Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: dazmond on July 15, 2010, 08:43:34 am

Title: missing windows.....WFP!
Post by: dazmond on July 15, 2010, 08:43:34 am
there are the odd windows that are impossible to clean with the pole due to fences/bushes in the way usually the bedroom window over large conservatories or extensions with pitched roofs etc

some of these i used to clean with ladders by climbing on the roofs.ive never been happy about doing this and now i just say to the custys"i cant clean that particular window due to health and safety"BUT you frames are getting cleaned every time on your other windows!

what do you guys do?like i say its only about 1% of windows.most i can reach with the pole even the awkward ones.do you just accept it now?
Title: Re: missing windows.....WFP!
Post by: the bfg on July 15, 2010, 09:38:42 am
I never have the situation were I cant clean any window,   what I cant understand is how you cant clean windows above a conny roof ?     how many poles do you use ?
Title: Re: missing windows.....WFP!
Post by: bad trippy on July 15, 2010, 10:13:50 am
i have 1 or 2 windows like that, i just get the step ladders out , this should give you just a little bit more height to get to the windows with your pole, of coarse dont attempt this if the ground is uneven
Title: Re: missing windows.....WFP!
Post by: Mist A Bit on July 15, 2010, 02:05:15 pm
i have a window above a roof that is so long i have to exstend a 40ft pole to reach it . normal height house aswell..
Title: Re: missing windows.....WFP!
Post by: DaveG on July 15, 2010, 04:39:00 pm
I dont have any on my round that I cant reach..after all, the main selling point (for me anyway) was can reach ALL windows...
On some awkward ones I just use a set of steps for a bit of extra reach
Title: Re: missing windows.....WFP!
Post by: Ian101 on July 15, 2010, 04:43:21 pm
blooming heck Daz ... one month in as WFP and ur bumping windows already  ;)

thought it was only us tradders that did that ..... apparantly  ;D
Title: Re: missing windows.....WFP!
Post by: mci services on July 15, 2010, 07:26:07 pm
dazmond can you put a link up via google street view of say the garage ones. there is normally a way round doing them.
Title: Re: missing windows.....WFP!
Post by: dazmond on July 16, 2010, 07:31:00 am
stu i dont know how to put a link up mate or a photo!! ::)

like i say its only a few windows(about 4!) that im hampered with because of fences/bushes in the way and cant get the angle from the ground!a step stool or stepladders to give me that bit of extra height would help.but how safe is poling from the top of a stepladder?

just a pain going back to the van just for one window!i suppose i could just do these as an extra every 3 months or so!
Title: Re: missing windows.....WFP!
Post by: karygate on July 16, 2010, 07:49:57 am
its not a pain its part of the job.
Title: Re: missing windows.....WFP!
Post by: Tom White on July 16, 2010, 08:59:30 am
Daz, you're doing the right thing; just miss those odd windows.  Really, you shouldn't have walked on conservatory roofs anyway!

Sometimes, by using different angles with the pole, you can get at really awkward windows, or by using a longer pole (I use DIY Fishing poles) you can reach these awkward windows, but if you can't get to them, just leave them.

The worst that will happen is that you lose that account; and that has never happened to me over an odd window that I couldn't get to.

Title: Re: missing windows.....WFP!
Post by: dazmond on July 16, 2010, 09:17:56 am
tosh ive never stood on a conservatory roof ever!!i have a bit more sense than that!! ;D ;D

i have stood on sloping large kitchen extensions with sloping curved tiles!dodgy though esp if you gotta dodge a few skylights!!
Title: Re: missing windows.....WFP!
Post by: Tom White on July 16, 2010, 09:27:53 am
Sorry, Daz, I read your post wrong.  :-[
Title: Re: missing windows.....WFP!
Post by: Mike #1 on July 16, 2010, 07:03:25 pm
telescopic ladder is what you need i have 4 houses together were it is impossible to reach with pole due to large extensions and small gardens not able to work pole properly
Title: Re: missing windows.....WFP!
Post by: NJWindowCleaning on July 16, 2010, 09:38:54 pm
No never miss any windows on custies houses as for me i have to use a 42 footer to go above a flat over its roof and the pole bends to it and i cant see where it is on the glass. But the customer says that i missed a bit in the corner of that window as big as your little finger nail but the rest is cleaned perfectly.

And i have some as you are describing so i angled the head near on 45 degree angle so the brush is flat to the window and the pole comes down beside of the building and never had any complaints even if you cant get down the side of the building just angle the pole in a 22 degree but with the pole full extended. 
Title: Re: missing windows.....WFP!
Post by: Helen on July 17, 2010, 08:44:02 am
There will always be the "odd" window that you can't reach, wfp, trad whatever you use. Why aren't you pointing this out to the customer at point of quote?  ???
Title: Re: missing windows.....WFP!
Post by: dazmond on July 17, 2010, 01:09:19 pm
helen im on about the odd windows that i used to clean trad on existing custys houses but i dont want to risk my neck by getting the ladders off to get on the roof!

im going to get a little 3 step stepstool to stand on then i should be able to reach most of them with the pole.the

0001% i cant reach will then be missed!! ;) ;D ;D