[windows_chepstow]

Over the past week or so I've had many requests - much more than normal - for quotes for various stuff; some good - two excellent (one in the bag) - and some not so good.

But considering it's Winter, I think this is a bit strange.

Normally, things go quiet for me around now.

How's things with you?

[jeff1]

Hense my Guttering thread Tosh,

I have had so many Jobs come in for Guttering work this year, but no way am I complaining more the better, I have done about eight guttering Jobs this week aloan, four last week and about another dozen booked in for as and when.

I had a customer this week who I reminded about having his guttering done, he just said, I'll let you know, working in his village the next day and he walked past going for his liquid lunch, and seen me doing someone elses, Hi he says can you do mine when you get a chance, Bargain another £80 bungalow.
Maybe Tosh they have more money to spend, or is it they can see the value of there houses going up all the time? and now they have decided to take a little more care of them.

[j.v. price ltd]

Its the same on the commercial side we have been flat out now for months and have 2 or 3 enquiries a day.

I think with regards to the gutters there just a bit later in the year as the weather has been warm and the leaves are only just falling off the trees and the rain all adds up to a good christmas for us lads

[stevef]

I have picked up 5 or 6 new window customers 3 gutter cleans
and a one off village school inside and out in the last two weeks ,several folk have stoped me and asked for my flyer. It's gone mad, but why oh why dose this always happen when you are behind on your round? 

[Roy Harding]

Same here Tosh

I have picked up over a £1,000 in the last 2 weeks.

Glad its going well for you.


Roy

[windows_chepstow]

Same here Tosh

I have picked up over a £1,000 in the last 2 weeks.

Glad its going well for you.


Roy

It's obviously going better for you!

I'm just chuffed I got some offices and another quote in the pipeline for some bloke who has 'electic gates' (so hopefull a big house and he got my number from a recommendation).

I was feeling good, but now you've blown out my candle!

You 'rotter', Roy!

PS.  What properties have you got that amount up to a grand in two weeks?  You must've gotten a good-big job; please tell?

[geefree]

why darent i do gutter cleans on my own,?

am fairly new,

but i  crap myself when i go higher than the top of an upstairs window... thinking the ladder will kick out...

am i a girl thingy cat or am i not alone?

gary

[Roy Harding]

Hi Tosh

I have picked up quite a few over £100 and nothing under £35, and its spread all over my rounds.

There may be somthing in the pipline that may interest you, but cant say to much at the minute.

I did not want to blow the candle out, so when I have more news on the above, I will buy you breakfast and we will have a chat.


Roy

[geefree]

wish i had a mate like you roy  ....

sorry for butting in etc.

gary.

[windows_chepstow]

I will buy you breakfast and we will have a chat.

Roy

I'll look forward to that!  But it's your turn to buy breakfast anyway!

Do you play squash?

[jeff1]

why darent i do gutter cleans on my own,?

am fairly new,

but i  crap myself when i go higher than the top of an upstairs window... thinking the ladder will kick out...

am i a girl thingy cat or am i not alone?

gary

I'll Tell you what I do?
I use a stand off and extend the ladder so the stand off is on the roof just sits below the second roof tile.

Your stand off stops your ladder twisting and it also stops the ladder from slipping from beneath you,

But its always better to have some one there footing your ladder, failing that get safety devices! putting your ladder in this position not only helps on the safety side, but you can also clean under your ladder, as its not resting on the Guttering. so no damaged guttering.

[Roy Harding]

Do you play squash?

  No the old body wont take it

Roy

[windows_chepstow]

Do you play squash?

  No the old body wont take it

Roy

Shame!

[S.A.J]

Christmas is coming!
People want everything nice and clean for christmas.

I always get more quotes come in at this time of year, then in the new year i lose half of the new work i pick up.

From the 1st of december i always say to new customers that ill start in the new year, that sorts the time wasters out.

[AuRavelling79]

Nope! No new stuff for me for a fortnight. 

[pjulk]

From the 1st of december i always say to new customers that ill start in the new year, that sorts the time wasters out

Thats exactly what i do as i usually get quite a few calls in december for one off cleans.
I only do my regular customers in december unless some huge job comes up then i might change my mind.


I always seem to do well in the winter and pick up a lot of customers.
And always get a lot of gutter cleaning jobs in which i keep for rainy days and really help the bank balance.

