During the first 2 weeks of March after the weather warmed up, seemed like my phone was ringing off the hook. Washed a handful of houses, but now seems like its dead around here. A couple jobs fell through last week to price shoppers, and I haven’t had any calls since then. Google ads have been getting clicks and wife passed out 100 flyers last week, but nada. Anyone else experience something like this? Starting to get a little antsy!
Keep at it. Referrals are key. Do a good job when you do a job. Be on time. Be affordable.
Wait till the pollen falls. Hit it hard. Residential will slow during summer and hit again for 2 months when school starts. At least in area
Right, around here is the same as to pollen. we are mostly bidding jobs and scheduling after the pollen drops. Pretty much TBA
Just curious if you travel?
40 miles to South of home I get almost nothing.
Local within 10 miles I’d say I get 10% of my work
West 40 miles almost nothing.
North, East and North East I get 80-90% of my work. Gotta find where most work comes from and concentrate on those areas. What I do. Works for me. I do this part time and only want 6-8 houses a week. I can keep my schedule pretty much full.
I charge $300-$500 a house wash depending on size and extras.
I lose a lot of houses due to higher pricing but I only need so many houses so I’m fine with that and I end up at nicer homes and nicer people.
When I started 2 years ago I quickly found out the ones who wanted cheap washes were the lower class homes and dirtiest and they want them washed for $99 even less. I can’t be that guy. Bad back. In not washing a house for $50 after cost or even $100.
$300 is my lowest except double sides and single wides I’ll do for $275.
Sorry for rambling just wanted to give you a little info.
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Geeze, where are you located. If I quoted a single or double wide for $275 I’d probably get kicked off their land.
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This is normal.
You will get 20 calls one day, and zero calls the next.
In the last 10 years I have come to the conclusion that people somehow run off the same brain waves.
They all call on the same day, then quiet together other days.
Its actually pretty weird.
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100 flyers won’t get you far at all. Pick out a couple nice areas where people like to take care of their property (who use lawn care companies etc.) and hand out a couple thousand. Shouldn’t take more than a couple days to do and might help you out quite a bit. Especially this time of year.
Nope. Currently booking house washes and up sells into May.
It’s a numbers game. Just. Keep. Marketing. Never. Stop. Marketing. Eventually, you’ll have so many estimates out you’re bound to be busy no matter what. Just when you think you’re about to get a half day off 2-3 estimates come back approved.
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If you haven’t already, make a list of every estimate you gave that you haven’t heard back from yet. Call them. Make notes on who you talked to and who you didn’t. Call back a few days later to the ones you couldn’t get a hold of, as well as the ones still on the fence. If you’re not on Nextdoor, download the app and claim your business. I know it’s regional as to what works best, but Nextdoor has been a small goldmine for me. Find a good lawn care/landscaping guy who doesn’t wash, even better if he’s on Nextdoor too and you refer each other back and forth. I have yet to actually spend money on marketing this season, and I’m going into my second year of full time washing. Been too swamped to worry about it. I quit advertising on Facebook groups, as it tends to always be price shoppers, at least in my area. Certainly not least, if you’re a believer, call out to Jehovah Jireh. Call me crazy, but there is some serious power in that name.
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Most will turn it down and In fine with it.
If its not bad I might say if you really want to get it done Ill do it for $250 but thats the best I can do. And stick to it and walk away.
Here’s why. When I first started out I did a double wide for $175 and guy loved it. Next day his daughter called so I had to give same price. Then the Aunt wanted hers done. Again same price. While at the aunts here comes 2 neighbors over wanting theirs done. I ended washing half the families houses for $175. When I got them all down I was well I’m never doing that again.
Second year I raised my prices and stuck to it and I get just as many jobs and no more low payers.
$175 for a double wide is good money! How long did each take you? I could knock a double wide out in 30 minutes.
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I agree. I lose every bid over $150 on trailers. I also lose bids I put in for $300+ on 2500 sq foot homes. They’re always like the last guy did it for $150. I’m noever rude but always wonder why they didn’t contact him again before me.
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Its is good money. I only have time to do 6-8 houses a week so I go for the bigger ones.
And they take me a good hour but I treat and brush the gutters.
Also I take my time as I have a horrible back and a bad knee. I can honestly barely walk after some house washes but I’m gonna keep going til I can’t go anymore😬
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I have been on a 3 month slump so I feel you. My only marketing is my google listing which has 6 reviews all 5 star and Thumbtack. Both have been deadly slow for me.
You solved your own riddle though. Market more.
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Well I made it out of my slump, phone started ringing off the hook Wednesday and facebook inbox is blowing up. Must be the weather. Finished a big job yesterday and fully booked for next week on the 3 days im off from the fire dept.
Theyre all from the same area and have mostly told me they either saw my flyer or heard about me from a neighbor. Amazing how many hits im getting from 100 flyers, cant imagine if I passed out 1000 like yall suggested.
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It’s strange how people seem to think on the same wavelength. Glad to hear your getting back to business
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