Low ballers in residential

HI everyone.I was wondering how many of you deal with low ballers in residential like you do in storefront or commercial?It seems more and more everyday here in Pennsylvania. There is this new guy who is running a special he calls it for $139.00 tracks cleaned frames wiped down.Oh yeah that price is for 20 windows .It may have even been screens to?.you get what I am saying though.It is companies like his that just makes me mother fnnnn pissed.These people with no backbone or set of balls drives the value of our unique much needed service down making it to where someone says so and so did it for $139 but he just stopped coming.You want what!!! $275 to clean my windows.That is way too much!and your skilled at pricing windows how lady?It’s not just aggravating what these other cleaners do it is driving the market done, and driving the value down.I think all these companies who do this should be forced to get out of the business!period!we set the price remember that .the customer don’t. If we all as a whole stick together and get what we are worth all over the country the prices will be same everywhere and there would be no way for a customer to get it cheap anywhere.I would like to what anybody’s thoughts wereon how to handle these poor excuse of business owners who have no set of balls on them .I push quality and value to try to make up for their low price

I have a few guys in my area who offer window cleaning from $50 for a small house to $120 for an extra large house, ( he was $30 last year for a small house).

I saw his ad on a face book buy and sell site last year, so I messaged him advising him he higher his prices and that my minimum was the same price as what he charges for an extra large house.

I also telod him about a extra large house I do annually and charge $1080 and takes me 8 hours, his response was one word “WOW”.

2 days later his post was uploaded again with he same prices, that is when I just had to realize that this platform was not the place for me to advertise and everyone on this site was only looking for the cheapest price for what ever they could get.

A year later he is still here ( his prices do not include tracks or screens) same prices, ( which equate to $30/hr) seems to me that he is not running a business he seems to be supplementing an income, and has probably always previously worked as an employee or subcontractor who does not know his value.

And if he ever crunches the numbers will probably figure out that he is taking home less than $20/hr…

This is where you have to be more knowledgeable and convey your skill and experience, a reasonable person knows what most service industries would not survive charging $30/hr when the minimum award wage here is in the mid to high $20s/hr for this type of work.

I hear ya there.Some people just don’t get it.He should bring his prices up some or it will catch up with him sooner or later.More like sooner.Maybe he has no confidence?maybe he doesn’t believe in himself?It is so frustrating when you have to explain to a customer over and over about why you have to charge twice as much as bucket bob.I tell people It’s not I am way to high it is that my competitors are way to low.

There is one new guy to the area who is about 1/2 of my pricing. He says on his website he has been doing windows for years. I called him up, welcomed him to the area and a couple of weeks later he referred someone to me.

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That’s nice of him.It just bothers me.maybe I don’t need to worry so much I do excellent work so I know none of my customers will change.If everyone had the self worth that they are worth we could all benefit,but I guess that’s how things are in every profession.

I wouldn’t worry about it too much. Some people eat at the corner dive and some people eat at the restaurant with cloth napkins and table side service.

Be professional in your approach and appearance. Look, feel, and inform to the customer with professional confidence. If John wants a greasy burger on a dry bun and David wants a gourmet burger on a moist egg batter bun, who’s to say they can’t have it?

No body likes low ballers - but do, show, and be the difference.

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Stop worrying about what someone else is charging. Every market has low ballers.
You don’t owe anyone an explanation why you’re prices are higher then someone else’s.
That’s my price I’m nit holding a gun to your head use the cheaper guy. Hey maybe he will do a great job. Some guys , like you said have no confidence. They don’t understand there worth . Some guys just can’t handle hearing your price is high , so they leave them where no one will say anything. There is a saying for those guys , but I’ll leave that out.

Got low balled by FISH last month on a $60 storefront for Verizon for $30. Told the manager I don’t negotiate on price, as I can’t justify spending 30 minutes crossing town to make $30. Explained I take care of my customers by making sure I get the job done every time and on time. He said, he’d call back and I never heard from him. I hadn’t done the store for about two months, as they were installing a new facade, so today I show up and do an in/out clean. The gal says, “oh you’re back?” “The FISH guy was here last time and he did a terrible job” I explained the situation to her that I hadn’t heard back from the manager, so she got on the phone with him and bam, just like that I keep the account!

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Ya, I wouldn’t worry too much about a few lowballers. They generally don’t last long.
I think you told me where in PA you are @Springfield, but I can’t remember. I’m in the northeast part.

Yeah I’m not gonna sweat it.Like people have stated before.eventually those people will dig their own graves.i do phenomenal work.I fit in here quite well with you guys.It’s always nice to to be around proffesionals that have class! Thanks for the conversation.

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Capitalism is fun . You just got to own it.

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Exactly.

