Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Steven Shoreditch on December 09, 2010, 08:35:07 pm
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Or has the past fortnight been just the start of some serious downtime?
I thought I might get out today, but still had freezing pipes on the end of the pole. And the pipe work in the garage (push-fit plastic) was frozen, so couldn't make any pure stuff.
I think Friday we'll be ok, but the next week? The next month?
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All down hill for some next week restbite weekend back to sub zero from monday onwards
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I'll look forward to that!
Not.
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Its looking good untill Tuesday here. I only need another 13 days and I'll get my month in. May just about do it if weather is ok till xmas.
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been terrible up here since end of november and prior to that it was rain
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Its got to be worth considering only window cleaning say March until end November, Maybe if its mild work up until xmas?
I would say a high percentage of customers do not want them cleaned in winter anyway, and its another expense they could do without? right or wrong? Its a route I am considering, along with taking my holidays this time of year (although this will be difficult with having kids with ex wife so would struggle to take them away this time of year, let alone being with a teacher now who will want to go away in 6 week hols :-\)
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Its looking good untill Tuesday here. I only need another 13 days and I'll get my month in. May just about do it if weather is ok till xmas.
You'll be lucky to get them in!
White christmas is on the books, apparently!
I personally think this is basically set in now til the end of February!
Matt
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I been out a lot this week and most of my customers were glad to get the windows cleaned so i think a 3 month stop in the winter would not be acceptable as most want them done for christmas.I will learn from this cold snap and prepare myself to take on the next.It will only be because i cant get the car out that will stop me working.Maybe for guys in Scotland need to look for alternative ways of earning money in the winter with their existing customer base but if the transport network is ground to halt there is nothing to do but sit it out.
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Next one starts Xmas week ::) :'( :'( :'(
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The long range forecast I was looking at last night seemed to show that it would be cold, but not freezing during the days all the way until xmas.
News readers cold is very different to my cold, anything lower than the temp in their air conditioned offices is cold!
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ive seen next weeks - max temp 0f +2 to +4 but night temps low as -4 to -6
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this will be my 17 winter window cleaning and i always manage to keep ticking over!IMO windows sometimes get more dirty in winter and im usually later than spring summer getting to my custies so their usually happy to see me!! ;D ;D
i personally think chopsie you seem to have quite a negative attitude towards your business at times and i think you need to toughen up or become one of the summer brigade!!!! ;) ;D ;D ;D
also some of you seem over reliant on wfp when ladders and traditional extension poles can be used when its too cold for wfp.
there seems to be a a small core of whingers on this site who just make excuses why they cant work or are ill prepared or maybe their just stupid/thick!(im not refering to any scottish lads by the way that have been really snowed under!!) ;D ;D ;D.
for those that have just started then maybe its forgivable but those who ve been going a few years really should be prepared!
either enjoy the time off or find a way to keep ticking over OR go out of business and go and sign on!! ;D ;D ;D
regards
dazmond
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So long as the day time temp is above freezing I'm in business
However I did clean in -1 on mon and managed almost 6 hours
Before clamps froze:-)) been on it all week this week , well happy:-))
Have to catch up from previous week when I forgot to turn
Heater on in garage and tank froze, silly me took 4 days to
Thaw it out, and I'm in bucks where it's been relatively barmy
Compared to the rest of uk.
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this will be my 17 winter window cleaning and i always manage to keep ticking over!IMO windows sometimes get more dirty in winter and im usually later than spring summer getting to my custies so their usually happy to see me!! ;D ;D
i personally think chopsie you seem to have quite a negative attitude towards your business at times and i think you need to toughen up or become one of the summer brigade!!!! ;) ;D ;D ;D
also some of you seem over reliant on wfp when ladders and traditional extension poles can be used when its too cold for wfp.
there seems to be a a small core of whingers on this site who just make excuses why they cant work or are ill prepared or maybe their just stupid/thick!(im not refering to any scottish lads by the way that have been really snowed under!!) ;D ;D ;D.
for those that have just started then maybe its forgivable but those who ve been going a few years really should be prepared!
either enjoy the time off or find a way to keep ticking over OR go out of business and go and sign on!! ;D ;D ;D
regards
dazmond
Chopsie
We can not second guess what the customers want. If you ask them if they want a break for three months because its difficult for you to get round or that that the weather is poor, then yes most may take the break.
If though you train your customers that they can expect you every so many weeks, they will expect you. Most appreciate that we have a living to earn.
