Starting a window cleaning business - Equipment you need, suppliers to use and trade organisations to join, etc.
Good StartPosted by tacleaning (T. A. Cleaning), 10 November 2003
Well, myself and my brother went out canvassing on Saturday and drummed up £120 worth of residenital business, in just over 2 hours.
Posted by fez (fez), 10 November 2003
Well done! Did you knock on the doors or leave a leaflet or both?
Is your work all in the same area?Posted by STEVE71163 (Steve Lowe), 10 November 2003
Its great when you get a decent amount of work like that Did you just door Knock 
StevePosted by tacleaning (T. A. Cleaning), 10 November 2003
Yep, just knocked on the door with a flyer in hand... Explained that we were expanding our services in the their area, and picked a few up.
And yes, they are all in the same area. 
Posted by Majestic (Majestic), 10 November 2003
Now you have started to clean a area you will soon have other people in the street asking you as well 
Did you ask for payment when you have finished Posted by andy (andy), 10 November 2003
So where abouts are you working! in a city, or town?
Sounds good, and it sounds like you have picked a good area!
Andy!Posted by Bones (Bones), 10 November 2003
Good start!!! I have also learnt that you are always being watched,... by someone somewhere??
And if you show pride in your work and not look like you're after a quick buck people notice and ask for your service
MikeyPosted by james44 (james44), 10 November 2003
knocking on doors ,what if the area you are in already has a window cleaner could it be that there is pepole without, because he can!t manage or they just don!t want to use him, what if you are in an area and there is a window cleaner working do you still knock, or do you talk to him about what you intend to do ,because i would knot be happy if someone came cold calling in any of my streets, how do you approach this.Posted by Bones (Bones), 10 November 2003
Hi James, While you're on about the subjest of getting work in another persons so called area i have lately started to be the choice above customers regular cleaner?? 
I am not going in and undercutting other cleaners work either, i actually end up being a quid or two dearer than their current cleaners, and the customer phones me. I talk to a couple of other cleaners about this and they just say to me don't worry about anyone but yourself, if they done a good job in the 1st place they would not be loosing the custom. I have now started to look at it as I have mouths to feed at home and if there is glass,... i will clean it. (But i don't want to start any w/c wars, ha ha)
MikeyPosted by Bones (Bones), 10 November 2003
Oh yeah, and do you think they would be worried about taking work away from anyone else
MikeyPosted by Majestic (Majestic), 10 November 2003
At the end of the day he does not have the monopoly on the whole street, if you can have a word with him letting him know that you intend to knock on a few doors , and ask him how much he charges as you dont want to undercut him , if he has been cleaning the street for a while he should have all the people who want him to clean there windows.One of the streets that I clean when I am down there ,there are 4 other window cleaners in the street at the same time. I have enough work to keep me going so if you want to start cleaning windows in Fleetwood I could let you have some work.
As I write this a flyer has just droped through my letter box from a window cleaner.
Part of it says are you getting what you pay for, are your windows being cleaned as often as you would like them , does your window cleaner clean the frames and sills .does he clean into the corners , he has put a mobile phone contact no, I will give him a call in the morning to ask for a price Posted by Bones (Bones), 10 November 2003
Good one you also going to let him clean your windows?? i would, Posted by james44 (james44), 10 November 2003
i know what you mean bones but there is some nasty mothers out there,i was offered some work to buy but refused,was told there was150 houses but when i went round every coustomer there was only 120 some as you said did not whant the other person anyway so i just rented the streets instead i now have 200 customers in the same area got 80 new customers in 12 weeks. (ps. rent £50.and the coustomers come to me.Posted by Bones (Bones), 10 November 2003
Majestic, now that you mention frames and sills, how many of you guy's do the frames and sills (i do). The customers who are taking me on as their new cleaner say "Well he don't wipe the sills or frames, i have to clean up after, all he does is clean the glass" and these guy's have been cleaning for years??
