Oh, I wish it was that simple, Rick.
In S.F. I probably get a better price then some parts of the country. However, the home sizes are much smaller and the hassle factor is multiplied. No parking, many stairs, space is at a premium, so homes are more cluttered etc. I love it when I go down to the peninsula. it's simple. It's easy. I feel like I am on vocation.
What I found out, is that most successful carpet cleaners in a more suburban environment, more than make up for the lower prices by the size of the job. They seem to earn just as much.
In S.F. if an employee is to rent a place, he'd be lucky to get one for $3,200.00 a month. It means that right from the start before any living expenses he's out more than $38,000 a year. And the fun just begins. The ones that opt to live out of the city due to affordability, have to commute at least two hours a day, usually more. Add to the fact that carpet cleaning is not a prestigious employment and to add insult to injury it is also hard sweaty work, and the fact that there's hardly any unemployment here. It makes it tough to find an employee.
Many of my clients are business owners, head hunters etc. They all say that they cannot find employees for much more prestigious jobs offering much higher salaries than any carpet cleaning company can afford. And the ones that can't afford to pay an arm and a leg have long ago given up.
Not to mention that my specific business is geared for a higher end clientele, most of which are women and highly educated. For some reason, which is beyond me, it seem to take away the potential employees that are only capable of communicating via grunts
Come and give more prudent advise Rick, once you've walked a mile in my shoes.