Pricing Help

[Suncoast Cleaning 14]

I have to give a bid on cleaning a home that is all brick and only needs the eaves and gutters cleaned. Being new, I'm not sure what price per LF to charge. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[EmpirePW 14]

Do it for $10 maybe $15... Just kidding... you have to look into a few things for this, what chemicals you need to use, much much fuel and supplies are necessary, how many sq feet you are cleaning, how much your times is worth to you, etc etc.

Gimmie a minute and I will find this thing that helped me figure out some pricing issues.

Check out the "Pricing Defined" thread in the Residential Pressure Washing forum.

[One Tough Pressure 580]

http://www.thegrimescene.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1381

[EmpirePW 14]

that thread is the same one I just copied and posted... I guess I wasn't the first to post it here but it's a new thread again... "Pricing Defined"

[Suncoast Cleaning 14]

Thanks, there is alot of great information in that thread. However, being new it is difficult makng these calculations.

I've been using some of the standard pricing I've seen on this board (ie - single story house wash @ $1.00 LF or flat work @ $ .07 to $ .10 per SF) and everything has been working out good. Now pricing this single story 250 LF house that only needs the eaves cleaned has got me unsure what to charge. I can't use the standard $1.00 LF, that just does not seem fair to the customer. The house it not very dirty, just light mildew showing up. I was thinking $ .30 - $ .35 per LF would be about right, but I don't want to be labeled a lowballer. Does this seem to low?

[CCPC 26]

In our area, its hard to be to low because of all the competition. One thing about jobs like this is that it can be difficult to clean just the eaves of a house without at least rinsing the rest of it as well. So, with that said, you don't want to go to low on your price. I also always try to upsell them having the whole house cleaned. Becuase remember it's your name thats attached to this job and the neighbors across the street and the people driving by don't know that you were asked just to clean the eaves, if you catch my drift.

[Paul B. 523]

You need to establish a minimum price for yourself. What is smallest paying job that you will leave the driveway for and still make money after you calculate your overhead and expenses and add profit. You've most likely spent at least a half hour to an hour and will spend another half to an hour getting to the job site and back. Once you add you cost of fuel and chemicals and $0.375 per mile for driving you'll find that your minimum will be over $100.

250 LF x $0.35 = $87.50

unless you expect more work, referrals, need the exposure or just need practice, you will most likely lose money at that price.

Our minimum started at $135 and is now $150, but rarely do I take on a job at that cost unless it's for the elderly, other work is expected, doing other work nearby. My minimum is established on the initial call, so most of the time I don't even go out on an estimate and waste the customer's and my time.

To give you an example:

I had a call from a lady that had a 16 x 24 ft concrete pad in the back of her condo that she needed cleaned. I offered some other options to her but she accepted the $150 minimum over the phone. I fit the job in between 2 other jobs near by. The work was done in 15 minutes (plus prep and load time). I gave the OK to seal the surface with some left over V-Seal (less than 2 gallons) and the customer was very very happy. Door to door the job was less than 1 hour. The "EXTRA" paid off in the long run, as she has provided several referrals.

[Suncoast Cleaning 14]

The job came out ok. $.35 per LF was still to low. CCPC, you were right. It was difficult just doing the eaves so she got alot more for free. Just starting out I want to make sure the quality of my works shines. I did sell her flat work on her sidewalk and concrete so the total invoice was $170.

[CCPC 26]

Another piece of advice, when just washing the eaves, wet down the sides of the house with water before applying your chem. This will help prevent streaking.

[Mike Williamson 198]

I won't just do the eaves, for the reason you found out...I wind up washing a good portion of the house anyway.

[Paul B. 523]

Mike,

I had a customer that just wanted me to quote washing the 2nd story siding along with the 2nd and 1st story gutters. He said he could wash the lower level himself. I quoted $20 more to do the entire house. He didn't understand why, until I explained that we have to get the lower portion wet also as we do the upper. In essence, my estimate was for the whole house and I added $20 for the stupid request.

[Mike Williamson 198]

I have had requests to do the eaves/fascia several times, and I just tell them it will be the same price to do the entire house as to do what they're requesting.

On the flip-side, I had a customer last week who couldn't understand why the eaves,fascia, and gutters weren't included in the roofwash pricing, since they were attached to the roof!