First off, thanks for all the constant help that this community provides for everyone. I wouldn’t be here today if it weren’t for all of you. So thanks.
So I’m currently working full time and cleaning glass part time. I’m getting closer to making the leap every day, and stumbled across a very large strip mall in my neighborhood. The owners are taking new bids after a 25 year stretch with the last window cleaner. Roughly 525 windows, 1050 panes. It would be interior and exterior monthly. I’m going to price it at 1.00 per pane outside and 1.25 for interior. I’m in southwest Ohio.
I’m fairly confident in my quote but still running into some butterflies. This would be my biggest bid I have made,I guess I’m looking for some push from people with some more experience on my situation. Thanks
Personally, I don’t know why you are more inside, then outside.
The commercial I do, I price inside cheaper than outside. It will usually take more work to clean then outside.
You may also want to add a charge for removing tape and signs, at their request.
I also have no idea at what the going rate may be in your area, but I’d bet they will only pay less than a buck a pane if that’s a monthly. Because I’m sure with that amount of glass a month, several would bid less than a buck. I’m not discouraging you to lower your prices, but a job that size I’m sure will be shopping for the best price. Even a bid lower at 10 cents, makes a 100 dollar a month difference, 1200 a year.
I totally disagree exterior Windows are way easier and faster to do then interior windows…
Interior you deal with people (customer s) fingerprints, signage, tables, chairs,desks, plants just to name a very few issues that make interior work more of a hassle…
Charge for the hassle.
Well, that’s not my experience. I don’t have tree sap, bird crap, dried on bug guts, or most of the “crud”, on interior glass. Environment happens…
After a first clean, I can hit interior glass with a unger speedclean kit, and zip through them pretty fast.
I don’t do restaurants and store fronts, so maybe that’s what you are getting at. My commercial is offices.
@Ab11 was asking in regards to a strip mall and posted pics of the strip mall.
Even with commercial I charge more for interior I mentioned a few obstacles in my post to only name a few for commercial properties… desks,tape, nic naks on the sills, offices occupied to name a few.
But that’s me to each own.
Wow! Is it going to just be you? How long would it take you? Doing the insides of that top picture looks like it’s going to be fun. Like @wcs was saying about the insides, that is what is going to slow you down in my opinion.
I would be at $1.50 even $1.25 for inside and out each window. That’s only because it’s a monthly account and they obviously have loyalty to their vendors if the last guys had them that long. Repetitive business is what you want. I do commercial and storefronts all day, that job is a breeze for somone like me. Easy payday! Hope you get it.
Exterior should always be about 60- 70% of the full price. Is this bid going to make or break you? The reason i ask is they are probably gonna get some low bids due to it being a large strip mall. If you really need this job you may have to go lower than you originally thought. Keep in mind that this will be monthly so the windows shouldn’t be to bad after the first clean. At the end of the day make sure that you are going to be happy with what you would be making off of it. Only you know your business and what you are willing to do it for. Best of luck! Let us know if you land it.
Yes I’m sure they are shopping for the lowest price. We shall see. And I agree about the interior slowing me down with obstacles and such. It would be a solo job for me on a early morning weekend. I believe she said only do doors down on the entry ways. Which is the first pic. So that can change things a little. Being a monthly account I want to be competitive and keep it for a long time. But I feel like I need to stick with my prices too. I guess all I can do is quote it and sell my value/ services to them and roll with it. Thanks for all the responses
How long would you estimate that job taking you
inside?
Outside?
I’d imagine a couple hours each?
Use your estimated time frame to help you with your pricing see if that might help you
You can do 1050 panes in 4 hours solo?
You are a better window cleaner than me!
I would imagine it would take me about all day.
I estimated 6-7hours on inside? And 5-6 on the outside but this is would be my first large commercial. So there would be some learning going on as far as times
Why?
Time to improve that technique.
Lol. I hear ya.
Dont get caught up on what others speed is. I price things based on window count from experience trial and error. Everyone’s speed will vary but every business needs a price structure to assist in growth to the next level . I will make better hourly than my employees but my business charges the same rate to customer no matter who cleans it.
Yes, monthly, solo half day. Each time you clean that you will be getting a system down getting faster.
Take advice here but use that to help make the correct price for you.
These bids are exciting and scary both. This is always a great account for any company, keep your head and even though a reoccurring account like this is great practice a business needs to profit too.
I never have to clean anything other than fingerprints off of the inside of monthly cleans, and a lot of times there’s not even that on them. I think you have a valid argument about possibly needing to move displays etc at a strip mall and that’s great that you’re thinking about that ahead of time. You know your market better than anyone. We can only give you advice from our experiences, but i think in most cases Exterior is more work.
Great advice
How good is your stickwork? That interior looks like 2 pieces with a 8’ head section…hard to tell from pic. On your first or second picture, that looks like easy stickwork with a Ledger to close out the tops. Nice easy job if you get it monthly. The only thing that will set you back is, as mentioned-- the insides. People come and go, you have to be extra careful and aware of your surroundings.
Now that’a a nice commercial job if you get it. Monthly’s are good, think of it as you only have to do that job 12 times a year-- recurring EVERY month! Add that to your yearly…it all adds up-- price it so you won’t mind— but KEEP in mind, you’ll only do it 12 days out of 365-- for a FEW hours out of those 12. I think your bid is fair–and if this is your biggest bid-- turn it into your biggest accomplishment and LAND it!
And whoever can do that in 4 hours, my hats off to you. Let me buy you a beer, (LOL). If it’s just you and you have time --one day all the outsides-- one all the insides. It looks like it could be done in a day-- depending on your motivation. The first cleaning will be a little more work, but if the place had been cleaned prior-- it won’t be a disaster by any means
Good luck!
