Is $5-$10k an arbitrary number or do you have a formula that you got you there?
Doing it from the inside would be tough. Like stated in a previous post you would have to move items, catch them when they are home and go back If there not, which takes time. Also factor in the time spent talking to every tenant at each unit. That would add a ton of time. For me, cleaning from the outside would be the only option. Good Luck
Just throwing this out there: Why is the last guy to do it, not doing it now? Do you know him? Did he leave on good terms with the property or get screwed? Was it a nightmare job he’s glad he lost? Is he telling you it’s all interior work to screw you because he wishes he still had the job? (Or is he out of the business, retired, etc)
The mantra: “Expect nothing, appreciate everything” also comes to mind.
I’m sure we’ve all had those jobs where we see it quick, home owner downplays the difficulty, we say to ourselves “awe, this’ll be an easy one” and then the problematic floodgates open and it gets horrible. That would seem to be magnified on a job that large.
Teaches us to do our full due diligence and not take folks at their word. I’d want to see those windows up close before submitting a bid sans lift cost added.
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Thats like some of the CCUs I’ve done. “Its not that bad” now when someone says that warning lights go off in my head and there is a good chance the price goes up!
The last guy had a run in with the president of the home owners association. He was just a maintenance guy and said it took him about 2-3 weeks. He did it for $3,000 but he has no idea about window cleaning prices.
Last guy was a maintenance man and did it for $3,000.
that means, the budget has been set at $3,000 and would be hard pressed to get more than that out of owners, they might stretch to 4,500 or 5,000, maybe. whatever bid comes in will be “that’s way more than our budget”, “we dont have the budget for that”, “can you sharpen your pencil some more on this quote?”
the maintenance man was doing it for wages
they’ll see how much it really costs once they get a few bids in, wont want to pay that and will ultimately find another maintenance man working for wages is my guess on the usual scenario
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That send up a red flag waving brightly!
Please listen to this guy @Bruce.
There’s no way that place is going to justify paying out that kind of money for cleaning what looks to be very little glass on a building that size.
Not sure what the back looks like but I’d stay away from using a lift on the front part unless my eyes play tricks on me. That can all be done with a wfp. Taking a boom out there you will need to use wood sheets under the wheels where ever it go’s so you don’t get oil or tire marks anywhere, so already you will need at least one helper on the ground dedicated to the boom operator.
Plus, its money you could be using for other things, why give it to a lift outfit? Unless they insist on it.
I’d say 3k is probably a good price if you can get it done in a day or two (and you can if you got 3 or 4 poles going on it.).
Don’t gouge em, don’t forget word gets around fast. You can make coin on this.
And the commercial auto insurance is sometimes cheaper than regular insurance. Check Progressive. They are a great outfit. I’ve had nothing but good experiences with them. Got 1 mil commercial auto.
Just make sure to pay the extra for them to pay for your rentals at 55 a day, no out of pocket for you. Trust me its so worth it. They got a good relationship with enterprise, so they get discounts too. My truck was in the shop for a week, and the last weekend of it I got me Jaguar!! Those things are so pimp! Shift gears on the steering wheel AND theres a pop up round knob on the center console you can shift with too.
Only paid 30 bucks more for the jag.
You got this man. Just be smart about it and you’ll be a regular I’m sure.
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One more thing: Stay out of the tenants homes, too many opportunities for complaints otherwise. Your goal should be to keep your footprint as small and light as possible.
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None of the balconies can be done with a WFP, you will have to gain access to those from the tenants. Know another one or two people you can hire on who can WFP? Do have two or three WFP setups or will they bring their own? If no then as a newbie you will really dislike that you didn’t just smile and walk away.
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Garry, its easy enough to call around to other local cleaners and see if they’d like to have a part of it. Also, the patio doors would fall into something the homeowner can take care of.
Scope of work should be common areas and those where the occupant can’t get to them safely.
They can get out and clean those themselves. I’m sure management don’t wanna pay for something they normally wouldn’t have to, right?
At 20 years old the kid is probably more resourceful than both of us put together on our best day.
I would price it just for fascia only windows. let the clients hire out to do their balconies if they want, bring cards. Way too much liability walking through a customers home to reach the balcony, pitch it to the manager that way. All of that fascia can probably be reached with WFP or and JLG lift. Also, pitch this, most glass sliders on balconies are dirtier on the inside due to fingerprints/grandchildren etc, and the only way to do that is to trad it/gain access to customers homes. All the cleaning on the outside isn’t really gonna do much on balcony doorwalls/sliders.
