11-05-2012, 06:56 PM
I would price encap the same as HWE. What I've come to understand is that many cleaners price encap lower because they feel that encap is somehow a "lesser level" of cleaning or is in some way inferior to HWE. One example is the comment above that HWE is more work. While I understand the point of view and certainly agree that HWE is more work, I choose to price my jobs by results rather than physical effort - and I've always gotten just as good results (if not better) with encap as I ever did with HWE.
As for the old debate of "where the dirt goes" or "you're just moving the dirt around" - I took part in this debate for several years. These days I simply don't care. The fact is that I'm happy with what I'm doing and, more importantly, my customers are extremely happy with what I'm doing. That's why they keep me coming back. We can all sit for years and argue the validity, legitimacy and effectiveness of one method over another. Over the course of those years of arguing, I'll still be cleaning the same accounts with superior results and no adverse effects to show up in that entire time. And my customers still won't care which of us wins the argument because their carpet looks great, smells great and performs great.
HWE extraction is excellent with the right person behind the wand. Encap is excellent with the right person behind the scrubber. Choose whatever method works best for you and your customers.
But base your prices on the results and service you deliver, not the amount of sweat you lose.
(As a side note, I've always thought that if a carpet cleaner is charging less for encap because he/she feels that encap is inferior or less effective, then why are they offering a service they don't believe in?)
As for the old debate of "where the dirt goes" or "you're just moving the dirt around" - I took part in this debate for several years. These days I simply don't care. The fact is that I'm happy with what I'm doing and, more importantly, my customers are extremely happy with what I'm doing. That's why they keep me coming back. We can all sit for years and argue the validity, legitimacy and effectiveness of one method over another. Over the course of those years of arguing, I'll still be cleaning the same accounts with superior results and no adverse effects to show up in that entire time. And my customers still won't care which of us wins the argument because their carpet looks great, smells great and performs great.
HWE extraction is excellent with the right person behind the wand. Encap is excellent with the right person behind the scrubber. Choose whatever method works best for you and your customers.
But base your prices on the results and service you deliver, not the amount of sweat you lose.
(As a side note, I've always thought that if a carpet cleaner is charging less for encap because he/she feels that encap is inferior or less effective, then why are they offering a service they don't believe in?)