uPVC cleaning

[emubill]

I have been approached by a distant contact to act as a closer for a new business idea. This guy is a joiner and installs both wood and plastic windows & doors. White plastic doesn't seem to be the maintenance free, last for years product that has been raved about. I know from personal experience that the frames get dull and grey after a few years and are very difficult to clean. He has found a product that does clean them up and provides a protective coating so rain runs off. For a semi 3 bed bungalow he charges £300. For this windows, doors, soffits & fascias and gutters all get cleaned. It takes one man a full day to do. He has had many people interested but loses in closing the sale.
Do you think the pricing is fair?
What suggestions to help him or even myself to close the sale?

Thanks for any help in advance


Nigel

 

[fastfences]

Hi Nige,
It's hard to comment on price unless there's a benchmark or yardstick to compare it to. The price seems 'reasonable' given the anounts people spend on homes and gardens. Does it increase their investment? Not really, though it may 'enhance' it.

The problem may well be that people have not heard of this treatment and are wary. This may well fall into the crooks of ashphalt drive and roof seal fame. Perhaps some good credible referees, literature, press release, association body membership or the like will assist the process. The client seems keyed up through the whole sales process, so is it really price - or maybe something else? Can he 'sacrifice' a couple of deals at, say, £200 to start the ball rolling?

Cheers, Nigel

 

[Jayne]

A bottle of Cif (ie Jif) does the job, with a bit of elbow grease. Rub on wax and polish! Cost about four quid!


Just in case anyone cannot aford £300.


Good idea for the richy people though, who don't like elbow grease

Jayne

 

[JoyDivision]

I am not sure what materials he uses but it sounds too steep. We had the entire upstairs of our house including the gantry and guttering for £250, the price included paint and labour. It took two people one and a half days to do.

If its mostly labour then £300 a day is too much in my opinion especialy if his running costs are low. We paid £350 for large UPVC window inc materials and labour but of course thats a much bigger job than cleaning somthing.

 

[cjd]

It's a hard thing to do but I would suggest he goes back and asks why he lost the bid.

It could be many things including his salemanship, his product, his reputation, his competition etc as well as his price. He may even appear too cheap.

He won't know unless he asks.

btw - It would be best to get someone else to ask; people won't want to embarass him personally.

 

[JustOneUK]

That price is spot on.
Provided he is fully insured and has certification handy.
If someone wants all their fascia fully restored and he is able to do that, otherwise I too would recommend the Jif (cif) method.

How long does it last?
Because if it is only good for a year or two I personally wouldn't be interested

 

[robbie williams]

seems too expensive to me. £300 for a days work including materials for 1 man to clean is real pricey. Most people with a trade charge far less than that.

Chippys - £200 a day
Sparx - £150 a day
Network cablers - £120 - £150 a day

Most people who I think would be interested in getting their window frames cleaned would probably have a go themselves...

 

[JoyDivision]

seems too expensive to me. £300 for a days work including materials for 1 man to clean is real pricey. Most people with a trade charge far less than that.

Chippys - £200 a day
Sparx - £150 a day
Network cablers - £120 - £150 a day

Most people who I think would be interested in getting their window frames cleaned would probably have a go themselves...

I don't know any carpertners on £48k a year Although I do know one who is my age, did badly at school etc but he is a hell of a lot richer than me.

 

[Rob Holmes]

I don't think it's a skilled jod and I certainly would not pay £300 to have it done.

I'm sure a normal window cleaner would look at doing it for alot less.

Rob

 

[DuaneJackson]

He won't know unless he asks.

There's the asnwer I think.

 

[robbie williams]

seems too expensive to me. £300 for a days work including materials for 1 man to clean is real pricey. Most people with a trade charge far less than that.

Chippys - £200 a day
Sparx - £150 a day
Network cablers - £120 - £150 a day

Most people who I think would be interested in getting their window frames cleaned would probably have a go themselves...

