Maybe you guys can help.

[LCCFL]

I want to pick your brains.

So I have 1 apartment complex I clean. Total units are under 200. They have a very strict budget on carpet cleaning. Last year (2018) I only made just over 5k. Occupied units in my area go anywhere from $20-30 a unit. I charge $35. More with steps but not here.

I takes me 35-45 minutes to get to the property. Plus setting up and cleaning with spray and go takes 25-30 minutes. They call for (3) units at $35 a unit. Is it worth servicing them?

 

[Doug Cox]

No.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Only if you need the volume. Otherwise you're chasing your tail, wearing yourself and equipment out for little return.

If you can replace that block of work with something that pays better you will be better off.

 

[Cleanworks]

I want to pick your brains.

So I have 1 apartment complex I clean. Total units are under 200. They have a very strict budget on carpet cleaning. Last year (2018) I only made just over 5k. Occupied units in my area go anywhere from $20-30 a unit. I charge $35. More with steps but not here.

I takes me 35-45 minutes to get to the property. Plus setting up and cleaning with spray and go takes 25-30 minutes. They call for (3) units at $35 a unit. Is it worth servicing them?

No. You are losing money. Look for more productive jobs. I do a few apts.. $120 minimum charge in my neighborhood. $150 anywhere else. Someone tells me that so and so is cheaper, I say, call them, don't bother me. Every market is different. Figure out what your cost is, what you need to charge to make a decent profit, and that's your price.

 

[scotty747]

No one is cheaper than me but even I wouldn't take a few hours out of my day for less than 100 bucks which is what your actually making. Its not the people you hire that ruin your business, its the ones you don't fire. Fire them or explain you need to make it worth your time.

 

[LCCFL]

No. You are losing money. Look for more productive jobs. I do a few apts.. $120 minimum charge in my neighborhood. $150 anywhere else. Someone tells me that so and so is cheaper, I say, call them, don't bother me. Every market is different. Figure out what your cost is, what you need to charge to make a decent profit, and that's your price.

No. You are losing money. Look for more productive jobs. I do a few apts.. $120 minimum charge in my neighborhood. $150 anywhere else. Someone tells me that so and so is cheaper, I say, call them, don't bother me. Every market is different. Figure out what your cost is, what you need to charge to make a decent profit, and that's your price.

i wish we could do a minimum of that. But not here. If so I wouldn’t know where to show that on a proposal just for 1 unit.

 

[Trip Moses]

Accounts like that take up to much valuable time that could be used to find a better customer. I’ve had those in the past. They are great for experimenting with technique but at some point you have to make a profit.

 

[LCCFL]

No one is cheaper than me but even I wouldn't take a few hours out of my day for less than 100 bucks which is what your actually making. Its not the people you hire that ruin your business, its the ones you don't fire. Fire them or explain you need to make it worth your time.

I agree

 

[LCCFL]

Accounts like that take up to much valuable time that could be used to find a better customer. I’ve had those in the past. They are great for experimenting with technique but at some point you have to make a profit.

I do not like apartments. But it’s where I started with other companies. I’m trying to get into more residential.

 

[Desk Jockey]

I do not like apartments. But it’s where I started with other companies. I’m trying to get into more residential.

It's a natural base to start with. There is always a demand for it but generally most will move on, pricing themselves out of that market as they grow other areas.

 

[Jim Pemberton]

One of the unfair things that happen to cleaners with a sense of honor and honesty is that they get caught up in unfair pricing schemes with rental properties.

I can't speak for this job, but in many cases, cleaners establish a base price as low as yours, but then charge very high prices for "pet odor" and "red stains". That's fine, except a number of such companies tell the management that there are pet odors and red stains on every job they do, or at least the majority, even if there are neither present.

In one case I am familiar with, the management figured out the game, and started to pre inspect the work so that they would know there were no stains or odors.

The cleaner had no problem with that: On those jobs he would just spray the carpet with water, rake it in, and turn in his recommendation that the carpet be replaced.

Maybe that isn't happening there, but its schemes like that that create unrealistic pricing structures. Find your way out of that market as soon as you can.

 

[Nomad74]

$35 a unit? Ugh! Move on.

 

[BIG WOOD]

My minimum $35 was back in 2003

Have a meeting with them about your concerns. You’re not their employee. You’re their contractor. You choose the price, not them

 

[Sierra Clean Care]

I want to pick your brains.

