Getting ready to post this ad to Craigslist and need your feedback, please.
There aren’t a lot of houses that have gutters here where I’m at in the southern part of Texas. But, if I get one job from this ad it would be worth the time and effort.
With up to 130 linear feet, the pricing bottoms out at .76 cents a linear foot and $99 is my minimum. 130 linear feet is also roughly a minimum of 6 ladder sets, as I use a 8-18 ft pole and gutter spoon.
If I’m off for pricing in South Texas please let me know.
When I was doing this in Tulsa in 2004-2005 I think I was charging .45 cents a linear foot. Gutter cleaning was a great add-on in the Tulsa area because almost every home had them. Down here though, not so much. Partly doing the ad because no one else is; it’s a way of getting the name out there; and I’m market fishing.
If anyone wants to share comment through a PM, please do so.
Wow, cheap gutters. I will not scale a ladder, drag filthy debris out of the gutters, bag it up or spread it in the garden, for less than what it is worth.
76¢ per linear foot? I used to charge $1.00 per foot a few years ago, then upped it to $2.00 ft, and $2.50 to clean the gutter surface. I get very few who decide not to have it done, but then again I just charge for the length that needs to be cleaned. Are you charging for the entire length of gutter no matter if it needs cleaned or not? Then that isn’t bad - as long as you don’t get stuck under all oak and pine trees the entire length.
No offense, but for 76¢ per linear foot, that is more like hobby pricing. Insurance, equipment and supplies, upgrade of tools, and pay get gobbled up quick. Say that you are making it up elsewhere.
The basic design belongs to you…I’ve modified it for my preposes…but, don’t want someone to steal your design. It will come off when I have them printed.
I see that you are a Vetaran owned business. Thank you for your service. I’d like to comp you a year access so you can just use any of the designs in the original format. pm me your info and I’ll have you built in.
WOW CHRIS!!!
That is an amazing offer and thank you for doing that.
I really respect you for that. I bought your book offer for Window Cleaners Marketing Blueprint and already have the access the the original format. I just didn’t want the appearance of stealing your work and I didn’t want anyone who isn’t a member being able to copy it either. Fantastic book by the way and you just did a fantastic thing too.
If you don’t mind, I would like to return your offer back to you because with that book offer and the free access to what you have in marketing material, I feel like I should be paying you more.
That is good to know, I will look at adjusting the price.
I just wonder how much more I can charge, because the average unlicensed handyman would do the job for $25 an hour. One thing to point out, is that whether it is 70, 90, 100 or 130 linear feet it’s still $99 plus tax. After 130’, I can charge a standard price. My main goal of showing a price of "Up to 130ft " is to allow the customer to pre-qualify themselves. I don’t want to drive all over town estimating gutter jobs that never happen. Based on your experience, do you think this will accomplish that goal?
Yes, that is exactly what I am doing. I use a distance measuring wheel to get the linear feet total.
There have been times I’ve gone up the ladder to clean the gutters and there might be ten feet of debris there. Which wouldn’t be worth my time if I was charging by the ‘dirty’ foot.
Whether the gutters are dirty or not, I would still be doing about the same amount of ladder sets because I do an inspection of the gutter system: Sagging, loose gutter nails, rusting, check downspouts, etc… I have never done a flow check, as some window cleaners advertise. The flow is pretty evident by how the debris is laying in the gutter.
I use a gutter spoon on an 8’-18’ pole and I pull the debris to me.
I don’t wash gutters out either, because it can make an unnecessary mess…gutters are for rain water, not drinking water. Obviously, none of these inspections take any longer to notice while you are cleaning the gutter and if there isn’t much to clean you can do a better inspection.
I need to bring more attention to the inspection aspect.
Clogged downspouts, having to mess with gutter guards, and repairs are extra. If I find some minor thing wrong and I am already up the ladder I just fix it. But, if I find anything majorly wrong with the gutter system and it is going to take any amount of time to fix, I try to up sell it to the client.
None taken at all. Thank you for the input.
I will make an adjustment to the price and highlight both “Gutter Cleaning and Inspection”
Don’t set your prices based on someone elses business model. that “unlicensed handyman” is likely some retired dude with a pension and his mortgage is paid off; his “Handyman Service” is vacation money or funds that he uses to trick out his 4 wheel drive Jeep for weekend fun. YOU, I assume, are building a business and have real life bills and needs to be profitable.
Try this - set a minimum price for showing up to do gutters, which basically you are doing. (In most cases gutters will be an add on service so your minimum is already covered by whatever other service they are asking for).
Okay, you have a minimum set, right? If you call a plumber or an electrician they have a minimum to show up with a fully loaded van to handle what your need is. Many ask that an assessment fee be paid for the service call in order to determine an estimate that is included if you book the job. You are running a business so charge as such.
Your minimum covers up to 100 feet. Anything after that is NOT, NOT 76¢ per foot. Of course you do not have to spic-n-span clean the inside of the gutters, but you should take the few minutes it takes to flush the downspouts. A quick gush from the nozzle will tell you what you cannot see, and the customer SEE’S you do that and that sets you apart from the Gutter Bob’s.
I had a customer a few weeks ago ask for an estimate to do his windows on a huge house and tell him what his gutters would cost to clean. His house had old aluminum cut ups, obvious they had not been cleaned in a long time. The gutters appeared to be 140 feet out of 230 that were under the trees. He declined the window cleaning as too much (I got that vibe as I was talking to him it would be a no go) but the gutters came to $300 with a couple difficult ladder sets. He countered with $275, which I accepted. Once it was all said and done it turned out to be 120 feet so I charged him $240. Perhaps he will change his mind on the windows, or there may be talk with a neighbor or two.
Now see, that is why I ask for input. This never occurred to me…I can still show a price, that will allow the customer to pre-qualify themselves. Brilliant idea, thank you.
Yes, yes.
Of course not. This way works much better.
Actually, I drop three small rubber balls down the spout. Easy to tell if there is anything else in there as they bounce their way down and out. However, I do understand the theatrics and perceived value of a water flush of the downspout.
Yes, with the service call fee, I can see how this pricing method can be a better way to go.
Thanks Garry for the ideas and the change of perspective, once again. I’ll work on the ad design and make some changes based on your suggestions.
You can take a pic of the completed job and include it on the invoice with a link to your site or Dropbox. Might help get reviews or connecting to your Dropbox will make it bigger. This is what @thorSG1 does.
