Is this a reasonable price?

[n4rb]

I have some fleet work, total of 32 garbage trucks, 13 Residential, 8 Rolloffs, and 8 Frontloaders. (I attached sample pictures, please NOTE, those just look like the trucks they have, those are not pictures of the actual trucks).

Twice a month (Bi-Weekly) they have asked me to wash all their trucks on the outside (what the public sees, does not have to be detailed), and once a month the engine bays.

Now my question is, am I quoting him a reasonable price, since I have never done them? He asked me to average the prices.

I am looking at possibly $40 / truck, and $27 / engine/transmission

Which would come out to the following amount per month:

$40 * 32 (trucks) = $1280
$40 * 32 = $1280
$27 * 32 = $864

1280 + 1280 + 864 = $3,424 / month.

Does that sound reasonable? Or am I over-pricing / under-pricing?

Any input is welcome (even what chemicals have worked best for you if you have cleaned those things before).

Thanks Guys.

[MMI Enterprises]

Don't know rates but seems fair to me for that much grime.....figures got tweaked partway through yer calculations though.. should be 32 garbage + 29 other, right?

ps- Here is pretty much the most famous pricing info available to pressure washers: Mobile Power Wash Pricing Survey
In the end it depends on what your market is worth and how good or fast you are..

[PressurePros]

That list is from like 20 years ago.

[MMI Enterprises]

Originally Posted by PressurePros

That list is from like 20 years ago.

Ken,
Would have to pull out hard copy printouts from years back to see if differences are present. Prices still seem to be for the most part in order to me.
It does say on top "Last Updated: June 05, 2007" and is copyrighted 06' on the bottom.

[FLORIN]

The roof wash and house wash seems really low to me.

[PressurePros]

The prices are for Podunk Texas... no offense Fellas Hinderliter.. just teasing. I honestly have never looked at the page and probably never will. Any person that has ben in business will understnad that you need to charge, as a minimum as much as you need to stay in business.. on the other end.. sky is the limit if you do things right.

[MMI Enterprises]

Depends on where yer at what people will pay and then how much competition.
But Yes.. I'd review the comp and shake prices a tad low except for all the lowballing and more common knowledge aspect of roof cleaning coming out more and more all the time.

The housewash discussed under #19 is about right though except for method #3. You'll find $99 lowballers all day long and plenty of .10 x the single story sq. ft..

Note how many of the pricings in that survey show a low and high or show a percentage markup amount for premium areas.

[MMI Enterprises]

Originally Posted by PressurePros

The prices are for Podunk Texas... no offense Fellas Hinderliter.. just teasing. I honestly have never looked at the page and probably never will. Any person that has ben in business will understnad that you need to charge, as a minimum as much as you need to stay in business.. on the other end.. sky is the limit if you do things right.

Hu?..how do ya know all about it being 20 years old and by Hinderliter if ya never looked at the page..I must be missing something Ken. Please clarify..

I mean if ya want to discount that info available or disregard for goal of setting your own prices soley around what you know of your business and what it can provide in the way of a service fine but it would be a bit shocking to think you would not try and absorb something, anything, when it is there for the taking...

Where's Podunk? sounds like a place for playas or poor folk..one er da otha..haha

[PressurePros]

My point is.. pricing lists are WORTHLESS.

For you though, Kevin.. cuz I know you won't sleep.. I checked the list. Their "high end" prices aren't even in the ball park. My average housewash is just under $600. I have done $1800 house washes (6000 s/f stucco). The fact that they list the "if you really want the job" price serves to make me look at the whole page as utterly ridiculous and inviting guys that think they are hungry to become lowballers.

I respect what they tried to do and that must have taken some time to compile but it has just as much bad info as it does good.

[squirtgun]

Originally Posted by n4rb

I have some fleet work, total of 32 garbage trucks, 13 Residential, 8 Rolloffs, and 8 Frontloaders. (I attached sample pictures, please NOTE, those just look like the trucks they have, those are not pictures of the actual trucks).

Twice a month (Bi-Weekly) they have asked me to wash all their trucks on the outside (what the public sees, does not have to be detailed), and once a month the engine bays.

Now my question is, am I quoting him a reasonable price, since I have never done them? He asked me to average the prices.

I am looking at possibly $40 / truck, and $27 / engine/transmission

Which would come out to the following amount per month:

$40 * 32 (trucks) = $1280
$40 * 32 = $1280
$27 * 32 = $864

1280 + 1280 + 864 = $3,424 / month.

Does that sound reasonable? Or am I over-pricing / under-pricing?

Any input is welcome (even what chemicals have worked best for you if you have cleaned those things before).

Thanks Guys.

Prices are pretty much on the money for washing if they are willing to pay that.They are inline with the price we were getting on a similar account.Scott Stone will tell you that those are above avergae prices.
The engines and trannys I would charge by the hour.I've herad as much as $90 per hour on that type cleaning.The same goes for washing frames.
I'll warn you ahead of time the smell is unforgettable if you have a weak stomach pass on the job.It's not uncommon to see maggots and God knows what else drizzling out of the truck with compactor bodies.

Give Russ Johnson of Southside Equipment a call and talk with him about Panel Brite.It does a great job on this type of cleaning project.

[MMI Enterprises]

Just checkin and keepin ya on yer toes..

I'd read a book by the devil himself if I thought I could gain from it..ooops I think I done did in Mein kampf...go figure..

[n4rb]

Thanks for all the info guys, I think I'll go with the price listed. Weak Stomach? Not really, I am also a police officer and am sure I have seen way worse (like burnt people etc. etc. etc.).

Now I am just waiting on the new insurance quote from Joseph D. Walters

[BULLDOG]

Garbage trucks!? That smell in the heat of summer is the smell of money! I wash 400-450 garbage trucks weekly. Your pricing may be a little high on exterior wash, pretty close on the eng/trans. A couple of things to keep in mind...if the trucks are parked in a gravel or dirt yard, they will get dirtier faster. They sometimes get bad just by going to the landfills, really bad when it rains between washes. Commercial trucks will be the worse, they spill alot of crap between the back of the cabs and the front of the box, spilling right on top of the eng/trans. The first cleaning of those, a turbo nozzle will be helpful. Explain to the sevice manager that it may take a few washes to get them to where they should be. Rolloffs will be mostly muddy, alot of them go to construction sites. (off road) Res will be a breeze, once you get them cleaned up. Keep in mind, unless they have been kept up previously, you will spend alot of time on them for the first few washes. Good luck! Remember, thats the smell of money!

[n4rb]

Thanks BULLDOG, holy cow, 400-450 / WEEK?? How long does it take you to do one?

[BULLDOG]

Not counting moving them, which we have to do. Without engines, 6-8 minutes. With eng/trans about 15 or 20 minutes each. Thats with 3 guys working their butts off. 1 guy moving the trucks, 2 washing, if the guy moving the trucks have a minute or 2 he'll grab a brush, pull hoses or switch levers (2 step).