the drive way too and they won't pay £1.5 sq/m   
 
Neil, I would suggest to you that perhaps you are,nt selling yourself in the right way then

Geoff 
 

[Neil Williams]

Neil, I would suggest to you that perhaps you are,nt selling yourself in the right way then

This was a recommendation
Greeted and shown around by the 80 year old mother but in one room came across the 'man of the house' who totally ignored me so at that point I'd lost interest anyway.
Our quote forms state our methods and benefits, yet someone with an expensive truck mount (nothing against them btw) is willing to do it at £1 sq/m.....mad

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Only thing is Neil to them you are dead money, they will always go for the cheapest as they aren't bothered about the job providing they gey their bond back.

You could always go direct to the letting agent to sell yourself.

Shaun

[darren72]

This must be the old north south divide thing again.Iwould love to no how many carpet cleaners in Scotland get £180+ for cleaning a leather suite.Chemdry dont even charge that much up here.

[Shaun_Ashmore]

If you are up in Scotland everyone is south but Colin (brights cleaning) is in Blackpool and finds the best customers that will buy his services, are you sure that there are no homes in Scotland that have an average income of say £60 or 70,000 + pa?

Advertising to the masses only brings out the average customer that will only get you average prices, if you want above average earnings you have to go and get the above average earners.

Shaun