How to Bid Condo Dryer Vent Cleaning Jobs (Without Losing Money)
Most guys mess this up.
They price condo jobs based on what “feels right” or what the competition is doing.
That’s how you end up stuck on a job all day making less than you would doing regular houses.
Here’s the simple way to price condo jobs so every day is worth it.
Step 1: Know What a Normal Day Is Worth
Before you even think about condos, you need to know what a normal residential day produces per tech.
Ask yourself:
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How many jobs does one tech do in a normal day?
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What’s your average price per job?
Now multiply them.
Example:
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6 jobs per day
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$225 per job
That equals:
$1,350 per tech per day
That’s your baseline.
If a condo job doesn’t beat that number, you don’t take it.
Step 2: Add Extra for Condos (Because They’re Never Smooth)
Condos come with problems:
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Waiting for access
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Tenants not home
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Property manager delays
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Roof vs wall confusion
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General chaos
So you need to charge more than a normal day.
Add two things:
1. Extra Profit for Doing Condo Work
Add about 20–30% more than your normal day.
2. A Safety Buffer for Problems
Add another 10–20% to protect yourself when things go wrong.
Example:
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Normal day = $1,350
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Add 20% extra = +$270
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Add 15% buffer = +$202
New target per tech per day = about $1,800
That means:
If each tech isn’t making around $1,800 per day on that condo job… it’s not worth it.
Step 3: Turn That Into a Price Per Unit
Now figure out how many units one tech can realistically complete in a day.
Be honest here.
Most people overestimate.
Example:
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A tech can complete 20 units in a day
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You need to make $1,800 that day
$1,800 ÷ 20 units = $90 per unit
Important:
If $90 feels too low compared to your normal pricing…
Do NOT lower your price to compete.
Instead:
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Assume fewer units per day (maybe it’s actually 15, not 20)
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Or increase your profit and buffer percentages
That raises your per-unit price where it should be.
Step 4: Price the Full Job (Multiple Techs / Days)
Now zoom out and price the entire project.
Ask:
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How many total units are in the complex?
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How many units can each tech do per day?
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How many techs will you have on site?
Example:
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100 total units
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20 units per tech per day
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2 techs working
That means:
40 units per day total
100 units ÷ 40 = 2.5 days → round up to 3 days
Now multiply:
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$1,800 per tech per day
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2 techs
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3 days
Total project price = $10,800
Double Check:
$10,800 ÷ 100 units = $108 per unit
Perfect. That means you’re hitting your numbers.
Where Most People Go Wrong
They:
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Guess how many units they can do
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Ignore delays
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Price to “win the job”
Then they end up making less than a normal residential day.
The Only Rule You Need
If a condo day doesn’t pay more than your normal day per tech… don’t take the job.
Final Thought
Condos should be:
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More efficient
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More repeatable
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More profitable
If they’re not… it’s not the job.
It’s your pricing.