If you are planning to start up a Foreclosure Cleaning Business, there are some run-ins you will want to avoid when it comes to your pricing structure, placing bids and providing estimates. In the beginning, pricing may seem like it is an overwhelming task that you will never truly get a good grasp on. While it is a rather difficult aspect of the business, rest assured the more experience you get under your belt, the easier it will become and your accuracy will definitely improve as well.
One problem you will no doubt run into right away is that people will expect you to provide them with an estimate over the telephone or via email. Giving out “blind” estimates is a bad idea all of the way around! Whatever you do, avoid falling into this messy trap! Politely explain to any individuals who make such a request that you must do a walk through for each property before giving out a quote. Most people will understand that the nature of the business involves vast differences between one job and another and that in order to be accurate, you must visually inspect the property yourself. However, once you visit the site your quote will normally be expected immediately by those who originally asked for a blind estimate. You should avoid this as well. Explain that you will need to return to your office and calculate the appropriate numbers for your estimate to be the most accurate and that once you have done so you will follow up (in a timely manner) with a fair estimate for the total price of the job.
The profit margin in many areas of service can be slim where Foreclosure Cleaning Businesses are concerned. This is especially true if you are relying on a lot of work to be completed by various subcontractors. If you offer quotes on jobs for which you have no point of reference you will run the risk of pricing yourself right out of business. You will likely bid too low or too high. If you give an estimate immediately after viewing property without checking to see what the subcontracted labor will cost and what all of the other included costs will run you, you will most definitely lose your shirt in a lot of instances. Whatever you do when it comes to pricing, be sure to do your homework before you dish out any numbers to a prospective client.
