One thing more.....
Make sure you make your bid / estimate according to the amount of time it should "realistically" take you, NOT based on the time it is taking you now, as I assume you will not be very fast, by a long shot (but ya never know) untill you have more experience cleaning many types of windows.
Based on the info about the job you bid on, if all I have to do is wash (not move anything etc) I could do all those windows, inside & out in 15-30 minutes tops, and thats NOT bragging, you will get that fast too, eventually, if you do enough of them, for a period of time. (or find another line of work)
You'll figure it out as you go along, you will HAVE to ! (unless you just like "making love" to windows all day <g> )
You will come accross jobs that you get involved in that you curse the day you made the bid. You'll either (A) "dump" that job or (B) find a quicker / easier way to do it.
I have made this my "niche" in my window cleaning business. Since I have done just about EVERY type of job imaginable, and learned all the little "tricks-o-the-trade" etc, I can take on jobs that others dont even want to look at, at a substantial profit, I might ad, as the others before me had to charge twice as much because it took them twice as long to do it.
Keep in mind I am not talking about speed alone. I am A shop-front specialist, meaning I work around signs & displays without disruption. (or "breakage"<g> )
Once I learned how to work "around" things, instead of pulling EVERYTHING out,THEN putting it all back, it was a SPLENDID day indeed !
Anyway.....
My point is this.....
When you hit a "snag" (and we ALL do) if you can figure out another way to do it, and still make a profit, you have your cometition beat, hands down, matter of fact, at this pont you ARE the competition ! Why ? Cuz all the other window cleaners the place hired,didnt know how to do it and gave up in frustration, or had to charge too much to make a profit.
One final thought.....
I NEVER ask what price the other guy is charging. I.E.
You : How much is the other guy charging to clean your windows ?
Customer : $15.00, inside & out.
You : Tell you what, I'll do them for $14.00 !
I base my prices on how much of a deal I can give my customer and still make a substantial profit. Period !
By the same token, if I am cleaning some-ones windows for $15.00 and some putz is able to come along and yank my account out from under me by charging a buck less, I say Good Ridance ! You dont need / want those kind of accounts. Matter of fact, I actually encourage my customers to get estimates from other window cleaners, it only makes me look good when they do.
The point to this is, BE the competition and you wont have to worry about it !
It will take you awhile to learn how to make effective bids, you'll get "burned" on some jobs (we ALL do) but hang in there. The rewards are well worth it. Its almost 3PM and I have yet to work today, and I'm still going to make $75.00.
Oh yes... life IS sweet !!!!!
Good Luck......
Chris
------------------
Chris-Shiner Window Co. Sacto Ca.