So I have 1 apartment complex I clean. Total units are under 200. They have a very strict budget on carpet cleaning. Last year (2018) I only made just over 5k. Occupied units in my area go anywhere from $20-30 a unit. I charge $35. More with steps but not here.

I takes me 35-45 minutes to get to the property. Plus setting up and cleaning with spray and go takes 25-30 minutes. They call for (3) units at $35 a unit. Is it worth servicing them?

You are PAYING THEM TO CLEAN....

 

[LCCFL]

$35 a unit? Ugh! Move on.

Yea occupied units. $45 on vacant which can easily turn into $100 but I rarely get that. And many properties are turning to laminate flooring.

 

[Nomad74]

Holy crap, I hate doing occupied units at the complexes I service. If anything you should be charging more for occupied pain in the ass units! I finally had enough and told them all not to refer me to the tenants and don't ask me to do any occupied units. It was just too hard with the retard renters in the way and their unreasonable expectations. Then there was always the people that would ask "Can you just run your wand over this area rug real quick?" My answer is always , "No I can't and go back to the mailbox and wait for your welfare check."

I love when I'm cleaning an apartment and the neighboring meth-head comes up to me and asks how much to clean his place "real quick". My $200 minimum usually makes them run back into their hole.

Am I getting too grumpy?

 

[Trip Moses]

I do not like apartments. But it’s where I started with other companies. I’m trying to get into more residential.

For me it’s google ranking and referrals. But mostly google and googl reviews. And there are property managers out there who will pay for quality. They usually have been using the same cheap guy for so long they don’t know any better.

 

[Trip Moses]

Holy crap, I hate doing occupied units at the complexes I service. If anything you should be charging more for occupied pain in the ass units! I finally had enough and told them all not to refer me to the tenants and don't ask me to do any occupied units. It was just too hard with the retard renters in the way and their unreasonable expectations. Then there was always the people that would ask "Can you just run your wand over this area rug real quick?" My answer is always , "No I can't and go back to the mailbox and wait for your welfare check."

I love when I'm cleaning an apartment and the neighboring meth-head comes up to me and asks how much to clean his place "real quick". My $200 minimum usually makes them run back into their hole.

Am I getting too grumpy?

Nope

 

[Cleanworks]

i wish we could do a minimum of that. But not here. If so I wouldn’t know where to show that on a proposal just for 1 unit.

That's the problem right there. Stop looking for that kind of work. The rental buildings I work in came to me by referral from various property managers who one way or another, realized that there is a difference between a guy and a portable and a skilled operator with proper training. When they hire you to clean an empty suite, it's because they need it ready for the next tennant. It has to look clean, smell clean and be as stain free as possible or they may have to replace it before they can re rent it. Most of the time, the cost of cleaning is coming out of the previous tenants damage deposit. Cleaning is always cheaper than replacing. Separate yourself from the other hacks by making sure you have the right equipment and training for the job, then let your customers know why you are so much better. Target better customers and drop the ones who don't appreciate you. You may have to change your mind set. Don't try to change all at once. Set some realistic goals and start achieving them on at a time.

 

[Cleanworks]

One of the unfair things that happen to cleaners with a sense of honor and honesty is that they get caught up in unfair pricing schemes with rental properties.

I can't speak for this job, but in many cases, cleaners establish a base price as low as yours, but then charge very high prices for "pet odor" and "red stains". That's fine, except a number of such companies tell the management that there are pet odors and red stains on every job they do, or at least the majority, even if there are neither present.

In one case I am familiar with, the management figured out the game, and started to pre inspect the work so that they would know there were no stains or odors.

The cleaner had no problem with that: On those jobs he would just spray the carpet with water, rake it in, and turn in his recommendation that the carpet be replaced.

Maybe that isn't happening there, but its schemes like that that create unrealistic pricing structures. Find your way out of that market as soon as you can.

I was one of those guys once. Was doing 1 bedroom suites for $25 to low ball the other contractor. Quickly figured out I wasn't making any money so I started charging for stain removal. There was always rust, paint or other stains. Would bring the job average up to $75. Found out later on the property mgmt was adding their own cut to my price. This was in the early eighties. Never charged for work I didn't do but some of those stains came out easy. I sold out to a larger company and took a job with them. That company promptly dumped those jobs because, still, there was no money in them.

