[Richy essex]

what am i doing wrong? i  have tried to offer a complete service by cleaning frames and sills etc as this seems 2 b what customers want. is this an over the top way of cleaning windows as others around me are busting round houses next to me in like ten mins  i seem 2 hav my pricing about right an am ok with squegee teqnique etc as i hav practiced alot at home i notice that other cleaners are nt even carrying buckets etc around and hear that a certain amount of water lasts all day where i seem 2 b up 2 my neck in dirty plastic all day... i was under the impression a b.o.a.b was jus 2 hold applicator and stop u getting a wet leg but how do others get their solution onto applicator and get it 2 last on there.. i thought i was k bt notice other window cleaners who are out their van around a house and back on their way b4 iv even gt my ladders off lol any help or advice wld b great thanks

[mci services]

how long you been going, speed comes with time and if you are doing frames as well once the first clean is done a quick wipe keeps them clean

[bobby p]

my experience is, it will take you a year or more to get up to speed. theres no shortcuts to learning it,just slog away daily and 1 day  you suddenly are as fast as the rest

[mci services]

my experience is, it will take you a year or more to get up to speed. theres no shortcuts to learning it,just slog away daily and 1 day  you suddenly are as fast as the rest

yep I agree, I took a 15 year break from window cleaning and second time round I was dreadfully slow until I got back into it, not a year though, but I wasn't learning from scratch

[Gav Camm lammy 283]

to be classed as an exp windy
on ladders you shud be doing atleast 4
an hour on your own
im 43 n leave my lad standing 

[mci services]

to be classed as an exp windy
on ladders you shud be doing atleast 4
an hour on your own
im 43 n leave my lad standing 

only four

[G Griffin]

to be classed as an exp windy
on ladders you shud be doing atleast 4
an hour on your own
im 43 n leave my lad standing 

only four

I can do 5  .............windows  .

[Gav Camm lammy 283]

pmsl houses im meaning
  hey it that was when i
did a load of georgian pre wfp days
n i mean every window was a geogian 

[G Griffin]

pmsl houses im meaning
  hey it that was when i
did a load of georgian pre wfp days
n i mean every window was a geogian 

I used to do a vicarage like that and all the paint was coming off, too.
Ball ache.

[Gav Camm lammy 283]

do u still do it

[G Griffin]

do u still do it

No. I can`t remember why. I think it was to do with a new vicar or something.
I`m not bothered anyway  .

[Gav Camm lammy 283]

all our georgian leaded or problem work is wfp
miss the trad at times not on that type work though 

[Richy essex]

thanks for your encouragement as im sure you must b fed up with all stupid newbie questions! then they keep u amused i spose lol. i think i hav some of the methods right but bits of the way i go about  it that prob let me down i will keep pluggin away i have only bin doin it about 6 months and have 25  customers so nt  2 bad  i seem 2 do a gd job just cant fit many in can ne one tel me hw i shld b using my applicator properly in regards to solution as i  hav bin using s/o in a spray bottle and applying it to the window this way which i knw is ridiculous and slow bt iv tried putting it in my boab bt then i end up with a soppin wet window hw is the best way as i hav seen others jus using their boab and applying just the right amount on the glass also wot shld i b doin on a 1st clean as in hw far shld i b goin in terms of scrubbin? i knw iv bin far 2 fussy and spent far 2 lng there?

[scud]

  I should try to get some more customers to practice on.

  25 in 6 months, that is just over 4 a month, 3 days work maximum.

  Without trying to kick you when you are down, I think a bit more effort is needed.

[Pope vader]

but a normal bucket and dump the spray,  if you need water why you are out fill up at a custys tap

[richardlingard]

hey, what we do is keep the bucket in the car, use an old fairy bottle in your pocket and fill from the bucket, that way your bucket water wont get dirty and use the bottle to wet your applicator, next time you come to do the windows the frames will not have got dirty and will need just a single wipe, plus the windows will take under half the time, change your rubber all the time and use plenty of scrim after 4 months you will have trebbled your speed mate

[bobplum]

could save yourself a lot trouble and go straight to wfp

[Londoner]

Speed doesn't matter, it all comes in time. Just keep banging on.  

With regard to your BOAB don't put liquid in it just wet your applicator before you start. Think of it as a waterproof holster.

