OK guys, let me have it- I want you to give me the lowest price that you would bid this job. It's a fairly large clothing retailer, total of all carpet (2 1/2 yrs old) is about 45,000 SF. We will need to pre-vac, remove the usual pieces of gum, move all displays on wheels. We will be using one Cimex and one or two truckmounts. I want the lowest price, so I know what I'm up against. It's been a while since I did retail, and most of that was for your friendly neighborhood MMM's.

So let me have it! Thanks-


Kevin Kluth
Pinnacle Cleaning
www.dryinonehour.com
www.fullerdirect.com/0704120

You're probably not gonna want to hear this, but I doubt they'll pay more than .07 per sq ft.

That can still be profitable --- generating $3150 for 45,000 sq ft.

If you were to run 2 Cimex machines it would probably take around 12-15 hours.

I would have an extra person or two helping with the lighter stuff (getting water, moving stuff, etc.)

And then I'd have 2 people pushing Cimex machines NON-STOP.

That is the way we do large production jobs.

If you paid 4 techs $15 per hour for 15 hours, labor would amount to $900.

That still leaves room for making a decent profit, even at the lower rates they'll likely want to pay.







Rick Gelinas
rick@excellent-supply.com

My price would be .085 or $3825.00 and would break it into two days using a 19" Cimex and a 20" CRB with a tankless sprayer. I would pre-spray any traffic lanes or bad areas with Punch and use Releasit DS over all. That works for us.

If punch dries before mexing with DS will that take away from the results or would it matter????????


I have a filthy-McNasty commercial building hallway/2500sq.ft. to do next week. 8 year old carpet (glue down) He's anxcious to see the VLM process. I only have cimex,pile lifter, DS, and Punch to work with.

I heard through the grapevine that he has eight more buildings but he never told me that. Based on his conversation with me he's gonna be watching for results to be consistant on a quarterly basis.

I put 2+2 together. So i want to do the most effective job with what i have to work with.

Thanks
Your Servant Alex

Pile lift first,Get as much as the dry soil out as possible. If you have a lot of traffic lanes/spots, I would run punch thru the cimex (remember it needs at least 5 min of dwell time) then I would go back over the carpet with Releasit DS in the Cimex to create the WOW effect. Remember that the two products are compatible, some mix it 50/50 but I prefer the above mentioned formula.

theres a lot of traffic lanes and staains all up and down the halls.

I won't be doing any hands-n-kness scrubbing thats for sure.

I'll lightly mist the traffic lanes with punch pre spray, keeping in mind what rick mentioned regards CGD then mex with punch/DS. Thanks for input.

Thanks
Your Servant Alex

Alex, a 1 time cleaning can work, but i would push for who and how the carpet is maintained between cleanings. I find when doing a VLM system it takes about 3 months of cleanings before the carpets look clean for the whole month.

i would offer a 3 month cleaning as a test, money back guarantee of course, less your cost.

Yes i agree Danny,if you got a carpet that is filthy with layer after layer of packed-in dirt its gonna take multiple cleanings to get a layer ata time as it were.

Oppose to a carpet that has surface soil will come clean in less cleanings.

I recommended for monthly maintenance. But i also gaave him a price for his requested quarterly cleanings. However once he see the 80% difference after the first one i can explain to him what you suggested and by not doing it that way he will lose out on enjoying the maximum potential cleaness that the carpet is capable of becoming.

I hope it works cause it'll mean less work for me. (smile) Lets see what happens.

Thanks
Your Servant Alex

Hey Kevin,

You can make your money. When you do a proposal make a proposal they can't refuse. What I do is 2 full cleanings a year and 2-4 partials. The partials are just runways in the store, which will take you no-time. The full cleanings are more labor and time intensive. But, if you set it up right way and promise them clean carpets year round you can make a nice profit. I have one large retail chain I do and I clean the place 6x per year. two fulls at 0.8 and 4 partials at 0.8. I did a 100,000 sq ft partial last week in 5 hours 3 machines. Paid my 2 guys $20 per hour and the rest was profit minus ds. 100,000 x 0.8 = 8,000 Remember just runways I charge $3,500 for 5 hours work. I get 3,100
good nights work.


Ralph

Ralph has a good program for doing LARGE retail establishments. I know that because we've talked on the phone about his accounts and his cleaning program. And his advice above is right on the money.





Rick Gelinas
rick@excellent-supply.com