Rug cleaning price sticker shock.

[Mikey P]

My rug post card hit today.

Got a few calls.

Two were from old ladies who never had theirs cleaned.

A 12 by 15's (wool, fringe and urine combo) cost of $960 got her heart palpitating pretty bad.

How do you rug snobs gently break the news to cleaning first timers that it aint gonna be .35 a foot with free pick up and delivery?


Can we hear your speech?

 

[Jay D]

It might be good to carry a defibulator on the truck just in case.... :wink:

 

[Scott Rogers]

you got to admit 5.33 a square foot is a bit steep for the average person

 

[Guest]

Actually it isn't steep; It is a pipe dream! $959.40(not including the high sales taxes piled on to it) to clean a 12 x 15 rug.

 

[KeithCo]

You're going to win some and lose alot more.

Don't worry about it. There's tons o rugs in our town.

 

[Mikey P]

Ever flush urine out of a Chinese?

5 bucks is a bargain.

 

[sweendogg]

This is were being able to identify the rug AND its value come in really handy. From our experience of only about five years so far, its hard to jump from zero to head of the class pricing with rugs. People like Dusty and other rug experts have spent years developing their client list and convincing them that number one: they are the absolute authority on Rug Cleaning in their town, number two these are prices required to clean a quality are rug effectivley. So you can try to Match the price to a customer, or like in carpet cleaning, stick to your boyish charm, set your price and stick to your guns. It does help to point out the problem with the urine and itemize the services. Usually it opens their eyes to a couple of things. Such as how its their urine problem and how hard it is to remove this safely from a valuable rug without damageing the dyes and yet effectively removing the Odor. They can always purchase a new rug, but often the hassle to matching a new rug with just the right designs and colors, makes the cleaning more worthwhile. Dusty likes to point this out on how he gets the cheap rug cleaning at top dollar pricing. Each rug has its own story so go get them Mikey. Sweep the old ladies off their feet and before long they will be handing you the rug and the money.








orr you'll be out of the rug cleaning business with less headaches! :wink:

 

[Mikey P]

bump

 

[Walt]

I some how doubt that the people who clean rugs at 5 bucks a foot started out at that price. I suppose I could be wrong. But I would imagine that they had to start somewhere a little more in the middle. Would you really be bummed if you only got 500 to clean it? But the best places around here don't charge anywhere near 960.

Is it really the right moment to start a super-premium priced business?

 

[Mikey P]

Well shit, Dusty told me I could charge $10 a foot.







Actually she was quoted $3 a foot or $5 for the uber Urine treatment.

 

[Greg Loe]

Offer 2 prices, one regular cleaning and on including the urine flush. Explain the difference and let them choose.

 

[sweendogg]

kinda of figured as much.. Dusty loves getting us stuck on that 3 dollar per sqft opening price.. (I think thats how he justifies his high price.. he gets us all up high and then he can point to all of his rug equipment customers who charge the same!)

 

[Mikey P]

Nice post Steve.


I doubt Boyle could have said it better.

 

[DRScrivner]

Just like you have positioned you as different and better then other carpet cleaners, you need to differentiate your services, such as rug cleaning.

I am very friendly with my clients and we talk like old friends most of the time, so here is how I do it with upholstery cleaning...

"Carpet, for the most part is very common and durable. It can handle a fair amount of use and abuse. Most of the time it can clean up pretty well with regular vacuuming and good quality cleaning.

Upholstery is VERY different...many times it is made of much less durable fabrics or blends of fabrics, that may shrink or bleed when cleaned. There may be markings on the cushions that can bleed through if overwet with certain chemicals, resulting in damage. All upholstery should be tested for bleeding and shrinkage before being cleaned. Some fabrics cannot be cleaned with a wet process without damaging them. Cleaning upholstery is more complicated then cleaning carpet and requires a professional that is trained and experienced specifically in upholstery cleaning. Would you feel better having a trained professional examine and clean upholstery?"

They say Yes everytime.

'When would you like to schedule a time to examine and clean your sofa and chairs?"

 

[Scott]

Just offer financing to clean their rugs and they'll line up around the shop. They can't get financing anywhere else these days.

 

[R W]

I probably couldn't justify those prices with my current customers. You would have to go after the higher-end customers that value their rugs. A few of my customers have their rugs cleaned at the local "Rasheeds" rug cleaners. They think that if the cleaners name sounds like an Oriental or Persian rug, that company will do a good job. I can only clean "on location" with the wand right now. A wash pit sounds like something I'd like to do in the future.

