Get listed in the Spick and Span Directory

Starting a window cleaning business - Equipment you need, suppliers to use and trade organisations to join, etc.

Should i stay or should i go ?

Posted by egor (egor), 17 October 2003
Hi,
I'm thinking of jacking in my job on the post due to changes in the pipeline. I'm currently on a 8 hour, 5 day week and thats worth £260 gross and £40 overtime (this is with 6weeks paid leave).
Is it possible to make this window cleaning? I've read the forum and it seems pretty good money if you put the work in. other than this i was thinking of doing taxi work.
Thanks for your help
Ian
Posted by Bones (Bones the Winda Kleena), 17 October 2003
Hello matey, just check out the topic i started, i was in the same dilemma http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=Startingwindowcleaning;action=display;num=1064338611

I'm handing my notice in Sunday Yippee!!! i've never felt so good!!

All the best Mikey
Posted by Majestic (Majestic), 17 October 2003
Hi egor,
Great record by the Clash,
If I was you I would pick window cleaning ,in the summer its a great job, not so hot in the winter .
How much you earn is up to you .How many hours you do , how many days you do, you can do what hours you want , no drunks throwing up in your car , no contest give me window cleaning  Cool
Posted by karlosdaze (karlosdaze), 17 October 2003
Hi Ian,
I think you have to ask yourself a lot of questions. Some financial, some personal. Are you motivated? Can you handle heights, have you been on any safety training? Can you clean windows?
I'd try and get a round going on the weekends and build up from there. If you don't want to work weekends between your current job, don't bother even trying. It takes more than you think to be self employed.
However, besides this, you're work on your own, be your own boss, and choose your own holidays(non-paid) and time off to a degree. And also remember rain......there was quite a bit of that in the U.K. when I was there. When it rains, can you do another skill, or do you have something in the pipeline?
Sorry to sound negative, think twice about that old job, at least until you get established. Theres a newbie board here, see what problems they have.

Posted by STEVE71163 (Steve Lowe), 17 October 2003
Hi egor
          If you are prepared to get out their and get the work i don't think you would ever regret your decision. Ask most people on this forum if they would go back to working for somebody else Wink

Steve Lowe
Posted by Rob_B (Rob_B), 18 October 2003
Hi mate,

I packed in being a postie in July.

I started off with 12 customers, cleaning thier windows in the afternoon after work, within six months I had enough customers to pack in completely without advertising or door knocking.

I now have more work than i can manage and I am actually now thinking whether to take someone on.

Have I any regrets?

Yes, that I didn't do it earlier.
Posted by johnny_warrington (johnny_warrington), 18 October 2003
hi im also a postie (part-time)ive running my cleaning business for 18months now making three times as much as im getting from royal mail,im now in the postion to consider packing it in,but finish at 10.00am so ive got all day to run business ,ive now taking on two workers to help trust me you need someone in the winter,i started of gutter cleaning first month i made a packed now we  clean fascia/soffits,window cleaning,builders clean,spring cleans,exterior painting,garden maintenance waste removal this gives you an option of making extra cash ,in the summer you make a killing.i also have a landscaper who deals with the difficult jobs (commision of course)stick with it believe me you get plenty of knock backs just pick yourself and get on remember,quitters never win & winners never quit. Grin
Posted by andy (andy), 19 October 2003
GO AND LEAVE YOUR JOB.

Steve is right!  The world is your oyster.

Good things will happen, not just working conditions ans so on but in your own life as well.

IT WILL BE A HEALTHER ONE!

But you do have to do the hard work at first.

ANDY!
Posted by egor (egor), 19 October 2003
So i guess the best move would be to get some leaflets printed and flyer a couple of villages near me and do cleaning in the afternoons?
Posted by Rob_B (Rob_B), 20 October 2003
I wouldn't bother with leaflets. Check out deano's post about using 8000 flyers.

Go out for a walk and look out for houses with dirty windows. Chances are they don't have a window cleaner. Then knock and ask. The trouble with leaflets is that everyone gets a dozen through the door a day and don't even look at them. they go straight in the bin.
Posted by Bones (Bones the Winda Kleena), 20 October 2003
Hello mate, door knocking is good, put it like this. I had to turn the motor round in a cul-de-sac the other day. I looked at the houses and noticed they all had dirty windows  Shocked went back today knocked on the first one, she said yes please!! £5 ended up with 8 of the ten houses!! two with conservatories £8, thats £46!!! and all in one space!! so go door knocking mate,

Oh and another little thing i'm trying out as it worked the other day. I had a house to clean opposite a school, and me being me thought i would leave it till the mums picked their kids up from school (not being a perv at all, honest)  Wink. Well, what a result! Grin (biz wise that is) i had 5 women ask me if i had time to fit them in,... windows that is  Wink so try that one matey!! i am!! Wink Wink Wink Grin
Posted by samm (samm), 21 October 2003
funny that, thats what happened to me, had some newish jobs for 3 months, but late getting round got there at school time -  I picked up 3 new jobs from people asking, never thought of it before but definetly works

sam


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.