[jeff1]

What is it with some Guy's? I just can't make it out, I had another con roof to do today and this couple also have a regular window cleaner, I was also asked to do the 2 widows above the roof, OK he's obviously trad and can't get to these windows, but a con roof? this is the third one in as many weeks that I have done, where they already have there own w/c, someones loosing out big time around here.

By the time I had finished the roof, the woman was out chatting to me about the 2 windows above the roof, she was so pleased at how clean they were, she asked if I could do the whole house on a regular basis, a big NO, NO was my reply, I don't need the work and I wont take another mans work, and he's been doing this house for 5 years, so he's not a beer brigade w/c, she then asked If I could come along monthly and do the 2 windows above the roof, again I don't do monthly on domestics, only commercial get a choice, so again my answer was NO.

I could have had all three Jobs where I have done the roof of a conservatory and they have an existing w/c that doesn't want or like doing conservatory roofs.

I could have gone home after an hour and half's work with a full days takings on one job, so some guy's are loosing out big time by not offering this service, I did conservatory roof's when I was trad and I still do it now with wfp.

Do any of you guy's get work were they already have a w/c?

[RO-Sheen]

I never poach other peoples work or undercut them but if someone wanted me to do their windows and if i had a slot for them I would do it! This other window cleaner cant do the job that the customer wants so there is NOTHING wrong with taking that job.

[jeff1]

There is good money to be made with conservatory roofs for the little time spent doing the Job.

My books are full for w/c and I don't want to break into new area's but I always make room for a conservatory or/and a roof.

[RO-Sheen]

As long as you just turned it down because your books are full, well then good for you! out of interest, How much do you charge for a standard size con roof? I  charge £30 - £40 which normally takes 30 -45 mins

[Pittmonkey]

This has happened to me recently and I took the job.

1. This is why I have invested £3K + to be ahead of the competition.

2. They were not happy with the guy anyway, never cleaned frame/sill etc

I dont purposely go out to take work off others but if the customer likes the benefits my service offers and is prepared to pay extra then it's the customers decision.

Wayne

[jeff1]

I have minimum prices for my windows and conservatories/roof's, my minimum for a roof is £50, I don't care how small they are, by the time you take setting up and putting every thing away, it all adds upto time on the Job, this one today took me 1.5hrs Total.

[RO-Sheen]

Good for you. Do you charge £50 if your regular customers want their roofs done or is that a price you charge for a one off clean?

[chrismroberts]

When you say only commercials have a choice, you mean your domestics are only every other month?

Not done a con roof for someone who has a window cleaner, but did the inside windows for a lady who didnt trust her w/c enough to let him in the house!! 

[jeff1]

I only adjust the price if the regular customer has there roof done on a regular basis, if they only have it done a couple of times a year then they still have to pay my minimum.

I have quite a few of my regulars have there roof done every time and some every other time, there the ones who get a reduction.

[jeff1]

When you say only commercials have a choice, you mean your domestics are only every other month?

Not done a con roof for someone who has a window cleaner, but did the inside windows for a lady who didnt trust her w/c enough to let him in the house!! 

My domestic run is every six weeks, on my commercials some are weekly/fortnightly and monthly.

I wouldn't want a job where I was never trusted, saying that I know a w/c who I wouldn't trust in my garden never mind my home.

[mci services]

i do a conservatory and the window above it and the trad guy does the rest of house he wont do the cons as he doesnt like to put his ladder against their gutters. the custy is waiting for him to retire before asking me to to the rest hes in his 60s. fair play to him i say to get loyalty like that

[mr D]

last week i had a lady phone and ask me to qoute her place (lovely big house) because she wasnt happy with her w/c. ''he use's a pole thingy that dont even clean them''. i said i wouldnt do them but she aked if i would give her a price so she can see if she is being ripped off. I said o.k as i was doing her nabours two days later any way. price came out darer but she still wanted me to do them. i said no again because i thought how i would feel if some one did this to me.

my wife said to me ''but darlin it wouldnt happen to you because you clean your customas windows''. i hate it when she is always right!!

 i got a guy ask me to do his windows and con roof today because he and his wife dont like the wfp. local guy dose it and there just not happy with the finish. i'll be honest i do feel bad saying yes i'll do it but i got the impression if i didnt they would only look 4 some one who would.

but back to the whole con roof thing, now there are w/c who are willing to clean con roofs those who dont will fade away. times are changing.

[steve.ternent]

  only once!
Customer asked for quote for con, told her my hourly rate, agreed  

Done job, got paid, everyone happy!  

  Packed away who should turn up but ...Her regular window cleaner1      

"What you F****** up to"?  Colorful language I thought !

Customer comes out and explained situation !  

Everyone Happy ! No! Neanderthal man gets the sack for "Gobbing Off"

Customer asks me to do her window on regular basis!  

I said "NO ! you should of informed me you had a Regular w/c

I got the admiration of the other w/c, and we often say hello!  

Needless to say...No hard feelings    

[steve.ternent]

 ''he use's a pole thingy that dont even clean them''.


  This is exactly why people should do the job properly 

I just picked up a customer using wfp!

The reason she fired last w/c ?

WFP, simple some w/c think you can just wet them, quick flick with the brush...

and bob's your uncle. 

Come on boy's do the job right!!!     

[mr D]

good story.

but what a wally for swareing at you. if i was him i would of had a pop at the customa. rude of her not to ask him if he would of done it and as you said not inform him of sit rep.

all the local w/c i see give me dirty looks I HATE THAT! y?? o.k maybe its because i (unknowingly) takejobs off them but if they were doing a good job i wouldnt be able to. at the end of the day no one takes my jobs!!

[mr D]

i told the chap today that i'll soon be investing in a wfp he frouned, ''will you still do mine the old fasioned way?'' ''if you like mr'' just priced a little higher. every one is happy!

apart from the doode who lost a job.

[Central Window Cleaners]

Most of the conservatories I clean as one offs are because they have a window cleaner already but they will not do conservatories or gutter cleaning.

I make a good living form just cleaning conservatories and gutters for 6-9  months of the year, then just go back to window cleaning with the rest of my guys when it's quiet through  the winter.

[Paul Coleman]

What is it with some Guy's? I just can't make it out, I had another con roof to do today and this couple also have a regular window cleaner, I was also asked to do the 2 widows above the roof, OK he's obviously trad and can't get to these windows, but a con roof? this is the third one in as many weeks that I have done, where they already have there own w/c, someones loosing out big time around here.

By the time I had finished the roof, the woman was out chatting to me about the 2 windows above the roof, she was so pleased at how clean they were, she asked if I could do the whole house on a regular basis, a big NO, NO was my reply, I don't need the work and I wont take another mans work, and he's been doing this house for 5 years, so he's not a beer brigade w/c, she then asked If I could come along monthly and do the 2 windows above the roof, again I don't do monthly on domestics, only commercial get a choice, so again my answer was NO.

I could have had all three Jobs where I have done the roof of a conservatory and they have an existing w/c that doesn't want or like doing conservatory roofs.

I could have gone home after an hour and half's work with a full days takings on one job, so some guy's are loosing out big time by not offering this service, I did conservatory roof's when I was trad and I still do it now with wfp.

Do any of you guy's get work were they already have a w/c?

I've taken work in this way before.  I won't go out to undercut or poach work but if a customer tells me that their window cleaner is unable to do all of the job because they don't have the equipment then I believe that it's OK to quote that job.