Pricing question

[Mikey P]

I've never been an apartment guy but this 130 unit complex called. I'm feeling the Yelp hit so I went and took a look.

They allow pets but replace the carpet if damaged.
3 story buildings, no steps in units
Currently paying 95 to 125 but not happy with the results
Access is decent, nothing over 200 ft

What's you price on each floor plan for a do what ever it takes cleaning?

 

[Cleanworks]

Most apartments I do with a portable. $120 for 1-bedroom, $155 for 2, $200 for 3-bedroom. I would charge more for using the truck. Privately owned apts are $150, even if it's just one room.

 

[hogjowl]

Are only the BRs carpeted?
Is it only carpets you’re cleaning?

 

[Cleanworks]

You want to get the hallway and stairs cleaning. I have 3 rental building in one complex where I give the above prices. I get the hallways once a year for $650 per building. Takes 2 hours with a helper, 4 hours on my own.

 

[Mikey P]

Are only the BRs carpeted?
Is it only carpets you’re cleaning?

Yes only carpet.

they are switching from typical flat sheet vinyl to a textured wood grain vinyl product that I told him in some cases their housekeepers will have a hard time dealing with and that I would be willing to steam clean them but those are all new and not to be included in the flat rate pricing.

Also there carpet stored does the patching and repair

 

[Mikey P]

You want to get the hallway and stairs cleaning. I have 3 rental building in one complex where I give the above prices. I get the hallways once a year for $650 per building. Takes 2 hours with a helper, 4 hours on my own.

Does not exist here, all out side access

 

[Cleanworks]

Does not exist here, all out side access

Too bad. Factor in your time and decide what you need to make per hour. Sometimes you just have to say no. Or let them know that you're a skilled tradesman and need tradesman wages.

 

[Desk Jockey]

3 years ago we had a newer complex ask us for a bid. Same scenario, not happy with current cleaners.
We walked the property, gave a very competitive bid and heard crickets. They wouldn't even respond to email or calls.
Would have been a good client the manager 4 large properties.

Went with the cheapest, even though they said price wasn't a factor when asking for a quote.

 

[Nomad74]

Commercial rates.26 per sqft. $3per stair $30 per gallon of urine treatment, .10 deodorizer. $50 per patch or dye.

 

[Lee Stockwell]

I do a good bit of apartment work, but have been eliminating the price gap from "normal" jobs.

Usually more abused, shorter notice, slower paying.

Why discount for that? I have a satisfaction guaranteed, no extra charges policy. I prefer owner managed units.

 

[JS41035]

2-3 rooms of empty vacuumed carpet? 96-126 $
Seriously if they are already paying 95 for 2 rooms, they are already in the top percentage of apartment complexes. You may have a different market though. For apartment guys that’s banging money. For you? Meh, your gonna hate life doing a 2 room minimum on the third floor. Or they will just give you the trashed ones and have 45 buck a unit porty guy do the easy ones.

 

[hogjowl]

They’re all minimum jobs.
I guess I would be willing to not charge them a flat $150 each IF I got the volume, but that’s a sensitive subject since they all lie.

 

[Desk Jockey]

They go for $75.00 in Lawrence, a college town. The work is awful but they keep using the cheap guys. They just want to say it was done, they truly don't care what it looks like.

 

[Mikey P]

They’re all minimum jobs.
I guess I would be willing to not charge them a flat $150 each IF I got the volume, but that’s a sensitive subject since they all lie.

Unit C is 737sf of carpet..

You'll do that for 150?

 

[hogjowl]

No
I was under the impression only the BRs were carpeted?

 

[Doug Rice]

Buy one of Larry's Super Portables, they really do have some powerful suck. Just place a couple of air movers on the job when your done.

 

[Mikey P]

Buy one of Larry's Super Portables, they really do have some powerful suck. Just place a couple of air movers on the job when your done.

Lug a #200 porty up 3 flights, sure....

 

[Mikey P]

Rotovac wants me to test a new CFX that has honking vacs....

Could be perfect..

 

[hogjowl]

So, are the LRs carpeted or not, moron?

 

[Jimmy L]

I have the mobile home market all to myself.
No stairs and $49.95 ea. That works out to 50 cent a sq ft.

ALL DEY LONG !

 

[Mikey P]

So, are the LRs carpeted or not, moron?

Obviously, fidiot

 

[hogjowl]

Your reading comprehension sucks

 

[Cleanworks]

2-3 rooms of empty vacuumed carpet? 96-126 $
Seriously if they are already paying 95 for 2 rooms, they are already in the top percentage of apartment complexes. You may have a different market though. For apartment guys that’s banging money. For you? Meh, your gonna hate life doing a 2 room minimum on the third floor. Or they will just give you the trashed ones and have 45 buck a unit porty guy do the easy ones.

I have a customer like that. For years they would only give me the difficult jobs. Eventually the company they were using went out of business. No kidding! Found out they were charging $55 for a fully carpeted 1 bedroom unit and $65 for a 2. They leave it up to their building mgrs to choose the carpet cleaner. I have 5 or 6 of their complexes and the others are using whoever. I don't make a lot doing the individual units but I make it up when I do the common hallways. All of these buildings have elevators so using a portable is easy. I have the mgrs trained to vacuum and most of the carpets are in good shape. Only occasionally do I get a really bad one. 1 bedroom units take 45 minutes to an hour and 2's take 1-1.5 hours.

 

[Jimmy L]

In my apartment days back around 95 I did them for $50 a piece jst starting out. Average 40 min. to do one. Castrol superclean in a 3 gallon pump up sprayer. Used clorox in the olefin ones to remove stains.

Apartments suck

 

[Mikey P]

 

[Cleanworks]

View attachment 91046

Is there no elevator in these buildings?

 

[Mikey P]

Is there no elevator in these buildings?

No

 

[Mikey P]

Your reading comprehension sucks

But I can fix and maintain my own truckmounts..

 

[hogjowl]

Which means you’re not busy
Thus the apartment interest
Idiot

 

[Cleanworks]

No

The cfx has powerful vacuums but the downfall has been having to hook up to a water supply. Not always available. Most are using tap pressure, I believe they have units with 250-500 psi pumps available. They will be heavier units. You might better off looking at some type of fresh water tank for your 370. For me any building without an elevator is done with a TM. If they have an elevator, I will roll my high performance portable in and go to town. I have a job in a house Friday, cleaning a mattress where I have to use a portable. All of the outside water is turned off. The room where the shut offs are is locked and they do the have a code. There is not a single Faucet in the house where I can attach a tap adapter. I only have a laundry sink where I can put a 5 gallon bucket. I run into this more and more these days. Hooking up to an interior tap is getting difficult.