Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: dazmond on May 29, 2010, 01:56:01 pm
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not long to go now before the plunge!
ive been cleaning all top frames while im up the ladders over the last few weeks(ive got about another 100 to clean yet! ::)).i cant believe how filthy some of them are!as ive just cleaned glass and sills on most for years!!
i know which custys windows will cause problems.a few ali painted white frames im not even gonna attempt to clean wfp.the mild oxidized upvc frames im gonna try and clean.the old flakey painted windows will be done trad and blown seal windows will be wfp as theres quite a lot!
in another post adders said that some windows still spot even if there in good condition!thats not what i wanted to hear!a lot of the time your not gonna know until they dry and they phone you up to complain?what do you do?blade these?do em trad?
i should be ordering my equipment by the end of june.starting wfp in july.AT LAST!! :D :D
ill keep you posted on how i go on.
ive also typed up letters for those custys that ask.ive also primed my custys up for about 6 months now so they keep expecting me to turn up anyday now with my "water thingy"
cant wait!! :D :D :D :D ;D ;D ;D ;D
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ive been cleaning all top frames while im up the ladders over the last few weeks(ive got about another 100 to clean yet! Roll Eyes).i cant believe how filthy some of them are!as ive just cleaned glass and sills on most for years!!
dazmond you cowboy ;D
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in another post adders said that some windows still spot even if there in good condition!thats not what i wanted to hear!a lot of the time your not gonna know until they dry and they phone you up to complain?what do you do?blade these?do em trad?
Your choice dazmond blade them or trad they were never a problem trad so why not blade them?
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WFP can be quicker but when you change over spot can occur for the first cleans or even the second clean once it flushed the dirt away, where cloths couldn't getr too.
And avoid air vents above windows as they mess your good work up. And fatigue of looking up and gives you neck a pain.
When i changed over i didnt feel like a proper window cleaner and some customers not keen with all the water what is left over the ground.
You can do wfp for tops and blade bottoms and dont ever use wfp for entrances to buildings best to trad them as water can get onto carpet or laminate flooring what most people have nower days in hallways.
Customers will give there opinions and some will say they want the trad way, as there are ups and downsides too but stick with it.
Customers come and go like friends in your life, so when you take on new customers use wfp from the start.
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i must admit james a lot of my custys windows look better with the frames cleaned!all new work get frames/doors cleaned as standard(with a higher price!)
thing is ive a lot of custys who ive cleaned for years now and ive neglected their frames!i think a few cleans with wfp will bring a lot of em up like new!
i like the idea of the WHOLE WINDOW being cleaned as opposed to glass/sills only! ;) ;)
a lot of trad guys dont clean the frames.in fact i would say a lot miss sills as well!(not me of course! ;))
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thanks NJ
i am aware that i should avoid water getting inside the vents and i will be changing everything over at once(tops wfp/trad entrances/some bottom windows).
ive been looking up a fair bit over the years with using trad poles every day.i will probably lose the odd custy over the water issue but hopefully ill pick up more work than i lose! ;) ;D ;D
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No problems like to give some advise if it helps people, to compare trad with wfp they have there downsides like everything else.
I am sure you have seen the comments on this forum all what we all get from customers and i am sure you will succeed in this line of work as there is still plenty of customers out there for all the taken in all areas.
And i hope your waiting for your wfp will be soon over.
Keep safe and well my friend and have a great time wfp.
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gud luck m8 ;D
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Thank god and good luck mate.... ;D
Whens the big day?
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thanks NJ
i am aware that i should avoid water getting inside the vents and i will be changing everything over at once(tops wfp/trad entrances/some bottom windows).
ive been looking up a fair bit over the years with using trad poles every day.i will probably lose the odd custy over the water issue but hopefully ill pick up more work than i lose! ;) ;D ;D
dazmond
when i changed over 5 yrs ago, i only lost 1 - old guy, who i did not even bother to try and talk around,
i made the change in stages , all were given a letter out lining system , and what to expect, wet windows etc, i did them a few at a time for a few reasons,
1. you will be slower than trad to begin with,
as you only get 1 chance to impress them , so you do as good a job as you can on first cleans, they WILL check windows after , as they will be unsure how they will dry, from then on they won't check them as closely.
2. you can start with the ones you know will accept it better, then others will see you using system , and accept it better.
these days there are more and more using wfp, so chances are they will have either seen it, or heard about wfp.
once you get 1st cleans out the way, and are confident, you will be flying round your work,
when it comes to winter , every day will still be like a summers day, in as much as you will clean at the same speed in winter as you would in summer ( no more trying like a mad man , to dry leaded in damp cold weather.)
there will be times when you consider changing back, but stick with it , it's worth it ;)
best of luck
daz
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thanks daz but i will tell all custys it might take a few cleans to get them really clean as i need to get used to the system and flush out the crud and detergent from previous cleans!
im just gonna change everything over at once as all frames will be prepared as much as possible.also if i do wfp tops/trad bottoms to ease them into it i really dont think ill be that much slower.maybe a bit but i think ill soon speed up with using the system everyday rather than a bit at a time!
i will practice a bit on my own windows and family/friends before unleashing it on my custys but ive been cleaning a lot for years and have a very established round so i think the custys will give me 3 cleans to get em right!
im under no illusions that itll be a breeze at first and i will lose the odd custy i think and i know which ones!! ;) ;D ;D
regards
dazmond
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Hi Daz, I switched over about 8 months ago and to be honest i was a very big critic of wfb.
Its my seconed stint at window cleaning after being trad for 14 years so you could say im old school.
I was worried as hell and very anxious about changing over even though ppl on here said i would never look back.
My intitial change over was very slight as i only done dangereous or awkward windows wfp, but in no time i was wanting that pole in my hand more and more.
I used to ask all custies the month after how they dried and 99% said they dried great.
Mate it takes a wee while to fully get used to wfp and you will make a few wee mistakes at first but you will never look back.
The quality of the clean is better, they stay cleaner longer, the frames look great
the work is less exhausting and in most cases its faster.
You wont have many mornings now when you wake up and think "DAMN ITS WORK TODAY"
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thanks trippy! ;) ;D ;D
today is one of them days!!its raining and i dont fancy getting up the ladders on some of the bigger houses ive got lined up to clean this week!! ::) ::)
if i was wfp i think i would be out there now with some waterproofs on!! ;D ;D
glad to here some positive vibes from established trad cleaners that have converted!! ;) ;D ;D
im 16 years 100% trad so its a big change!but one im willing to give a go!!
best wishes
dazmond
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Daz
Whens the big day then ? Hows the van doing now did you get everything sorted?
Danny
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yeh sorted the van danny.it cost me £600 though and nearly 2 weeks off work with everything else thats been going on!but im looking at early july wfp.itll give me a few months experience before the winter sets in!
im looking at spending £1200 initial outlay and probably another £800 a few months after(30 ft slx,spares etc).so 2 grand altogether.ill also be canvassing some of the more awkward bigger houses dotted around near my rounds that would be dangerous to do trad!! ;) ;D ;D ;D
regards
dazmond