Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: scud on August 23, 2011, 10:19:24 pm

Title: Think I am selling up
Post by: scud on August 23, 2011, 10:19:24 pm
  Right, here goes, I am totally fed up with my life as it is, and in particular cleaning windows, so I have decided to move on to another venture, therefore the round is up for sale.

  I have built the round over the past 7 years, with all customers paying on the job, sending cheques and now alot more are paying online.
 
   The work is a mixture of about 10% commercial and the rest residential, some of the commercial jobs pay in excess of £50 per hour.

   I work most of the domestics on a 5 week round, with some larger accounts 6 weekly, but there are also some every other time customers, and some commercial is weekly and fortnightly, with a couple of good paying jobs quarterly.

   The George report show all jobs performed once at just under 5k.

  I also get alot of add on work, and there is also alot of scope to build the round with a bit of effort, but I have lost the spark that drove me. I just leave it to grow organically at the moment.

  The work  is all WFP and has been for over 6 years, all equipement excluding van will be included in the sale.

   I can show exact daily/weekly/monthly takings for the last 3 years +, along with weather reports!

  I take on average in excess of £800 per week working alone, although I do work fairly hard, it would not be unreasonable to think this could be improved upon.

  Asking price is £50k, but am open to offers very close by, the work is centered around Spalding in Lincolnshire, but does work around the area in pretty much full days everywhere.

  For more info please leave an email addy here and I will contact you over the course of the next few days.
Title: Re: Think I am selling up
Post by: LADDER MONKEY on August 23, 2011, 10:25:37 pm
not my area sorry m8, other wise i would have been interested   :( but all the best in what ever you do  ;)
Title: Re: Think I am selling up
Post by: H S and Son on August 23, 2011, 10:30:32 pm
Good luck with that, Id be interested to see about how well you do in achieving your sales figure. All the best!
Title: Re: Think I am selling up
Post by: idealrob on August 23, 2011, 10:37:19 pm
who has £50k, would invest in a window cleaning round, maybe Broadmoor or Rampton inmates, not having ago at whos selling, just stating a fact in todays world

idealrob
Title: Re: Think I am selling up
Post by: mlscontractcleaner on August 23, 2011, 10:58:45 pm
Does seem a bit steep; you'd work all year and still break even.

Good luck though mate; though at £50k you can't be that desperate to sell up lol!!!!!
Title: Re: Think I am selling up
Post by: scud on August 23, 2011, 11:01:09 pm
  I knew I would get the inevitable who has 50k to invest in a window cleaning business crap.

  Perhaps someone who has 50k sitting in the bank earning next to nothing, and has a bit of business accumen about them will invest 50k for a good monthly return and still be able to realise atleast their initial investment when they want out?

  Alot of people on this site are very blinkered in their outlook.

  Any serious bidders out there, sorry for my rant, please get in touch if interested.
Title: Re: Think I am selling up
Post by: Johnny B on August 23, 2011, 11:08:42 pm
Don't think anyone's having a go at you, but you will obviously need to find a buyer who has both the money and the confidence to take the business on.

I sold my business last month due to a relocation to Ireland, where I am starting up again from scratch.

I got £7000 for my work, which was 3 times the turnover, was mostly compact and was well established. And I was grateful that I got that!

Hope you get what you are looking for though!

John.
Title: Re: Think I am selling up
Post by: Steve_c on August 23, 2011, 11:10:02 pm
Your have a job selling for that sort of money, dream on sunshine.
Title: Re: Think I am selling up
Post by: supernova77 on August 23, 2011, 11:45:32 pm
Well I think around £50k could be possible as a sale price... But not by advertising it on a forum.

You need to advertise it on a businesses for sale website... Maybe even use a business sale working on commision to sell it.

Hope the sale goes well.

What new business are you getting in to?

