[trippyboy]

Perhaps you might also want to mention your area

[PoleKing]

Get the ball rolling at least trippy...

[steve rix]

Is that hoses or pounds!

[steve rix]

houses

[8weekly]

Berkshire. Not saying what I put though. 

[deeege]

Great idea for a thread. We need more discussions about prices on here.  

Also, average what? Turnover or profit? A £20 average turnover per hour might look good on paper (to some) but in reality is little more than minimum wage (if paying Tax, Ni, insurances etc etc)

[trippyboy]

Great idea for a thread. We need more discussions about prices on here.  

Also, average what? Turnover or profit? A £20 average turnover per hour might look good on paper (to some) but in reality is little more than minimum wage (if paying Tax, Ni, insurances etc etc)

That would be gross mate

[David stewart]

Great idea for a thread. We need more discussions about prices on here.  

Also, average what? Turnover or profit? A £20 average turnover per hour might look good on paper (to some) but in reality is little more than minimum wage (if paying Tax, Ni, insurances etc etc)

There's a few Facebook pages set up for window cleaning chat and I've been thinking the same thing, people boasting about how much they earn and what would ya charge for this and that etc.
It's all well and good on a forum like this that non window cleaners aren't likely to visit but on Facebook one like and all your friend list could be on having a nosey.

Was doing a house the other day and unbeknown to the man of the house, his wife had left the door open and I could hear him giving off something shocking about the amount she paid for her windows to be cleaned with a brush and a squirt of water and only there half an hour lol! They don't take into consideration all the costs after that which would leave things a lot less appealing if they really sat and thought about it 

[Don Kee]

Great idea for a thread. We need more discussions about prices on here.  

Also, average what? Turnover or profit? A £20 average turnover per hour might look good on paper (to some) but in reality is little more than minimum wage (if paying Tax, Ni, insurances etc etc)

That would be gross mate

Its not that disgusting mate, in fact i'd say it's a fair comment...

 

[trippyboy]

Great idea for a thread. We need more discussions about prices on here.  

Also, average what? Turnover or profit? A £20 average turnover per hour might look good on paper (to some) but in reality is little more than minimum wage (if paying Tax, Ni, insurances etc etc)

That would be gross mate

Its not that disgusting mate, in fact i'd say it's a fair comment...

 

[deeege]

Great idea for a thread. We need more discussions about prices on here.  

Also, average what? Turnover or profit? A £20 average turnover per hour might look good on paper (to some) but in reality is little more than minimum wage (if paying Tax, Ni, insurances etc etc)

There's a few Facebook pages set up for window cleaning chat and I've been thinking the same thing, people boasting about how much they earn and what would ya charge for this and that etc.
It's all well and good on a forum like this that non window cleaners aren't likely to visit but on Facebook one like and all your friend list could be on having a nosey.

Was doing a house the other day and unbeknown to the man of the house, his wife had left the door open and I could hear him giving off something shocking about the amount she paid for her windows to be cleaned with a brush and a squirt of water and only there half an hour lol! They don't take into consideration all the costs after that which would leave things a lot less appealing if they really sat and thought about it 

Agree.

Was working on site the other day listening to 2 carpet fitters discussing the best trades to be in at the moment. One guy knew a fella who's a window cleaner and charges £10 per house and can do 4 an hour. He went on to say wouldn't it be great taking home £40 per hour. That's how the ignorant think.

These discussions about prices really need to stop. But they won't....

[PoleKing]

Great idea for a thread. We need more discussions about prices on here.  

Also, average what? Turnover or profit? A £20 average turnover per hour might look good on paper (to some) but in reality is little more than minimum wage (if paying Tax, Ni, insurances etc etc)

There's a few Facebook pages set up for window cleaning chat and I've been thinking the same thing, people boasting about how much they earn and what would ya charge for this and that etc.
It's all well and good on a forum like this that non window cleaners aren't likely to visit but on Facebook one like and all your friend list could be on having a nosey.

