Cleaning with a PORTABLE

[cleanking]

How much, if anything, are you charging in addition to your regular rates to haul out a portable and clean high rise condos or residential apartments?

 

[Desk Jockey]

$50.00 for above ground level setup. Even then its not enough to overcome the slower production rates compared what the crew could be producing if the TM was being used. We bump up the sq/ft rate too.

 

[cleanking]

That's where we are at now @Desk Jockey. I'm thinking of upping it to $150. Its just doesn't seem worth the hassle otherwise.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Its not and no matter what you charge, you'd be better off cleaning elsewhere. If we can't encap or OP it, we will pass on it..unless it winter.

Then its "thank you ma'ma may I have another.

 

[Cleanworks]

I charge the same for cleaning with a portable as I do with a truckmount. When doing highrises, it takes no more time and we get good results. We are trying to make a minimum of $150 per hour. 1-bedroom suites take about 45 minutes to 1 hour at $150.00. 2-bedrooms take 1-1 1/2 hours and we charge $200.

 

[Jim Williams]

I don't charge extra but should. We only have a handful of condos around here that I can't do with a truckmount. I only break out the Ninja 2 or 3 times a year, but they are building more and more upscale condos with access from the inside only. The high class city slickers love them.

 

[Old Coastie]

Soon, very soon, you'll all be painting your vans with orange bumpers, muahahahahahahahahaha!

 

[Desk Jockey]

and talking about adding a bigger stack and another motor and an auto fill auto pump out and heat, 4 more cords and a booster....yada yada yada!

Then you get really delusional and start thinking you can clean every bit as good as a TM.

Whurrr is Willy when I need him? I miss Willy.

Whut? He's still here?
Fookhem!

 

[Cleanworks]

and talking about adding a bigger stack and another motor and an auto fill auto pump out and heat, 4 more cords and a booster....yada yada yada!

Then you get really delusional and start thinking you can clean every bit as good as a TM.

Whurrr is Willy when I need him? I miss Willy.

Whut? He's still here?
Fookhem!

Quality of cleaning is exactly the same with my tm or my portable. Only difference is speed on larger jobs.

 

[Ed Valentine]

Remember that "Very Old saying"; All portables are the same! After all, they all have 4 wheels. But, do trucks also have 4 wheels to? Hummm.......

Some good comments above.

 

[Wing It]

We charge more for jobs that require a portable. Having to use a portable or add extra hose to reach both add on time so should be charged accordingly. As to how much extra depends on the job scope and client. In the end, we are still shooting to make $100-$150/hr just like with the truck.

 

[Papa John]

We add $100 for portable work.
I ask some Manhattan CC how they handle the lack of parking issue. They have a van with 2-3 portable crews. Which drops off a crew at 2 or 3 sites. They have a $500 minimum and charge $250 per room. Since they are charging so much they milk the clock and work slow so that the customers think they are getting more value for their money. They call the driver when they are ready for a ride to next site.

 

[Cleanworks]

We add $100 for portable work.
I ask some Manhattan CC how they handle the lack of parking issue. They have a van with 2-3 portable crews. Which drops off a crew at 2 or 3 sites. They have a $500 minimum and charge $250 per room. Since they are charging so much they milk the clock and work slow so that the customers think they are getting more value for their money. They call the driver when they are ready for a ride to next site.

If you grudgingly have to work with a portable, you will hate it. Because I have so much portable work, I have developed systems that work as quickly and efficiently as a TM. I use a high performance portable that gives me close to TM power. I have hoses measured to give me best performance. I have a ramp to assist loading and unloading. Everything I need for a job goes inside or on top of the machine. Except for vacuum or crb. Time wise on jobs up to 1000 sqft. There is no difference. You learn what works and what doesn't . My portable cleans with 500 psi at 1.5 GPM, with heat and enough vacuum to recover over 80 percent of the water we use in most situations. I never haul it up a staircase. I have a TM for that. Parking is always an issue for a one van operation. Now that I am back in a full size van, there are some times that I will just have to say no to certain jobs. If I was running a multivan operation I would have minivan like the little Nissan's for portable operation with a dedicated portable operator or crew. That way you can park in the underground. Years ago I used to work for a department store as a portable subcontractor. I made as much as the TM guys with less investment in equipment.