Andy
Title: Re: Think I am selling up
Post by: dazmond on August 23, 2011, 11:46:30 pm
you might get 10-12 grand for it if your lucky. ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Think I am selling up
Post by: monkeyboy950 on August 23, 2011, 11:49:16 pm
50k for 3.2k a months work !!!!! You would be doing well to get 20k and some commercial work?? They could cancel tmrw and your left with Nowt,aww the best wae that asking price
Title: Re: Think I am selling up
Post by: Frankybadboy on August 24, 2011, 07:06:44 am
12 mth time your still be doing the windows :o ;D
Title: Re: Think I am selling up
Post by: bobplum on August 24, 2011, 07:30:19 am
have you thought of the Willis family , aren't they building a company in Lincolnshire?,they may have that kind of money
Title: Re: Think I am selling up
Post by: Justen Uff on August 24, 2011, 07:57:04 am
You say you've lost the spark?  After just 6 or 7 years?

I'll make you an offer

£7.5 k and another £1k for you to spend a week working with me on all the main clients
Title: Re: Think I am selling up
Post by: Pope vader on August 24, 2011, 07:58:22 am
why dont u employ if you are making that much
Title: Re: Think I am selling up
Post by: Smudger on August 24, 2011, 08:03:37 am
Scud - Good luck with selling your round, i think you would have been better sticking on a rounds for sale site OR running an add in the local paper that the biz is for sale, while i think the price is high it's your biz to sell and get what you can for it, (esp with all the equipment as well) and leaves room for negotiations

I am constantly bemused/confuzed on this forum when on one hand people on here bang on about how they earn upwards of 100 quid an hour or window cleaning is easy money yet as soon as some one values their biz and themselves it all changes and window cleaning is worthless, or they are greedy.....

buying a biz is only worth what some one is willing to pay for it - and at least this one will bring in an income unlike being suckered by certain companies to spend £20k + on equipment and have no custy's

Darran
Title: Re: Think I am selling up
Post by: Londoner on August 24, 2011, 08:22:39 am
Do they still print Dalton's Weekly? That used to be good for selling businesses. I agree rounds should go for more than they do but round here the WCs wont buy them. Only newbies buy rounds.
Title: Re: Think I am selling up
Post by: ♠Winp®oClean♠ on August 24, 2011, 08:26:53 am
Scud - Good luck with selling your round, i think you would have been better sticking on a rounds for sale site OR running an add in the local paper that the biz is for sale, while i think the price is high it's your biz to sell and get what you can for it, (esp with all the equipment as well) and leaves room for negotiations

I am constantly bemused/confuzed on this forum when on one hand people on here bang on about how they earn upwards of 100 quid an hour or window cleaning is easy money yet as soon as some one values their biz and themselves it all changes and window cleaning is worthless, or they are greedy.....

buying a biz is only worth what some one is willing to pay for it - and at least this one will bring in an income unlike being suckered by certain companies to spend £20k + on equipment and have no custy's

Darran

He's not selling a business though Smudge, he's selling a list of his clients, any of whom could cancel at any time say, if they don't like the new cleaner.

I'll predict a selling price of 12 to 14k. So me thinks he might stick it out a bit longer when reality hits!! ;D
Title: Re: Think I am selling up
Post by: windiewasher on August 24, 2011, 08:34:03 am
Gbwindowcleaning will have it off u
Title: Re: Think I am selling up
Post by: Ian101 on August 24, 2011, 08:39:58 am
When u say George says 50K is that round valuation report or income forecast as round valuation don't differenciate between 4 weekly 8 weekly it just assumes all jobs done in 1 month whereas income forecast for 1 year divided by 12 gives a more accurate report
Title: Re: Think I am selling up
Post by: Ian101 on August 24, 2011, 08:42:00 am
Meant to say 5K not 50K
Title: Re: Think I am selling up
Post by: barry mallett on August 24, 2011, 08:56:36 am
i think theres a guy called s. ucker looking for a round to buy on the businesses to sell section. i think you will easily get 17 times what it takes every 4 weeks.  ;)
Title: Re: Think I am selling up
Post by: Paul Coleman on August 24, 2011, 09:06:17 am
I believe that well established rounds to go too cheaply at the moment.  Even if the round is worth £50k, finding someone to pay that might be tricky.  The best hope of getting a decent return might be if someone buys it as an add on to an existing growing business that employs.  That way there might be a £15k - £18k profit in it for them.  Even then it would take maybe three years to make the money back.  However, that may well be acceptable to someone who's looking at the longer term and doesn't have to do much extra work to increase their turnover (maybe someone who has a manager running the business).  The main drawback then might be the VAT going onto it as most of it is domestic work ad maybe some of the commercial work consists of businesses with the simplified VAT (i.e. caN'T CLAIM IT BACK DIRECTLY).
Whichever way you slice it, you may have to come down a bit from  your initial asking price - but I assume that your initial valuation was negotiable anyway.
Not haVING A POP HERE sCUD.  tRYING TO BE CONSTRUCTIVE - SOMETHING THAT IS SOMETIMES IN SHORT SUPPLY ON THIS FORUM.
Title: Re: Think I am selling up
Post by: Smudger on August 24, 2011, 09:14:05 am
Scud - Good luck with selling your round, i think you would have been better sticking on a rounds for sale site OR running an add in the local paper that the biz is for sale, while i think the price is high it's your biz to sell and get what you can for it, (esp with all the equipment as well) and leaves room for negotiations

