I got my ass handed to me yesterday!!

[Clean-n-mean]

So my mom calls me and says to call my aunt. Her sister. They want their carpets cleaned. So I go by there.
Two rooms and a hallway. Basically the rooms are hallways as well. Each side of bed and the foot of the bed leading out to the hallway. Hallway 20 feet long. Rooms are say 15x12 each with bed in the center and furniture on the side. So basically all hallways.
Then, my aunt tells me she has a 10x14 wool rug for me that she needs cleaned. Its multi-colored. So i look for the tag its wool/viscose blend. I warn them. I can see some fibers unraveled. Very few, but I can see them.
Next rug is a 8 foot round cotton rug. Red, with grease in it everywhere!!!
Next a small recliner, all fabric. No problem
Then two crappy plastic entry runners. One is like a 3x5 and one is 3x7.
Im wondering what you guys would have charged and your thoughts on how I went about this.
So I clean the carpets(hallways) first. 2 year old thick nylon. Turns out great. All stains gone looks like new.
I vacuumed it all first. Light crb then rinsed and vacuumed out ar 300 psi with hot water.
Took me almost 2 hours.
Chair tsked mayne a hour

 

[Clean-n-mean]

Part 2:
On the chair I used prochem upholstery shampoo. 6.2 ph then prochem fine fabric rinse with a ph of 2.5. Looks nice!!
Now the 1200.00 wool/viscose rug. Now I'm feeling the heat on this rug.
I do a small sample with prochem shampoo. Dirt comes out and it looks fine. No color lose, no fibers coming out.
So I hit half of the rug with light pre-spray with hydroforce. Gently scrub with carpet rake. My uncle says wow! So much brighter colors! Looks great.
Then I rinse at 200 psi with prochem fine fabric rinse.lukewarm water. Looks really nice.
Do the other side. No problems. Looks great!
Next cotton rug. Red!!! Ground in grease. Aunt tried to get it out before. It ain't coming out! Pre treat spots with bonnet pro spot remover. Not coming out!
I say hell with it. Put the CRB with soft brushes and hit it. Better. Spots still there but less noticable.
She tells me it's a cheap 300.00 rug. I will trash it and get a new one later
Them the little plastic runners. They come clean as a whistle.
Heres my questions:
All this switching and making up new chems/pre sprays/ moving in and out of hallways, moving furniture and rugs all this crap took me 5 hours.
No room at all there! Small condo. I can see why some companies take the rugs with them!!
Humidity 85% and man I was soak and wet sweating.
My shirt was so soaked my nipples where burning from the salt in my shirt!!!! Reminded my of football practice when I was a kid.
Now I'm done. My aunt says what do we owe you. I'm not going there with my moms sister. I tell them whatever they think is fair. I left with 400.00 cash.
1. What would you have done differently
2. Could I have saved time by foing what differently?
3. What would you have charged?
I think they got a hell of a deal!!! And I dont mind because it was my aunt and uncle.
I'm thinking a regular customer would have paid 900.00.
Thoughts???

 

[keep it clean]

Dont work for family

 

[MikeGaure]

I help family, I never charge them.
Soon I’ll be re grouting my sister’s shower and it won’t cost her a dime in labor. She will buy materials.

 

[Clean-n-mean]

Your all right mike!!! I don't care what "keep it clean" says about you!!! LOL..........

 

[Odin]

400 cash for a POG. First, you should never work for the family how hard up for $$$ are you to accept that payment? She offered you that much money because she thought you would not take it. Hello Stanely Steemer

 

[Clean-n-mean]

400 cash for a POG amateur First you should never work for the family how hard up for $$$ are you to accept that payment? She offered you that much money because she thought you would not take it. Hello Stanely Steemer

I own my house and its paid off at 53. So I dont think I'm hard up at all you little fudgein troll

 

[Clean-n-mean]

My family wants me to do it be cause they know it will get done right.
Yours does NOT want you because they dont want their house burnt down to the ground........

 

[Johnny Bravo]

Rainman of carpet cleaning.

 

[MikeGaure]

Same with our church. I don’t cha

Your all right mike!!! I don't care what "keep it clean" says about you!!! LOL..........

Uh okay

 

[beau]

Yea I don't charge family anything. Always free. But to each their own. I also take area rugs and do them at my place. Easier that way I find.

 

[AZHome&Carpet]

Taking most rugs off site really isn’t because it’s easier considering all the transport it’s because when done correctly you get a much deeper cleaning. I don’t mind hitting cheap area rugs onsight but wool always comes with me.

 

[SMCommerical]

For very close family I do it free and they just cover the materials unless very little is needed. For family I do not like I charge them triple and put a clause saying I am not liable for the work.

 

[Prestigecarpetclean]

I would have said no charge if they insisted 100$ i cant see me taking 400 from family it may seem like a good deal for them compaired to regular costumer but there family, you only have 1 family. Unless she was a cunt to you growing up thats the only way can justify 400

 

[ACP]

Dont work for family keep that and business separate.


Also I find it kind of ammusing how u argued and bashed everything I was saying about equipment.

Yet u were there for 5hrs sweating ur ass off

We would have been in and out of that job in 2hrs


Another thing to consider is condo work is a pain in the ass.

Step one u need to figure out how to be more efficient and figure out the logistics of doing a job in the correct order. You dont even have a shut off on your solution line.

I know that was family but trust me when I say this, people dont want a 1 man show in their home for 5+ hrs sweating their ass off.

Imagine if that was 9-10 rooms of carpet, 5 area rugs, 2 sofas, showers plus tile/grout floors.... thats a reg day for us.

 

[Clean-n-mean]

I'm given her all shes got cap n'

 

[Clean-n-mean]

We know, you are the master.......

 

[MikeGaure]

Dont work for family keep that and business separate.


Also I find it kind of ammusing how u argued and bashed everything I was saying about equipment.

Yet u were there for 5hrs sweating ur ass off

We would have been in and out of that job in 2hrs


Another thing to consider is condo work is a pain in the ass.

Step one u need to figure out how to be more efficient and figure out the logistics of doing a job in the correct order. You dont even have a shut off on your solution line.

I know that was family but trust me when I say this, people dont want a 1 man show in their home for 5+ hrs sweating their ass off.

Imagine if that was 9-10 rooms of carpet, 5 area rugs, 2 sofas, showers plus tile/grout floors.... thats a reg day for us.

I hate cleaning somewhere that long. My other projects are fine but wigs me out cleaning that long at one place

 

[Clean-n-mean]

I hate cleaning somewhere that long. My other projects are fine but wigs me out cleaning that long at one place

Hey I did NOT want to do it. My mom asked me multiple times. It's her sister. My aunt!! And bo we are not that close, but still....
And I got more experience under my belt and made a few bucks. And they kept telling me they would have to pay someone anyways to do it.
And the viscose rug looked really nice when I was done. No problems with it.

 

[MikeGaure]

Hey I did NOT want to do it. My mom asked me multiple times. It's her sister. My aunt!! And bo we are not that close, but still....
And I got more experience under my belt and made a few bucks. And they kept telling me they would have to pay someone anyways to do it.
And the viscose rug looked really nice when I was done. No problems with it.

Don’t care it’s your affair

Was merely replying to ACP