Advice Please...Please read

« **on:** February 05, 2006, 06:31:23 pm »

Hi,
I have been offered a window cleaning round for £1500, this includes ladders,van,equipment. The round is worth £500 - 600 per week. The round has been built over 3 years. It is currently run by husband and wife who work together, they are home no later than 3pm every day.
Do you think it be possible for me to take it over and work on my own, do you think that it is possible for me to get the houses finished each day. How many house could be done in a day working from 8am to 4.30pm. Stopping for 30 mins lunch for example....Just need some advice from the pro's. I have been going out with him a few times a week to get me up to speed. Any advice would be helpful, thank you, Richard.

« **Reply #1 on:** February 05, 2006, 06:36:42 pm »

rich iss that 2,000 to 2,500 a month? or taking 500/600

« **Reply #2 on:** February 05, 2006, 06:40:40 pm »

just go for it rich it will be the thing you have ever done
dont worry if you dont do all the work in one hit just tell the people the situation they will be fine most people are just glad to get there windows cleaned most dont even remember when you last cleaned them and if they are not nice people just drop them you will get so much work as it is getting nearer spring time just do it and DONT WORRY be happy i am hope this helps stu

« **Reply #3 on:** February 05, 2006, 06:45:27 pm »

Its worth £500-600 week, he goes to his customers every 6 weeks. I really want to go for this. Just scared that I take too long to get round.

« **Reply #4 on:** February 05, 2006, 07:05:56 pm »

Hi Rich

I dont want to dent your enthusiasm but my question would be how many cleans per day/week do you have to do to earn that £5 or 600?

The price of the round sounds very fair indeed but if it all very underpriced work and you have to work at a rapid pace to make it pay I honestly think you should take a long look at it.

It takes time to get up to speed and be able to do a good job at the same time. The real pros around here have been in the game for a while and can probably knock off an average semi in around 15 to 20 mins. Some faster than that. It will take you a while to get to that speed.

As I say it sounds like a good deal. In fact a very good one.

I think that because you have been out with the people you will already have a good picture of what it entails.

Trad methods cant see one person doing the work of two though. WFP has made us 40% faster overall but its taken a while to get as fast as this with WFP. The 1st and not as bad but certainly the 2nd time around is no faster if not a bit slower than trad.

Maybe 4 to 5 months down the road using a combination of trad and WFP you COULD be getting fast enough to get round. No guarantees with anything in life though.

Having said all this I started out with not one customer not so long ago and now make a very decent living from window cleaning. It WAS a struggle to start but well worth it.

All the best

Andrew

« **Reply #5 on:** February 05, 2006, 07:20:21 pm »

Hi rich

Go for it mate that's how i got into window cleaning and haven't looked back since.

A little tip as your meeting the customers just to let them know of the change plus you then get the chance to let them know you are basically new to window cleaning so it may take a little while to get round at first and believe me if you haven't window cleaned before it will ( just a little example, on my first day I'd planned to do 9 houses in a little close i do, i didn't do 9 but only 5 and that's in a whole day! now i can do all 9 in 2 hrs, so you can see what i mean ) most will under stand if not all because as Stu says most will be happy someone is going to clean there windows.

But like i said before if you want to get into window cleaning go for it no one i now who window cleans regrets making the change but i would say most including me would say at first we had reserves / have i done the wright thing etc , so believe me mate you aren't the first to wonder am i making the wright choice, just ask the questions and you will get to the right answer!

Regards john

« **Reply #6 on:** February 05, 2006, 07:27:19 pm »

Just been thinking about it a bit more.

Do what the others say and go for it.

Its all very good advice and once you get into the swing of things it will be the best move you ever made.

By the way.. the price for the round IS VERY reasonable.

I had my sensible head on a few minutes ago

Andrew

« **Reply #7 on:** February 05, 2006, 07:36:33 pm »

Thanks andrew, i mean you have to think of the negatives. I am so happy for all the help from you guys....My gf wants me to go for it. I am only 23 and this is a great chance for me. I am very hard working and this is why I wan to do it. My dad is a Coalman, so its in my blood to work outside...lol...

The round is being sold by my sisters boyfriend's Dad, he said he would come on the round with me for 4 weeks to help me, then I'm on my own. So I might be getting advice from you guys

Thank you to every one who has taken the time to reply.

« **Reply #8 on:** February 05, 2006, 07:42:54 pm »

Rich

Go for it, that price is an absolute bargain for that lot, even if it is underpriced atleast you have a start and dont have to go looking for work straight off.