 

[Old Coastie]

Eli, require at least six units at a time to travel out there, or double the unit price for less than six.

 

[J Scott W]

As Jim Pemberton implied, the money in apartments is often in the add-on services. I do not suggest any dishonesty, but if you can add for legitimate extras, red stains, pet stains, ink stains, flood damage work and such that might make the jobs profitable.

When I did apartments, I would get keys and have a week long time slot to do them. then I would fit them in as i was passing by to or from other jobs or when things were slow, some body cancelled at the last minute and so forth.

If they did not want to give me keys and let me do it on my schedule, then it was full price, the same as any other job. I would get one or two of those a year.

 

[Dolly Llama]

$35 a unit

I takes me 35-45 minutes to get to the property

Is it worth servicing them?

at that price?
and CCing is your full time biz/source of income?
not just no but HELL NO!!

you must be in your first year or two of biz?
You'll discover in the next year or three you could make more money at Burger King ..fo-reel
with bennies and less headaches too

..L.T.A.

 

[hogjowl]

Tell the truth
You knew the answer when you posted

 

[LCCFL]

Tell the truth
You knew the answer when you posted

I needed your confirmation

 

[LCCFL]

As Jim Pemberton implied, the money in apartments is often in the add-on services. I do not suggest any dishonesty, but if you can add for legitimate extras, red stains, pet stains, ink stains, flood damage work and such that might make the jobs profitable.

When I did apartments, I would get keys and have a week long time slot to do them. then I would fit them in as i was passing by to or from other jobs or when things were slow, some body cancelled at the last minute and so forth.

If they did not want to give me keys and let me do it on my schedule, then it was full price, the same as any other job. I would get one or two of those a year.

Man I would’ve loved to work with that type of schedule. But unfortunately many here have such bad training. That maintenance call most times as same day service. So many multi truck operations here charge the lowest. I have a friend who solely does apartments and lost a property to someone who charged $20 less on a $45 job just to get the property. And of course he did win the property. But that is one small story compared to many in this area.

 

[Dolly Llama]

stop fighting for the bottom of the barrel , Dude


L.TA.

 

[Bob Pruitt]

Maybe you just need to drive a little away from the area where you live. I believe you are pretty close to Orlando and other areas where plenty of nice Vacation rentals are. They are getting 2 to 5 thousand a week for those rentals. Charge plenty...the Property Managers just want a good job. Call them and ask to do an area in their office for them as a demo. Let them know that if they like your work, you would like to do all their properties as they become available.
Leave the junk to the idiots.

 

[Trip Moses]

Come on Man. Forget about apartments already. How many flipping post is going to take. Apartment work sucks all the D’s. Just quit doing them. Get a goood website and a local google business listing. Go to 10 business offices a day. You’ll land at least one. Six of you don’t suck at sales. Get them on quarterly cleanings or six months. Ugh. If not, nail them to the wall on annual. Beg residential customers with good results for reviews. You’ll be making six digits with no problem. If you’ve got the nuts to charge right you can punch above 150k this year.
I still do cheap jobs, but I don’t let them dictate my schedule.
Summary:
Unless you’re OK driving some piece of crap carpet cleaning with waste water leaking out the back door and buying scratchers in between cleaning piss pits. Stay the F away from apartments, hotels or any third party work.
I want to hear about you making a thousand bucks on one job next week. There’s you’re homework.

 

[Cleanworks]

Come on Man. Forget about apartments already. How many flipping post is going to take. Apartment work sucks all the D’s. Just quit doing them. Get a goood website and a local google business listing. Go to 10 business offices a day. You’ll land at least one. Six of you don’t suck at sales. Get them on quarterly cleanings or six months. Ugh. If not, nail them to the wall on annual. Beg residential customers with good results for reviews. You’ll be making six digits with no problem. If you’ve got the nuts to charge right you can punch above 150k this year.
I still do cheap jobs, but I don’t let them dictate my schedule.
Summary:
Unless you’re OK driving some piece of crap carpet cleaning with waste water leaking out the back door and buying scratchers in between cleaning piss pits. Stay the F away from apartments, hotels or any third party work.
I want to hear about you making a thousand bucks on one job next week. There’s you’re homework.

Apartment hallways can be quite profitable. I have lots of buildings ranging from $500-$5000.