Paul

[windows_chepstow]

Christmas is coming!
People want everything nice and clean for christmas.

I always get more quotes come in at this time of year, then in the new year i lose half of the new work i pick up.

From the 1st of december i always say to new customers that ill start in the new year, that sorts the time wasters out.

That's good advice; I'll keep that in mind.  Thanks.

[Sir Squeaky]

I haven't had a new account in months it seems.

Bored of the same old ones.

[ronaldo]

Still getting between 3 and 5 new cleans a week, always seems the same once the winter gets here and all the summer wannabe window cleaners have packed up.

[DASERVICES]

 This ain't now joke but have already had customers asking me to put them in
  my diary for the last week before Crimbo.

  Also picking up new work, but from people who have been watching me
  clean windows. Wow I even got called professional 

  Doug

[windows_chepstow]

Today, I've had two calls on my mobile from people wanting quotes and I've another two on my home answer phone.

Even Wor Lass has noticed and is commenting on all this new work (she hates a first clean ).

Two of todays calls were recommendations from an existing customer whose elderly and I helped her with some humping and dumping around her garden.  She wanted to pay me for it, but I refused and just asked that she recommended me to her neighbors.  Good lass!

Not much of these calls are anything special mind; mostly routine stuff; apart from the two I've already mentioned and a Chinese restaraunt I've passed onto Ian Giles.

Without leafletting or doorknocking, I've never been so busy!

[Sir Squeaky]

Two of todays calls were recommendations from an existing customer whose elderly and I helped her with some humping and dumping around her garden. 

Why is she dumping in the garden?

[pjulk]

Did three new customers today and whilst cleaning one she came out and said

At our last house we had a window cleaner and he asked if he could leave his ladder and bucket in my garden and call back later for it.

She said he never came back

Strange window cleaner

Paul

[windows_chepstow]

Hey, I had another call this morning which led to two new jobs, both 15 quid and one of them was an ex-customer of our Squeaky (he hasn't been there for months, so it's one of his cast-offs).

Nice jobs for me though.

I can't believe all this interest!  I think the good weather we've had here in South East Wales has something to do with it.

[Sir Squeaky]

Hey, I had another call this morning which led to two new jobs, both 15 quid and one of them was an ex-customer of our Squeaky (he hasn't been there for months, so it's one of his cast-offs).

Nice jobs for me though.

I can't believe all this interest!  I think the good weather we've had here in South East Wales has something to do with it.

I can't think of any £15'ers I've dumped.

Unless it was a tenner and you're ripping them off. :

[windows_chepstow]

I can't think of any £15'ers I've dumped.

Unless it was a tenner and you're ripping them off. :

This property is owned by Edwina Provencal ('scuse the spelling it's a French surname I didn't exactly catch it) in Tutshill.  Her house is called Graylands.  If you haven't dumped her, I'll phone her and tell her you're comming back.

She's happy with fifteen quid though, and said her last window cleaner was called 'Squeaky Clean'; she knew the business name, but not the window cleaners name.  I assumed it was you.  She added there was always a problem paying him.

I explained my 'SAE' system, and she was happy with it!

But if you want her back; she's yours.

No probs!

That aside, her property has sixteen windows, mostly sash, so I think fifteen quid is a fair price.

She also gave me 'Severn View' to quote for, neighbors of hers, who actually turned out to be Wor Lasses running club friends.

It's a small world!

[Grafters Cleaning Services]

i know what your saying, i'm so busy at the moment i've even have to work on 6 jobs tommorow (sunday) as i cannot fit all the work in

[Sir Squeaky]

I can't think of any £15'ers I've dumped.

Unless it was a tenner and you're ripping them off. :

This property is owned by Edwina Provencal ('scuse the spelling it's a French surname I didn't exactly catch it) in Tutshill.  Her house is called Graylands.  If you haven't dumped her, I'll phone her and tell her you're comming back.

She's happy with fifteen quid though, and said her last window cleaner was called 'Squeaky Clean'; she knew the business name, but not the window cleaners name.  I assumed it was you.  She added there was always a problem paying him.

I explained my 'SAE' system, and she was happy with it!

But if you want her back; she's yours.

No probs!

That aside, her property has sixteen windows, mostly sash, so I think fifteen quid is a fair price.

