Bid help

This is in a lower income area, I’m not busy right now, and know for a fact, this bank is not interested in any kind of maintance cleaning.

There 52 windows in groups of 6 on ground level the teller’s desks are each of them. There is then an entry way that goes up about 15ft. There are 48pc of glass there. Each pc of glass is about 18"x18".

Sounds a little vague, but its a bank, so hopefully you guys can picture what I’m talking about. What price would you give them?

Google Image Result for http://gloucestervillage.com/images/shops/business_photo_94.jpg

Pretty much exactly like that

sorry. I don’t do commercial. Is this bid for outside only? $150?

$450.00…go for it man!

It’s pretty amazing the differences in pricing and estimating in different markets. How long do think it would take?? Looks like you could finish it in a few hours, … maybe 2-3 hours. Can’t see everything. If it took me 3 hours, being a one time clean, I would only get about maybe $200 out of it which would make me pretty happy (about $70/hour). If you can get $450 that would be awesome, but wouldn’t happen here. Maybe give them a high quote and negotiate it as needed??

It looks from the picture like a lot of glass. Something like that may take you longer than you think. Why couldn’t you get $450.00?? It looks to be $450.00 worth of value to me. $70.00/hr is good money but I like to bid more by value than $/hr.

What factors in your market are making you think you should expect peanuts for an apple pie job?

$450.00 for inside and outside. A touch more if I were cleaning windows on the other walls or cleaning interior glass.

What do you think it’s worth? $150.00 suggested above is IMOP way too low. When do you need to have your bid in? Monday? Make something up quick. Pull a # out of your hat. I used to count windows. Now I guess a number or even quote a range like "since I’ve never cleaned this building and I have other jobs to do this week that this 1 might interfere with if I guess it wrong of have to come back the next day I’m guessing that it’ll be between $350.00 & $450.00.

Don’t get me wrong, I’d like to get as much as possible but I think if I bid $450 I would get laughed out of the door. It doesn’t seem like all that much to me compared to what I’m used to doing, but seeing it in person is much better than a picture I suppose. You’re right, it may take longer than I think it might. But if it does take 3 hours then $150/hr (I guess I just think this way) is too high, … unless of course they pay for it. I don’t understand what you mean by value, … what does that mean and how do you estimate by this?? Maybe it’s a better method. I used to count windows as well, but now I am more inclined to try and estimate by the amount of time I will spend.

How long do you think it would take by looking at the picture?? Also I think the $150 was for outside only, which IMO would be great. Maybe $200 is too little, it’s just a guess based upon my knowledge and the picture. Everything except the entry is at hand level, seems like it could go quick, but certainly depends on inside obstacles and how dirty the windows are. Good luck in getting it, would love to hear what price it ends up being.

I have had customers surprise me because they’ve thought my price was too low. And of course vise/versa. I guess you have to figure whether spending 1/2 - 3/4 of a day for $150.00 is worth it to you. It could be worth it if you get a referral or some other good fortune occurs like you had no other work that day anyhow. That’s how I look at my work. Is the building manager taking other bids? If so, be “Johnny on the job” and get your bid in right away. When you hand it to him tell him “I can have these windows clean for you on X date”. That gets a day in their mind.

Value to me (and I don’t have this perfected) means, sure I could finish this job in 3hrs and $50.00/hr is good money but look at this building, it is nice and the windows are magnificent or whatever, and to have the windows cleaned is worth more than $150.00. It’s worth however much more than $150.00. I look at the building in the picture and see a value of more than $150.00.

I’m guessing it would take 2-4 hours. I know that’s quite a range. I just got burned on a log home that had a vaulted front like that. I charged $75.00 and it took me about 2.5hrs. I didn’t think it would take that long.

Please, get that bid in first thing and let us know what happened. Even if it’s $150.00 you still won!

In Arizona, I believe a one time in/out with that building here would get you about $295 - $325 or a monthly at $225 in/out or $145 exterior only.

From the look of the picture if there was nothing special, windows were average quality, nothing got in your way, etc, would take me 4-5 hours full, 2-3 hours exterior only (Including talking to the clients and making them like you to drum up more business).

I like that system and I’ve actually been counting windows, calculating up a price, and when I go to present it, I’ve been just going with my guy and adding a few bucks or taking some away. It usually comes out to me making $30-40 an hour and when I’m in the window cleaning zone and not chatting with people or my phone isn’t ringing $50-60. So I’m going to be turning in a bid for a happy medium of what all you guys said at 275. Hopefully I’ll shock myself with what they are willing to pay!
Thanks for the help guys!

You are welcome for the help just be sure and let us know what happens!!!

Perhaps a moderator could move this to the appropriate sub-forum.

Yeah, it really needs to be under “commercial”

Nice comments everyone has mentioned here, I agree needs to be in commercial section. But just don’t shoot yourself in the foot bidding too low. If you think you “MUST” give a lower price, is it lack of confidence in your bidding? What I realized years ago is mentioned in one of the latest WCBO magazines your price is a “unicorn”. You sell the “value” to the customer… that means for instance, what does their customer see walking into that bank? Sitting in a loan officers office? That is one thing I like to point out to perspective clients, [U]their[/U] customers notice the dirty windows before anybody else. So the value for them is the image they give their clients.

I would present a higher bid for initial cleaning then offer set them up on a maintenance program for the lower price, maybe twice a year. Let them know that it is up to them, quarterly, seasonally or yearly. Give them options and you may be surprised by the outcome.

If you are confident your price is right they will note that in their mind.

Hope it works out for ya, happy bidding : )

Thanks Jeremiah for putting words to my thought on value. That helps. I would ad that image is a key word in your discussion with almost any client that is riding the fence.

Thanks Eric.

Hey hows spring up in MT bro?