[geefree]

Hi all,

I have read lots of posts from you guys helping all us new w/c,s

and i have also read lots of posts from people

" thinking of starting up "....  but my question here is where are you guys who asked that question,?......are you still doing w/c   ..?     

i know of the 2 or 3 of us  who are blasting the forum for help, to try and get up and running.

Do you experienced guys get a lot of this, people asking then simply disappearing.... or are you newbies still here but too busy to come back to the forum..

just curious guys.


gary

[jeff1]

Window cleaners on forums, are Just like  real life window cleaners, they come and go.

[geefree]

so it seems to be a trade a lot of guys dont stick to?

i know i ask a lot of questions but thats how i am learning i guess,

oh and to any of you guys reading regarding my ladders,

i bought a pair of youngmans they are solid and sturdy, just a slight problem tho, they are about a foot above the sills  without extending, may need a stand off now.... but at least now i dare extend them to the top of the whole window and clean from there, whereas my flimsy old ladders frightened me to death. :

[jeff1]

Hey! thats what a forum is for! To ask a lot of questions, and if anyone doesn't know the answer, then you don't get a reply, but the guy's & gals on here are very friendly and someone usually knows the answer to a question.

Window cleaning is like any other Job, some get fed up with there work and change there Job's, other's can't handle the winter, or dealing with customers.

One tip I can give you is if you ever get to the stage were you begin to get fed up with it, Just think of your last Job, or what Job will replace your wc job. You won't want to work for anyone else once you have worked on your own for a while.
You don't have to phone in sick when you want to watch the world cup, you don't have to ask for a day off, you don't have to ask if you can finish early.

But most of all your earning potential is up to you, work hard and reap the benefits or tick over just to pay the bill's the choice is yours.

Your ladders sounds a little tall,so a stand off is a good idea, but you will find them a pain in the a**e for constant work, But like yourself I have a couple of jobs were i find it better to extend them above the windows and work downwards, you won't be able to do that with a stand off attached.

Don't worry about asking questions

[Fast 1 *]

Its an easy job to start up,but a hard one to stick to.As regard to the ladders,the youngmans arent too bad,but i would seriously think about saving up and investing in a set of ramsey pointers,especially if you are doing town houses on windy days.They are quite heavy and sturdy,whereas the youngmans are light.Plus with the pointers,you can put them on the frame of the window,and position them easier on unevan surfaces.Anyway,gazza how are you getting on?

[geefree]

Hi ,
Thanks jeff for your advice, i will stick at it, i am working hard to build and i wont throw this hard work away, and yes, you are right about working for yourself, its a real buzz knowing if i dont reach my own targets...I WONT GET THE SACK ... each new customer i get spurs me on.

Fast one... its going ok building steadily, my back aches a bit though ... feel a bit of an idiot about my ladders now, do you find it ok to put them above the window to clean?

gary.

[neil100]

I have a couple of ladders, both youngmans, diffrent lengths.

I am from the old school and I like flat angled alluminium rungs, but I prefer wooden sides to ally. They are a lot warmer to the touch in winter which helps. They are not as noisey has ally ladders.

Problem is they are heavier then ally ladders but a blessing on a windy day and more expensive to buy.

Just stay safe.

Nel.

[stuart@skypole]

neil,
great point about the wooden ladders,

im the same

wooden pointer

rgds
stuart
www.skypolesystems.com

[Fast 1 *]

gazza,no need to feel an idiot,mate your ladders are fine.Yes,sometimes i have the ladders above the window,alternatively put it to the side.I wouldnt bother with a ladder stay(stand off).They are ideal for pebble dashing and building work,but are not really feesible for window cleaning.

[geefree]

thanks.

i had to leave a window the other day as the ground was not level, do you use chocks of some sorts, i cand afford stableizers yet.

gary.

[jeff1]

I use a wooden wedge that I have carried in my Top pocket for the past nine years,

3''x 2''  piece of wood cut into a gentle wedge shape. it will fit in your pocket, and is at hand straight away, so you won't be tempted to make do when on uneven ground and your levelling device is back in your van.

[mgba_78]

" thinking of starting up "....  but my question here is where are you guys who asked that question,?......are you still doing w/c   ..?     

