House wash and windows / roofs

[Michael Nardoni 14]

When you do a house wash job , do you clean and dry ea . window ? or just let it air dry . House washes do you include roofs , or is that always extra ? Thanks

[RyanH 14]

After washing the house, I always go back and wash each window with a squeegee and glass cleaner then rinse. I dried once and wasted SO much time. If you do a good enough job washing and use a good cleaner, the film it creates does a fine job at letting all of the water roll off and leaves a clear window. Adding a roof job is dependent upon how much money you want to make, whether or not you are capable/comfortable of doing it, and if the customer even wants it. I couldn't believe how many customers weren't even aware that that black crap on their roof was not the natural age progression of a roof and that it could come off.

I've had some customers say that they thought a housewash should be like getting a hair cut: you don't trim the sides without the top and shaving the neck. So, in that case I'm able to quote high and do the entire thing. Some just want the trim/gutters brightened. I've never been one to stay strict in my services...if a customer wants it, I'll provide it if it's within my abilities and can make a profit on it and as long as it won't undermine my credibility. I'll offer suggestions, but ultimately he/she with the checkbook makes the ultimate decision on what gets washed.

And everything costs, so of course a roof would be extra and more than the sides.

[R L S 14]

My house wash is from the gutters down. Roof clean is seperate.

Richard

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Ala-Carte!

Thats the way.

Hw=$

Gut=$

Flatwork=$

etc...

Rod~

[Howard 50]

My house wash is the same as RLS from the gutters down. Roofs are extra and I don't (yet) do windows. Only had one customer even ask about windows and it was a large front window with high arches and it was the only one he wanted cleaned. I used a squeege right after the wash and rinse it came clean and he was happy, (no charge). Ryan how much do you charge extra for the windows? Around here I get anywhere from $180 to $375 depending on the size of the house, this cost does include the gutters (outside). If they want the gutters cleaned out inside that is also extra.

[RyanH 14]

Ryan how much do you charge extra for the windows? Around here I get anywhere from $180 to $375 depending on the size of the house, this cost does include the gutters (outside). If they want the gutters cleaned out inside that is also extra.

I include the windows in the standard house wash. The process of cleaning the house will streak the windows if I do not go back and clean them individually so I have to do this to leave the customer with a high perception of quality. I also include the window sills/ledges, so it isn't a big deal to slop some window cleaner on while I'm up there. I've only had one house where the guy just wanted the green stuff cleaned off the siding and nothing else...apparently he was selling the house and just wanted a good curb appeal (visible only from the curb I guess)...I think I deducted something like $75 from that on a split level house. Normally I just try to price the job to get around $80 gross per hour from it and I know how long it will take me to do it by looking. I've never been called to do just windows.

[John Orr 206]

Ryan,

Have you tried adding a rinse aid (cold water) to your mix? Better yet, add a liquid wax and wash and rinse the house with warm water. As long as I am using city water, I do not leave streaks or spots. It isn't always perfect, and I don't charge extra for it, but my customers are VERY pleased with the results. I have a number of customers that used to schedule their window washing after their house wash - no more.

[RyanH 14]

John,

I've found that the bleach tends to streak somewhat even with liberal rinsing. My biggest factor is the gutter cleaner...if that stuff gets on the windows I have to scrub it off otherwise the oxidation and gunk I remove from the gutter will coat the window. Besides, the window ledge/sills are things I could not ignore and had to physically scrub anyway (didn't want too much water pressure going around that area), so it was nothing for me to slop a squeegee around the glass. I still rinse with cold water and it works wonderfully, I just have to remove the chems from the other processes.

[newlook 265]

Our wash is also gutters and then down.

Had a customer about 2 summers ago that wanted me to tape up all her windows with plastic because she did not want any water getting on them. After explaining to her how that sounded she insisted that if I wanted the job this is what I had to do. Well, needless to say...as we were backing out of her driveway I wondered what she does when it actually rains and water gets on her windows...:). I have read many times on the Grime where we say "sometimes you just need to walk away from a job" ~ well this was one of them :)

[RyanH 14]

Maybe she had an incident like one of my past customers who used an inexperienced contractor...he blew chemicals and water right through the sash and sprayed her carpet and curtains with bleachy water. Guess he thought a simple seal could withstand thousands of pounds of directed pressure.

[PLD 14]

Ala-Carte!

Thats the way.

Hw=$

Gut=$

Flatwork=$

etc...

Rod~

Ditto, but I have had a few complaints about it. Some people spend $300 as a package no problem, while others balk at a-la-carte. Just friday, I quoted the works to a customer (who asked for it) and when we were discussing the estimate she said "All that is seperate?!?" I feel pretty good that I would have nailed that with the same one-stop-shop price. I changed strategy and negotiated as much as I could she was already beyond "No". Oddly, the dealbreaker was a $12.00 tile patio...

Philip

[Mike Williamson 198]

Ala-Carte!

Thats the way.

Hw=$

Gut=$

Flatwork=$

etc...

Rod~

By "gutters" are you talking about cleaning them out, or cleaning the outside of them?

I can't imagine cleaning a house and leaving dirty looking gutters...in fact, It'd be hard NOT to get housewash on the gutters. I know some have suggested this, but when I walk away from a job, I want people to say "WOW!", not "wow, he missed those gutters" or "is that as clean as he could get those gutters"?

I've even gotten to the point where, if the house is nasty, I won't just clean the roof...since the runoff winds up cleaning certain areas of the gutters/fascia and even the siding, and leaving others dirty. The only way I'll do a roof only cleaning is if the house is already clean.