Anybody know what the "bluebook" or "exactimate" pricing is for orientals?

 

[sweendogg]

Blue Book high value is around 1.60 for the low end machine and as high as 5.80 for anything over 10000.00 value gives a good avg value of around 3.00.

 

[B&BGaryC]

A 12 by 15's (wool, fringe and urine combo) cost of $960 got her heart palpitating pretty bad.

$5.00/square foot plus $2.50/linear foot for fringe? :wink:

How much if it hadn't been peed on?

How much to have you come out and piss on it? :shock:


Thanks!
:roll:

 

[Mikey P]

http://www.vaporcleaners.biz/rugs.html

 

[B&BGaryC]

I generally tell them I won't touch a wool rug for less than $2.00 a square foot. This works for the costco rugs etc. For any wool rug that might need special attention I charge between three and five dollars a square foot. I tell them I will have the rug for a week. The first two days will be testing, at which point I will call to confirm the cleaning and price, or decline to clean the rug and deliver it back to them free of any charge. On the third day I clean the rug. Fourth day I do touch ups or possible re-clean.

I don't have a wash pit, so I guess that makes me hack. But at least I make sure the rug isn't damaged and give them the positive experience of somebody taking their rug seriously. If ever asked a direct question about full immersion cleaning I refer them over to the local cleaner that does that. He has ruined a few rugs that we subbed out to him, so I never sub out to him, but I'll still recommend him. He does do a good job most of the time, and has a good insurance policy to cover the mistakes.

 

[B&BGaryC]

Hey Mikey, what sort of disclaimer do you give with the hand tufted cheap latex glue specials? I usually tell them I will do a quick once over for 1/2 price and let them know how a lot of the rugs start offgassing after the first cleaning. Generally they decline to have it cleaned at that point. That's only when they say it's the first cleaning and I recognize it as one of the cheapy bastards.

What about the tea wash rugs?

What about the bleach doused rugs?

 

[Ken Snow]

I don't have my price list with me, but we'd be around 200 picked up and delivered for that rug, and another 100 or so for the urine decontamination. If they had 2 and bring them to us, we clean both for 200 and an additional 100 each for the decont.

Ken
Ps silks and antiques are priced higher

 

[Art Kelley]

I don't have my price list with me, but we'd be around 200 picked up and delivered for that rug, and another 100 or so for the urine decontamination. If they had 2 and bring them to us, we clean both for 200 and an additional 100 each for the decont.

Ken
Ps silks and antiques are priced higher

Dang, I'll charge Mikey's prices and bring the rugs to Hagopian.

 

[XTREME1]

$180 and $90.00 here

 

[dgargan]

Mikey what kind of deal did you work out with the dry cleaner?

David

 

[B&BGaryC]

$180 and $90.00 here

Greg, I do have a lot more respect for you and your business model than I may let on, but that's insane.

You can clean rugs at those prices for years, have something go wrong on one of them and end up spending more replacing it than you have ever charged for cleaning rugs in your entire career.

I cleaned a rug valued at $40,000 last week. It was for a fire job. Quite frankly if it wasn't for the insurance company setting the price, I would have tried to charge $4,000 for it. Why should I put my butt on the line for anything less than 10% of the cost of the rug? (Why? Because exactimate told me to do it.)

 

[XTREME1]

that is a general price. If it were far more expensive then the price would go up

 

[-JB-]

Ever flush urine out of a Chinese?

5 bucks is a bargain.

and another 100 or so for the urine decontamination

I agree w/Mike here, but for Mike and Ken, is that a GUARANTEED odor removal?

 

[Ken Snow]

Does a car wash charge more for a lincoln that a chevy? No. If you are not confidant in cleaning 40k rugs you shouldn't clean them, but the customer imo should not pay more unless there are inherant differnces in what is done to warrant the premium, within reason. Also who is to judge the 40k rug is 40k? If it is an appraisal then that is likely a retail value and the rug may have actually been purchased for 20-30k, which is all an insurance company would really pay any way.

 

[Ken Snow]

Ps

Dpzens of carpet cleaners and dozens of restoration companies and dry cleaners subcontract their rug cleaning to us. We are always looking to expand that so anyone interested can contact me directly.