I started clening with my mothers house cleaning business when I was 12. Last year I was laid off from my full time job so started my own window cleaning business (hated doing house cleaning). Since then I have wrestled with how to charge for thw jobs I do. By hour? Per window? If its per window do I charge different for big and small windows? How much extra do I charge for windows that have innner glass that has to come off or old exterior storm windows that have to be lifted out to clean? Any tips and suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Charge by the window. Also do a search, there’s a lot of good info on this subject.
Just reading your blog gave me some amazing ideas. Thank you for sharing your ideas and experience with others.
Just starting out I charge 25.00 for the 1st hour and 20 thereafter because its kind and fair to the neighbors who have varying conditions. To me, any less and it doesn’t seem to be worth it. I seem to be averaging 5 pane and try to do a good job on both sides frame and all, but other thing take time too, set up, break down, etc. and I provide my own professional supplies. If the job is difficult and skilled all day, for example, I’ll tack on .25 easy and sell it on them as to the value, need and why, typically neglect and difficulty of havn’t had the windows done in many years and which doesn’t reflect the final and true cost of frequent maintence I’m trying to educate, value and soft sell them on, ultimately. I would imagine if your service is in demand you could charge more and others get it too I’m sure. Go Fish ! At the end of the day I want my customers to feel like they got a really good value and I’ve left with my diginity in check. Anyway cleaning freaking windows all week can be a tough life but its not rocket science either. Some of the prices people come up with and what other people pay, its crazy. Not me, I want to build value and trust in a customer and sell them more of me really quickly by tending to and their needs efficiently and safely as possible
Value truly is subjective.
Perhaps some of your customers would still find value at $50 per hour or $100 per hour.
Perhaps $600 per hour is the sweet spot.
Your higher prices will be in the North Pole due to the lack of competition.
Like someone, probably many people have said “Don’t let people tell you why you can’t do it. They’re telling you why they can’t do it. Just do it!”
Does anybody who is charging 20 or 25/hr. really know for sure he can’t get 3-10 times that? Don’t shortchange yourself. Try it. It will be better for you in the long run and better for the market where you live.
Thanks for the feedback, I’m glad you like it!
Make sure to remember all your business expenses when deciding on pricing as well. Sometimes your expenses now are much less than they will be when your business grows. Raising prices can be difficult. Start at the top with room to spare!
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How many referrals will you expect after charging $150 per hour? Let’s be real.
Which price is high? $50 per hour? $100 per hour?
Depends on who’s doing the referring and who’s on the other other end of the referral.
Depends on the customer’s perception of value.
A business can prosper by means other than referrals.
I don’t quote on the basis of a per-hour charge; I quote by the job. I’ve never heard a customer comment that I was making too high an hourly wage.
I have some small jobs that take 1/2 an hour/ 45 minutes and we charge $99. That would be tanamount to $150 - $200/hour.
See Merv, it is happening in widespread parts of the WCR nation. You never know until you try. People often assign more value to your service on their own when the price is higher. Brian and CleanReflections, please don’t put all your stock in “realistic” reasoning that is taking alot of money out of your pocket.
Dan, They might have 2 learn it the hard way.
It might work where you live. Where I live, I suspect you wouldn’t have the job for long.
Prices vary heavily by area.
There is a price that is too high. Not all people are so dumb that they will merely pay any price and think more of you for it.
Some may. Hang on to them.
I think the key is to craft your service so that it’s worth the price tag. As long as you provide the customer with a wonderful experience, an experience that is worth the price, there’s nothing wrong with charging more. If your just delivering the same old standard window cleaning experience, you won’t be able to charge much.
If you believe that window cleaning is window cleaning and people won’t pay higher prices for a better service, then you will attract customers that think the same way.
everything is relative, today I cleaned an exterior only, 2 story, no screens, 237 pieces of Anderson gridded glass, the kind with the little 3" squares in all four corners, It takes me 45 minutes, I charge her $125, she happily pays me, and I happily go back.
This is all very much in our heads.
Your client cares primarily about the amount of value they are receiving, and affluent client bases like - and expect - their contractors to be successful (and charge them big bucks).
Telling yourself that “around here you’ll never get that” is sabotaging your efforts. How do you know that you’ll never get it? How much have you pushed the pricing envelope?
Muster some courage, and for the next 7 days, take whatever price you were [I]going[/I] to charge them, add 30%, and then let it come out of your mouth.
Hell yeah Kev I charge $90 an hour on straight plain simple glass or $150 an hour if its double hung or french. I have done this so long I can tell how long a job will take with a 2 man crew. Its much easier and faster to estimate based on what you need to make as a company per hour. If they don’t want to pay $750 for a 5 hour job on a double hung/french style home then they can go use the local crap service who might charge them $300 and be done in 2 hours!
Another thing to take note, there is a big difference in the speed and effieincy of someone who done this for years and someone who is starting out.
Who the frick pays 50 hr and up for maid and janitorial services ? Maybe if you do highrise stuff you can command 100 hr. and up but like everything else its all about risk and reward, supply and demand.
If Bill Gates wants to pay 600 hr for janitorial services, he has one lucky janitor but that doesn’t reflect the mean average of that type of work at all. Like I said it isn’t rocket science or even healthcare for that matter
600 hr for janitorial services ? and you wonder why homeowneres are leary of contractors in general
