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.

Hi, kb2k9!

You'll be looking at a number of different rates concerning what you'd like to do.

Which type of rates would you like to discuss first, please?

My choice would be painting.

Thanks!

Hi Clough,
Thanks for responding. Painting is a great place to start. We will be offering a fresh coat painting service prior to new tenants moving in. From what I learned about this so far, at least 2 different paints are required. Usually a flat for some area and semi-gloss others. Basically we will be touching up areas that's already painted.

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Originally Posted by Clough

Hi, kb2k9!

You'll be looking at a number of different rates concerning what you'd like to do.

Which type of rates would you like to discuss first, please?

My choice would be painting.

Thanks!

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Hi, Clough
Thanks for responding. Painting is a great place to start. We will basically be offering a fresh coat painting service prior to tenants moving in. From what I've learned sa far, at least 2 different paints are required. A semi-gloss in some areas and flat in others. We will basically be painting over areas that already have paint. What do you think?

Hi again, kb2k9!

I'm here. Just have other stuff to do since this is something that I do at my leisure.

Have you had any experience painting for others in order to make a profit for yourself, please?

Touching-up paint, is a whole different thing than painting entire surface areas.

Thanks!

Yes, I've had a little expirience with painting. Not touch up. But actually, prime/killz, coating, and cutting in. This was roller work. But I plan to use an airless machine for this work.

How good are the walls going to need to look, please? If they might need to look perfect, then there are some issues that we need to discuss, if you'd be willing to do that.

Thanks!

Im prepared to do the highest quality work that I need to do.
I recently watched a guy do an apartment. The apartment he did wasn't that bad but he mainly touched the problem areas. More in the kitchen and bathroom. It took him an hour to do a 1 bed room 900 sqft. I guess the actually need for perfetion would vary, but like I said I will be striving for perfection regardless. Thanks again

Hi again, kb2k9!

If it's a flat sheen of paint that's on the walls and you have the exact type and color of paint that was used on the walls, I see no problems with touching things up. However, if the walls might be textured in any way and a sheen for the paint, other than flat, needs to be used, then I can see some possible issues arrising with just doing touch-ups.

Thanks!

Hi again, Clough
Yes it will be using the same color to paint over. That's the service we will be providing. Strictly fresh coat/touch up. How much should we charge for that?

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

Thanks!

Houston, Texas.

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!

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!

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!

Hi, artlady!

You're in New York City, correct?

Thanks!

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Originally Posted by Clough

Hi, artlady!

You're in New York City, correct?

Thanks!

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

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

Thanks!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Clough

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

Thanks!

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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.

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!