Cleaning for family and friends

[Sticky]

I've been cleaning for family and friends a lot lately. It seems like these jobs always turn into the biggest PITA!!!!
What do you guys charge your family and friends?(I'm not talking immediate family more like long lost cousins and other relatives that I don't talk to that often) I dread doing these jobs. Alot of them don't know what professional carpet cleaning cost and expect me to come over for $20 or $30 bucks which doesn't cover the gas.

I'm thinking about just telling them we will see how long it takes and how much chemicals I need to use and then give them a price at the end. I wouldn't do that with normal customers but there getting a discounted price.

Everytime I feel bad and give them a cheap price the jobs turn into a nightmere. I had one today, my friends sister, couldn't be done til after five. Then I ended up having to help move a couch, love seat, desk and table from the down stairs to the up stairs. I ended up cleaning the toys up in the kids room which took me 30 min. well my tech started the down stairs. I ended up cleaning 2,000 sq ft of carpet and I charged them $250 and felt bad for charging them that much to be honest.(which ussually I charge alot less for Friends and family but this time they didn't ask me the price so I didn't give them a price until I was done) I didn't get home til 8 pm. Maybe cause I'm just starting out maybe over time I wont feel so bad...IDK any thoughts/suggestions will be appreciated?

 

[lancehollister]

My wife and mother are never charged , Duh. Everyone else get my commercial or realitor rate and perhaps some free deo. They must remember its cost you time and money.

 

[rhino1]

Screw that, my WIFE doesn't even get a discount.

I charged my sister double because she made me come over on a Sunday.

My mom, I made her pay in advance and I NEVER SHOWED UP!!!!

 

[Sticky]

I don't charge my girl friend as long as she gives me a happy ending when I'm done...(which is silence for the rest of the night)

 

[CleanEvo]

My Friends and Family special is 20% off.

 

[rhyde]

I usually schedule a day group all of them together if they can’t do it that day then they wait until the next time family free, friends 50-75 bucks the neighbor that was hose’d by chem-dry 150.00 he pulled a not home on my last “charity” day now he gets to wait until next time ..Seemed a little pissy about the wait maybe I’ll get lucky and he’ll go back to Chem-dry

 

[Jim Pemberton]

Sad to say, but a wise man who "taught me the ropes" in sales and business 30 years ago told me:

"Your friends get you when your relatives are through with you....."

The idealistic side of me still cringes at that statement. The cynic in me agrees.

To the discussion at hand:

In many cases, family and friends may be those who otherwise could not pay for professional cleaning services, and do not understand business structure and the MUTUAL obligations that exist between the seller and the buyer.

They likely would not fit your usual customer profile if you were not a part of their family or social life.

Add that issue to the fact that they have higher expectations of you and lower feelings of accountability themselves, and its often a recipe for mutual frustration and stress to clean or otherwise have any business relationship with family or friends.

 

[Jim Martin]

friends get a discount...family is always free.........I just make them run the wand.......

 

[Jimmy L]

Had a cousin who called me to clean his apartment complex.

He was always there brow beating me about this spot and that spot.

I finally figured it out that he was always jealous of me growing up and that was his way of evening the field.

I told him to call someone else the next time he called.

Haven't talked to him in years now.

And I don't miss him.

Jim is right about family not fitting your customer demographic.

 

[Fred Homan]

At LEAST say will clean for dinner, good lunch. Or say....Hey man....I'm trying to earn an honest living. And I'm someone you can trust.

 

[John Olson]

Rule 1.EVERYONE is your Friend and you charge them all the same. Rule 2. Family. If you didn't grow up in my house see rule 1.

 

[Brian R]

Used to be when I cleaned them myself, I just charged a minimum and did pretty much whatever carpet they had.

Now...thank God...they know I have to pay the tech so they don't get that great of a discount.

Everyone understands and that's the way I like it.

 

[Blue Monarch]

Parents, siblings and inlaws are free.

 

[KeithCo]

1. Become friendless
2. Caller I.D. cancels out the family obligation


At least this is what Jimmy has taught.

 

[Walrus Gumboot]

They want EVERYTHING in the house moved.
"I did want to clean under the China cabinet,if you don't mind".

 

[SRI Cleaning]

Family is the worst to do work for. I had the same problem of feeling bad about charging them, But i was constantly working for free. What I do now is, even if i am not busy, I send my techs. I tell them before hand that I have guys that do my carpets and as long as they cover their time, then I am fine with that. They always seem to understand and usually chip in a little more money. They get a great discount and are happy, and I am not working for free on a Sunday at 7 pm.

 

[ruff]

Well, I guess, there is an advantage to having my side of the family live in another continent.
And my wife's family well across the country.

I do not clean for friends.
I tell them that I value their friendship more then their money and I do.
Not worth it.

 

[Joel D]

got a good laugh from rhino's, that was great

parents free everyone else same price-take it or leave it. If they dont understand the expense involved forget em.

 

[Doug Cox]

Full price for everyone and I ain't shittin.

 

[Willy P]

The answer to family wanting freebies- Ask them if you can go into their place of employment and get whatever for free. Now my brother in law that works at NAPA and gets my parts CHEAP gets a generous discount

 

[-JB-]

The answer to family wanting freebies- Ask them if you can go into their place of employment and get whatever for free. Now my brother in law that works at NAPA and gets my parts CHEAP gets a generous discount

Now seriously, do what I do hire them, usually only lasts a day to a week at most, just long enough for them to go "Holy sh!t that's like, hard werk n stuff" then, when you fire them, or they decide its "not for them", they know how to clean their own damn carpets!


It's funny I just realized the other day, whenever a friend or family member buys a new home, the first thing I do is look to see if its carpeted, if it's not I do a little "YES!" in my head.
THEN I actually look at the house.

 

[dealtimeman]

if i charged my parents i would probably be popped in the back of the head. but everyone excepts parents is charged at least 50-75 dollars. i do this because when it was free they wouldnt care for the carpet, because they know a free carpet cleaner and that was not going to fly with me.

 

[lonewolf]

I've built a business by doing "A GOOD JOB AT A FAIR PRICE" including family and friends.
Who would be better to refer u than family and friends.
Sometimes a $50 job turns into thousands! A single into a home run!
U got to see the bigger pic.

 

[-JB-]

:roll: