[tom2009]

I've been asked to quote for a local school with 78 windows including 6 doors and 5 windows at first floor height. All the windows are new so no fiddly bits and ladder work is minimal. Just wondered if there is anything I should remember when quoting. They want them cleaning twice a year so basically like doing a first clean every time. thanks in advance Tom

[daz1977]

quote on time taken, and do it on a saturday, makes life a lot easier

[Martin ccs]

hard to help much without seeing it but some will say charge £1 - £2 per window.

being a school make sure there isnt a budget to stick to.

sounds a nice easy job - alot of small schools are nice and easy for access and so on.

going to do it wfp or trad?

give them a price for the windows in & out - maybe go a littler higher than the price you must have in your head and then give them a little discount so the school thinks they are getting a good deal.

depends how much you really want the job - sure there are a few wcs being asked for a price and im sure some of the staff have asked their wc to give a price - if you are in that situation then you are already half way there as you have been recommended.

just be careful not to go cheaper just cuz its done twice a year because they may end up turning round and saying just do it once a year or even every other year - budgets change.

[tom2009]

Trad Martin. Good idea about sat morning as well. There are some small windows but also some large so i was thinking the along the £1 and £2 lines and will explain about it being like a first clean etc. Nice little number as Im only round the corner. Pushing to clean the gutters as well, there are loads, but the caretaker enjoys doing it unfortunately. cheers.

[formb]

We have a contract to do loads of schools, our main problems are:

1. If you are doing insides make sure all the stuff is removed from the windows prior to your arrival.

2. Get yourself a risk assessment. I know its a pain but they will (if they have not already) want one.

3. We do ours through the school holidays, great in the summer, but the christmas clean (especially 2009) can be difficult. We only had 3 clear days to do all our schools.

4. Get the janitor to sign off any work that you do, make sure your quote is clear on exactly which windows you intend to clean, every time we go we get asked to do more.

[daz1977]

formb   how did you get the contracts?

[formb]

Sheer luck. My old boy was friends with the person in charge of getting the windows cleaned.

[aztec]

i have just won a contract to clean over 200 schools in south east england going to be busy this year!

[wightsurf]

Because of the local council , i have to have 10 million PL insurance.
It might pay to check as the schools i do had to take a copy before handing over the checks 
Had to have it under writen, sort of 2 policys.

[aztec]

dont worry mate i am well covered

[stevef78]

hia mate we done a bit of a telephone capaign in december to get some schools on,with good success,weve gone for pound a window and double to trad the insides and come to a mutual decision that it would be more benficial to do this in school holidays,also you wont need to do crb checks then either...good luck mate...!

[Blue Frog Systems]

Who's the best person to speak to at schools ? Head teachers are usually hard to get hold of

[richywilts]

fao aztec

so have you signed one contract for all the schools with one figure in mind or are you pricing each individually can i ask have you had to provide any certificates and qualifications to win this contract such as safe contractor/ipaf etc just looking at broadening our portfolio of qualifications this year to win more work and would like to know what ones work???

cheers richy

[gary evans]

fao. Aztec

How do you manage to clean 200 schools, I have 30+ & find that hard, looking to expand or downsize because of commitment to schools. I have a team of six wc,s one being myself, but, to cover much more would be difficult.

How many employees do you have to carry out this work.

Can you use subby,s, if so how many do you hav to call on.

How many vans & what systems.

Hope you dont mind, would be very interested in your responses & possibly speak on phone next week, got, a couple of opportunities at minute, so not sure what route to take.


Thanks in advance


Gary

[gary evans]

..

[tom2009]

Who's the best person to speak to at schools ? Head teachers are usually hard to get hold of

I spoke to the school bursar, she will write the cheque so is probably best one to speak to.