My wife and I are starting a apartment prep service. The idea is to offer a wide range of services including, fresh coat painting, steam extraction carpet cleaning, and final clean before move in. Please help us with setting rates for this type of service.

Clough

What is the location where you'll be doing to work, please? Prices will vary, depending on the location.

Thanks!

kb2k9

Houston, Texas.

Clough

Then your prices will be higher than they are around where I live and work.

Around here, for two coats of paint, rolled on a perfectly flat surface, the going rate is about $.70 cents a square foot. For brushing on trim, (linear square foot pricing) the rate is about $1.25 per linear foot for two coats. Both of those prices don't include the cost of the paint. Around where you are, I would suggest upping the prices that I gave to you by $.30 to $.40 cents for rolling and brushing. Again, that wouldn't include the cost of the paint.

I'll go so far as to actually drive a customer to the store so that they can purchase the paint. That way, it's done and they then will know that what's in the cans is the paint that will be used. There are painters that will use paint cans for expensive paint and then put a cheaper paint in them.

When you "touch-up" with a paint or any kind of finish, it's better to go big on the surface area then to just do a little bit. Just a tip...

Thanks!

Clough

One more thing...

You're going to be offering a number of things that you can do for the customer.

What about offering some kind of "package" pricing?

Thanks!

artlady

My ex and I did this as a business many years ago and one thing we had difficulty with pricing was the cleaning of stoves and refrigerators.

Sometimes they were filthy and cleaning them was very time intensive.

Having a standard rate is good but I would have an extra charge if the stove and fridge are going to exceed a certain time limit.

You might want to do a walk through with the landlord before hand to assess the situation.A walk through is good also because you may find a room covered in crayon and that will take more than one coat.

Also hand held steam cleaners are great for getting rid of the real stuck on stains and they also will make the appliance sterilized,which is a good selling point.

Good luck!

Clough

Hi, artlady!

You're in New York City, correct?

Thanks!

artlady

New York,Central New York to be precise but my business was in Tampa Florida.

Clough

I'm confused. Are you meaning New York State?

Thanks!

artlady

I'm in New York state but there is Upstate N.Y. and downstate N.Y.
I am in Central New York ,Syracuse to be exact.
I lived in Tampa Florida when I had the business.

Clough

How about sharing some of the prices that you used down there? They would probably be comparable to what prices might be in Houson, Texas.

The prices where I'm located aren't like those in the largest metropolitan areas.

Thanks!