My experience of husband and wife teams is that they tend to be no faster than just a bloke on his own, obviously there will be exceptions to the rule, but if you find you have too much work with the round you can always sell some on.

Marc

« **Reply #9 on:** February 05, 2006, 07:45:56 pm »

or get married quickly...........

Would save on the extra wages and ensure you keep on time

Go for it, sounds a bargain to me.

Sarah

« **Reply #10 on:** February 05, 2006, 07:59:37 pm »

Even if you do the jobs slower, and take 8 weeks or longer instead of 6, you'll still get back your money.

The worst that may happen is you may loose a few customers but you'd get more in time anyway.

I'd go for it also. It almost sounds to good to be true.

Cheers

« **Reply #11 on:** February 05, 2006, 08:09:10 pm »

hi rich

go for it mate

brett

« **Reply #12 on:** February 05, 2006, 08:23:21 pm »

Go for it, even if you cant get round them all, you can do it a couple of times and drop the lower payers.

Stuart

« **Reply #13 on:** February 05, 2006, 08:23:52 pm »

Hi Rich,

I've only been window cleaning (trad) for about 4 months now. started off working for someone who was messing me around with wages and things right from the off. Decided after 2 months that he was really taking the p**s so dropped a few leaflets around myself. I've only been going on my own for 2 months but loving every minute of it. Being your own boss is brilliant if your pretty self motivated.

I'm definately still a lot slower than the other 2 guys i used to work with (average job taking about 45 mins) but earning a decent wage already. My advice to you is take the plunge and go for it. Providing you're not the sort of person to get bored of your own company that is.

all the best

Sunshine

« **Reply #14 on:** February 05, 2006, 08:27:00 pm »

hi rich.

just go for it, we are on the right side of winter now & the day are getting longer.

macc

« **Reply #15 on:** February 05, 2006, 08:31:53 pm »

Thank you, what a great site.

Can you claim anything for expenses from using your home? I have been told you can. How much could you put down.

Cheers again

« **Reply #16 on:** February 05, 2006, 08:35:49 pm »

Yes you can.

Count up the number of Habitable rooms (ie bedrooms and living area's - not bathrooms or kitchen.) If you have 3 bed, 1 longe and 1 dining room =5 rooms then you can claim 1/5th of your bills.

Sarah

« **Reply #17 on:** February 05, 2006, 08:38:05 pm »

A 1 bedroom flat...cheers

« **Reply #18 on:** February 05, 2006, 08:44:34 pm »

Rich

Where is the round?? If you tell us this and the sort of property and pices on the round, we should be able to tell you if the prices are somewhere near right - not wanting to pry too much!!

Marc

« **Reply #19 on:** February 05, 2006, 08:50:47 pm »

this will be the best move you ever made.
settle in and learn your trade with advice on here and maybe furthur down the line you could go wfp, then things will really be bright!

« **Reply #20 on:** February 05, 2006, 11:43:52 pm »

hi rich

i'm with all the other guys on here and would go for it. i'm 23 too but been w/c for 18months now working for someone else. the thing with me is that i stop working for him at the end off the month and now have the crap job of building my own round. thats where you have the upperhand cos at that price you could pay him in 1month then its all profit.

don't worry bout the speed, spend the month working with him and learn as much as possible than buya good ipod and blade away. the speed will come in time

« **Reply #21 on:** February 06, 2006, 12:50:27 am »

If you got the money , then buy it !
2 years ago i woke up one morning and threw my job in , i went to halfords and got a roof rack , then to B&Q and got a nasty ladder , then to w/c shop and got 2 scrims , a bucket applicator and blade .
£100 spent and no money coming in , started knocking on doors and it all began , this is my story of the business build ........
Each pic represents a year of my work .
In the next few days i will be hearing (hopefully) that i have just got an 8K contract , from a 10 minute phone call .

Go for it mate , and remember , if you want it go get it !

Rich P @ F

« **Reply #22 on:** February 07, 2006, 09:25:11 pm »

if you think too much, you get older

just free your mind, and get that business, you'll not regret...

or... if you decide not to buy it, I'LL BUY IT

« **Reply #23 on:** February 07, 2006, 10:26:25 pm »

Go for it rich, It'll be the best thing you ever did. Think seriously about wfp cos it'll be no good having a round if you fall off a ladder. I've just made the switch. It's taken me a month to get up to speed but now I'm faster than traditional anfd doing a pucker job!!