MikeyPosted by Majestic (Majestic), 11 November 2003
Well I have had my price from the window cleaner, if I was to price it I would charge £4.50 he has quoted me £3.00 
as a introductory offer, and he is going to clean them tomorrow, we will see what sort of job he does Posted by matt (matt), 11 November 2003
i clean the cills, dont do the frames, charge extra 25p a window for framesPosted by Bones (Bones), 11 November 2003
Majestic, I take it he don't know your a cleaner 
MikeyPosted by Majestic (Majestic), 11 November 2003
I forgot to tell him , but my van was outside Posted by Bones (Bones), 11 November 2003
This will be interesting?? ha ha 
Posted by fez (fez), 11 November 2003
on 11/11/03 at 17:26:59, Majestic wrote:he has quoted me £3.00 as a introductory offer
Three Quid!! Do you live in a tent How can he make any money? Posted by Ian_G. (Ian_G.), 12 November 2003
I think they are in ScotlandPosted by STEVE71163 (Steve Lowe), 12 November 2003
Ian,
John (Majestic) lives in Fleetwood Lancashire.
StevePosted by Majestic (Majestic), 12 November 2003
They came to clean my windows today.
There was a knock on the door at 7.40 am when my wife answered went it was our new window cleaners, they asked if we didnt mind them starting a bit early as they had allot on today, so they started.They had a large double ladder which they split and one of them went to clean around the back .They put the ladder up to the bedroom window and one went up and then another went after him , one cleaned the top while the other cleaned the bottom.
The one who cleaned the bottom kept dropping his squeegee , when I went to pay them I asked the one who kept dropping things if I could have a look at his squeegee so he showed it to me and I told him the reason that he kept dropping it was he was right handed but was using a left handed one , and he said that it did feel funny and would invest in a right handed one .
I asked if they had a good responce to there leaflet drop , they said yes they had delivered 1000 and had about 35 replys , and they were busy the rest of the morning as they had another 6 to do .So for a mornings work they had earned £7 each .It made my morning they reminded me of the 3 stooges , I asked them if they did partys but I dont think they got the joke .
I told them that I would give there phone no to anyone who needs a window cleaner, they make me look good , and it goes to show that you do get what you pay for.Oh yes it took 3 of them 10 mins to do my house Posted by STEVE71163 (Steve Lowe), 14 November 2003
Are they going to do it regulary John
StevePosted by Majestic (Majestic), 14 November 2003
Yes it was £3 well spent , I have given them some more work . I dont know how long they will keep it Posted by gibbouk (gibbouk), 14 November 2003
god i see people like that every day and customers have them cause they are cheap. crap but cheap. i used to charge that 10 years ago.Posted by Neil (wylie), 10 December 2003
Hi Majestic
It must be about time for the next episode of the 3 stooges. Have they been round yet?
I was thinking about their problem of dropping stuff. Why not suggest tying a length of wool to there squeegee run it up one sleeve and down the other and tie the other end to there scrim.
It used to work great with my mittens when I was a nipper!!!!!! Posted by Majestic (Majestic), 12 December 2003
Re the three stooges
I have not seen them for a couple of visits as they have been comong a bit later,one of my customers told me that she saw a couple of window cleaners dressed up, one had a Santa suit on and the other was one of the three wise men , I cant wait to see them . Thet have been seen driving around in a truck the type builders use Posted by Neil (wylie), 12 December 2003
HA HA HA!!! We could use someone like that round here to liven the place up a bit. I dont have the nerve to dress up! To many people know me ( its only a one horse town) 
Posted by Bones (Bones), 15 December 2003
Dress up!, how about this for a publicity stunt, We have a local radio station and it's set in a residential area, what i am going to do this week is canvas the houses opposite the radio station so hopefully i'll be up there on my ladders with my santa hat on in full view of the DJ doing his show!! and of cause that will cause a giggle in the station
Long live free advertising!!
MikeyPosted by Neil (wylie), 15 December 2003
Hi Mikey
What ya gonna do hang a sign on your back with your phone number on it? Posted by Bones (Bones), 15 December 2003
Nah mate, i mite wear me pantz on the outside of my trousies with me number on em ha ha
Nah, think the hat and my van will do the trick
(Don't wanna look more of a prick do i, Alan/Steve)
Mikey
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