Letting agents

[Michelle Maher]

Hi Gareth,

I've been having a look at local companies for end of tenancy prices, not having a lot of luck!! I think its probably something that you negotiate with them, they prob have a price in mind and won't go lower. So maybe when you've done a few you can judge how long it will take and once they know you can do a good job you may start to get good prices? I did see one company 3 bed house for example £280! I think thats dear, and it doesn't mention carpets or oven! I did see another company offering eot at £14 p/h. As for regular cleans I have seen them for £8.50 - £10.00, I think I will price regular cleans at £10.00. And office cleans at £15/18 p/h? Maybe the same again for one off cleans? For eot I may go by what Steve said earlier, they seem ok.

Did you do an oven cleaning course? If you did can you let me know where?

So how did the job go anyway, has it given you more confidence to think you can make a good living?

 

[gareth grace]

Have a look at the house before you price and check every thing and price what you thinks ok ,But remember it may not look bad but when you get going its actually some times a lot worse as we found out . Well i think we should have priced a lot more for what we did and how bad it was but never mind ,We know for next time .

Yes i did a day oven cleaning with dirt busters it was miles away but was the only place where i could get to learn a little instead of being forced to buy a franchise .Its not hard mainly taking the doors off and apart.You dont need to take off the doors i suppose to start with but it makes it easier to access the inside of the oven .They use a dip tank which is great for the racks . Might get one later if we do enough ovens .

Yea you could make a nice living out of it if you can get the work . I enjoyed it they paid us extra so they must of been happy also . If you get in with a letting agent and domestic cleans be good .we have got to go back to letting agent to see them as the person we need to talk to is away on hol.

 

[Michelle Maher]

Thanks for the info re. the ovens, I'll have a look into that.

I've seen your other posts about builders cleans, theres so much to do with cleaning its easy to expand!

What did you think about my domestic prices? I will stick to it just wondered what your thoughts were. Its a learning curve I suppose!

Let me know how you get on at the lettng agents.

 

[gareth grace]

Will do . Yes well i work on site also but ive said to leave that for now on cleaning ,May be later get more in to that not sure yet as i know 1st hand what sites are like.

Regular cleans yea i suppose thats ok ,I would use there products as that can be a big cost its self and try to get more eot's or office but if domestics all there is then its money . Look at it and if you think its going to be hard work charge more like £12.00 per hr. You have got petrol, insurance and what ever else you use to keep mind .Not every ones going to want to pay alot so leave it if its not worth it , Or you will want to walk half way through and be kicking yourself . Let me know how you get on

Will see what letting agent says and also will do more leaflet drops .

I will let you know how it goes

 

[Michelle Maher]

Yeah, I'll be using the customers products regarding domestic, and the office and eot add on the costs for the materials.

I'm going to get some leaflets out this weekend/early next week. I need to look into a website as well!

I'll let you know.

 

[John Bolton]

You may be able to work more effectively with professional products, quietly building the cost into your pricing and selling the fact that they do not have the added cost of buying themselves. Your saving on time and effort is cash in the bank for you.

If you use the customers cleaning materials you should be able to stipulate what they buy so that you do not work longer and harder with inefficient supplies.

 

[Tony Nash]

And.....just like with carpet cleaning, I prefer to use micro-splitter cleaning products over detergents as they are safer to me AND the environment....think of the future and all that...over the counter products tend to be detergent - you don't want to keep breathing that in!

 

[Michelle Maher]

Hi John and Anthony,

I will look into the professional products, thanks for the advice.

Michelle

 

[Daniel Simmons]

Hi Gareth,

Thanks for the info. At the minute I've got some business cards and postcards done, going to hand them out to some letting agents next week and some local offices. Then I'll get some leaflets printed for the domestic customers and get them out! I know what you mean about the prices! I'm looking to do the cleaning and build up so I have a full week every week and then I want to add on carpet cleaning! I want to be doing that hopefully this year! Onwards and upwards!!!

How has all this been going? Got established yet?

 

[Michelle Maher]

Hi Daniel,

I was put off trying estate agents when I first thought about doing the cleaning, regarding how long people were saying it took to be paid, and being told what price they were going to pay regardless of what you were going to charge, so put it on the back burner.
But again I have recently thought about agents, I am at the minute designing brochures with prices so I am prepared when I visit the agents. I am not very confident at walking in off the street and selling myself which is something I will have to overcome, so I won't get tongue tied I will have the brochures with me.

Domestically I have printed and posted leaflets, handed out business cards to local shops and have a website, so hopefully getting my name out there....

Kind regards

Michelle

 

[Graham Morrison]

Yeah, I'll be using the customers products regarding domestic, and the office and eot add on the costs for the materials.

I'm going to get some leaflets out this weekend/early next week. I need to look into a website as well!

I'll let you know.

If you have others working for you then you will need to take COSHH into consideration. Do you have the COSHH sheets for customers products?

 

[Michelle Maher]

Hi Graham,

No, its just me at the minute, but thanks for the info thats something to look into in the future.

Michelle

 

[gareth grace]

How has all this been going? Got established yet?

Hi sorry been busy and not been around for a while.

We have been really busy with the cleaning picked up quite number of regular domestic cleans & showroom every week.

To say it's not been going long we are building nicely so looking forward to what next year brings .

It's not been easy but its good now

 

[gareth grace]

Hi Graham,

No, its just me at the minute, but thanks for the info thats something to look into in the future.

Michelle

Hi Daniel,

I was put off trying estate agents when I first thought about doing the cleaning, regarding how long people were saying it took to be paid, and being told what price they were going to pay regardless of what you were going to charge, so put it on the back burner.
But again I have recently thought about agents, I am at the minute designing brochures with prices so I am prepared when I visit the agents. I am not very confident at walking in off the street and selling myself which is something I will have to overcome, so I won't get tongue tied I will have the brochures with me.

Domestically I have printed and posted leaflets, handed out business cards to local shops and have a website, so hopefully getting my name out there....

Kind regards

Michelle

I find business can be a pain in the ass and always try it on and to be honest i keep away from letting agents and done a lot of end of tenancy cleans for people moving out of rented properties .

I've been to see many business and 9 out of 10 want it for nothing but for me this is our price we work like this you either want us or don't .I've seen so many ive got sick of them pushing and trying it on (Suppose they have too ) but it still bugs the hell out of me . I know the job we do is at a very high standard than most in our area so im confident .

If your starting out in cleaning for me i would say build up domestic cleans 1st then move to office / commercial .
You gain experience and you feel better & that you already know then how good you are and that they need you just as much as you need them

If you start doing it for nothing that what you always be doing ..

Michelle link your website to as many search engines as possible and get on Facebook and twitter only for advertising as business .
Register on google places and google maps just get your website out to anywhere and every where. 99% of our work is off our website so your website you need to get it so that people use search engines like google and your site shows up some where at the top for your areas. ...