Was doing a house the other day and unbeknown to the man of the house, his wife had left the door open and I could hear him giving off something shocking about the amount she paid for her windows to be cleaned with a brush and a squirt of water and only there half an hour lol! They don't take into consideration all the costs after that which would leave things a lot less appealing if they really sat and thought about it 

Agree.

Was working on site the other day listening to 2 carpet fitters discussing the best trades to be in at the moment. One guy knew a fella who's a window cleaner and charges £10 per house and can do 4 an hour. He went on to say wouldn't it be great taking home £40 per hour. That's how the ignorant think.

These discussions about prices really need to stop. But they won't....

It's not long before they always decend into farce.
I like 'em

[SeanK]

Have to agree they start of with horrendous prices and follow it up with horrendous
expenses to justify the nonsense.
But I like reading them also.

[SeanK]

Great idea for a thread. We need more discussions about prices on here.  

Also, average what? Turnover or profit? A £20 average turnover per hour might look good on paper (to some) but in reality is little more than minimum wage (if paying Tax, Ni, insurances etc etc)

To someone on £10 an hour who has to drive 20 miles a day and also pay parking charges all from taxed money
it would look alright.
Why do some on here assume its only self employed people who have expenses and pay taxes.

[deeege]

Great idea for a thread. We need more discussions about prices on here.  

Also, average what? Turnover or profit? A £20 average turnover per hour might look good on paper (to some) but in reality is little more than minimum wage (if paying Tax, Ni, insurances etc etc)

To someone on £10 an hour who has to drive 20 miles a day and also pay parking charges all from taxed money
it would look alright.
Why do some on here assume its only self employed people who have expenses and pay taxes.

I know that employed people have expenses too, Sean. They don't have anywhere near the overheads as a self employed person though do they? (Liability insurance, accountants fees etc)

[SeanK]

Great idea for a thread. We need more discussions about prices on here.  

Also, average what? Turnover or profit? A £20 average turnover per hour might look good on paper (to some) but in reality is little more than minimum wage (if paying Tax, Ni, insurances etc etc)

To someone on £10 an hour who has to drive 20 miles a day and also pay parking charges all from taxed money
it would look alright.
Why do some on here assume its only self employed people who have expenses and pay taxes.

I know that employed people have expenses too, Sean. They don't have anywhere near the overheads as a self employed person though do they? (Liability insurance, accountants fees etc)

Believe it or not I am paying less now in expenses than when I was employed and PAYE.
When I was employed I needed a second car I now need a van so costs are equal.
I was driving 40 miles a day I now drive about 5 sometimes less.
I was paying tax on all my earning I now pay after expenses.
The only real difference is not getting 6 weeks paid holidays but the difference in fuel costs over the year
more than equals that out.

[deeege]

Great idea for a thread. We need more discussions about prices on here.  

Also, average what? Turnover or profit? A £20 average turnover per hour might look good on paper (to some) but in reality is little more than minimum wage (if paying Tax, Ni, insurances etc etc)

To someone on £10 an hour who has to drive 20 miles a day and also pay parking charges all from taxed money
it would look alright.
Why do some on here assume its only self employed people who have expenses and pay taxes.

I know that employed people have expenses too, Sean. They don't have anywhere near the overheads as a self employed person though do they? (Liability insurance, accountants fees etc)

Believe it or not I am paying less now in expenses than when I was employed and PAYE.
When I was employed I needed a second car I now need a van so costs are equal.
I was driving 40 miles a day I now drive about 5 sometimes less.
I was paying tax on all my earning I now pay after expenses.
The only real difference is not getting 6 weeks paid holidays but the difference in fuel costs over the year
more than equals that out.

How much were your accountants fees when you were employed? Now?
How much were your insurance public liability costs when you were employed? Now?
Stationary, printer ink, van maintenance, water production, bad weather days, holiday pay..... The list goes on.

I struggle to see how your expenses can be less when being employed tbh. (Unless you're a tradder with no water production, insurance, accounts, tax etc.)

