Wow, I didn't realize my question would cause such a response!
Well, I told him I would do the job for $400 a month, washing them every two weeks. I took the advice of not giving him a weeking price, but did say if he chose go to weekly, I could give him a 20% discount....
It took me about 2 hours the first time I washed them.... and they were pretty bad for the initial cleaning.
Right now I'm making $200 every cleaning... ($50 a vehicle) If he goes to every week, I'll charge him $160 ($40 a vehicle). That would be $640 a month.
I'll let you guys know how it turns out...
Some guy called me up and asked me to wash a bench for him on Sunday... He was about 5 minutes away. I really didn't want to, so I quoted him $75 to come and do it. He took it (I should have known something was up...) When I got there, this thing was encrusted with mold growth... must have been sitting neglected for years. So I started washing it. It was pretty tedious... I thought it would only take me 30 minutes on the phone, but it took like 1.5 hrs... And this guy was CHEAP! He only had $20's and asked if I had a 5... I was like "I'll check in the truck..." I went to the truck, and all I had was 20's and a $1... He took my $1 and asked me to drop off the other $4 when I could. I thought he was joking.... Then he said if I helped him get the bench back to the back of the yard, we'd call it even. I found it humorous...
My other part time job is a rescue pilot with the Air National Guard... I fly enough to make a living doing that part time. But after I got back from Iraq I decided I'd like to delve more into the civilian world. I still fly, and basically just fill whatever holes in the schedule they have. But I just couldn't get over this guy and his $4, when he's living in one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in the country.
Anyway, I got another job offer to remove mold from one side of two condominiums in town... They are on boomers on the third story windows... The guy wanted me to use ladders to get up to the second level, then use another ladder on the deck there to get to the third... I decided to find prices for renting a cherry picker/boom lift... $150 for the day... So I quoted him $900 to do this job. It's not even that bad of mold, but I really don't want to do it. He doesn't want a contract, and he owns a lot of properties but has offered anything with regards to them... So I gave him that quote... Minus the equipment rental, that leaves me $750 or thereabouts... so that's $375 a building.... plus, I need to hire a helper... That will make the job worthwhile for me. Otherwise, I'd just go fly that day...
Soooo, I don't think I'm low balling at all... I felt like $75 was high for that bench, when in reality it probably turned out to be a pretty good deal for him... I personally don't think I want to break out the trailer and equipment unless I'm going to make at least $100 that day anymore. Does anyone else feel that way???
Rob