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Don’t worry about what anybody else does in their business, just focus on bringing the maximum amount of value and profitability to yours. That’s a Noble and pleasant ideology you have, but it just isn’t reality. We live in a country that’s free enterprise and capitalism reigns. I find the scenarios here in southern California as well. I find it amusing when someone says they had someone for half the price of what I charge. Advantage one, it seems to be you’re standing in front of those potential clients and not that cheapo, advantage 2 is an opportunity to bring value to what makes your service different and sell yourself.
Advantage 3, is you will learn the subtle art of being able to gently turn down somebody’s low price and remain detached enough to walk away with your sense of value intact. point being, it’s not all black and white and it’s not all just about low prices, you are correct, we are a very specialized niche in the cleaning industry. But people are going to tell you what they tell you if someone gives them a cheaper price, I know it seems like an uphill battle to build your value. if you keep practicing your pitch with the new person it will become second nature that’ll be just a speed bump in your window cleaning journey.

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more precise marketing and branding tailored to exactly who is looking for your niche will weed out those who don’t value or need what you offer as a brand (tangible and intangible)

when trying to appeal to everyone, no one is interested is how it seems to end up in modern times

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I am new this year. I went door to door at the end of 2018 and cleaned my first house in January 2019. I work alone, target and have residential only, and I have insurance.

I am what you all would consider a low baller, maybe even a bucket bob.

I clean homes up to 20 Windows for $59. Clean exterior, wipe frames and tracks and quickly brush screens. I have a clean Toyota Tacoma and I use professional tools. I’m guessing my work quality is not as good as yours but I’m not too far away. I have not had a complaints yet. I work from about 7:00amm to about 2:00pm and can do 4 or 5 homes. I am very polite and reluable.

I concentrate on the customers you don’t want. My customers get their windows cleaned only once, maybe twice a year.

I have on several occasions told potential customers that they should keep their window cleaner. I don’t feel I have a need to steal customers. I have worked 4 or 5 days a week since January.

Maybe I will change my mind the longer I’m in business or maybe I’ll be out of business in a couple of years but I feel the money I make is fair for what I do. And I am proud to be a window cleaner.

now let me hear it.

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Well it looks like you said it yourself.You will be out of business because you just simply don’t charge enough.To me it seems like you will just settle for a mediocre life.Get what you are worth! You will be glad you did.Do your research and see what everyone else is charging and go from there.If you want to be a middle priced window cleaner then that’s ok it’s up to you.You kind of sound like you already know that you are going to quit down the line.If you do it will be because of your pricing.Stand up for yourself don’t sell yourself short.When you have to raise the prices on your residential you will have to put it way up because of your low prices to begin with.You may lose some customers.Start bidding and pricing accurately so you get what you deserve.Just my thoughts.

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I sincerely appreciate your comments.

I don’t want to be out of business in a couple years. I am proud of cleaning windows and I hope I’m in business for a long time.

You mentioned I just want to settle for a mediocore life. I think you are right. I don’t know your definition of that but I would prefer to say I am happy living a simple life. I have always thought it is not important how much you make it is important how much you save.

What should a professional window cleaner make per hour anyway? I don’t want to knock this profession and I know it sounds terrible but we are cleaning windows not performing brain surgery.

I have been in business for almost 5 months and I bet I clean windows almost as good as the veterans. Granted I’m probably much slower and I use at least 2 buck towels on every house to detail, but when the job is finished it looks as good as the guy that been in business for 20 years.

This is my first post and it is going to be interesting to re-read it a year or two from now. I’m sure I will make many mistakes and changes along the way.

I have already learned a few things reading posts from this forum. For one I will never use a razor on a window after listening to how veterans describe the quality of glass today.

I will continue to read posts and I may even contribute once I learn more and get comfortable (unless I go out of business next week :slight_smile:)

I look forward cleaning windows tomorrow in Henderson, NV.

Thank you again.

Respectfully,
Ron

I’m sure you do…:rofl::rofl::rofl:

Window = opening in the wall
Pane =piece of glass bordered by a frame
I would be at $260 assuming every “window” has only 2 panes and 1 screen and $150 just for external since that was all you listed you did in your processes.

From what you have stated you are earning from $33-40/hr after expenses you would be lucky to be taking home $20-25/hr which is less than what I was on as an employee of a window cleaning company 7 years ago.

If you take anything from this is have a minimum charge most people on here are probably $100-200, its just realistic any service company other than under the table handy men and lawn mowing men, will be the same.

I respect your desire to live simply as well as your contentment in doing so. I am a solo cleaner as well and have every intention of remaining so.

However, with your desire of simplicity in life in mind, it may be beneficial to think in terms of what you COULD make rather than what you SHOULD make. Life is short and fleeting. Every hour that goes by is one less you have to live, and every hour you spend cleaning windows is another hour spent away from family, friends, personal endeavors and living life. So perhaps ask yourself, with the limited time you have in life, how much is that time worth to you? If the answer is $20-$30 per hour, then congrats on reaching your dream life. If you’d prefer to cut your work time in half but still maintain your simple life and ability to pay bills, then it may behoove you to hear out the wisdom of the pros in this community. Time isn’t money. Time is precious and more valuable than money. So when you trade time for it, make sure its as close to a fair trade as you can find.

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