I don't know any carpertners on £48k a year Although I do know one who is my age, did badly at school etc but he is a hell of a lot richer than me.

I know 2 chippys who took home more than £48k last year - wish I had the skill!

 

[emubill]

I personally think it is slightly overpriced but the break down was 20% to the sales person (£60), materials (£30), Marketing (£10), cleaner (£100) & £100 for himself.
I don't think it adds value but does enhance curb appeal. Lasts (though has not been doing it long enough for first hand results) approx 5-8 years, which if you think of a window cleaner calling every fortnight and charging a fiver is £650-£1040, may lengthen the appeal of the windows.
It is a non abrasive fluid unlike some products and does need to be applied, let to dry and then buffed. Still unsure.

Perhaps if he cut sales to 15% and his own cut to 20% would take it down to £245.

I will pass your comments onto him - thanks.

I may even call back for him myself to see, as suggested, why the sale didn't go through.

 

[JoyDivision]

Paying the cleaner seems too much to me thats £500 a week which is £24k just for going up ladders.

I would have thought £60-£70 would be more like it as its still above minimum wage by quite some margin.

The other problem is that modern windows don't seem to stain as much as the older one, although time can can only confirm this.

If he gets his pricing down and comes up with a snazzy marketing campaigin my opinion is there is a market, but he needs to convince people that his product works.

 

[fastfences]

Paying the cleaner seems too much to me thats £500 a week which is £24k just for going up ladders.

But that's his enterprise, JD. His profession. He has costs like any other business and his service is a 'value' to those who use him. It is not unreasonable to earn £500 per week, and don't forget, LESS expenses, i.e., materials, fuel, free quotes and the hours of admin work (that, with respect, you're yet to encounter) associated with a financial business.

I can relate to this quite easily; many are prepared to DIY their fences on the weekend, and many more are prepared to pay me £20 plus per hour for the knowledge of a good job, the right materials, warranty, and an all round great guy doing the job :wink:

See ya, Nigel

 

[FDB]

I agree with the Jif/Cif tip and I also use a produce from the Bettaware cataolgue which coats the windows and makes the rain run off without streaking etc so they need cleaning less...it's 5quid a bottle and the bottle does the house 2x over. (Last for 6mths approx) However that said it's a beggar of a job to do and it's only because I'm a tightfisted Yorkshire Woman that I do it myself!! I think maybe 300 is a bit steep for this service, maybe half of that to about 200 max would be better. Just my humble opinion :lol:
BTW I'm with our own singing sensation on the chippy's wage. Most trades earn a good wage with a lot of it being under the table as well...jammy so and sos! I think plasterers earn the most though in my experience! :shock:

 

[emubill]

tell you what nige - my brother and myself put a 100ft run of 1.8mtr feathered board fencing on concrete posts 2 years ago. I started on the friday morning digging out the old 3 ft posts. he came to stay friday night. sat and sun 8 til 9 at night and we managed to just get it done. We both pride ourselves on being good diyers and were proud of what we had achieved. However, in the cold light of day on monday it was crap!!
We have developed a sort of wave top fencing ( well i am close to the sea) which ripples slightly half way down. Also it was back breaking, knee rubbing, finger aching work. When i come to do the next 100ft someone else is being paid.


Nigel

 

[fastfences]

Trades? Money under the table?
Goodness me, we're all far too devoted to the Crown to even entertain such a thought :wink:

Now let me get back to my 42" Plasma TV. Oh, where is that receipt?
Cheers, Nigel

 

[FDB]

Is that your recipt under my bed with all my shoe boxes stuffed with cash that I can't bank!!? :wink: :lol:

 

[mattley23]

I own a building company and one of the service we offer is fitting UPVC products (windows, doors, fascia & soffit boards etc) and to be honest if your a decent builder you will give cleaning instructions to your customer.

