Help me raise prices.

[Onfire_02_01]

I haven’t raised my prices in 5 years or so; I think it is time. My question is I charge $55 per room for that they get prevacuum (if they haven’t), prespray, scrub with crb, rinse, then carpet protector.
Do I raise my price to $60 per room or keep my price at $55 and charge for protector?
(The carpet protector I use is encapuguard green; if I charge for protector I might Chang to maxim advanced but not sure)

 

[hogjowl]

Yes

 

[BIG WOOD]

Are your $55 prices the same across the board when you compare a living room vs a 12x12 bedroom?

 

[Onfire_02_01]

Are your $55 prices the same across the board when you compare a living room vs a 12x12 bedroom?

Yes.
For me it ends up working out. large living room is offset by small hallway. Larger rooms are easier to clean (like an empty) smaller rooms are harder to clean. It works for me. And it’s really easy to tell customers their price, I don’t have to estimate, I can tell exact.

 

[Desk Jockey]

$55.00 no protector. It's an upsell if they want it.

 

[BIG WOOD]

Yes.
For me it ends up working out. large living room is offset by small hallway. Larger rooms are easier to clean (like an empty) smaller rooms are harder to clean. It works for me. And it’s really easy to tell customers their price, I don’t have to estimate, I can tell exact.

I’ve mentioned this before but if you charge by the area 12x14 and explain to the customers that a living room can be up to 2-3 areas, they’ll understand and estimates over the phone will still be easy and you’ll make more money.

 

[Living The Dream]

I’ve mentioned this before but if you charge by the area 12x14 and explain to the customers that a living room can be up to 2-3 areas, they’ll understand and estimates over the phone will still be easy and you’ll make more money.

Is anything over 12×14 an extra area or do you prorate it? For example what would an are of 268 sq' be?

 

[Mikey P]

How many people ask about the the protector? how many ask for a discount if they don't want it? and how many wouldnt notice if you just stopped spraying the stuff and just clean the carpet for the same price

 

[Mikey P]

In other words I think they'll pay you fifty five or sixty bucks a room to just clean the carpet and you may have upwards to 20% at most, be concerned about the protector

In another words, save your money

 

[BIG WOOD]

Is anything over 12×14 an extra area or do you prorate it? For example what would an are of 268 sq' be?

I would tell them that the average 1 area bedroom is $35, a master bedroom (268sq. ft) is about $55 and the living room is about 2-3 areas.

Before I did this I had trouble landing jobs when I told them I charge $.**/ sq ft, because they didn't know the sq. ft or they didn't know how to use a freaking calculator. So then I tried advertising the Per Room price and people that had big ass rooms were all of a sudden calling me, and when I tried to change the price on those giant rooms...It made me look like a scam artist

Then I adjusted it to charging by the area and now I land almost every job on the phone. I've noticed that people don't care about a specific price, they just want a reasonable, honest number to fit in their Budget. And when you tell them $30-$40/area, that sounds very reasonable. My average charge per living room is $75-$125.

 

[Cleanworks]

I would tell them that the average 1 area bedroom is $35, a master bedroom (268sq. ft) is about $55 and the living room is about 2-3 areas.

Before I did this I had trouble landing jobs when I told them I charge $.**/ sq ft, because they didn't know the sq. ft or they didn't know how to use a freaking calculator. So then I tried advertising the Per Room price and people that had big ass rooms were all of a sudden calling me, and when I tried to change the price on those giant rooms...It made me look like a scam artist

Then I adjusted it to charging by the area and now I land almost every job on the phone. I've noticed that people don't care about a specific price, they just want a reasonable, honest number to fit in their Budget. And when you tell them $30-$40/area, that sounds very reasonable. My average charge per living room is $75-$125.

we only give aprox prices on the phone. I am pretty good at guesstimating size now. If something is larger than normal, I have no problem pointing it out to the customer and charging appropriately. We are averaging $.35 per sqft.

 

[steve_64]

I'm $50 a room L shape rooms large family rooms and master bedrooms may be additional.
Heavy soiling large stains and odor issues may be extra and will be adjusted at time of service. These prices typically start at $25 but may go as high as $100 per room depending on circumstances.
Would you like me to come by and give you an exact price?

Sometimes I have to talk them back down but it puts them on notice I'm not cleaning rat nasties for $50.

Oh and it's a 2 room minimum.

