Hello everyone. A newbie over here needing some critique on my pricing. We are a husband and wife team that started a window cleaning business a few months ago. We live on the coast of New Jersey. Right now we do traditional cleaning and hope to one day upgrade to WFP.
I recently did an estimate for a large 3 story beach house. Our first large job! The house mostly had large casement windows and lots of full glass doors which I just counted as two windows each. So in total, there were 55 1st story windows, 12 2nd story windows, and 13 3rd story windows. There was also one skylight and two 4ft diameter round windows. One of the round windows was on the 2nd story and could be accessed by going onto the flat overhang on the front porch. The other round window was on the 3rd story to the left of the other round window and I would’ve needed to set my ladder on top of the overhang to reach it. These windows were also in the stairwell inside so they would need a ladder to clean them from the interior as well. Also to note, the interior had window walls inside so there were more windows to clean inside than outside. The customer wanted a quote for both interior and exterior. Here is how I priced the job:
Interior only:
-78 windows, $7 each
-5 windows needing ladder, $10 each
Total: $596
Exterior only:
-41 1st story, $7 each
-12 2nd story, $9 each
-13 3rd story, $11 each
-1 skylight, $10
-1 2nd story round, $10
-1 3rd story round, $12
Total: $570
Exterior and Interior:
-55 1st story, $11 each
-12 2nd story, $13 each
-13 3rd story, $15 each
-1 skylight, $15
-1 2nd story round, $15
-1 3rd story round, $20
Total: $1,006
As I said this was my first big job with my biggest before this being a $250 job. So the sticker price on this was a shock even to me. I played with the numbers a bit and tried to be fair with my pricing and even looked on here at the WCR community to see if I was about average with everyone else. So I sent the estimate. The customer calls a few days later and claims he got a quote from a “reputable” company that claimed they could do interior and exterior for $599 including screens (which I told him would be $2 extra per screen). He told me I was “way off” and then tried to school me on how to run a business (mostly because I’m young). I told him I did my research on my pricing and said I don’t blame him for wanting the better deal and to give me a call if they need anything in the future.
Does my pricing sound fair or should I make some adjustments? Let me know your thoughts and suggestions. Thanks!
window is the opening in t he wall the panes are the panels of glass consisting of the window.
It seems like you are pricing per window as per pane which would seem you are about 2x more costly as you have confused pane price vs window price
You will get many answers to this question because markets vary from place to place. For your market, what you can charge will be determined on what your reputation is (newbie) and what others in your similar customer pool pay similar companies. Because you are new, you are building your business base. Don’t let someone talk you down from what you need to charge.
Don’t know what you need to charge? use the following method to figure this out: Consider your expenses (Vehicle, Insurances, Equipment, Employees, Workman’s Comp, Advertising, etc.) and what you need to cover your daily living expenses (rent, non-work vehicle, utilities, groceries, health insurance, etc), Factor all this for the year. Now break this down by how much you need to make daily gross. What does that come out to hourly? Do your prices cover this?
If your competition is using “independent contractors” to low ball and gain market share, you may be facing a losing battle as a newbie. If you sell your services as higher end and your reviews reflect this, you can do well. But, it is something you will need to focus on a daily basis to make happen. You are building an image with what you do everyday. Branding, Reputation, and Great reviews will be necessary to get the high dollar customers.
I recently raised my prices. I have lost some customers because they can’t afford my $300 minimum. They will be missed because they were more than just customers… they were friends. New customers have taken their place and they have not blinked at my new prices. I use an online booking app to screen new customers. No more haggling price. Customers love that they can book online and schedule 24/7. You can see my online pricelist here
Thanks everyone for the good advice and for reassuring me I’m not crazy (well at least not with my prices lol). I can see this community is going to be a huge help and support for us
He didn’t find a reputable company that is going to do 82 windows including screens for 599.00
He found a joker who is broke, or he’s just lying.
Your pricing is fine it’s not cheap , which it shouldn’t be. Your close rate will be lower , with your pricing structure than it would be if you would be cheaper, and being that your new, and no repetition won’t help close rate. Just keep pumping you’ll get there.
men are generally not the best residential customer, the more affluent they are the more likely they are difficult and are not the right fit, generally speaking. There’s a miniscule minority of men that are the best type of customer
yes, we’re men, but we’re not our customer, we’re the service provider
Hi
in my opinion you spot on you can haggle some but not to the point as to where your making nothing for your hard working don’t let them school you if they want cheap work let them do it for it won’t look good.
I had the same issue this house was big glass city when i gave her a price she starts to yell at me and tell me she will have her maid get up on a ladder and do the whole house for an xtra $ 50.00 a month I said ok left saw the maid 1 week later she quit calleing her cheap for also she called others i was the cheapest out of the others.hahahahahahahahahahahaha
I once again have to be the wet blanket on this post.
Back a few months ago, the updated 2023 pricing post was made, back then many of you guys were at $8-10 per pane in and out…
The OP is at $7 to $12 PER SIDE!!! first floor PANE inside and out is $18
Based upon you guys prices from a little as April unless most of you guys have doubled pricing in those short months many oof you guys would be at $656 -$820.
Biggest problem when new guys come into the industry they decide that they will call a pane of glass a window, OP already stated that he has quoted as single paned windows, while in the pic I can only see 4 single paned windows, some of which he is charging $32 to clean a round window, not sure what is so difficult but what ever.
Either no one else read the pricing properly or everyone managed to double their prices in 3 months IDK
My initial opinion remains the same OP is charging too much.
You’re are probably right. I just reread this guys post He’s counting big Casements as two windows.
It’s not as much glass as I thought , and I was thinking 82 screens too. That alone is around to 250.00-300.00 Which there isn’t 82 there anyway. Some of those windows don’t have screens.
That’s why I hate talking price on here. I have to see it to get a grasp
I do a window count come up with a number , figure out if there’s any ladder work on the inside , then look at condition of the windows , the obstacles if any. I come up with an idea of how long it’s going to take , is it easy a PIA , and come up with a number.
This job is on the easy side , and if there is no ladder work in the inside , not extremely dirty , and it seems way less glass and screens than what I thought. I’d do it at that price you’re at.
And the phone isn’t ringing right now , so when do they want me there I’ll do it for 600.00 with screens .
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