[G Griffin]

hey, what we do is keep the bucket in the car, use an old fairy bottle in your pocket and fill from the bucket, that way your bucket water wont get dirty and use the bottle to wet your applicator, next time you come to do the windows the frames will not have got dirty and will need just a single wipe, plus the windows will take under half the time, change your rubber all the time and use plenty of scrim after 4 months you will have trebbled your speed mate

Yeah, the Fairy bottle is good advice. You can put as much solution as you want on then and have always got it hand.
Another handy tip is- if a window is really dirty, give a good wipe first with your sill cloth and plenty elbow grease. It saves your applicator getting filthy straight away and makes soaping up the window much easier.
This is also useful in strong sunlight, as it cools the glass down and prevents your applicator drying out as quickly.

[Richy essex]

k many thanks im going 2 jus get stuck in with it an start doin sme proper leafleting etc  the potential is there bt i cn c that i nd 2 pt alot mre effort in than i hav been an im sure i will improve in time bt it has been a boost speakn 2 u guys ta v much hav a gd week 2 u all!

[windiewasher]

Could you not go wfp then really focus on building up your round?

k many thanks im going 2 jus get stuck in with it an start doin sme proper leafleting etc  the potential is there bt i cn c that i nd 2 pt alot mre effort in than i hav been an im sure i will improve in time bt it has been a boost speakn 2 u guys ta v much hav a gd week 2 u all!

[Richy essex]

id love 2 bt lack of funds i hpe 2 go dwn that route at sme point m8 also i shld learn basics in trad 1st  i guess i realy dnt wana get loan or ne thing like that im lucky in a way as i hav 2 other part time jobs  2 support me while i get up and runnin properly hw much does a wfp set up cost if u dnt mind me askin?

[windiewasher]

I think 500 if your sensible m8.
I might be able to help you out with a cheap ro and backpack
You would need a Di and  storage tank and bottles for van.
You can get cheap poles or DIY some until you have more funds.
Harris 15 quid do a good job.

[Richy essex]

dnt snd 2 bad thanks m8 i will keep it in mind

[Richy essex]

oh an 4gt 2 mention im using my car at present will b getn a van v soon so thats also why im doin trad

[windiewasher]

You would be ok in a car with a few bottles.

oh an 4gt 2 mention im using my car at present will b getn a van v soon so thats also why im doin trad

[Richy essex]

didnt realise that i havnt even looked at the equipment as i thought it wld b fortunes i bet its lovely workin that way aint it wot is involved eguipment wise are they much ag i spose the ag outways the workload frm trad?

[cozy]

hey, what we do is keep the bucket in the car, use an old fairy bottle in your pocket and fill from the bucket, that way your bucket water wont get dirty and use the bottle to wet your applicator, next time you come to do the windows the frames will not have got dirty and will need just a single wipe, plus the windows will take under half the time, change your rubber all the time and use plenty of scrim after 4 months you will have trebbled your speed mate

Good answer

[cozy]

didnt realise that i havnt even looked at the equipment as i thought it wld b fortunes i bet its lovely workin that way aint it wot is involved eguipment wise are they much ag i spose the ag outways the workload frm trad?

Richard, check out all you can on youtube, type in window fanning. Also, get a new keyboard, I think yours is knackered 

[Richy essex]

ill do that youtube then pc world?? are you refering to my dodgy shorthand writing attempts?

[windiewasher]

You need ro and Di
Backpack
Poles brushes
Backpack or trolley
Cloths
Water bottles

didnt realise that i havnt even looked at the equipment as i thought it wld b fortunes i bet its lovely workin that way aint it wot is involved eguipment wise are they much ag i spose the ag outways the workload frm trad?

[cozy]

Yes mate, faster to type, harder to understand sometimes, that's just me. I'm old   As has been said already, speed comes with time, don't force it. It comes from things like doing 2 windows next to eachother instead of one after the other if you see what I mean. Don't really know why, but it gets the job done faster.

An example would be, you climb the ladder to a double window. Instead of soaping one up and squeegying it off, soap both up, then squeegy off. An ols salt that used to work for me part time showed me things like that.

[Richy essex]

it comes from having younger sisters i havent got a clue what they have txt me half the time lol! i know what you mean though i have a bungalow where it has like 3 windows in a row and i wipe em all then soap em all when its nt 2 hot! then squeegee em all then detail em all i spose its like ne thing systems of work etc that make u faster! i still dont thinkl il ever b able to do 4 houses in an hour as has been said but well see!

[CLEANCARE WC]

I was shocked to see someone i know (experienced windy) filling up his boab with water from a cup from his bucket! He has taken the boab quite literally. not me i just view it as a holster like vin says instead of balancing applicators on sills or having to put in / get out of bucket everytime