[simbo]

hi! everyone

reading past posts gives quite a diference in pricing.
i am probably wrong but have work lined up for mid jan, i have given prices based on how long i consider a job will take.
example have an average three bed to do which i said would cost between 80 -120 pounds is the price ok .  A 2 day comercial job say care home would be charged more than what i would get doing domestic jobs over 2 days, would this be right and what sort of charge should it be, i would say about 1000 pounds would this be still too cheap for a 2 day job as i know some of you can occasionally do this in a day! 
 if some one wanted just a bedroom done for example you would'nt charge just 20 quid for it "would you "i would rather say charge min 40 or not bother, would this be too much?
ps. thanks to nick for free samples, had to use on my wool rug last night, spilt med
thanks simb0

[Cleanersolutions]

Hi Simbo,

You would need to charge a minimum call out fee. 

Or indeed try and sell other services or add ons to make it woth your while.

By the time you have got to the customers house, set up, done the business, it will have cost you a lot more than 20.00.

Travel time, Prep time, cleaning time, packing up and material costs etc.

Steve

 

[Dynafoam]

Simbo,

Prices will always vary.

Geographical location, client-base, quality of service provided all have an influence in the price charged. So also does pricing policy- some will always go for the highest price that can be achieved, others the most competitive price for their area. and there are infinite variations between these extremes. Our pricing policy is one of the most important business decisions that we make.

Your comment about the average three-bedroom house was surprising. Rather than "occasionally" completing on one day, I would think that most would not consider taking longer.  I very much doubt that anyone would do a more thorough job than I but the only time I would spread such a job over two days would be if it included carpets, upholstery and curtains.

The other point raised was minimum job charge. I personally would not contemplate a £20 job - or a £40 job for that matter. on the other hand I remember Mike saying that, since all his customers are close-to-hand, he could make a cup of tea, go and do a small job and be back home before the tea was cold.

Circumstances vary as much as prices, but, with no offence intended, it does sound that your training may be somewhat lacking and it would serve you well to consider this most valuable asset of your business.

[gwrightson]

Simbo , i would have thought if you where thinking of charging £40 for a bedroom , i would put your prices up  on the basis that it would take you
2 days to do 3 bedroom house ,
 a decent rate for a bed room i would say ,  but  2 days 
i consider myself reasonably slow "mind you i am using m. halliday as my
 gauge  but  a 3 bedroom ,h/s/l   lounge and dining room  is acheived
 with in  a 1 day period .
   now with this in thought ??
   How long on average would it take all you c.c. to clean as above ,
   using all the correct procedures  i.e. vac, pre spray , agg. extract
etc. etc.
geoff

[Dave_Lee]

Including moving some furniture, 4 to 5 hours, with TM.
Dave.

[Mike Halliday]

I think in the beginning a minimum charge is not such  a good idea, you need all the customers you can get to build up your customer base. As long as you 're not travelling too far then the cost are minimal and don't alter much from been sat on your bum at home. (remember, clean five bedrooms a day and you're on 25k a year )

today you clean a bedroom next month they may want thier suite cleaning.

3 bed house;
30mins a bedroom
45mins H/S/L
45mins Living room
45mins toilet & bathroom
set-up & put-away 30mins each

4.5 hours max

Mike

[Dynafoam]

My average times are similar to Mikes (which add up to 4.75 hours), except I would add 15-30 minutes to the lounge and 15 minutes to the packing away as I wash our the waste tank, clean Host brushes etc. before leaving.

This adds up to about 5.25 - 5.75 hours.

[simbo]

hi all
some
of my original post is missing. i would charge between 80-120 for 3 bed house taking roughly 4 hours and do a good job, is this a fair price.
the part thats missing was that say i got a 20 bedroom care home to clean the total area cleaned might be the same as 4-5 3 bed houses and only one set up traveling time etc, but should my charge be more ,and not equal to 4-5 3 bed houses

what i am trying to say is do you get a lot more money for cleaning larger premises although the area is prob less than doing 4-5 3 bed houses
 thanks for patience simb0

[Dynafoam]

Simbo,

Firstly, if you post a question - read it!

If some is missing, then edit it immediately ('Modify' button) until it reads correctly, otherwise we will waste time answering a question that was not intended to be asked.

If this care home is anything like the ones I do, do not expect to do even just the 20 bedrooms in 16 hours.

The machine MUST be left outside the building, otherwise the urine odour emitted from the machines' exhaust will stink out the entire building.

Since the consequences of a trip are likely to be more severe to the elderly residents, the risk needs to be limited by careful placement of hoses and cables. This results in frequent re-siting of equipment which increases the slack time of the job. Many of the homes that I do could be covered with the machine left in one position, running 150' - 300' of hose but this would entail too great a risk, with hoses crossing too many traffic lanes.

Moving ancillary equipment such as blowers, Host machine, sprayers etc., re-locating hoses, often with several trips up and down stairs and along corridors can take up considerable time. Often the ideal route is not possible because  certain doors and windows cannot be opened because of draughts.All these factors conspire to reduce cleaning efficiency. Time can also be wasted at certain times of day as hoses may need to be moved as the residents are moved within the building at meal times, bath-time etc..

Most of the bedrooms are likely to be small, containing a minimum of bed, bedside cabinet, commode, armchair, chest of drawers and wardrobe, plus a collection of personal nick-knacks. consequently you can spend as much time shuffling furniture as you spend cleaning.

When costing the job you also need to allow for increased chemical costs due to the use of urine neutralisers, sterilisers etc. and the need to sterilise your equipment at the end of each cession.

The above is as true for both truck-mounted or portable equipment.

[simbo]

apologies john
 considered extra costs but not emmitted smell, learnt something again, i would carry out a risk assessment and put down rubber matting in possible slip areas.
i have 100 ft hose but how would you manage on upper floors if machine outside.

[Len Gribble]

John

Claim down your sounding like me!

Not too sure re “The machine MUST be left outside the building, otherwise the urine odour emitted from the machines' exhaust will stink out the entire building” what about the CFR.

Simbo

What machine have you? Which runs at 100ft I have an attachment to my Ninja, which I can poke though a window if there is one.

Len

[Dynafoam]

Simbo,

If your machine has sufficient power, what you do is to go upstairs with 25' of solution and vac hose and a length of cord.

Select a suitable window and anchor the inner ends of the hoses and one end of the cord. Lower the other ends down to your machine and throw out the cord.

When back downstairs, connect hoses, switch on machine and attach power plug to cord.

Take in additional hoses, wand etc., pull power cable up with cord and plug in. When ready, the machine can be switched on via the socket switch.

Len,

What's wrong with sounding like you, sir?

Even with a healthy dose of Deo-Reo in its' tank, the exhaust of a CFR is better vented outside the building, and attaching an exhaust hose reduces the airflow of any machine.

[Len Gribble]

John

Your normally cool calm and collective not like me! And yes I agree re exhaust hose, believe simbo was looking at Ashby’s and Prochem machines now a 100ft of hose!

Len

[Clean 'n' Tidy]

Sorry to be talking about prices again, but I was wondering as pricing is an area where I am not sure if I am charging the right amount. I don't want to be too cheap or too dear.

I have just brought an ultrasonic measurer as I thought maybe I could charge a price by the metre, but looking on this forum I am now totally confused as to the best way forward. Please could anyone advise.

Many thanks Kim