new idea! bout gutters.

[gutterdog 14]

Charging for gutters. One straight price, one hit, on gutters, with house wash mix.

2 options!

(some gutters need a second hit with chems. Some need a scrub.)

I take that gamble in my hands. or

up my price a percentage.

bid in xtra work.

bid in what i expect to see.

always tell the customer to expect less!

[gutterdog 14]

nobody knowes.

[Celeste 341]

Michael - you say you're learning but you're again trying to reinvent the wheel. There are threads that address this. FIND one.

[gutterdog 14]

Michael - you say you're learning but you're again trying to reinvent the wheel. There are threads that address this. FIND one.

A house I did yesterday, in an email back to him, I suggested the curb apeal. He is selling the house. Everything came out perfect except the back gutter still needs just a little bit more attention (a scrub). and I sugested washing his sidewalk and drive way also.

Currently my wash includes 2 hits on the gutters and downspouts.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

A house I did yesterday, in an email back to him, I suggested the curb apeal. He is selling the house. Everything came out perfect except the back gutter still needs just a little bit more attention (a scrub). and I sugested washing his sidewalk and drive way also.

Currently my wash includes 2 hits on the gutters and downspouts.

Then it wasn't perfect, was it....

Beth

[TNRoofCleaner 16]

You seem to be looking for some magic splash and dash formula and there is none. I scrub the gutters because I am picky. I give a customer a price and I don't care how long it takes me, I clean until I am satisfied. I don't just hit it 2x and leave. Roof I did recently took 3 hits in some spots. I had to mix another 15 gallons on site to finish the job because it took more than anticipated.

[Christopher 102]

You have to do what you have to do to get the job done and make the customer happy so they call you back and spread the good word about you to their friends.

I agree, there is no magical method, chemical or machine, most of the time you might have to do some of that "Manual Labor" stuff that people talk about. hahahahahahaha

_________________

Superior Power Washing

Chris Chappell

361-853-2513

prostaff@superiorpowerwashing.com

House Cleaning

Driveway and Sidewalk Cleaning

[gutterdog 14]

Then it wasn't perfect, was it....

Beth

It was close to perfect Beth. REAL close. I wasnt happy with it. I know it could be perfect. It would have to cost more though. I got pics! I emailed them to the customer who happens to be a real estate agent.

Who knew??

Here are a couple of pics I sent him.

BTW the check he said is in the mail, and he revealed he was a real estate agent and would be sending more work my way.

So what did I do wrong???

If I would have charged for the scrub of gutters and downspouts I prob wouldnt have gotten the job. Too expensive.

I was open and honest with him... Did more than wash the house. Her 2 pics comparing the house I washed to the neighbors and they were the same before. It just wasnt good enough by my standards.

Edited September 25, 2009 by gutterdog

[gutterdog 14]

You seem to be looking for some magic splash and dash formula and there is none. I scrub the gutters because I am picky. I give a customer a price and I don't care how long it takes me, I clean until I am satisfied. I don't just hit it 2x and leave. Roof I did recently took 3 hits in some spots. I had to mix another 15 gallons on site to finish the job because it took more than anticipated.

Pat I'm not looking for the magical splash and dash formula. I already know that formula. There is a franchise out there doing that, and I'm BETTER! And getting better!!! He is out there. I'm better. My quality rocks and getting better on top of that.

I have to charge extra for the extra work. That messing me up a little.

We are both quality oriented. The customer may not know the diff but we do.

Came back to add, I couldnt throw in for free the scrub on the back gutters or that one elbow.

Maybe I shouldve???

Got me thinkin hard and its late.

I dream about this. All the time. I'm consumed with this. And I'm happy!!! I know there is success and a fat salary at the end of this, one day.

Been in business over 5 years now.

2 things to think about. house wax, buying tomorow. first guinee pig for free tomorow. no up charge. I wanna see the difference.

The other thing to think about. Scrubbing gutters.

Edited September 25, 2009 by gutterdog

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

The other thing to think about. Scrubbing gutters.

I have not found anything that will attack the asphalt stains on gutters without brushing them...especially when downstreaming or x-jetting chems.

Mom always told me "things are easy when they are supposed to be but the rest of the time, it takes some effort to do it right. Do it right or else I'll make you do it again."

I'm lazy so guess what?

