How we price ourselves

Hey Everyone,
This is a good thread! I suspect there are many who simply read it and got a lot from it.

Question for everyone who posted their rates — do the rates you listed include furniture moving? I am particularly interested in how most of you handle this issue.

Jeff Miller, I know you don’t. You are Mr. Hernia! I am walking around right now with a third hernia that I must get repaired soon.

Thanks again to all who posted in this thread! This has been discussed some in other threads, but I am eager to hear more.

Mike

I also move basic furniture but nothing really big, a couch is about as big as I’ll go. I did a house the other day and found that this woman had about twice as much furniture as was necessary for a house this size, and pushing it around was nearly impossible because there was no room left. Took me about twice as long as it should have to clean 5 rooms and a 2 stairways, I’m thinking that I will limit the amount of furniture and if (or when) I see this again I may charge extra.

What I do tell me customers that if they want the carpet under beds or large items cleaned then if they have the item moved off of the carpet and into a bedroom or kitchen, I’ll happily do the extra sq. footage at no extra charge. They really seem to eat that up and appreciate it. And to be honest I’d rather do empty rooms and vacant houses any day of the week even if there is more sq ft. I think you all would agree on that too.

About 250 sqft or thereabouts. We have been charging $45/room or area for at least 2-3 years now and have been recently been told we are cheap…bad sign. We do charge more for a larger room and a little less for something smaller and not terribly filthy.

A lr/dr or two rooms connected are always charged as 2 rooms.

Steps are an area as well as halls. A short hall less, an extra long hall more.

We have never, in 5 years, had a problem with our billings at all on pricing.

I think there may be real variables from area to area, due to the cost of living and incomes of the local areas. What one may charge in San Diego for a sofa, chair or carpet cleaning may be totally out of line with what one charges in Lancaster, PA or Bicknell, IN.

I just read the fine print in a Sears ad the other day….I do not monitor competition very much, sad to say. But in the fine print, they stated that they are adding a $9.00 fuel surcharge.

Thanks Sears!!!