New business

[Scott andrew]

Hi guys new guy here thinking about starting up my own business question is what should I be looking at at starting up it will be just me and my partner to start with was thinking about doing office cleans as I side job , I no I will need to do risk assessments and cosh sheets , looking at doing a web site as well , what would u say the going rate would be to charge

 

[Jamie Biles]

maybe do some research in the area you intend to cover,current charges and what your target audience is and if charging more what makes you different business plan should cover all that but don't jump in and expect slow start for general/office cleans until established

 

[Chris Birkett]

Office cleaning is usually carried out early mornings/late evenings when staff are at a minimum. Would that fit with your current commitments?

What time do you have for your "side job?" I put inverted commers because even running a SMALL small business can take up more of your time than your normal job.

General cleaning of offices/homes is generally low income work doing it yourself, the big money is when you have a team(s) of staff, contracts with businesses, and it takes serious networking and deal making to get there.

If you want more bang for your buck, specialise in carpet cleaning, ovens, pressure washing etc. The return is much greater for the working time available to you. Keeping it small is easy, and with higher takings than general cleaning, growth is very possible.

 

[Ken Wainwright]

Hi Scot &

Be aware that commercial premises will often be tied in to contracts which will mean you will be trying to sell to someone who may not be in the market for maybe another year. This will have a significant impact on cash flow. But as a business grows, this marketplace has significant potential for profit and growth.

The residential/domestic market is good for cashflow but limiting on profit for a small business. If you work as a two-person team with your partner, remember to charge per man-hour, not for the hours you are on-site.

If you pitch towards the EOT market, typically through an agent, cash flow needs to be managed carefully as this sector has a poor reputation for on-time payment. Be clear who your customer is, it's usually the agent who then has to claim from the former tenant, landlord or deposit fund. That's not your problem, you must be paid on time by the person/company that placed the (written) order with you.