Have you or anyone you know never charged to go out and give estimates??

Trip Moses

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Sep 19, 2018
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Savannah GA
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Trip Moses
No time for estimates only. They either want me to clean it or they don’t.

TBH. I wouldn’t mind the sales call. It’s just not feasible for me at this time.
 
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BIG WOOD

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Feb 4, 2016
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Georgia
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Matt w.
I think I told the lady that. It was back when diesel was $5/gallon for that short period and I thought it was needed. As slow as my business was...it really wasn't a good idea
 

Dolly Llama

Number 5
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Oct 7, 2006
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North East Ohio
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Larry Capitoni
good topic. we do not. we do stone. best to lay eyes on it unless small job.

adds another layer to management


do you charge for an estimate, Carl?

never bothered with onsite estimates for res.
Over the phone is easy enough when asking the right questions

Com/offices a whole 'nother situation.
Far more variables as Ron noted

.L.T.A.
 
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Hack Attack

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Dec 19, 2017
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further south than you
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Dan
the few residential who insist on an onsite quote, better be talking about upholstery, t&g and carpets in one clean.
Otherwise, I politely decline unless I can fit it in with another job in passing
 
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clean image

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Oct 5, 2012
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968
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Orlando
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Carl Maddock
Larry, we do NOT charge for an estimate, in our normal service area

with stone refinishing, on larger sq ft, 500-5k sq ft
customers often can NOT answer the questions needed in order to prepare a detailed contract
 
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Mike J

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Feb 21, 2022
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East
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Mike Joannides
We reluctantly estimate over the phone, I prefer to see every job and give a firm quote. No charge. It usually pays off. Not being in a rush to come up with a plan, price, answer all the drying questions. I also mention items that you know they will want to add on the day of cleaning, to disrupt the schedule. I've found myself doing the best job possible, not rushing the work or time with customer, then rushing through the invoice and undercharging.

Tried charging a nominal fee to credit if cleaned, did it for one customer and not again. Did not like anything about it. It was during the stupidity of the pandemic.

However, geographical location must have a lot to do with this question,travel time, and population as well. I could definatley see the need for it for some.
 
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Dwain Ray

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Jul 22, 2020
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Fort bragg California
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Dwain Ray
We reluctantly estimate over the phone, I prefer to see every job and give a firm quote. No charge. It usually pays off. Not being in a rush to come up with a plan, price, answer all the drying questions. I also mention items that you know they will want to add on the day of cleaning, to disrupt the schedule. I've found myself doing the best job possible, not rushing the work or time with customer, then rushing through the invoice and undercharging.

Tried charging a nominal fee to credit if cleaned, did it for one customer and not again. Did not like anything about it. It was during the stupidity of the pandemic.

However, geographical location must have a lot to do with this question,travel time, and population as well. I could definatley see the need for it for some.
For me geographical is important consideration if you were to google fort bragg California, and expand the map out, you would see my work area is a thin stretch of hwy 1 my area covers 88 miles of coast line to approximately 10 miles inland. So i use bridges as my cut off fort bragg north to 10mile bridge and south to albion bridge is my main area .45 or .50 com and .50 or .55 res 75.00 min cross eighter bridge add .05 and mim 100.00 south to elk cross elk bridge and north to westport, price is .10 higher than home and mim is 150.00 after sea ranch (55 miles south) price goes .15 but min is now 200.00. Past sea ranch im at .70 or .75 250.00 min no commercial rate found people will pay 150.00 to 200.00 per 1000sqft more before they'd pay 25.00 travel under stand that sea ranch is 3 hour drive round trip. Virtually all estimates are given over the phone. Because im all inclusive with the exception of odor control (.10 persqft) i can tell a customer "based on your measurements the price is either this or .05 higher which is that "when asked the difference i tell um straight up extra effort required when pressed (which is also considered extra effort) i tell um super dirty location am i going 5 mi down a dirt road do i have to stretch out every hose i have over furnished etc. Etc people seem to understand they just don't want to be surprised at the door i do measure and give a firm price before starting but found for the most part if they gave me measurements they were pretty close
 
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