Any opinions on proper quality level?
Any opinions on proper quality level?
I am still a newbie. On my own jobs, I have been going to the highest quality level possible. Razor every square inch, maybe wet wool, maybe barkeeper’s friend. Clean the frames, sills, sashes and tracks as clean as they can possibly be.
However, I’m re-thinking this. It seems like doing it this way triples (at least) the time required to do the work, versus a simple mop-squeegee-next! approach.
The reason I’m wondering is this. I did some work with a guy who has a zillion laudatory reviews on Yelp. Yet his work is slap-dash. Zero track cleaning, very little razor, ignores paint, sap, hard water, etc.
Now I’m thinking his approach may be right. WC is so expensive, and a lot of homeowners just need the dirt washed off the glass. They don’t expect someone to do window surgery. It’s too expensive, and it takes too much time. They just need the dirt off, and they want the window cleaner in and out fast.
Any comment?
My Opinion
Do it right the first time, people notice, you will earn a lifetime client.
Next time around do a basic clean, it will save you time but will look just as good as the first time, and customer will continue to be happy.
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Do what you think is right. When you first start off it’s really easy to get so detail focused that you’re making minimum wage per job which is not a good way to keep your business afloat.
However, in my experience, people just want clean windows 90% of the time. Wiping the outside of the frames maybe / maybe not. Detailing tracks maybe / maybe not. Always wipe the inside sills because you don’t want to leave a mess.
Razor? Absolutely not unless it’s a ccu with waiver in place and the understanding that it’s 3x-5x normal price. Ditto steel wool. Ditto hardwater removal.
Instead of completely being slash and dash, offer “upgrades.”
For example:
To clean the windows inside and out will be $200.
- Includes wiping the sills and removing cobwebs from around windows and doors.
- Washing the screens add $25.
- Tracks detailed add $35
- *Construction clean up, hardwater removal, etc for an additional charge.
I’d leave the ccu/hardwater/etc as “additional charge” because then you’d have to decide whether you want to charge hourly, or give them a fixed price.
I usually include screen washing in my window estimate but you could charge $1-2 per screen depending on how you price things.
For tracks, I just have a fixed amount $25 for single story normal house, $50 for 2 story. Or you could add $1-2 per window, but by having a fixed amount, I usually make more per house than per window price.
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My opinion is if the window needs to be scrubbed with something other than your strip washer then that’s what needs to get done. If the window needs to be scraped then that what needs to get done.
If it doesn’t need to be scraped then why are you scraping it . If it doesn’t need a white pad , bronze pad , blue pad what ever you use them why do it. 80 % of the time on insides all you need to do is use your strip washer them squeegee them detail. Once your done with the squeegee part there should be minimal water left on the perimeter of the window.
But you do need to get paid for the work you do if your good at this, an your only making 50 an hour there is something wrong. Jmo. Either your pricing is off, or your obsessing to much , or you just don’t got it down yet.
Understand I’m not saying do a shit job , or an unprofessional job I’m saying if your work requires all what you are saying your doing … The price needs to be right
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Simple answer is - leave it better than you found it.
That in itself can mean a variety of things. Are you leaving room for an up sell?
Sure, cover nominal amounts of paint and debris, but if you are having to really get into the detail end of things for what turns out to be 40 or 50 bucks an hour, then consider offering a “Basic” service and a “White Glove” service. Don’t necessarily lower the basic price, but up the White Glove price. 
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I find it is best to tailor your service to each customer. Different strokes for different folks. Some will never see the value in extraordinarily high quality work you can do, others will settle for nothing less and will pay handsomely for it. So I use a three-tier pricing system for my resi bids that lets each customer choose the service they want at a price they can justify.
On the job I use steel wool as a matter of course if the window needs it (bug guts, light paint spray, etc.). The scraper doesn’t come out unless it has already been discussed there will be an extra charge for it, and a scratch waiver has been signed. Hard water stain removal costs extra on each pane the customer decides it is necessary.
I have a standard rate per pane, and everything beyond just dusting the screen and washing the glass adds to that base price. A window cleaning that includes extras like track scrubbing and screen washing can cost up to 75% more on the average home I service.
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Yep. That is where “Factor Charging” comes into play. It takes a wee bit of practice to get it right I think. Part of why I don’t do phone quotes. I FIGURE window count as part of my package, but THE OVERALL EXPERIENCE of fully clean windows is the final price.
If people hem and haw about price, depending on the situation, I can remove certain inclusive details to help with their price point. (Ask what they have budgeted for). “Mr. Sloppywindows, I can leave the paint splatter, do just a dusting of the tracks, and offer a quick wash to get the easily visible dirt from the glass for $xxx?”
Usually, if you are at a residence that obviously attends to home maintenance, then this isn’t an issue.
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Wet, agitate the dirt, rinse, if they want to upgrade the service and pay the difference then by all means do it with a smile!
This has helped me a lot…
http://windowcleaner.com/t/how-clean-is-clean/30068/8
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Caleb was spot on when he said this. I have cut time off of each job after reading his post a while back and doing b+ work. Windows still come out really good and my clients are satisfied with the results. Sometimes we think clients will notice if we miss a little something, but the reality is they rarely look.
As mentioned a while back on the forum(sorry I forgot who)…Clients look through the glass, we look at it.
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I was going to quote him about that post … Just like you did but I couldn’t remember it. That’s great you quoted it. That’s spot on. Good stuff.
I’m sorry just like Steve did. I saw you first.
I agree it has saved me countless hours of unnecessary labor.
It was Brian in the same thread… Lol 
I agree that one piece of advice has saved me countless hrs of wasted labor.
It was Brian in that same thread.
http://windowcleaner.com/t/how-clean-is-clean/30068/7
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So true. There are times where I see a little spot I missed. I tell my client…“I am almost finished I just need to get that spot real quick.” They usually respond “I don’t see anything.”
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Brian was also spot on. Mail him and Caleb a check Steve. You make more than me. 
They have made us some money!
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Steve is getting his address right now