 

[Papa John]

If you grudgingly have to work with a portable, you will hate it. Because I have so much portable work, I have developed systems that work as quickly and efficiently as a TM. I use a high performance portable that gives me close to TM power. I have hoses measured to give me best performance. I have a ramp to assist loading and unloading. Everything I need for a job goes inside or on top of the machine. Except for vacuum or crb. Time wise on jobs up to 1000 sqft. There is no difference. You learn what works and what doesn't . My portable cleans with 500 psi at 1.5 GPM, with heat and enough vacuum to recover over 80 percent of the water we use in most situations. I never haul it up a staircase. I have a TM for that. Parking is always an issue for a one van operation. Now that I am back in a full size van, there are some times that I will just have to say no to certain jobs. If I was running a multivan operation I would have minivan like the little Nissan's for portable operation with a dedicated portable operator or crew. That way you can park in the underground. Years ago I used to work for a department store as a portable subcontractor. I made as much as the TM guys with less investment in equipment.

I agree and we are on same page.
We charge the extra to cover the parking, or possibility of getting a ticket, the increased workers comp cost and slower production times. Remember to add the extra time it takes for parking or building security hassles into your "production" times.

 

[Steve Lawrence]

Dumped our portables. If we can't use a TM or if we can't encap it we aren't interested.

 

[Nate The Great]

and talking about adding a bigger stack and another motor and an auto fill auto pump out and heat, 4 more cords and a booster....yada yada yada!

Then you get really delusional and start thinking you can clean every bit as good as a TM.

Whurrr is Willy when I need him? I miss Willy.

Whut? He's still here?
Fookhem!

At your age I'd probably miss my Willy too.... Rip little guy.....

 

[Desk Jockey]

At your age I'd probably miss my Willy too.... Rip little guy.....

 

[Desk Jockey]

Quality of cleaning is exactly the same with my tm or my portable. Only difference is speed on larger jobs.

 

[Cleanworks]

I agree and we are on same page.
We charge the extra to cover the parking, or possibility of getting a ticket, the increased workers comp cost and slower production times. Remember to add the extra time it takes for parking or building security hassles into your "production" times.

I agree. I always add in the parking fee and if it takes me longer to get my equipment in and out of a building we add that on too. I am really missing my Volkswagen now. Perfect vehicle to have a tm installed and carry a portable at the same time. When doing portable work, the goal is to make as much money as if it were a tm. Otherwise, I'm not interested. Sometimes we think our prices are too high for small jobs. Best let the customer decide that. I had a job the other day, doing 1 small room. I charged $150 and was out of there in 45 minutes, parking was right by the back door and elevator to the suite. When the customer asked how much I would charge when booking the appointment, he was relieved that it was only $150.

 

[Nate The Great]

We have a $250 minimum and don't charge more for condo work.. I'm also not a fan of charging for pre-scrubbing, using a RV360i, or spotting unless it's for urine or spot dyeing...

We do whatever it takes to get the job done.. I can't count how many times I loss my ass on some jobs... Our Property Managers keep us busy and love us even though our minimum is a lot higher than others...

 

[The Great Oz]

$225 minimum, .25 per foot more than standard price for high rise condos.

We routinely clean up to the fifth floor with a truckmount, so these prices only apply to spaces that the residents know are a pain to service.

 

[Cleanworks]

We have a $250 minimum and don't charge more for condo work.. I'm also not a fan of charging for pre-scrubbing, using a RV360i, or spotting unless it's for urine or spot dyeing...

We do whatever it takes to get the job done.. I can't count how many times I loss my ass on some jobs... Our Property Managers keep us busy and love us even though our minimum is a lot higher than others...

That's a nice minimum. I'll have to think about immigrating to Hawaii.