Resort Upholstery

[CACBServices]

Got a call from a resort in our area. They need a price on upholstery cleaning. I plan to look at the job before I give them solid numbers.

24 couches
24 love seats
24 recliners

They said specifically, "Solvent based or steam cleaning."

I've done relatively little upholstery so I have several questions:

1. Any suggestions on price?
2. Can I sell LM with a Cyclo or comparable tool and a vapor steam cleaner as steam cleaning?
3. What do you think the time commitment might be on this, assuming moderate soiling?

Eric

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[Bill Martins]

I would go with your cost of business plus what you need to make.  This way you don't give them a separate price, I'd just give one price and do it all.   Many times those companies say "steam cleaning" since that's the only thing they are familiar with.  In the end they are looking to get it cleaned and looking good.

[Mike M]

How much is "relatively little"? 

You need to find out what the material is to start. Perhaps there are some tags on the upholstery and that's why they asked for Solvent or Steam? Solvent cleaning doesn't do a lot and required specialized equipment. Wet cleaning means you might have more options.

Scrub and "steam" might be an option since that's what you have for equipment. Jim England had a great video using that process. Seemed relatively quick too.

I think you need to find out what THEIR time frame is. Some of these resorts want it all done in short order because they've  closed for maintenance or something.

Pricing depends on many factors:
1. What type material
2. Process used. This will determine how long it will take you to clean any given piece.
3. Time frame.
4. Competitive bid process? Someone may bid cheap just to get that much work. Don't do that.

Here are some rough thoughts:
Sofa - An hour or so to clean depending on method. Pricing? $50-$65?
Love Seat - 40 minutes. Pricing $40-$55
Recliners - 30 minutes. Pricing $30-$40

I've done some resort work before. Buildings of furnished condos. They shut the place down for a week and every contractor you can think of is in there trying to get work done. Its hectic but you can usually move right along because the stuff isn't that soiled. I'm guessing you can cut your time from my guesstimates too. The more you do the faster you get.  These are some pretty rough estimates on time and pricing. Hopefully it helps?

One thing you should give a price on is Protector. There is good profit margin in that. It might be something you can negotiate if the pricing is close to a competitors?

[Jim England]

Eric if you have two people you can go pretty fast less than 30 minutes for a couch.  The way we do it is quickly pre-vac the couch, spray encap green or similar on the entire couch, Cyclo the couch especially the arms and cushion backs where the head rests.  Then run your steam machine with a cotton or micro towel attached to the cleaning head.  This will pick up the dirt just like a OP machine pad picks up the dirt.  You may need to flip or change pads once on a couch. Then quickly post vacuum.  This will pull even more dirt, set the nap, and pull a little more moisture off the fabric.  You will find that after you run the Cyclo machine over the couch it will probably look clean enough at the point.  The steam is just icing on the cake.  We normally use a Dyson for our vacuum, but any vacuum will do.

The couch will be clean and sanitized and will dry in about 10 minutes or so.  If you charge $60 per couch you should make about $120 an hour.

[CACBServices]

Jim, when you clean with a cyclo are you using the gray flagged brush or pad with cyclo bonnets?

[micky navarro]

it seems to me the fact that they specifically asked for "solvent or steam cleaning", tells me they (the resort people) dont know didly squat about cleaning upholstery.

solvent and steam are at opposite ends of the cleaning spectrum.

personally, if they required solvent cleaning, i'd walk on the job.
2 reasons...........

1) 72 pieces of furniture will take a lil time to do, and you will be breathing it all in.

2) solvent cleaning is about equal to doing nothing.

if you go with jim's method, you should bill it as your "premium" method, or dual process.

if you go with HWE (steam) you should bill it as your "preferred" method.


premium method = 2 couches per hour @ 60.00 per couch = 120.00 per hour

preferred method = 4 couches per hour @ 45.00 per couch = 180.00 per hour


need i say more?

[jeffvanburen]

Eric-

With vapor steam I can do most couchs standard 3 cushion in 30-45 minutes very similar to Jims description. I would see if i could get another body in to help just vaccuming and prep work. Besides vapor steam provides great theatrics customers love seeing all the steam roll off the furniture and it dries very fast. I agree skip the dry cleaning its not worth the effort.

[Jim England]

Eric, on most furniture use the aqua brushes, on delicate fabric use the gray, on Herculean type fabric (heavy duty fabric) we use the white brushes.  We also use the white for carpet spots and sometimes stairs.

[Mike M]

Ditto on dry cleaning. 

[CACBServices]

Jeff, so are you saying:

1. vac
2. spray encap solution
3. hit with the vapor steamer
4. walk away

Eric

[jeffvanburen]

Exactly, keep a horsehair brush handy in case you need it

[noweare]

Oh, my back is killing me just thinking about this job 

[jeffvanburen]

Something I found that works on the back is if I'm doing alot of furniture I apply some mustle rub to my lower back before going to the job, that way it works into the mustle while I'm working, sure makes it easier on the body the next day.