Window Cleaning Issues - Canvassing, pole systems, pricing, problems, etc.
DOES ANYONE WORK QUITE FAR AWAYPosted by wrighty (wrighty), 20 January 2004
Hi Chaps,
I would like to know if anyone works quite far away and how do they feel about it - Woud you reccommend it etc.
Your comments would be very much appreciated.
Thanks for the support
Craig 
Posted by sean_rimmer (Dom Matrix aka BRODEX), 20 January 2004
High Wrighty, I work quite far away, Mars to be exact, only problem is they sent me here on a one way ticket,
I suppose I feel quite lonely really, theres only rocks man,
yours sincerely,
Mars RoverPosted by wrighty (wrighty), 20 January 2004
Dom,
I like that comment.
CraigPosted by pdhanson (Silly Philly), 21 January 2004
A friend of mine once talked about travelling from the NE of England down to London every week to work as the prices are much higher.
He was going to stay in a cheap b&b, window clean for 3 or 4 days then travel back.
He did it for a while, but despite the work being very well paid, he said it was really more trouble than it was worth. Especially as you lose 2 days just in travelling. Also if it rains you have to hang around accumulating more costs while not earning.
I think it can be done, but it needs careful planning. Also you should think about how much you could earn in your home town for those two days travelling-
Here's an example, lets say in London you could earn the princely sum of £180 a day, and just for arguments sake you only lose 1 day in travelling.
London work : Leave on Monday Morn back on Friday night after working.
1 Days Travelling there- Petrol (£20)
B&B for 4 nights @£15/night - (£60)
4 days Food @£20 a day - (£80)
4 Full Days work (tue-fri)@£180 a day - £720
Travelling back- Petrol (£20)
Profit £540 for 5 days
thats £108 a day, and only if it doesnt rain. If it does rain, you lose £35 a day.
I bet you could earn more than £108 a day in your home town, thats only £15 per hour.
Plus there's the extra wear & tear on your vehicle, and the tiredness of travelling.
I think it will usually be the case that working at your home town will be the more profitable option.
SillyPosted by wrighty (wrighty), 21 January 2004
Hi Silly,
I am really greatful for your contribution and the only reason I am considering it is because I could earn £3000 per month for 8/9 days a month how does that sound to you?
Craig Posted by pdhanson (Silly Philly), 21 January 2004
That is certainly very good work, by anyone's standard.
Ok, lets say you managed to do it in 8 full Days and the weather was good, that would be :
Travel down on sunday so you dont lose a working day travelling, come back say following thursday.
To stay in London rather than travel home at the weekend:
Travelling there : (£20)
11 nights B&B @ £15 a night (£165)
11 days food @ £20 a day (£220)
8 Days working £3,000
Travelling back (£20)
Profit £2,575 for 11 days = £234 a day
That is a very good margin, even if you lost a few days because of rain, this would still be good work.
If you didnt want to leave your wife/girlfriend for 11 days at a time you could even spread it out to perhaps 2 days a week. Or even take her with you and stay in a travel inn.
I've just had a look at your posts on the "business opp..." topic. 18k price tag is very high, but I'd say this was exceptionally good work.
Like you said, work it for a while- see if its really as good as it sounds. If it is- worth having even at that price. I'd probably have a chat with your bank manager to see if you could raise the finance. Or else see if the seller will accept installments.
I doubt if anyone could produce £18k overnight so probably hes expecting some sort of arrangement.
Ask if you can see accounts for the last few years, but dont faff around too long-that round will be snapped up in no time I think!
SillyPosted by STEVE71163 (Steve Lowe), 21 January 2004
Hi Craig
My Dads a window cleaner and he used to drive from Manchester to London for about a week and a half each month but after two years of it got fed up with it and gave it up and works local to him now. I think he just got fed up with all the messing about if its wet etc 
StevePosted by Terry_Burrows (Terry_Burrows), 21 January 2004
about 70 miles would be our max otherwise not worth it, we can get our money down here more easier Posted by wrighty (wrighty), 21 January 2004
Tez,
what makes it attractive to me is that the cost of living is a lot cheaper up here so the cost of the cleaning is too, so if I work in an area down south I get a lot more money for less work and then I come back up North where it is cheaper therefor the cash goes a lot further. I used to live in London and it is quite different with regards to the cost of things. I think if I lived in Essex I would not travel far for work myself.
I still haven't decided yet - its a tough one but thanks to you all for your advice/
CraigPosted by tam (tam), 21 January 2004
what is your definition of far awayPosted by matt (matt), 21 January 2004
Craig
18 K is ALOT of money, i know the rewards are high, but you still got to think of the outlay
This page is a thread posted to the cleanitup forum
at www.cleanitup.co.uk and
archived here for reference. To jump to the archive index please
follow this link.