I’m Sorry…
Hopefully you are charging BIG $$$$$
If we charged big $$$$ to clean storm windows we would never work. Every other window cleaner around here cleans storms as well. It’s just glass.
I charge more, don’t get em as often as I used to since I raised my price and I’m ok with that.
Being that you have more glass, more tracks to clean then an average double hung seems like you would charge more.
+1. Of course there are different definitions of “big $$$$”. I charge the same for a set of triple tracks as I do a regular double hung ($12). They’re really their own window, and somewhat harder to clean than a regular double hung. So I don’t think its really that much of a price hike to clean the storms- its fair and in line with the rest of our pricing structure. But add it all together with a set of 6/6 ($15), and it comes out to $27 per opening. I just found out one of my competitors is charging $20 per opening for the same setup. But I don’t let my price be dictated by the competition ;).
I do find that we tend to have a somewhat lower closing rate on jobs with storms- but I think that has more to do with the overall job cost being higher than average. There tends to be some price resistance on jobs over $600 or so. Plus there is the perception that they “don’t have a lot of windows”.
We do charge more for windows with storms, but only a couple of $$ more. However the difference between cleaning a 6/6 with storms and a 12/12 with storms is about $6. The money is in the smaller panes, not the storms. The storms are easy.
I give up on those pella clip storms. I broke two of em today with my two finger cup. If they don’t come out with a slight tug, ima pass on em for now on.
$75.00 for each new pane I broke…talk bout a hurt piece
The wealthier clients seem to be replacing them all with new windows. Mostly Anderson Renewal so I’m happy.
Jay: I work alone so I was wondering if you had to do a house by yourself would you need more than twice as much time to get the job done? Do two people work more than twice as fast as a guy working solo on combination storms.
Seriously mike? Did you really just ask that?
I don’t know or for that matter care, I don’t need to clean by myself, and I very rarely clean with only 1 other guy, we run crews of three, so I really have no way of answering your hypothetical.
This space for rent!
Thanks Linda
I stopped doing triple track storms because my production rate per hour on regular windows is so much higher working alone that they are not worth my time doing.
PS
Having never worked on a crew I have assumed that they must being working more than twice as fast as me, based on their price increase for storms, but I am making assumptions. So I asked the people who know for sure. I’d like to triple my double hung window price to make doing triple track storm windows profitable but nobody would pay that. Last time I did one I was charging about double and it wasn’t worth it.
I don’t mind storms if I feel I am charging enough. I hate them if I have under cut myself and have done so to many times.
My method has changed and I have saved myself a lot of time. I used to take all the storms out of the tracks and set them aside while I clean the inside, then out side then storms.
I am doing a couple of things differently now.
1.I use an aerosol window cleaning solution that foams up as it is sprayed on the class. For interior glass I use a light spray over the entire window. And squeegee off. I may do a few strokes over the window with the squeegee if I see a few spots on the glass before I am ready to detail with my towel.
2. Using a squeegee that is able to position at a “0” degree angle is very helpful for the next step.
3. As you open the window to remove the first storm, clean it before you remove it with the spray and 0 degree angle squeegee. Turn it around and clean it while it is resting on the inside of the window sill. Then remove it and set it down carefully.
4. Repeat the process with the top storm window with the spray and 0 angle squeegee.
5. Go to the exterior windows
with the spray again.
The exterior side of the storm may need some extra scrubbing so have what ever you would like to use. Bronze steel wool would work well. 0000 grade of course.
Use more spray as needed for tougher dirt.
Depending on the style of window and storm, you can leave the top storm in. Make sure that it does lock in place at the bottom of the track. Place your rags on the bottom of the track so that it can’t lock.
I cleaned two house this week with storms. First one was a 3 track single pane DH w/ removable muntins. The other a two track mostly 6 on 6 style window. I have been cleaning both house for years and years. Use to take 8 to 10 hours by myself to complete. Done in 6 to 7 hours this week.
Very nice not having to bend down on knees all day clean storms!
