Wanna know why we decided not to move to PA?
I see $750 lol
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Idk, some of us do pretty well
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Yeah but everything else is cheaper than jersey so it balances out (i hope)
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@GlassMD I do too. Believe me. Here’s the thing tho, you really aren’t making any money when the job is finished. Like Jared said about the 14 times having to clean that window that didn’t turn out good…the fuel spent, the energy wasted on a low to no profit possible charity job when you could be marketing to get the client who needs your service…it’s just a real positive mood draining experience that sucks the drive out of you.
When I’m in a tight spot and need that cash (often these days) I STILL think about just doing it to get the cash needed for the day or the next til the checks start to roll in…but every time I cave-its all bad. ALL OF IT. Wife is mad cuz I’m home late with no money really, I’m mad because of whatever, missed phone calls probably paying clients that went with someone else now…
When I don’t cave, man oh man…one of two things happen:
1-I stay broke til the checks roll in (but I get to stay home and hang out with my wife and son so win win on that) but have happy times at the house or…
2- I get to keep my pride because work came my way or came up with the master plan that will turn things around.
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Beauty reply. Thank you.
Quality time with the wife and kids are especially important.
I have been lucky with my wife and kids. They have been supportive. There are times when they would want me home though.
I absolutely see what your all saying. The only thing is you can’t assume a customer will be calling back 100 times. Sure that may happen here and there but there’s no way it’s every time. I am new and I will take any job that I can get. So far no call backs. Once established…sure, I’ll pass on these types of jobs. There is too much glass out there to worry about but if you aren’t overwhelmed with stuff…i say take it. Every bit counts. Again, if there is steady work coming in, i would pick family over these jobs too 
This is just my opinion. I need as much cash as possible because I have a Glass shop in my views.
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I understand what your saying, and your misleading your self. With all due respect. Start with pricing that will sustain your business and you’ll start slower (maybe) and still get there quicker. And have that time for family you NEED. I’m speaking from experience. Oh you want this whole gas station done? Fifteen bucks! No? Ten! No? Eight. Ok deal. Perform service, get same tired, same sweaty and guess what? I whored myself out for half price. It took the same amount of time but now i have to go find another one (I was brand new and didn’t have another one in the chamber) to make the money the first was worth. Maybe these next guys won’t beat me up on price but they will, because I let them because I didn’t realize that my service is worth a certain amount. This is the Main reason I’m grateful to this forum. They helped me understand it can be a legitimate entrepreneurial endeavor. If they aren’t willing to pay your price (or really close to it - a little negotiation is part of the game) they aren’t customers. When is the last time a barber let you haggle his price for his service?
Figure out a price and stick to it now. Its not so easy to wean off later. You think you’ll just get other bigger jobs later that pay right but its twice as hard because your working for peanuts to pay the bills you have now and then you still have to sell after. If you have another job that has your bills covered, quit working for peanuts. The people that pay it won’t give you reviews typically because they don’t “get” it. And the folks who would pay it won’t hire you because “something is up, this guy is too cheap.”
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Thank you. Another great reply. And I’m not trying to steal your post @WVWindowWashing lol.
I do negotiate to a certain point and I have avoided bucket bob prices. For sure.
You guys are well experienced so I think that I will stick to my prices a little more.
That was a very important point…changed my whole view on it.
Thank you guys. All of you.
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Glad if it helps someone. Took thirty minutes to put in by phone. 
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No worries, Mike. I think these gems that were just dispensed were worth way more than any part of my post. Believing and applying what these guys told you could easily be the difference between your business failing and succeeding. That’s huge!
I would just like to add that switching from being a worker and consumer to business owner is a whole new mentality you must adopt, a whole new view of pricing. Don’t look at prices from your perspective. Let’s face it: we are catering generally to people much wealthier than us. Maybe to us $200 is a lot of money, but to them it’s peanuts. When’s the last time you dropped $40k on landscaping for your house? To them it’s normal. When you talk to these homeowners you’ll be amazed as they talk about their closet remodel that was $25k or the $2000 purse they bought. Look at their cars! When you just bought your 16-year-old a Landrover, you are accustomed to spending big money. Your whole perspective on what’s expensive and what’s not is different.
