[pylofm]

Just a quick question.....how long did it take for you to get your round were you thought thats it...I can just bimble now?

[Chris - CBWC]

This Thursday it will be my one year anniversary as a self employed window cleaner (and I only trained for a couple of weeks before that - if a learning curve isn't steep, I'm just not interested!) and I have just under 150 regular customers.

To be honest, I've no idea if this is where I wanted to be when I started.  A year ago, I thought 120 customers would be enough for us to be comfortable, until the interest rates shot up, and now not even 150 customers is enough.  I thought around September last year, if I got 1 new customer per weekday evening canvassing, that's 20 new customers per month, and I'd be set by April.  Bad autumn and winter weather meant no point canvassing as I couldn't fit them in, so technically I'm now behind.

I'd love 2 new customers per evening now - time is running out as my first child is due to be born end of April and I'm sure there's plenty on here that know how expensive life is going to get!!!!

I think 300 customers is my capacity, it's certainly something to keep working towards, and maybe by the time I get there, I'll be quicker and able to do more, we'll see

Regards

Chris

[Paul Coleman]

Just a quick question.....how long did it take for you to get your round were you thought thats it...I can just bimble now?

It took me two years to get to that point for the first time.  I could have got there sooner but I didn't need much of an income back then.
The view I take now is that I haven't got there yet.  Work comes and work goes.  I take on decent priced work and poorer paid work goes and I have a fair sized gap in my workload - and that's 15 years after starting.  I am slowly filling the gaps.  I used to be oversubscribed with poorly paid work so I did something about it.  These days I have about 150 less customers, earn more from them, and still have time off.  So I suppose that getting to that point where we want to be is an ongoing process.

[mike richardson]

i had nearly 5000 customers all over cumbria, southern  scotland, northern lancashire, built up over 15yrs,now ive got about 1000 sold the rest about 2 yrs ago better life now only employ 1 man,a lot waors off money wise but who cares life is better now,

[Sir Squeaky]

Just a quick question.....how long did it take for you to get your round were you thought thats it...I can just bimble now?

What's bimble?

[Paul Coleman]

i had nearly 5000 customers all over cumbria, southern  scotland, northern lancashire, built up over 15yrs,now ive got about 1000 sold the rest about 2 yrs ago better life now only employ 1 man,a lot waors off money wise but who cares life is better now,

I got up to about 450 custies at one point some years ago.  I have about half that number now.  Funny thing is that I earn more from it though - and with more time off.

[mike richardson]

i had 8 lads all making me money 40 hrs per week, now its only me & 1 lad makin money, the diiference is about £2000 per week but my life is far better,& i still make a decent living

[www.mrgutters.co.uk]

i now have 60 customers 3000 a month roughly   ... it has taken two years

shawn

[mike richardson]

they must be lg houses as 2 of us done about50 customers tday most of mine average between £2 & £10 have a few lg hotels schools shops etc but they are about once a month

[www.mrgutters.co.uk]

i have 6 customers at £5 3 windows a flat. old age home

rest are house from 18 for the smallest 2 bed houses up to 80.00 all 5 weekly and about 12 flats and offices ranging from 140 - 375.00

but its taking two years to get there

shawn

[mike richardson]

i have a few at 60p loads that get 2 windows done but when i started 15yrs ago i didnt turn any work down at all,cos a sml 1 laeds to a big 1.where i live there are not a lot of offices etc but have all the schools in my area cos iam sop fussy & get on well with the site managers,i also have all the pubs cos iam reliable, the only competition i have ( or had ) till 2 mnth ago was a old man of 72,& a fella with a ladder in the boot of his mondeo who wore wellies all day,now they have both packed in, iam the only 1round my area,so not much comp,

[www.mrgutters.co.uk]

good stuff bud... rich pickings now!

shawn

[rosskesava]

I was 6 years ago just someone and a friend trying to make some cash on the side without a clue and with no forums or no one to give us advise.

Upto the end of last year I was in partnership with 4 others and we had a thriving small business that was proffessionaly run and highly profitable.

Now I am a sole trader, having given up my partnership, and starting again from scratch except that the weather has hampered my 'new' start and except that now I have an idea of how to clean windows and all that goes into making a go of it.

I hope.

[pylofm]

Bimble squeeks is like walking down the high street with no particular things to do but just walk around for the fun of it...