I wouldn’t present multiple pricing options. I would give him one price for a premium job detailing all the benefits of your service. I wouldn’t go any lower than $3000.00 total for both homes. Your probably going to struggle with the job being tour first home and with it being so big so of you do the job you need all the incentive you can get to complete the job and make it worth your while.
Myself, as an owner operator doing this job solo, I would schedule the inside for one day and the outside for the next day on each house. This being your first home you should schedule two days for inside and two days for outside.
A large job like this can get overwhelming if you haven’t done one before. A great tip to help you stay focused on the job and stay motivated to complete the job (motivation is key on large jobs like this because you can often feel like it’s never going to end and when you feel that way it slows you down and it never ends) is to break up the home in section in your head. So for instance let’s say you schedule the outside for two days. Break up the job in half and make your goal for the first day to do the front and one side for example. Then break up the front and one side in half and you do one half before lunch and the other half after lunch. This allows you to feel like you are making progress and that you are on target to meat your scheduled deadline. This will keep your moral high. You don’t even think about the rest of the house. Just focus on the first half of the two sides your doing before and after lunch and take it one window at a time, work steady and enjoy the day. Make sure you complete your goal for the day. The job will go much smoother this way and will take the Prussia off and keep you relaxed during the job which will help you work faster.
I would even be up front with the customer that, "Hey I have never done a job your size but feel confident I can take the job. I may need a little leeway on estimating the time frame of how long it will take me but I would love to tackle the job. If your willing to give me a chance I will work hard to get the job done for you. " being up front with the customer will also help take some of the pressure off. If you get the job you were up front with him and he knew what he was getting. I would not discount the job. If you do give an incentive I absolutely would not give more than 10%.
I know it’s been stated “they’re real french panes” but… I don’t see any storm windows (strong indicator they’re true divided) and they look like modern, sealed trapped-air double-pane casements with interior muntins. From the pictures, I just don’t see an issue.
Like, I don’t even see sign’s of screw/bolt on storms.
That said, I have a 6" Mop, 6" squeegee, and a WFP ready to rock for old homes. I even specifically advertise “Vintage Sash & Cord / Historic Properties” on my website.
Edit They look like Pella-style casement windows with removable muntins.
Well, he texted asking some questions. And I haven’t received a text back. Hopefully he’s just giving it some time to think but I may have blew it with this guy. We shall see tho. Do you think texting him at this point would sound desperate? He hasn’t responded to the last 2 or 3 text I sent him. I sent them all at the same time but it’s been a day now since I’ve heard back
Give him time, 1 day isn’t much for a customer, and if he doesn’t get back with you, live & learn.
Yes, I think the interior pane unclips and exposes the in-between space of the 2 panes to remove the muntins and clean like a normal Pella window. Whole thread on true-divided french panes yet: house is obviously modern manufactured, no storm windows to be seen (bolt on or sliding), and the lines are too clean, everything indicative of Pella windows. C’mon guys!
Also, no house with true divided-light french pane windows would be absent any storm window setup; maybe in the UK, but not in the midwest.
All that said, I count 43 panes in the top picture (that I can see), start at $5 extra per Pella pane for In & Out cleaning (removing interior pane, muntins, clean, assemble, clean). With this in mind, assuming the same window count in the front as the rear (86 total), I’m at $1290 for that house.
I’ve washed plenty of modern houses with “true” french panes, that is, nonremovable muntins. Usually these are glued on the outside and inside of one large sealed unit so as to duplicate the look of divided lites, but still have the insulation of a sealed unit. Just as much work as an older window (minus the paint/putty chips).
Think of it like a woman. They can smell desperation and fear and its unattractive. Woman and customers love confidence. Whether you know what your doing or not they key is to communicate with confidence. This means quick, responsive, and concise communication. You deliver the ball back into their court with confidence. This gives you the reassurance that if your going to get the job you have done everything you could do to get it and their is nothing more to do and the rest is up to them. Then you give it a few days and a simple follow up. You just say, “hey I just wanted to follow up and see if you had a chance to look over my proposal and see if you would like to schedule that.” If you get a voice mail leave a similar short message. Then I would move on myself. If they want to do the job and use you their going to call. If not calling more may cause them to back away. You could maybe follow up again a week later but after that I would let it go. Just my take.
To answer your question in short. Give it a couple of days and then follow up again with a phone call. After that leave it alone for at least a week.
This. It’s tough to fake it in the beginning, so just leave off the constant messaging and let it be. If you get a call or text back, act like nothing happened and you’re ready to go. If it slips by, don’t sweat it. It’s probably for the best cause it seems like you weren’t really ready to handle this job anyway. Not insulting, just being honest.
Well assholes guess who just called me back schedualed for may 1st. I’m not a nervous wreck talking to these customers. I’m very confident when I deliver prices and communicate. Only reason I was texting him is because he started texting me first. I gave him the option to text because sometimes it’s more convenient. In my opinion service is everything, just like the guys here at WCR will message you on fb after hours to answer and questions you might have
You’re kind of a snobby guy aren’t you. How long you been in business? I’m glad your minimum is $200 that is awesome I hope to get there some day. But I just started this year and I think I’m doing really well givin that. Now I’m just working on filling up my schedual so I can bring on full time employee’s.
He asked how many people do I use on a job, and he asked how long it would take and how soon could we schedual if he decides to use me. I answered and then he never responded, until today of course
Most people on here are being generous to help if they can, and their insight on most subjects is valuable information - even if you “can’t quite see it through the trees.”
A good way to be left out in the cold in the future is to call those who offer advice “assholes”.
Just a little friendly advise.