[cgh window cleaning]

I have never known a trade to talk more openly about what they earn than window cleaners.I have very good friends that own building and electrical companies with 10 plus staff and they never tell me what they earn,I meet window cleaners I don't know tell me how many customers they have how much they charge,what car they have at home etc.
When I started cleaning windows in 1996 I did not know any friends that cleaned windows for a living,now more and more are getting into it I know of an electrician,landscaper,bt engineer,graphic designer plus more all get into window cleaning.

[PoleKing]

I have never known a trade to talk more openly about what they earn than window cleaners.I have very good friends that own building and electrical companies with 10 plus staff and they never tell me what they earn,I meet window cleaners I don't know tell me how many customers they have how much they charge,what car they have at home etc.
When I started cleaning windows in 1996 I did not know any friends that cleaned windows for a living,now more and more are getting into it I know of an electrician,landscaper,bt engineer,graphic designer plus more all get into window cleaning.

The thing is, the more people tell you they're earning-the less they are.

[Soupy]

I have never known a trade to talk more openly about what they earn than window cleaners.I have very good friends that own building and electrical companies with 10 plus staff and they never tell me what they earn,I meet window cleaners I don't know tell me how many customers they have how much they charge,what car they have at home etc.
When I started cleaning windows in 1996 I did not know any friends that cleaned windows for a living,now more and more are getting into it I know of an electrician,landscaper,bt engineer,graphic designer plus more all get into window cleaning.

The thing is, the more people tell you they're earning-the less they are.

+1

And if they tell you "yeah, I drive an Audi Q8" what they actually mean is "i have a push bike made in Germany, with materials from Kuwait"

[gary999]

The biggest expense i have,is having time off

[PoleKing]

I have never known a trade to talk more openly about what they earn than window cleaners.I have very good friends that own building and electrical companies with 10 plus staff and they never tell me what they earn,I meet window cleaners I don't know tell me how many customers they have how much they charge,what car they have at home etc.
When I started cleaning windows in 1996 I did not know any friends that cleaned windows for a living,now more and more are getting into it I know of an electrician,landscaper,bt engineer,graphic designer plus more all get into window cleaning.

The thing is, the more people tell you they're earning-the less they are.

+1

And if they tell you "yeah, I drive an Audi Q8" what they actually mean is "i have a push bike made in Germany, with materials from Kuwait"

Lol. It's a Q7 V8.
How are you getting on with that 3 wheeled van SoupySeconds?
In all seriousness though-I've never posted my earnings. Never will. No good can come from it.

[Soupy]

Yeah me too.

I've got myself a defender. It's a newer one (07) with a transit engine in. Not convinced.

What's a q7? I wasn't meaning you. Honest. 

[PoleKing]

Yeah me too.

I've got myself a defender. It's a newer one (07) with a transit engine in. Not convinced.

What's a q7? I wasn't meaning you. Honest. 

Transit engine? Really?

Google Q7. Flip past all the 3.0 ones that would get beaten to 60 by Daz in his Puma.
If you get to the proper ones-you've gone too far, I can't afford the V12. Scoot back a notch and hey presto, you'll see my jug ears poking out the windows.

[G Griffin]

I earn more as a one man band than I do as a window cleaner although I'm not that great on the harmonica, yet.

[Tom White]

I earn more as a one man band than I do as a window cleaner although I'm not that great on the harmonica, yet.

[G Griffin]

You can take the boy out of the toon............