She also gave me 'Severn View' to quote for, neighbors of hers, who actually turned out to be Wor Lasses running club friends.

It's a small world!

You're welcome to it, I was hoping she wouldn't ring me.
She always said she'd send a cheque but only did once I think.
I don't do customers like that.

Horrible flaky frames anyway, you'll rip them apart with wfp!

She also moaned when I went from £9 to £10.
How she agreed to £15 I'll never know...
Maybe it's because no-one wants to do it!

Good luck!

[windows_chepstow]

Roger,

Thanks!  I think you're too cheap though.  The people who live in this type of house are fairly affluent.

I know the neighbors, they run at Wor Lasses running club.  Both are university educated; one's a maths teacher in Bristol and the other has some government job in a patent office.

I bet between them they get 60 grand a year at least. 

I don't feel like I'm ripping them off charging 15 quid a month for cleaning sixteen windows; sash ones at that sited in an old Edwardian house!

I'm quite happy to wait a month or two for a cheque too!  No problems.  People like this always cough up in the end.

Cheers mate!

[Sir Squeaky]

No probs!
Wonder if you can do it in 15 minutes like I did..?

I still think you'll rip the windows to pieces.
Hope you do. They shouldn't be so French.

[windows_chepstow]

Rog,

I've just thought on, I'm about to drop 8 to 10 semis in one street in Caldicot, all nice customers, but all have garages to climb over; just about.

But they're the type that would send cheques if you left them a SAE.

They're 8 quid each; some 8.50. 

I've also got about six or seven terraced houses priced between 7.50 to 9 quid just round the corner from them; ladders are needed to get over the walls at the back; but again nice customers who'd probably send a cheque (I collect).

Do you want them?

Does anybody want them?

As I say, these are good customers; otherwise I'd just drop them without trying to find a replacement window cleaner for them.

[JohnL]

'' Cheers mate! ''

Is that some sort of Chepstownian tribal salutation between friends or something else I dont understand!

        

JohnL

[windows_chepstow]

I still think you'll rip the windows to pieces.

Those windows are fine for WFP.  The brush is soft, so all you do is give the frames a good wash, then return and do the top section of each sash window, then return and do the bottom section.

The ground floor windows will be done trad by Wor Lass.

The customer will be left an explanation, citing the Working at Height Directive.

No problems, I promise.

[Sir Squeaky]

Cheers mate.

I'd have to have little look first, but I trust you'd put a decent price in.
If that's the case though, why are you dropping them?
Surely if they were any good you'd keep them...

I'll speak to you about them next week.

Forgot to say... those sash windows on Graylands? Often open and they're always out.
You'll never push them shut.
They're flaking paint everywhere too.
Can't see how you'll pole them.
You'll drop them as well soon!

[windows_chepstow]

Rog,

If windows are open, then tough they don't get done.  I may deduct some money from the price, I may not!  I might just do a 'best effort' given the circumstances and still charge the full price.

As for the condition of the paintwork, I'll do my best with a pole for the 1st floor windows. 

If the customer doesn't like it, she can drop me.  It's not my problem.  I'm not worried.

Stop being so negative!

As for the Caldicot jobs, they're not brilliantly priced, but ladders are required for the majority of them, to get over the garages or to get over walls.  That's why I'm dropping them.

As I say, they're a nice lot, so I'd like to leave them with a good window cleaner.

[windows_chepstow]

Oh, I've also got about eighteen properties in in Bulwark - in just two streets - I want rid off, some of these are underpriced though; some not.

Same again, nice customers.

[Sir Squeaky]

Oh, I've also got about eighteen properties in in Bulwark

I'll leave you to the gypos!

One place I don't do!

[windows_chepstow]

Oh, I've also got about eighteen properties in in Bulwark

I'll leave you to the gypos!

One place I don't do!

It's okay, I've now passed them onto another window cleaner, however they'd've worked out more lucrative than some of the jobs you already do.

If you were happy with charging a tenner for a good sized detached house (which I'm charging fifteen for), you'd have been more than happy with these small 7 to 8.50 terraced houses.

Snob!

[S_RICHARDSON]

I'm quite busy picking up all the time tosh, but i'm not normally like this i wonder why could be cos all the COWBOYS are packing in for winter and we are picking up their work lol !!