If we give them the opportunity to turn us away, we are just inviting the "not today as it looks like rain" though every season.
Lee
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In reply to daz, yes I agree and do get the squeegee and ladders
Out more in winter but also in summer. Tend to trad shops any how
And in winter just plod on doing bits, again most people are pleased to
See me in winter as I'm usually miles behind and the windows do
Tend to be more dirty. I also pick up work that the summer
Brigade can't and won't do , happy days . I would rather cancelled
Aug than the winter months as most people are on holiday
And am tempted to just not bothe with aug and go travelling
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In reply to daz, yes I agree and do get the squeegee and ladders
Out more in winter but also in summer. Tend to trad shops any how
And in winter just plod on doing bits, again most people are pleased to
See me in winter as I'm usually miles behind and the windows do
Tend to be more dirty. I also pick up work that the summer
Brigade can't and won't do , happy days . I would rather cancelled
Aug than the winter months as most people are on holiday
And am tempted to just not bothe with aug and go travelling
i agree tom!!august and january are the worst months!! ;D ;D ;D
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It said in the paper we could be in for the WORST Winter since 1962/63; but I don't know how bad that was since I'm not PJ's age.
We'd better stock up with baked beans from Lidls I think!
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Now is the time to review your business...
Someone recently came up with 200 days as a good amount of day to make your annual income...
So far I'm at 166 and am at 11% increase in turnover from 2009.
But if these couple of years are anything to go by either putting alot more money by or finding something else as a income generator needs to be found...whilst I have saved for 8 weeks bad weather (4 being my holiday this year) perhaps more needs to be put away.
What are you thinking is the best way forward for you...?
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Jan. Noooo I love jan it's snows in bucks I normally get a week
Off playing in snow with the children.
Maybe I'm still new to this window cleaning coz I only started in dec 07
But I alwas put a lump of money away each month , originally
It was in case of illness never thought snow would be problem
As we never used to get any round our way. Also the last two years
I've used my tax money to buy a car use it then sold it for
A few hundred quid more when the tax was due. Could never
Have done that in my last job
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Now is the time to review your business...
Someone recently came up with 200 days as a good amount of day to make your annual income...
So far I'm at 166 and am at 11% increase in turnover from 2009.
But if these couple of years are anything to go by either putting alot more money by or finding something else as a income generator needs to be found...whilst I have saved for 8 weeks bad weather (4 being my holiday this year) perhaps more needs to be put away.
What are you thinking is the best way forward for you...?
work through it i say!! ;) ;D ;D ;D ;D
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I agree with dazmond, its okay to sit at home moaning unless you have 2 feet of snow outside but I feel its like money sitting out on the street waiting to be picked up.And I had to bite the bullet and get the trad pole out and get on with it as it was driving me mad sitting indoors looking out the window thinking how far behind i was getting and its not a case of money as i saved and planned for bad weeks.A lot of advise has been given about working in cold conditions and you can take it or leave it the latter might see you losing your house and no food in the cupboards,1/2 a weeks money is better than no money ;)
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clearly clean i quite enjoyed using the trad pole and cleaning more trad for a change!no hoses or faffing about!i was cleaning a part of my round that was suited to the trad pole so it was ok!
and knowing your chipping away at your workload brings its own satisfactions!its good to be adaptable!! ;D ;D
regards
dazmond
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i read its going to be real bad in jan2011
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It said in the paper we could be in for the WORST Winter since 1962/63; but I don't know how bad that was since I'm not PJ's age.
We'd better stock up with baked beans from Lidls I think!
you will be lucky
i can remember my parents ripping up the lino,and burning some of the mattresses to keep the fire going
we had to go out and collect snow and put into tin bath and put on stove for water
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i can remember my parents ripping up the lino,and burning some of the mattresses to keep the fire going
we had to go out and collect snow and put into tin bath and put on stove for water
Honestly?
I mean is that honest that you washed in the Forest of Dean?
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In South Glos. today I spoke to a fellow windy in a balmy 4 degrees this morning (I could see the Severn Bridge and my side of the river it was grey but as it reached the Chepstow it turned white with ice! ;)) and we both agreed that with a bit of forethought and planning there is no reason not to work wfp in minus one or two daytime temperatures as long as you go steady, sweep away water and put salt/grit down.
It might mean slower work and working Saturdays like I plan to do tomoz - but it can be done.