By the Room or Square Foot?

[CleaningGreen]

I charge by the sq ft for homes, but I do have a set price for apartments and condos based on how many bedrooms.

I typically give a 'general range' price quote over the phone, but tell them that when I come out, I'll give them the exact pricing after its measured. I've only been in business for a year, but I've never had a client to say no after I do an estimate resulting in a wasted trip. I have people balk at the final cost all the time though (I have premium pricing)... If I can tell if they are about to cancel the appointment based on price, I just find alternate ways for me to stay. I'll look for the cleanest room and tell them that they can deduct $40 from the estimate by me not cleaning that particular room to get the price down. If they agree, I still usually end up cleaning that room because once they see how clean I'm getting their other rooms, they just say 'what the hell' and I just go clean the room and get my full price. Another technique I use if it's a decent sized job ($300 or more residential job), I'll offer free protector in their main rooms if they accept my price quote. Protector doesn't cost much, but it means a lot to your customers. The moral of the story is, I never walk away empty handed from an estimate.

That is great only a year into it and you are a premium priced cleaner. Good Job in believing in yourself. Good job also not going at it saying I can do a better job than most guys for less.....

I am curious, what did you do before Carpets?

I was a corporate sales management stiff in the healthcare industry, but I grew up around carpet cleaning because my father owns a carpet cleaning business back home.