How much $$$ per hour

[kevinj6121]

Just curious how much money per hour you all think we should be making in this industry

 

[AffordableCarpetCare]

We try to gross about $100 hr of on job time. That being said sometimes it's higher sometimes lower. Quality comes first. If have to spend more time scrubbing or spotting than anticipated our hourly goes down but the customer still gets the best quality.

 

[kevinj6121]

We try to gross about $100 hr of on job time. That being said sometimes it's higher sometimes lower. Quality comes first. If have to spend more time scrubbing or spotting than anticipated our hourly goes down but the customer still gets the best quality.

Good answer. Quality should always come 1st
$100 an hr of on job time is a good place to start, sometimes we hit that plus a little more sometimes it's a little less.
I've left jobs where I only hit $60 per hr, i chuckle as i sit here and type this (only $60 per hr) as many many people would kill to make that, especially these days with all that is going on

 

[OxiFreshGuy]

Yes but what did you make after insurance, equipment loan payments, gas, chemicals, equipment costs, maintenance costs, marketing costs, website costs, phone costs, etc etc.

$100 an hour sounds good until $70 an hour in chunks is taken out

 

[mrotto]

I think thats the problem. Everyone talks about the 100/hour and says, Hey I can do that but then realizes thats not nearly take home. And thats on the job time, you dont get paid for travel between jobs or taking calls or bookwork or equipment maintenance or........

 

[John Rockwood]

100 an hour sounds good but I would think you should be concerned more about what amount do you get to keep. 40 hours @ 100 per hour = 4,000 and net 800 or 20 hours @ 100 per hour =2,000
net 1600 which sounds better.
the argument should be it's not how much you make it's how much you keep.

 

[kevinj6121]

Yes but what did you make after insurance, equipment loan payments, gas, chemicals, equipment costs, maintenance costs, marketing costs, website costs, phone costs, etc etc.

$100 an hour sounds good until $70 an hour in chunks is taken out

So what are you saying, if we gross a $100 per hour we only take home $30
i'm sure i'm not the only one who can say this but I flat out own all of my equipment and van as well.
So i have no equipment or loan payments and that's a big help.
We all have maintenance and chemical costs and of course gas for the van costs
As far as marketing/advertising goes, other then my website which costs me $16.90 a month and my business cards i pay nothing else. i have a facebook page and am on next-door .com which is free. next-door works great for me.
I have one cell phone which is used for both business and personal, i'd have it and have the same phone bill weather i had this business or not so i don't really factor that in.

 

[SkylinePrints]

This thread has gone exactly as I expected. It comes down to each operation has its own goals that have to be met. Per hour is a target but you must understand your operational costs in order to know whether that per hour rate is effective for YOU. One company might need $100, one might only need $60, while others need $200 or more.

Point is... there is no magic works for every one per hour rate. Understanding your operational costs is the key to unlocking your business profitability. Ignore or choose not to know it, ... well... probably won't end well.

 

[Jimbo Williams]

I'm usually at $80-$100 an hour on residential but I only get 4 or 5 hours of actual production a day. Then After spending 15% on expenses and putting away 15% of each deposit for taxes, I get to keep $56-$70 an hour.

I really NEED to make more than that if I'm ever going to put money away for retirement and pay for my daughters college. Especially since my income is our only income since my wife is somewhat disabled.

When I look back at my last real job that I left in 1997 where I was making $8.60 an hour I realize I'm doing OK for an uneducated hillbilly.

 

[U. S. Vet.]

I'm usually at $80-$100 an hour on residential but I only get 4 or 5 hours of actual production a day. Then After spending 15% on expenses and putting away 15% of each deposit for taxes, I get to keep $56-$70 an hour.

I really NEED to make more than that if I'm ever going to put money away for retirement and pay for my daughters college. Especially since my income is our only income since my wife is somewhat disabled.

When I look back at my last real job that I left in 1997 where I was making $8.60 an hour I realize I'm doing OK for an uneducated hillbilly.

It sounds like you have a joyful life Jim. I wouldn’t touch a thing. If there are tweeks needed here & there for college or whatever • cool • but, keep on truckin Bro.

 

[Fedri]

I average $100 an hour, but this is not enough to save because high expenses for the last couple of years increase living costs. I will increase my prices right after we move to a normal state from this plandamic. I need to make $125-$150 per hour min.
10 years ago, when I have started my own business, I was at around $30 an hour, my office work was paying me $25 per hour. I came a long way, slowly increasing the prices.

 

[OxiFreshGuy]

I know my experience is different because in 18 months I bought two trucks and two mounts and decked with all the bells and whistles equipment (all paid cash except the trucks and mounts)

But my first 18 months of business I've taken home an average $1,000 a month. That will change this year, my expected average take home is $3,500 a month. Once the trucks are paid off, average expected $5,500

 

[U. S. Vet.]