Rod!~

[John Orr 206]

Michael, it's obvious that you want to offer the best possible level of service and are having a tough time charging for it. One possible solution that others have used is to offer "tiered" services - like at the car wash. Wash the house and offer the other services at an additional fee. If you're reasonable about the fee - and explain why its needed (think about sitting in line at the wash and trying to figure out the difference between levels of service) you customers will get (and pay for) exactly what they want and you'll sleep better.

P.S. Brushing gutters only takes a few extra minutes, and since most pwers don't do it, let it be your "signature service". From time-to-time, I have a customer that is skeptical of a particular service like gutter wash or driveway, I offer to not charge them if they think it wasn't worth it. (Always get paid!)

[PressurePros 249]

I thought this question was already answered with several opinions in another thread?

[gutterdog 14]

I have not found anything that will attack the asphalt stains on gutters without brushing them...especially when downstreaming or x-jetting chems.

Mom always told me "things are easy when they are supposed to be but the rest of the time, it takes some effort to do it right. Do it right or else I'll make you do it again."

I'm lazy so guess what?

Rod!~

I'm going to offer 2 prices. one with a scrub and one with out.

[gutterdog 14]

Michael, it's obvious that you want to offer the best possible level of service and are having a tough time charging for it. One possible solution that others have used is to offer "tiered" services - like at the car wash. Wash the house and offer the other services at an additional fee. If you're reasonable about the fee - and explain why its needed (think about sitting in line at the wash and trying to figure out the difference between levels of service) you customers will get (and pay for) exactly what they want and you'll sleep better.

P.S. Brushing gutters only takes a few extra minutes, and since most pwers don't do it, let it be your "signature service". From time-to-time, I have a customer that is skeptical of a particular service like gutter wash or driveway, I offer to not charge them if they think it wasn't worth it. (Always get paid!)

That makes alot of sense. Its been suggested before also. THIS is what I'm going to do. The customer feels empowered by making his own decisions as to what he had done to his house.

I now remember talking about this before:)!!! ooops!

Offer a menu of options like at the car wash, I really remember this now!

I have so many questions and things going on in here right now and my coffee cup is full and overflowing with information, Ideas etc.

Thanks for taking the time John!

[offduty 25]

If you don't scrub the gutters you are not washing the house. Pricing more for it makes you look unprofessional. Include it in your price and do a great job to begin with, don't make the customer pay more for it. One of the guys around here tried that tier pricing stuff and I got a lot of work because of it. Wash a house and don't scrub the gutters and every neighbor sees a half washed house and will call someone else. They don't know that the customer didn't want to pay more the service. They just see your truck leaving the yard with black gutters on the house you just washed.

[douseahouse 21]

works well for me too william. i sell the whole package up front so the customer knows what they are getting.

rando

[Chesapeake 14]

Don't make it an add on. If you give the customer the option, most of the time they will go with the cheapest method. Figure the gutter scrubbing in your house washing price. With the right chems, it really doesn't take long to brush the gutters.

[gutterdog 14]

Don't make it an add on. If you give the customer the option, most of the time they will go with the cheapest method. Figure the gutter scrubbing in your house washing price. With the right chems, it really doesn't take long to brush the gutters.

For the first time, today, I emailed a cutomer a lot of options. I call this the basic wash for this for that, then offered options. See what happens.

[PressurePros 249]

Don't make it an add on. If you give the customer the option, most of the time they will go with the cheapest method. Figure the gutter scrubbing in your house washing price. With the right chems, it really doesn't take long to brush the gutters.

Not correct. 96% of the time they opt for the cleaning. That's real world data based on my numbers.

[Celeste 341]

I'm with William & Randy - gutters are part of an exterior housewash, not an addon. Now, INSIDES, that's a different animal. And just to mess with everybody's numbers here, if we do a gutter clean OUT, then we include cleaning the outside of the gutters too!

[gutterdog 14]

This was the e-mail I sent him. He has bought the house and moving from another state. I sent the pics as an attachment to the e-mail.

Hey M..,

Here are the prices and options you can choose from.

Basic house wash -

(includes siding, windows, rakes, fascia board, outside of gutters and downspouts)

Deluxe house wash options

(these prices only if included with basic house wash)

Brick chimney wash -

Gutter and downspout

cleaning of debri & respike -

Concentrated spraying and

hand scrubbing of outside of

gutters and downspouts -

Vinyl siding shine -

Wash side walk in front -

Basic deck wash -

Water seal options

Clear Thompsons

1 coat -

Color Ready seal

1 coat -

2nd coat -

Basic concrete wash around pool -

Concrete brightener -

M... there are some other things I noticed while there also. The wooden fence, etc.

