How much to charge for this work?

[Deleted User]

I am self employed and run my own cleaning/ironing/domestic chores business.

Today I've been offered work from a college to wash and dry 30 decorating overalls once a month. Well it will be 30 this time as they all need cleaning but maybe 20 or so each month, depending on usage.

I have absolutely no idea what to charge, but i'm guessing I need to charge per overall as it will vary, or maybe a load. I dont know how many i'll get in my washing machine at a time, so don't know how many loads i'll be doing.

I need to factor in the cost of using my electricity/water/powder and hanging up to dry and fold.

I need to let them know by Tuesday morning how much it will be.

Please help me decide what to charge. I want it to be reasonable but also it has to be worth my while.

Thanks.

MissMoneypenny

Phone others who do this in your area and ask them for a quote.

Caroline_a

You will also need to find out what the turnaround time is - if we have a few week's worth of rain you might not be able to get them dry in time, or will need to use tumble dryer, so you will need to factor that in too.

whitewing

Do you have a contract drawn up for this as to the quality of the clean ie is it clean or is it clean and stain free. That may make quite a difference to cost.

Why don't you do a one off special offer charge for this first batch and actually see what work is involved with it before you finalise your charges and the contract.

[Deleted User]

Caroline_a wrote: »

You will also need to find out what the turnaround time is - if we have a few week's worth of rain you might not be able to get them dry in time, or will need to use tumble dryer, so you will need to factor that in too.

I will get the overalls on Thursday evening and need them back for Monday morning (sunday night then). This is doable if I wash them over night Thursday and dry over the weekend.

[Deleted User]

whitewing wrote: »

Do you have a contract drawn up for this as to the quality of the clean ie is it clean or is it clean and stain free. That may make quite a difference to cost.

Why don't you do a one off special offer charge for this first batch and actually see what work is involved with it before you finalise your charges and the contract.

I basically got a phone call from my neighbour who works with this class, its adults with special needs who are learning practical skills.

The overalls haven't been regularly washed or cared for and they just need someone who can wash them once a month, just to freshen them (stains doesn't matter), so they last longer.

This sort of work is perfect for me as well as my other jobs, as its fits around the children, term time or holidays!

I thought about offering a ball park figure, which I can then finalise when I know how many overalls fit in the machine. We don't really have a contract, she will just bring me the washing and i'll return it sunday night with my invoice.

McKneff

I would put into the contract a charge for a minimum number

Ie Charge for a minimum no of say 15 or 20 a week, they may send just 12/15 but you would probably have the same time/outlay, this is quite normal in these sort of contracts.

ognum

I would phone around your competition and ask them how much they would charge you for doing this, its a good basis for a quote.

Prothet_of_Doom

Cost or Price ?
The 2 are different, and if you are really lucky the Price will be higher than the cost.
True cost will include the cost of electric, and washing liquid, and a proportion of the cost of a washing machine. (Lets assume that you need to make £200 a year to cover the replacement every 2 years)

To find the cost of electric, turn off all power apart from washing machine. Do a load and tumble dry it, and iron them. Check the meter reading, work it out.

Prothet_of_Doom

ognum wrote: »

I would phone around your competition and ask them how much they would charge you for doing this, its a good basis for a quote.

This might get you the market Price, but not the cost.

ognum

Prothet_of_Doom wrote: »

This might get you the market Price, but not the cost.

Of course but it's a good basis to work out if doing the job will make some profit or not!