 

[Ron K]

Maybe just raise your minimum to 150 for the first two rooms then next year go
to 60. In all my years I only had one idiot tell me a LR/DR was one room. It wasn't worth the argument but he did argue when he called the next year and I told him to F off. Stupid is what stupid does.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Maybe just raise your minimum to 150 for the first two rooms then next year go
to 60. In all my years I only had one idiot tell me a LR/DR was one room. It wasn't worth the argument but he did argue when he called the next year and I told him to F off. Stupid is what stupid does.

Wait you did it as one room the first time but wouldn't do it a second time?

Yep you are correct about stupid.

 

[BIG WOOD]

I haven’t raised my prices in 5 years or so; I think it is time. My question is I charge $55 per room for that they get prevacuum (if they haven’t), prespray, scrub with crb, rinse, then carpet protector.
Do I raise my price to $60 per room or keep my price at $55 and charge for protector?
(The carpet protector I use is encapuguard green; if I charge for protector I might Chang to maxim advanced but not sure)

How much is your minimum? And how many minimum jobs do you do a week compared to a decent job?

 

[Ron K]

Wait you did it as one room the first time but wouldn't do it a second time?

Yep you are correct about stupid.

So you would sit there and argue about 50 bucks?

 

[Desk Jockey]

No I'd have done it. However if I felt that strongly I would have explained the difference and if he wasn't able to understand it, I would have walked.

Hopefully he didn't give you a bad review. It would be a little hard to justify why you cleaned it the first time but not the second.

 

[Ron K]

So you'd have done it the second Time??
Idiot
I stopped working for him after the first time.
If he doesn't respect my time or thinks I'm ripping him off I don't want to work for that person again. Period.
Take off your Ruby Slippers.

 

[Desk Jockey]

So did he trash you with a review?

I can't I have tender feet. I don't do barefoot.

 

[hogjowl]

I’ve lost track of who the idiot was who said smaller rooms were harder to clean.
But you’re a moron

 

[Desk Jockey]

Chuddd up!

 

[Onfire_02_01]

How much is your minimum? And how many minimum jobs do you do a week compared to a decent job?

Minimum is $90-110
I do 1-2 minimum jobs a month. Usually for upholstery where I am cleaning just a couch.

 

[Onfire_02_01]

I’ve lost track of who the idiot was who said smaller rooms were harder to clean.
But you’re a moron

Thank you. That was me.
But you try cleaning arround a bed in an 8x8 room with a nightstand and two dressers. With a 2 inch wand you are going to have fun not knocking things over.

 

[Onfire_02_01]

How many people ask about the the protector? how many ask for a discount if they don't want it? and how many wouldnt notice if you just stopped spraying the stuff and just clean the carpet for the same price

Very few
None
Maybe some.

 

[Jimmy L]

I don't think encapGReen is an effective protector for residential.
While a lot cheaper to buy it is not what I would use.

 

[Onfire_02_01]

I don't think encapGReen is an effective protector for residential.
While a lot cheaper to buy it is not what I would use.

Why? It may not last as long being polymeric but people love that “green” don’t they.
It is green and works on all carpet fibers, that’s why I like it.

 

[BIG WOOD]

Minimum is $90-110
I do 1-2 minimum jobs a month. Usually for upholstery where I am cleaning just a couch.

I’m surprised you do very few minimum jobs a month. I was thinking if you did several minimum jobs a week that you should increase your minimum to $150, instead of increase per room.

But that’s not the case, so I think you’re doing good. How’s your net? Is it increasing every year at your current price scale?

 

[bob vawter]

I'm $50 a room L shape rooms large family rooms and master bedrooms may be additional.
Heavy soiling large stains and odor issues may be extra and will be adjusted at time of service. These prices typically start at $25 but may go as high as $100 per room depending on circumstances.
Would you like me to come by and give you an exact price?

Sometimes I have to talk them back down but it puts them on notice I'm not cleaning rat nasties for $50.

Oh and it's a 2 room minimum.

My carpet is dirty Steve....can ya cut me some kinna deal......

 

[Onfire_02_01]

I’m surprised you do very few minimum jobs a month. I was thinking if you did several minimum jobs a week that you should increase your minimum to $150, instead of increase per room.

But that’s not the case, so I think you’re doing good. How’s your net? Is it increasing every year at your current price scale?

5-6 rooms is an average job for me. 4-10 is the range. Net is probably staying about the same. It’s hard to tell really, I have been getting into carpet repairs and at $150-200 a pop with $25 dollars of cost into a job, my take home has been getting bigger.