FoxyBoxy

What do most places pay to cleaning services for bowling alley's? Currently I am cleaning 2 different places but same owners. I have worked for one of the locations for 10 yrs now but i used to bartend. I just started cleaning about 3 months ago. Each location is a 24 lane bowling center and full bar. One has 1 set of large restrooms and the other has 2 sets. Both have pretty good size kitchens.And one has an arcade. I hired 2 girls to help me out so 2 of us clean a night and split the pay. We clean 7 nights a week. Mop, sweep, vacuum the entire place. Clean all restrooms, take out all garbages (total of 34 each place) clean all glass windows and doors, clean trash cans, bar mats and even steam clean bathroom stall doors. The owner wants to pay us $70 a night. So $35 a piece per place. I think $80 is a little more fair. The owner did have 1 other bid for $100 a night but they would do there own payroll. Should I take the $70 or stand firm on my $80.
(please keep in mind we work our butts off. we don't start until 12:30 am and sometimes are not home before AM.)

Thanks for your time sorry if I rambled didn't want to leave anything out and going crazy over this.

suzikg

if you are cleaning the whole place...7 nights a week. Mop, sweep, vacuum the entire place. Clean all restrooms, take out all garbages (total of 34 each place) clean all glass windows and doors, clean trash cans, bar mats and even steam clean bathroom stall doors.
restrooms, kitchens...

wow, that's a lot of work for you. and even with 2 people, how long does it take you to do all of this per evening? 12:30 am until???

$35 apiece for all of that every night is highway robbery on the part of the establishment's owner! unless you are talking about $35/hour.

sounds like you are underbidding and being taken advantage of in my estimation. i do residential cleaning, privately owned homes and move-in/outs and charge $25 plus/hr for them.

if someone else wants to do this for $100/ nite, more power to them. i think the owner is trying to get something...ummm, everything!!!...for nothing.

i used to bartend and got way more than $35 in TIPS every night, and a salary. i wouldn't walk out of my house for the money i think you are saying you are working for. maybe i am reading your post in error.

be assertive and don't sell yourself short. way too much work, too little money!!!

you are the boss, set your prices and go out and get your clients!!!

suzi g

FoxyBoxy

Thank you for your response. There was no error in your reading. I do all of those things. Unbelievable as it is I just got a very nice email from the owner and I did get the raise that I was looking for. So for now I am very pleased. Just receiving the nice words from him was a huge part of it. For the first time I feel like all the hard work I have been doing has been noticed. Silly as it sounds that almost means more coming from him then hearing him tell me I got a raise. Thank you so much for your advice. I am still very new in this business and feel that with more experience I will be able to demand a more appropriate rate.

suzikg

good for you

i did the same thing when i was starting out. just know that you are worth so much more than the average "joe" thinks you are and don't settle for less!

hard, labor intensive work we do. demand the money upfront and if they balk at your rates, find another who will appreciate your efforts and pay for your services.

have you done research on other companies in your area? and their rates?

best of luck to you and keep a positive attitude

suzi g