[Frankybadboy]

I have never known a trade to talk more openly about what they earn than window cleaners.I have very good friends that own building and electrical companies with 10 plus staff and they never tell me what they earn,I meet window cleaners I don't know tell me how many customers they have how much they charge,what car they have at home etc.
When I started cleaning windows in 1996 I did not know any friends that cleaned windows for a living,now more and more are getting into it I know of an electrician,landscaper,bt engineer,graphic designer plus more all get into window cleaning.

lets be fair 90% of window cleaners aint the brightest sparks in the world look at bob,don kee,daz and trippy 

[dazmond]

the thing is anybody starting out  will not make the money some of us earn simply because they havent got the work and experience.then they get demoralised when they realise its not as easy as they thought (getting good solid customers at decent prices day after day,month after month.year after year.)

it takes hard work,determination and years of window cleaning to earn a good wedge at this game.most will fall short and pack in after a while.others will succeed and build good little micro businesses if their VERY self motivated and continue to work hard and provide a good service.

[Ian101]

the thing is anybody starting out  will not make the money some of us earn simply because they havent got the work and experience.then they get demoralised when they realise its not as easy as they thought (getting good solid customers at decent prices day after day,month after month.year after year.)

it takes hard work,determination and years of window cleaning to earn a good wedge at this game.most will fall short and pack in after a while.others will succeed and build good little micro businesses if their VERY self motivated and continue to work hard and provide a good service.

+1 ....               Ive been around a bit now and have seen a few come and go as well as the guys that have been going for years ... few old fellas in my area been going for decades.

[Don Kee]

I have never known a trade to talk more openly about what they earn than window cleaners.I have very good friends that own building and electrical companies with 10 plus staff and they never tell me what they earn,I meet window cleaners I don't know tell me how many customers they have how much they charge,what car they have at home etc.
When I started cleaning windows in 1996 I did not know any friends that cleaned windows for a living,now more and more are getting into it I know of an electrician,landscaper,bt engineer,graphic designer plus more all get into window cleaning.

lets be fair 90% of window cleaners aint the brightest sparks in the world look at bob,don kee,daz and trippy 

 

[SeanK]

the thing is anybody starting out  will not make the money some of us earn simply because they havent got the work and experience.then they get demoralised when they realise its not as easy as they thought (getting good solid customers at decent prices day after day,month after month.year after year.)

it takes hard work,determination and years of window cleaning to earn a good wedge at this game.most will fall short and pack in after a while.others will succeed and build good little micro businesses if their VERY self motivated and continue to work hard and provide a good service.

Its also a lot harder now as a lot of good customers will have already been signed up and will usually remain loyal.
A lot of newbies now will be left with young spoilt I expect everything for nothing types who don't have the same
values as the previous generation.
I know this sounds like doom and gloom but I don't think window cleaning will be the same money earner in years to
come.
I'm going about seven years and there's no way I would start from scratch now.

[mlscontractcleaner]

7 years?

You're just a beginner mate haha!!!!

You could start out today just as you did back then. There are still plenty of new customers to be had.

We started out in 1992 and although it was easier to pick up new work back then we still get a lot of new customers now, and that's all walk up or word of mouth.

And Facebook; our business page is forever receiving friends requests from friends of satisfied customers. These too become customers who have friends who send requests and so on.

And it's free!!!

[trippyboy]

I have never known a trade to talk more openly about what they earn than window cleaners.I have very good friends that own building and electrical companies with 10 plus staff and they never tell me what they earn,I meet window cleaners I don't know tell me how many customers they have how much they charge,what car they have at home etc.
When I started cleaning windows in 1996 I did not know any friends that cleaned windows for a living,now more and more are getting into it I know of an electrician,landscaper,bt engineer,graphic designer plus more all get into window cleaning.

  Noone has been asked to announce on this thread what they earn,thats private and would be rude to imo.
If a person averages £40 per hour and works 3 hours per week he makes £120 per week
If a person averages £40 per hour and works 40 hours per week he makes £1,600... Big difference eh.
As far as hourly rates are concerned I would be a fool not to ask the plumber/spark/chippy what he was going to charge me per hour.
Same as if I booked my van in at a garage, I would enquire how much their hourly rate was.
So ask your sparky mates if any potential customers ask what they charge per hour?

[cgh window cleaning]

My comment was not aimed at you or this post direct just this forum and window cleaners in general,they like to talk money and this could be part of what makes new people start up(not that new people starting is a bad thing).
All the best.