I know my experience is different because in 18 months I bought two trucks and two mounts and decked with all the bells and whistles equipment (all paid cash except the trucks and mounts)

But my first 18 months of business I've taken home an average $1,000 a month. That will change this year, my expected average take home is $3,500 a month. Once the trucks are paid off, average expected $5,500

How ? ? ?
spill the beans Bro. ! ! !
I can use a good cheering up !

 

[kevinj6121]

This thread has gone exactly as I expected. It comes down to each operation has its own goals that have to be met. Per hour is a target but you must understand your operational costs in order to know whether that per hour rate is effective for YOU. One company might need $100, one might only need $60, while others need $200 or more.

Point is... there is no magic works for every one per hour rate. Understanding your operational costs is the key to unlocking your business profitability. Ignore or choose not to know it, ... well... probably won't end well.

You are absolutely correct, we all have different needs, and are all in different situations.
What one person needs to make an hour over the next guy is going to vary based on a lot of things.
Where you live matters for one thing. I used to live and work this business on Long Island NY
I now live and work this business here in North Carolina, I can live the same quality of life here in North Carolina that I had in NY making less money, if i make the same here as in NY then my quality of life goes up a lot.
We also all have different financial situations. other then the normal rent or mortgage, utilities and such I personally have no debt at all other then a $290 a month car payment zero credit card debt or anything else for that matter.
my mortgage is only $8oo per month on my home, property taxes only $900 a year. In NY my property taxes were $15,000 a year that $15k a year in NY pays my property taxes here for over 16 years.
Bottom line is the percentage i get to keep at $100 per hour here is greater then the percentage i got to keep while living in NY

This is due in part to the cost of living here which is less but my operational costs are less as well, for one thing insurance on my van is less, registration on my van is less, gasoline is cheaper here then NY to just to name few

 

[Pat Rice]

Just curious how much money per hour you all think we should be making in this industry

Hey guys
That’s not enough.
We don’t tell people how to live but i will tell them an estimate on cleaning there life style with no promises other then quality and my reputation

The fast set up , Pre treatment, dwelling time and agitation first.

Start the truck and it’s $240 per hour (clients don’t get that but they get 50$ per area (hmmm) .35cents/sq/ft for traffic only ) just under 4 $ a minute. I get nothing but 5 stars reviews and referrals
I work less and have more time to enjoy life. Each job can be a sweaty work out that pays me.
This work demands strength endurance and planning
We are the few

 

[OxiFreshGuy]

How ? ? ?
spill the beans Bro. ! ! !
I can use a good cheering up !

A little bit of luck, I identified an underserved market and was the first company on the Google local services for it

 

[ACP]

In our area grossing 100/hr is way too low if running TM. 200 is decent 250-300 is much more ideal.

Imo targeting larger homes (if your area has them) and mixing encap with hwe is how you can drastically increase your hourly take.

A mix of encap and TM is faster than dual wanding and the hourly rates are insane on large homes for carpet cleaning.

 

[Ed Cruz]

So what are you saying, if we gross a $100 per hour we only take home $30
i'm sure i'm not the only one who can say this but I flat out own all of my equipment and van as well.
So i have no equipment or loan payments and that's a big help.
We all have maintenance and chemical costs and of course gas for the van costs
As far as marketing/advertising goes, other then my website which costs me $16.90 a month and my business cards i pay nothing else. i have a facebook page and am on next-door .com which is free. next-door works great for me.
I have one cell phone which is used for both business and personal, i'd have it and have the same phone bill weather i had this business or not so i don't really factor that in.

Same here.........I own all my equipment. I have insurance, fuel.......I’m all referrals......maintenance, chemical and supply costs are minimal.......2020 was a crappy year though.

 

[kevinj6121]

Same here.........I own all my equipment. I have insurance, fuel.......I’m all referrals......maintenance, chemical and supply costs are minimal.......2020 was a crappy year though.

Yeah my 2020 was down a little too due this dam pandemic, but it did pick back up, luckily i have a second source of income so basically i was fine.

 

[kevinj6121]

maybe we should be charging customers an hourly rate
if you need to make $100 per hr then charge that
if you need to make $150 an hour then charge that and so on
never mind how many area's there are and an per area charge
Just tell the customer up front that you charge $150 per hour
or $200 an hour
Ok i'm not serious about that because if you presented it that way to a potential customer i don't think it would go very well

I can go look at at job to give an estimate and go over everything the customer wants and i'll know at that point how long it will take me give or take 10 - 15 minutes as i'm sure most of you guys can too
I don't really have a set in stone per room charge, i'll look at a job, then in my head i know how long it'll take me, so if i need $150 per hour and i figure i'll be there for one hour and its 3 rooms then they are paying 50 per room if its 4 rooms and i know i can do it in an hour then its 37.50 per room and i still hit my 150 per hour goal but i'd most likely round that up to 40 per room so i'd then be at $160 for an hour on that one

but we are all different some are happy grossing 100 per hour some need 150 per hr maybe some need more