Hi

I'm still here, not as vocal as some on the forum but still here.
Tomorrow will be the start of my nineth week, and its only getting better.
Hopefully should have over 80 customers now, only check it once as month as seems better than counting up every week.
My 4 weekly wage is slowly getting nearer what i earnt in my previous job, which was a very reasonable salary so all good really and very encouraging, used to be a general manager for a office supply retailer.
Hopefully over the next 2 months i will increase my count to over 100 and my earnings will be very very near my last jobs net salary.

Bring it on!!

Andy

[jeff1]

Hi Andy well done, and keep up the good work.

when your doing your customers, just pop next door and ask if they want theres done, or if there not home leave a leaflet in there door,even the surrounding houses,  even if the windows look clean it doesn't always mean they already have a wc, it may be they do them there selves and wouldn't mind a wc to do the job for them. if they already have a wc then they will tell you.  you may be supprised how many more you can pick up this way and you don't have to spend hours canvasing.

[Scrimble]

I am a new starter, I started about 5 weeks ago with zero customers and i now have 16, putting cards in shop windows/classified boards have been effective for me, about 10 have been through these cards,

I am not going to quit the window cleaning, i enjoy it too much and have never been more determined to succed in my life, (i'm only 21)

I sold my Uno Turbo to buy my astra van so there is definatly no turning back now as when i'm earning £100+ a day i can buy 10 uno turbos lol!

[JM123]

like anything else in life you get out what you put in - a lot of guys come along, full of enthusiasm - but won't put the work in when the going gets tough.  If you stick at it, have a friendly outgoing personality and take everything thrown at you with a pinch of salt you can make a success of it.  I only have to mention the likes of propole and you ill see what I mean - positive outlook, its so important.

If you ever get down because you only pick up 2 customers a week then look on the bright side - 2 a week is 104 a year - 2 years thats 208, at £10 each thats £2080 a month = £24 960 a year.  But you need to be persistant and you can't do that unless you have a positive outlook.

(I know there's plenty of guys here who have and are making a success of it, I just chose propole as an example)

[jeff1]

With the determination I have seen from all you guy's on  this topic, you will all go forward and £100+ a day is very achievable  then it will be Uno Turbo's all around  

[Jason Atwell]

iv been window cleaning 12 weeks and still have a part time job to cover the bills although im now getting to the stage where i am thinking of dropping the part time job and concentrating on windows. I window clean 3 and 1/2 days a week. i have 63 customers which is largly down to other local w/c passing on work, so i have been lucky, i have also leafleted and am going to approach a local charity shop which always seems to have dirty windows, i will clean the 3 windows fortnightly and in return, ask to leave leaflets in shop. I am positive about w/c and hope its the only job i ever have to do, get so much more satisfaction from working for yourself, and feel great going home telling the missus, picked up more work today!

[pylofm]

Guys....it's so nice to know that others (you) are also out there doing the same as me each day...Makes me feel so much better when I am drying my hands for the thousanth time to get another leaflet out.

Cheers
Dave.

[mgba_78]

I am a new starter, I started about 5 weeks ago with zero customers and i now have 16, putting cards in shop windows/classified boards have been effective for me, about 10 have been through these cards,

I am not going to quit the window cleaning, i enjoy it too much and have never been more determined to succed in my life, (i'm only 21)

I sold my Uno Turbo to buy my astra van so there is definatly no turning back now as when i'm earning £100+ a day i can buy 10 uno turbos lol!

Back in the day i always wanted an Uno turbo, LOL. Got a punto turbo instead as all the Unos i saw were rusty heaps couldnt find a good one.

Selling the car for a van is a good move as it will make you more determind to succeed as you have had to give up something to make a go of it, you now have a commitment to your self to make this happen!!!

Thought about selling my car for the same reason but i am lucky and had some savings to buy a van, so Mrs can have the car, Clio 182 sport, when i drive it now it feels like an F1 car!
For a bit I used it before i bought the van, had some real strange looks from peoplewith  the ladders on it and i turned up to clean windows, people must have thought i was mad or made of money

Good luck
Andy

[geefree]

Thanks lads

nice to hear from you, you seem to be doing ok, we are following in your footsteps.

jeff, just cut myself a chock, cheers for that.....now lol
what about soil when my ladders sink as i walk up them