It’s really a question of do they value what you are doing. The greedy lady from above…well, based on some things i have a feeling she believes herself to be of a higher caste and that someone who does lowly cleaning work doesn’t deserve more. Hiring me for $120 is charity work to her. If she did the math in her head, she’d realize she’s asking me to live on $12k a year in a section 8 apartment and buying groceries with foodstamps, while she lives in the lap of luxury. Nope. Not happening.
I would recommend this, Mike: sit down and calculate exactly how much it costs to run your business each month. It may surprise you. Factor that in along with taxes. You’ll see how much you would really make on a job. Also take note of how many hours a job takes you, drive time, office work, reading the forum, etc. When you do the math, suddenly you’re only making effectively $4.25/hr. Oh and no benefits. Oh and tons of stress and uncertainty. Is that worth quitting your job for? No? Then charge what your time is really worth. If you can’t get people to pay that, then the business isn’t viable, because if you work for less you won’t make the money needed to both stay in business and support your family. Your prices aren’t a function of what you think is fair or nice or even doable. They are a function of what your family and the business needs.
Whether they know it or not, people aren’t just paying for the actual work you are doing. They are paying for you to exist so they can have the luxury to be busy/lazy/afraid or whatever their reason for wanting clean windows and not wanting to clean them themselves. If they don’t pay what you need to survive (and also want to continue) then you won’t exist and they will have to do it themselves. The service simply won’t exist. We all know what happened to “the last guy” that did it for a price you know isn’t sustainable. Do you wanna be “the last guy”?
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Me: so it will be $310 to clean all the windows inside and out
Potential customer: what’s your best price?
Me: $310
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Wow Daniel thank you.
That was very detailed and truly explains all different views to look at the business. I’m rushing this reply now because I am at work but I’m going to re-read that over again and really take it in. I am definitely looking at things with a “I need the cash right now” attitude but I better stop this now.
I do not want to be the “last guy”.
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Lol that sums it up.
Ok…restructure time with prices. No more leniency. Slight but strict.
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This whole read is GOLDEN.
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Great post Daniel!
It’s been bookmarked, to help future members here.
Under golden nugget file
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Many times these folks just want something - give them 10% if that makes them happy. You should be pricing so 10% won’t hurt you. 
10% 0ff of $400 is $40. Pbbb, I can handle that if push comes to shove. COLA goes up .3% each year anyway.
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I hear ya. And I understand it may not be every single person is the same
it’s just that in my experience I have not met one single person that
starts out the conversation like that turns into a regular high paying
customer that doesn’t do everything that was described in these posts.
The reason being is that the only reason why they pulled the trigger pretty
much is all about price nothing else. As soon as somebody with a cheaper
price comes along you’re gone at least that was just my experience anyway
just my two cents my man
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Makes sense thor. Better to fill time with as many repeats as possible.
I can’t remember who to credit for this line but I’ve said:
“Well my BEST price would be like a million dollars, but for YOUR sake I’ll knock it down to an affordable $310.” 
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I don’t do partials. I do either inside, outside or in and out. I don’t want to clean up the front and one side of the house and leave the rest. What happens when one of her rich friends comes in and notices the dirty side of the house? Do you want your customer to give out your name on a half finished job? They won’t hear the reason no matter how you say it.
I don’t argue price, either. You lower your price and customer will walk all over you because they won, you lost. You want respect? Do a fair estimate, stand behind your price and do the best job they have ever had. They can always find someone cheaper, but in my market, there IS no one better, and my customers know it.
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Its all a numbers game! Just seeing if you can stoop really low and thank god you didn’t, because if you did, she would have always used that price on you to get what she wants! So from then on you would be told how much you’re worth… not a good feeling.
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