As far as windows, I use a rinse aid in the wash mix, and don't have a problem with spotty windows. I've never done anything except Xjet housewash, dwell, and rinse well, and have never had a complaint about the windows being spotty afterwards. In fact, if the homeowner wants a price for the housewash AND for window cleaning, I tell them to wait until after the house is washed and dries to decide on the window cleaning, since the vast majority of the time the windows are sufficiently clean.

[Aplus 525]

I can't imagine cleaning a house and leaving dirty looking gutters...in fact, It'd be hard NOT to get housewash on the gutters. I know some have suggested this, but when I walk away from a job, I want people to say "WOW!", not "wow, he missed those gutters" or "is that as clean as he could get those gutters"?

I absolutely agree 100%

[wesley 15]

Mike and Tony,

Does your house wash price include the gutters? I'm not sure I completly understand what you two are saying. Does your house wash mixture clean the black streaks off of the gutters? My mixture does not, this is why it is an extra charge for me to get the black streaks off. If your house wash mixture is capable of taking off the black streaks could you share your concoction(spell?). If yall are using a seperate chemical like P.P. and taking the time to apply and brush in alot of cases, I am guessing yall are at least $75 higher than the next guy. In my area this is a seperate charge among the P.W's. I guess in a nutshell are yall just increasing your housewash price to cover this expense and not calling it an ala-carte item.

[PLD 14]

in fact, It'd be hard NOT to get housewash on the gutters.

I think there may be a misconception. We are not talking about housewash nor omitting the gutters during a housewash. Obviously, you wash the gutters right along with the soffets and fascia. The discussion about cleaning the gutters is in regards to applying degreaser to the gutters as a seperate step to remove the baked on tar streaks.

I know some have suggested this, but when I walk away from a job, I want people to say "WOW!", not "wow, he missed those gutters" or "is that as clean as he could get those gutters"?

I feel the same way. However... And Ryan will probably disagree since his niche is full service/premium cleaning. But in my expereince the bulk of the resi business here in S. Atlanta just wants cheap. $145-165 for a 2200sq. two story is typical for 75% closure rate. And $1/lin.ft will drop you down to about 25% quickly.

And at these prices, you just can't do a good job on the house and add in the time/chem cost to degrease/de-tar the gutters as well. So, I clean the house for one price and offer special treatment for the gutters as an upsell option.

I wish it were different... I get all excited when I hear the rates some of you up north are getting.

[Mike Williamson 198]

Mike and Tony,

Does your house wash price include the gutters? I'm not sure I completly understand what you two are saying. Does your house wash mixture clean the black streaks off of the gutters? My mixture does not, this is why it is an extra charge for me to get the black streaks off. If your house wash mixture is capable of taking off the black streaks could you share your concoction(spell?). If yall are using a seperate chemical like P.P. and taking the time to apply and brush in alot of cases, I am guessing yall are at least $75 higher than the next guy. In my area this is a seperate charge among the P.W's. I guess in a nutshell are yall just increasing your housewash price to cover this expense and not calling it an ala-carte item.

If the streaks are barely noticeable, I'll give the owner the option to pay for gutter shock or not...suggesting they don't. If they're bad, that's factoredt into the price just like every other part of the job is.

If you're wondering why I suggest they don't, it is because, as I understand it, the products used to remove the black streaks also removes a very very thin layer of paint along with it...something I don't think is justified to remove barely noticeable stripes.

As far as how long it takes to get rid of stripes, about an extra 10 minutes per house...I keep my gutter shock in a pump up, and if needed, I spray the gutters/fascia with it after soaping things down, and let it dwell along with the housewash mix. It doesn't take more than an extra minute per side to do this....I very very rarely have to scrub or brush...I DID with gutterzap, but not with Gutter Shock. As a result, the difference in price is not that much, not even close to $75.00

[wesley 15]

Mike, thank you for the quick response. I just wanted a little clarification because I didn't fully understand what you were saying. We also keep our gutter cleaner in a pump up sprayer but the majority of my houses are 2 and 3 story so we can not apply our gutter cleaner (P.P.) in 10 minutes. In my area the guys working for beer money get most of the smaller homes but when we do get them I will do the gutters when it only takes me a few minutes per side. When I made the $75 comment I was throwing a random # out there since I go by the foot on gutters and that price will always vary.

[CCPC 26]

I always clean the gutters and always factor that extra time/chem into my proposal. I live in, probably, one of the worst lowballer areas out of most on this bbs, but still have found that even though my pricing is somtimes twice what others charge I still land about 75% of my bids. Thorough explantion of ones services, clean cut image, the abiltiy to identify with many kinds of people (customers) can go a long way.

[Mike Williamson 198]

Mike, thank you for the quick response. I just wanted a little clarification because I didn't fully understand what you were saying. We also keep our gutter cleaner in a pump up sprayer but the majority of my houses are 2 and 3 story so we can not apply our gutter cleaner (P.P.) in 10 minutes. In my area the guys working for beer money get most of the smaller homes but when we do get them I will do the gutters when it only takes me a few minutes per side. When I made the $75 comment I was throwing a random # out there since I go by the foot on gutters and that price will always vary.

I agree, when dealing with a 2 or 3 story house, the time involved is higher, so the price is higher. I think that's one factor people forget when comparing prices here in FL to those in other areas...probably 95% of the homes I was are single story. I have a Coress extension wand, and have used it a grand total of twice in the past 6 months or so, since I bought it. I rarely need a ladder to access any part of a house.