I took some pictures while I was there. The outside of the gutters will need a scrub. In the basic house wash, that price includes just the regular wash of the gutters along with the rest of the house. That black stuff on the outside of the gutters is asphault (oil) based. Hard to get to look brand new without a scrub more often than not.

Edited September 28, 2009 by gutterdog

[PressurePros 249]

I'm with William & Randy - gutters are part of an exterior housewash, not an addon.

So is the roof. Yes?

Seriously, if you are cleaning my house without extra charges it should be from top to bottom. I'm not saying do it for free, but under the almighty umbrella of ripping people off, why don't you folks include that? Is it perhaps because the cost of your house wash would end up being two to three times that of your competitors?

Gutters cleaning = extra tools, extra chemicals, more risk of injury via chemicals and technique thus extra PPE. William breaks out ladders. You folks seriously cannot see the legitimacy in charging extra? Hmmm.

How do you compete against other house washers that do not include it? They can be cheaper than you, yes? Do you not now have to work harder to explain why you are more expensive or do you just eat the cost?

Just food for thought. I still don't understand how you can do a house wash without doing a roof.

Edited September 28, 2009 by PressurePros

[gutterdog 14]

I'm hoping he goes with the deluxe super deluxe wash!!

He may go with just the basic wash. At the price I gave him for the basic wash I am competitive with the rest around here and I get the job.

If he wants add ons I make more money and the customer made the decision.

Havent heard from him yet. So we seee!!!

Also having the add ons makes you look more established. Have options the competition doesnt. Plus If you have shinny ladders... lol!!!

[douseahouse 21]

the reason i include gutter cleaning with my house wash is because dirty gutters can and will take away from the beauty of a freshly washed house. i do not like giving the customer the opportunity to take away from my work because he wants to save a little money. i get a lot of calls from people who say that they saw my work at mr. homeowener's house and liked what they saw. what if they saw dirty gutters? how do they know that were not included in the service agreement? as far as the roof cleaning is concerned i advertise them separate but do offer the customer a discounted price if the two are combined.

how ya been ken?

rando

[Celeste 341]

the reason i include gutter cleaning with my house wash is because dirty gutters can and will take away from the beauty of a freshly washed house. i do not like giving the customer the opportunity to take away from my work because he wants to save a little money. i get a lot of calls from people who say that they saw my work at mr. homeowener's house and liked what they saw. what if they saw dirty gutters? how do they know that were not included in the service agreement? as far as the roof cleaning is concerned i advertise them separate but do offer the customer a discounted price if the two are combined.

how ya been ken?

rando

Ditto - not to mention......the roofs here seem to be a separate animal altogether. The black stuff is everywhere and there are a few around that JUST advertise for roofs - no houses or gutters.

[PressurePros 249]

Rando, good here bro. How's life in the 'linas treating you?

Hopefully you do see the point I am making, Randy. I have had a customer ask me point blank why the roof was not included as it was part of the house. A dirty roof will kill the curb appeal moreso than not scrubbing gutters would. It should be included.

Remember, the gutters are always getting cleaned, just not scrubbed.

Dirty sidewalks and driveways will also detract from that curb appeal. Shouldn't we include those? It goes on and on. I don't mean you, Celeste or William any disrespect. I do not buy into the "job incomplete without gutter scrubbing" thing. You guys are leaving money on the table or pricing yourselves over low bids unnecessarily. The argument made about it being not complete stops when other, just as viable parts of the property, are mentioned as also being needed to be included. I just don't understand the logic of how you include some things but not others? Is that an arbitrary decision or just how someone established it should be done and many follow it.

Ask a painter if he includes the trim in a room for no extra charge. Nothing would look worse than a freshly painted room with dirty trim.

Empower customers with choice and you close more sales. That's coming from 22 years of business ownership and over a decade in sales. It works.

Here's the final point that many people that argue against the upsell are not hearing. 95 out 100 (95%) of my house wash customers opt in for the gutter scrubbing, rust removal and wax application upgrade. Not only is my reputation intact as leaving remarkable curb appeal, I am given the opportunity to take it to the next level for the customer and make their property look even better.

Win for my customers. Win for us.

Edited September 28, 2009 by PressurePros