True costs of cleaning carpets (Approx. 5 rms)

**ThomasRestoration** · 07-23-2009, 07:30 PM

Great Whiskey in Bardstown. There is only 120000 people in the town that we are in.

**johntalley** · 07-23-2009, 07:30 PM

Originally Posted by Brent

Stick to topic.

some one should call or e-mail and ask him whats up ?

**leofry** · 07-23-2009, 07:34 PM

Let me also add this. mybe not the right place for this post...... succuss is defind many ways. I am happy and free of factory work so there for I am succusfull.... great.. but I am also looking for $$$ success which to me would be 6 figures. No matter what people on here say most single van owners struggle to get there. so I am trying to fiure out how to be the few.... it wont be easy.... most i would guess are at the 40 - 50.... that would be ok but i want more............. please leave me along Lisa and Steve..........lol just kidding.....lol

**leofry** · 07-23-2009, 07:35 PM

Yes i am not a wiskey drinker but if you like it you should come to the bourbon festable.. in SEPT.... ITS A GREAT TIME.. THE TOWN IS REALLY ALIVE

**sharp_shepherd** · 07-23-2009, 07:36 PM

I guess it depends on if its Friday or Saturday and if i need beer money. I do give discounts if they pay me in ones that way i dont' have to stop at the bank to get them before i head to the titty bar. Oh excuse me Gentleman's club.

**ThomasRestoration** · 07-23-2009, 07:40 PM

All the money in the world wont buy you a smile!!!! knowing the cost of carpet cleaning will allow you to make that 6 fiqures, and let you know if your going to get rich or go broke.

**sharp_shepherd** · 07-23-2009, 07:44 PM

I retired the first time at 36 and i'm getting back into it at 39 out of boredom and to stay in shape. I paid cash for all my stuff and i'm really not worrying about getting rich. At this point i'm looking for something to do that isn't going to give me to much of a headache. I'm great at water damage and that is what i mainly do. As far as the cost to clean 5 rooms i'm really guessing about $25 since everything is paid for and I do the work. Is my time worth money. Sure, but if i'm not working then i'm sitting at home doing nothing and noone is paying me then either.

**leofry** · 07-23-2009, 07:44 PM

I would agree with some of that... but you have to get the work and that takes time..... your cost per job would change if you have 300 custys vs 600 custys per year... sure if you know you are getting the 600 custys then i would want to charge an avg of about 175 per... but the truth is it does not really work that way

**Brent** · 07-23-2009, 07:53 PM

Originally Posted by ThomasRestoration

All the money in the world wont buy you a smile!!!! knowing the cost of carpet cleaning will allow you to make that 6 fiqures, and let you know if your going to get rich or go broke.

That is really good advice. I do believe that the more of a foundation you have, the bigger you can build your house. Knowing your cost, having a good business and marketing plan is part of a good foundation. Eliminates waste in time and money.

**leofry** · 07-23-2009, 07:55 PM

I tell you how i figure it.... its not perfect and neither is the cost per job... my goal is about 700 jobs per year with an avg of $140 per job. that comes out to be close to 100k... now i have it figured that COB is about 30 k a year thats everything but my salery.... ins, markeing..and cog and a few more

**Scrubbs** · 07-23-2009, 07:57 PM

Originally Posted by johntalley

some one should call or e-mail and ask him whats up ?

Isnt that what a moderator is supposed to be for?

**Iceman** · 07-23-2009, 07:58 PM

Toby,
You still have to factor that your equiment comes at a cost even though you paid cash and will be a depreciating assest and eventually need to be replaced and maintained along the way. And other fixed costs like business insu, maybe health insu, cell phone, advertising, salary are still there. Your operating costs may be close to $25/hr but your fixed costs are way more. Probably closer to $70/hr. if you pay yourself $45/hr. Anyways thanks for helping get the new van from Thomas, me and the new ED love it.

Chris

**sharp_shepherd** · 07-23-2009, 08:05 PM

Hey Chris. Glad you like the van. You are right will all that stuff added in but if I spent to much time thinking about all my cost then my cost would then go up because i'm spending time thinking about it. So I don't. I have no advertising cost except business cards. My cell phone is unlimited and I had that before I went into business. My health insurance would need to be paid no matter what I was doing. Business insurance yes, vehicle insurance yes, inland marine yes, chemicals and gas definately. So if I broke that all down and added everything into it without my pay i'd be around $40...and that's pushing kinda high.

You know what true freedom is Chris? When you don't have to go to work but you do anyway because you love to. And if a customer pisses you off you can walk out of the door jump in your van and go home. That is freedom.

**ThomasRestoration** · 07-23-2009, 08:19 PM

I used my last 3 years profit and loss statements, take my percentages of what my expenses area and plug in the numbers. I make a lot less per job than most people here. We run on a profit margin of about 23% for carpet cleaning this year. The other 77% goes out the door....so if i cut my price by as little as 10% I lose almost half of my profit. If I raise my price 10% it is all profit!!! We have been in business a long time and have been blessed with plenty of work. We have been raising the prices that we charge about 2% a year. A 2 Bd apt( our cheapest customers) was $50 in 1989 when I started, Now i charge $ 75 for a 2 bd room in 2009. so it took me 20 years to go up 25 dollars, but with raises and the increasing cost of everything from gas to toliet paper you have to keep up or go broke. on a 5 room job we would charge $150-175 so I would be lucky to clear $35

**leofry** · 07-23-2009, 08:28 PM

I am pretty close to you i charge about $25 per room but thats based on open aress only and rooms that are under 250 sq feet. like i said i do about $100 an hour ... most home i clean or very very close to where i live not drive time or much gas to get there. i do apparmtnest cheep just to have steady income. i give them a free room if its easy in and easy out. i want 700 cusyts of course thrown in that 700 there are a few really big jobs 1000 k jobs and a few WD.

**Rob Allen** · 07-23-2009, 09:02 PM

Originally Posted by sharp_shepherd

You know what true freedom is Chris? When you don't have to go to work but you do anyway because you love to. And if a customer pisses you off you can walk out of the door jump in your van and go home. That is freedom.

Amen brother!

**idreadnought** · 07-23-2009, 10:20 PM

Labor is myself, chems cost about 5% gas 8% advertising 10% van and equipment 10% (purchasing and maintnance). other costs about 15%. $500 day is $250 for me. When I hire, I figure 30% for labor leaving 20% profit. An employee should be more effiecent because they don't have all the administrative stuff I do all day(estimates, phone calls, ordering) I figure an employee should clean $600-$700 in an 8 hour day.

**Rick Imby** · 07-24-2009, 02:46 AM

Originally Posted by leofry

I tell you how i figure it.... its not perfect and neither is the cost per job... my goal is about 700 jobs per year with an avg of $140 per job. that comes out to be close to 100k... now i have it figured that COB is about 30 k a year thats everything but my salery.... ins, markeing..and cog and a few more

Clean and simple logic. Easy to figure from this.

Thanks

**J Parks** · 07-24-2009, 08:07 AM

So then 5 rooms cost about 50.00 to do for an owner operator?

**leofry** · 07-24-2009, 08:27 AM

let me throw this in here.. i am new and dont have enough history to look back on if i did its easy to figure.. i am trying to tell the future.... lol which can be hard to do................