Hello All! I'm just starting out with the Challenger system. Did a couple friends carpets for training. Im amazed at how clean they look. Just wondering what is a fair price in the northeast per sq ft? Ive heard everything from .30 to .50. Just gonna be a part timer so I want it worth my time but dont want to price myself out or undercut other guys in the biz.
Thanks for any input.
Matty

Welcome to the board and a great industry! Your question is not one that has an easy answer. You area has some influence as to what you will charge. Other factors such are you moving furniture for them? If so, it typically would be more than if you're not. Value is a big part of it too. How you present yourself and your new company. For example, do you have a very good business card (get a website ASAP), is your vehicle washed and waxed and not all banged up, are you well groomed and neat? I'm in Texas and charge by the room ($40.00 up to 250 sq ft) and have a Platnium Pkg that I charge by the sq ft. Do a search of the archives (read, read, read) and get some more practice and you'll do great!

Ken

Matty,

the price range you stated is good. i recommend charging somewhere in there. only you know what you need to make to stay in biz (if you don't figure it out now). ie: if you charge 5¢ a sq.ft. you won't stay in biz long (can't pay the bills!)

don't worry about "over-charging"...you need to charge what you need to charge and no one tells you otherwise.

good fortune --- Derek.

It is not an easy ? to answer. I, because I am starting out have a special price of three rooms for 99.95+tax. I know this is rather low but again I know what I need to live, I have a full time job and this is just a part time money maker for now. I do hope it to go full time in a year or so. I charge a flat rate for resi work, Hey 3 jobs a week at 99.95 is close to 300 a week extra. That helps a lot.

Now comm work is charged by the sq ft. The bigger the area the less per ft. The Cimex does not go out for less then 100.00 per hour.

Resi work is flat rate, comm work is sq ft.

Only you know what you need to make.

My current rates: (for residential work)
W/W carpeting: .39/s.f.
Orientals/other area rugs* .90/s.f.
Carpeted stairs: 3.60/each
Carpet protector: .18/s.f.

*If a room is mostly covered by an inexpensive cut of W/W carpeting used area rug-style, I will interpolate between the W/W and area rug rates, usually closer to the W/W rate.

Thanks All for your input!
I'm in the ballpark, just gotta factor in everything to come up with a price.
Thanks again for all your help. Best of luck
Matty

you may want to "price shop" the other companies in the phone book... you can also listen to how they handel the customers (you)... it's something i've been meaning to do but haven't gotten around to... from what i understand you'll hear a VERY wide varity of quality of people...

be as professional as you can from beginning of contact (fliers or however they catch your eye, to the phone call, though the cleaning, and lastly the thank you letter.... wow em, just because you can clean a rug well doesn't mean they'll call you back... you've got to make them rember you...

on the HIGH side, i know of a fella who charges nearly double Mark's quoted price w/out protectant.

they say that the higher-end clientele are scared off by low prices. i believe that's true. maybe not in every case, but there are definitely ppl who feel that way.

THAT is the clientele we should all be after!

why compete for the price shoppers when we can compete for the cream?

at any rate, charge what YOU need to pay the bills and provide a NICE wage for you and your fam.

after all, we ARE professionals

thanx --- Derek.

Hi Derek,
Sounds like you're busy these days! How much residential work are you doing these days? Do you market or do yellow pages, or are you getting your resi work from networking etc. from your commercial. I know you are doing mostly commercial... Hope you're doing well.
-Grant