My instructions are as follows: 'Get yourself down to 'XYZ plastic centre' and buy a bottle of UPVC cream cleaner and UPVC solvent cleaner which cost £2.99 each and use those products to clean your white UPVC at least once a year'. That will keep the white white!

£300 for cleaning a house full of fascia boards, windows & doors and other white UPVC products is a crazy figure, although I do believe it takes a good days to do so.

I think you'll find a market for it especially with older people and those who dont like heights but that price is pretty steep considering all you need is a jet wash and a couple of bottles of the above mentioned cleaning products.

Ive found alot of cleaning companies (window cleaners, office cleaners wetc) now offer UPVC cleaning and builders are now including it in their range of services.

Dont get me worng its a good line of business but dont price yourself out of the market. Good luck

 

[JoyDivision]

Paying the cleaner seems too much to me thats £500 a week which is £24k just for going up ladders.

But that's his enterprise, JD. His profession. He has costs like any other business and his service is a 'value' to those who use him. It is not unreasonable to earn £500 per week, and don't forget, LESS expenses, i.e., materials, fuel, free quotes and the hours of admin work (that, with respect, you're yet to encounter) associated with a financial business.

I can relate to this quite easily; many are prepared to DIY their fences on the weekend, and many more are prepared to pay me £20 plus per hour for the knowledge of a good job, the right materials, warranty, and an all round great guy doing the job :wink:

See ya, Nigel

I was talking about the employee not the person that runs a business, of course if you have businesses expenses £100 a day is totally reasonable, my dad gets a lot more than this on busy days, some days he gets nothing.

he £300 charge just seems to be a lot more expensive than any tradesmen we have had over the years.

PS My dad knows the DIY problem only too well, if you use shampoo to clean your carpet it can get left in the carpet and when it gets steamed cleaned it can cause the carpert cleaning machine to 'foam'.

For £300 there would have to be some very clever marketing.

 

[ccwc1988]

I don't think it's a skilled jod and I certainly would not pay £300 to have it done.

I'm sure a normal window cleaner would look at doing it for alot less.

Rob

We are "normal window cleaners" and I can assure you that the going rate is between £200-£300 per day, Cardiff area is around the £200 mark but further towards London you can easily earn £300 maybe even £400 per day.

So having read this It depends on what area you are pricing, but £300 in middle England I would say is about right.

 

[TonyBrown]

For a semi 3 bed bungalow he charges £300. For this windows, doors, soffits & fascias and gutters all get cleaned. It takes one man a full day to do. He has had many people interested but loses in closing the sale.
Do you think the pricing is fair?

We are "normal window cleaners" and I can assure you that the going rate is between £200-£300 per day, Cardiff area is around the £200 mark but further towards London you can easily earn £300 maybe even £400 per day.

So having read this It depends on what area you are pricing, but £300 in middle England I would say is about right.

If your doing it manually with ladders then I would charge £120 only because of the time it takes.

But we dont use ladders anymore we use the Water fed pole technology

We charge from £38 for a 3 bed semi very lite soiling and it takes approx
30 mins. Gutters/Facias & Soffits we use tfr and rinse with pure water. The windows and frames pure water only. The results are perfect a finish. 8 hour day 14 houses = £532 a day. All of our work is referrals.

You are way to expensive and wont make it in this market very long charging those prices.

Your regular domestic water fed pole window cleaner can do all these things now so the upvc cleaning niche will die out.

 

[MH1]

Having sold in direct sales over the years the cost is unlikely to be the only problem, more likely your friend or salesman was more bothered by it, but plenty of people would pay that to have all their PVCu cleaned to a high standard.

If it is price he should consider lowering his take to £50 and leaving the rest as is, couple of decent salespeople would close 2-3 a day on such a pitch with ease, giving him £1-1.5k a week for organising the materials, 10 salespeople £5k a week and so on.

£249 sounds a nice price, but i's a numbers game even more now the recession is digging deep.