[Fin Clearview]

Great idea for a thread. We need more discussions about prices on here.  

Also, average what? Turnover or profit? A £20 average turnover per hour might look good on paper (to some) but in reality is little more than minimum wage (if paying Tax, Ni, insurances etc etc)

+1

[SeanK]

7 years?

You're just a beginner mate haha!!!!

You could start out today just as you did back then. There are still plenty of new customers to be had.

We started out in 1992 and although it was easier to pick up new work back then we still get a lot of new customers now, and that's all walk up or word of mouth.

And Facebook; our business page is forever receiving friends requests from friends of satisfied customers. These too become customers who have friends who send requests and so on.

And it's free!!!

Not saying there isn't new work but a lot of it is from young people with high mortgages or rents who don't
seem to give the same importance in having clean windows or just cant afford the cost.
Was just using the fact the even though I'm only cleaning windows for 7 years the difference in the amount
of what I would call quality customers has decreased to the point where it would be almost impossible to build
a quality round.
I'm sure there are areas where this hasn't happened as of yet but with the amount of new start wfp cleaners
its just a matter of time.
Most new guys are quitting in my area because they just cant get enough quality work.

[PoleKing]

7 years?

You're just a beginner mate haha!!!!

You could start out today just as you did back then. There are still plenty of new customers to be had.

We started out in 1992 and although it was easier to pick up new work back then we still get a lot of new customers now, and that's all walk up or word of mouth.

And Facebook; our business page is forever receiving friends requests from friends of satisfied customers. These too become customers who have friends who send requests and so on.

And it's free!!!

Not saying there isn't new work but a lot of it is from young people with high mortgages or rents who don't
seem to give the same importance in having clean windows or just cant afford the cost.
Was just using the fact the even though I'm only cleaning windows for 7 years the difference in the amount
of what I would call quality customers has decreased to the point where it would be almost impossible to build
a quality round.
I'm sure there are areas where this hasn't happened as of yet but with the amount of new start wfp cleaners
its just a matter of time.
Most new guys are quitting in my area because they just cant get enough quality work.

How do you know about the newbs Sean?
I'm forever seeing new vans (not new new) round my manor-actually saw a crappy old multicoloured vivaro this morning.
My town is absolutely chock full of shiners.
Cant remember seeing too many that haven't made it...
In fact, i posted a few weeks back a mate of mine lives in a satellite village of lincoln. He canvassed for 3 evenings and picked up £800 of monthly work!
Ive never heard of such a return on domestic.
Ive certainly never achieved that myself.

[AuRavelling79]

I thought the question was how many hours a week I worked - I put 20 - 30. 

 

[PoleKing]

I thought the question was how many hours a week I worked - I put 20 - 30. 

 

Lol, you're counting time on here Goldie. Put your glass time down

[SeanK]

Poleking I have got to know a few of them when they've asked for advice on setting up their systems
and so forth.
There has also been a few who have given me some work when they've called it a day.
To be honest my area was fairly saturated even when I started 7 years ago, I would say 60% of my
round came from other cleaners who where doing poor quality cleans but even these guys have now upped
their game.
Like I say there are still customers out there but most of them want a cheap price and will move at the first
lower offer.
Not the kind of customers to build a good round on.

[PoleKing]

Poleking I have got to know a few of them when they've asked for advice on setting up their systems
and so forth.
There has also been a few who have given me some work when they've called it a day.
To be honest my area was fairly saturated even when I started 7 years ago, I would say 60% of my
round came from other cleaners who where doing poor quality cleans but even these guys have now upped
their game.
Like I say there are still customers out there but most of them want a cheap price and will move at the first
lower offer.
Not the kind of customers to build a good round on.

Fair enough, 'suppose its just pot luck where you are.
Some places are gonna be better than others.

[capn sparkle]

I thought the question was how many hours a week I worked - I put 20 - 30. 

 

+1 put 30 - 40 screwed up that survey lol