I have had some good success with people contacting me through the contact form on my website, but I’m starting to get the “all kinds of kinds” effect going on. I’ve had 3 really good contacts, but I’ve had one person ask about if I wash siding (kindly responded with a no but offered a free window quote. 
) But then got a message from someone who just wants two big windows on their living room cleaned as well as one above their door. So, how do you guys respond to such requests? I have a fifty dollar minimum I have just started to implement, but my schedule isn’t full, so I was thinking I would just charge $25 and do it, it could lead to other things you know? What do you think?
If you’re going to have a minimum you have to stick to the minimum.
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Kindly let them know about your minimum, and offer to add windows to get to that minimum. Or just do those windows for the minimum…
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This was my reply to a customer yesterday who was looking to get 3 high windows cleaned. She booked for May 7th, and paid her security deposit online this morning:
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man alive, you must kill it! I honestly don’t think that would ever fly in my area. I washed a house yesterday, in and out 52 windows and with an extra charge for first clean (they were very very dirty, literally hadn’t been cleaned for years) and 20 screens I charged 320+ tax. I live in a small city in SD. There is a lot of new huge houses on the lake nearby (that one I just referred to was) but maybe after a few years when I’m very established and have really built up a reputation I could start raising prices, but I just don’t see prices like that being a good idea in my area. But good for you! Haha!
Also, I informed her of my minium but said I would be happy to wash the windows up to that minimum, we’ll see how it works out. 
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We don’t know if your area is in a depressed economy or what the overall situation is, but on the surface it seems that perhaps you are shy about pricing?
Do not charge out of your own wallet…What you can afford and what someone who owns a huge (52 window) home can afford are two different things. Confidently charge for the job.
Look the house address up on Zillow.com, or just put in their zip code to find home values. If it is a $350K and above house, you are leaving money on the table. Do not charge out of your own wallet.
Forget “pane pricing” for the moment - we’ll assume the average window has two panes = $4.00 to $8.00 per side; that’s $8.00 to $16.00 inside AND outside. French pane windows and doors, start at 75¢ per pane. Yes, that is $11.25 per side of door. Later on down the road you can bump to $1.00 per pane.
Screens are work; screens are not free.
Repeat after me ------
Screens are work; screens are not free.
Get in the habit of at least $1.00 to $2.00 at first.
Minimums are not negotiable! ~ ~ ~ Minimums are not negotiable!
When you set a minimum, it is to ensure that you get a decent return on your time, equipment, and longevity in business. Don’t be that guy living in a van down by the waterfront with a hobo-stove cooking instant oatmeal for dinner!
Look at this math: EDITED MY MATH (Thanks Ben)
(If you are saying 52 window openings)
52 windows at $4.00 each, inside and out = 52 windows in/out at $8.00 each
104 in/out x $4.00 (minimum) = $416
20 screens at $2.00 each = $40
Really dirty windows you say? Tracks are probably the dungpile $2.00 each.
52 tracks x $2.00 each = $104
Add it up:
416 + 40 + 104 = $560.00; At $320, you gave $240 away.
Even if you gave tracks and screens away you still should be at that $416 mark.
Charity begins at home, start getting paid.
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… and if they won’t pay that, someone else will.
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in my experience, it will lead to more jobs you don’t want
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why did you double the rate here?
if you’re saying it’s $4 per side of the window (thus $4 for the outside and $4 for the inside) it would either be 52 x $8 or 104 x $4, either way it would come to $416
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FYI we would be at $580-630 for that job (not including tracks) i used to think there is no way people will pay that (and some won’t) but if you stick to your guns and provide real value, people will say “that’s all?”
a fellow last week told me when i gave him the bill “oh that’s not enough” and tipped me $50, that was at $10 per window and $3 per screen
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I don’t know, I’m from a smaller city in Minnesota (similar market) as South Dakota. I would have price that house around $320-$350. And to my knowledge my competition would be around the same. Where are you guys from to get such prices? obviously I would love to get paid $580 for a house like that, but don’t you think market makes a lot of the difference. Or am I just being timid to pricing?
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Ben, you are my proof reader! LOL. Yea, got a little carried away I guess; should have checked my own math! The guy is still way under price. $560?
Yup, it’s just kind of the going rate around here. To answer the questions, I charged 3 dollars per side as opposed to the normal 2 because of how dirty they were, then I had a spring special, every 5th window free (20% off) and 20 screens at $2 each. I adjusted the price of a couple windows because of them being second story, over a roof, high ones on the stairs, etc, and I’m still working on my formula, but anyway, that’s what I charged roughly. I don’t have my actual tally right in front of me atm.
Where are you at in SD? I’m in the southeast corner
I’m in Watertown, so maybe not too far! Where are you at?
Yeah, for that I’d be charging 80, 120 if half the windows had screens, 160 if half the windows had tracks! If windows= panes that is. I guess double that if each window was 2 panes. No way on planet Earth that people here would pay 300 bucks for that!!!
Scheduled:
32 windows, single story, no screens, in/out = $475
20 windows, tracks, 13 screens = $266
39 windows, some french panes, 2 story, in/out, tracks and screens = $723
52 windows, 2 story, exterior, repeat customer = $315