I am constantly bemused/confuzed on this forum when on one hand people on here bang on about how they earn upwards of 100 quid an hour or window cleaning is easy money yet as soon as some one values their biz and themselves it all changes and window cleaning is worthless, or they are greedy.....

buying a biz is only worth what some one is willing to pay for it - and at least this one will bring in an income unlike being suckered by certain companies to spend £20k + on equipment and have no custy's

Darran

He's not selling a business though Smudge, he's selling a list of his clients, any of whom could cancel at any time say, if they don't like the new cleaner.

I'll predict a selling price of 12 to 14k. So me thinks he might stick it out a bit longer when reality hits!! ;D

Not a biz ? you really have a low self opinion of window cleaners !
if you brought a shop biz you pay for the 'goodwil' and hope the regular customers will still use you...

Darran
Title: Re: Think I am selling up
Post by: Erithwc on August 24, 2011, 09:15:48 am
for 50k i would hire a couple of sales people for a year and i bet they would get alot more than £800s worth of work a week ;D ;D
Title: Re: Think I am selling up
Post by: supernova77 on August 24, 2011, 09:35:31 am
Quote
Not a biz ? you really have a low self opinion of window cleaners !
if you brought a shop biz you pay for the 'goodwil' and hope the regular customers will still use you...

Darran

Exactly!    A lot of businesses rely on "good will".
Title: Re: Think I am selling up
Post by: windiewasher on August 24, 2011, 10:15:50 am
And some m8
for 50k i would hire a couple of sales people for a year and i bet they would get alot more than £800s worth of work a week ;D ;D
Title: Re: Think I am selling up
Post by: CLEANCARE WC on August 24, 2011, 11:10:42 am
i got told, not by an accountant mind you that you cannot claim for good will against your tax? so all you could put through the books is some 2nd hand gear? not sure on this though.
Title: Re: Think I am selling up
Post by: Rogue Trader on August 24, 2011, 11:34:15 am
you can claim on good will but only a percentage and you have to stretch it our over a few years apparently, i bought a round recently for 25k and that is what the accountant told me , i payed roughly 4x.
Title: Re: Think I am selling up
Post by: Helen on August 24, 2011, 01:53:42 pm
I believe that well established rounds to go too cheaply at the moment.  Even if the round is worth £50k, finding someone to pay that might be tricky.  Whichever way you slice it, you may have to come down a bit from  your initial asking price - but I assume that your initial valuation was negotiable anyway.
Not haVING A POP HERE sCUD.  tRYING TO BE CONSTRUCTIVE - SOMETHING THAT IS SOMETIMES IN SHORT SUPPLY ON THIS FORUM.
With you Paul.
Anything is only worth what someone will pay for it.
When we advertised ours for sale, potential buyers were given options on the purchase, buy business as a whole (including the name) or buying the work only, and many other options.
We didn't advertise any price and when people phoned up they were given the options and the different prices we wanted.
Some hit the ground and needed CPR, obviously just window cleaners not business people and some realised the potential and were serious contenders.
In the end we got a fair price for a 9 year established window cleaning business.
Now had we not had an offer close to what we required, we would not have sold and just carried on with the work ourselves, even though we didn't enjoy it any more.
We sold 2 years ago and the people who brought it have only lost a handful of those customers and are benefitting from it.
Scud, in all honesty I think you are too high at £50k, but you can always come down. If a van was included then it may be a valid figure.
£800 per week over 46 weeks (you have to have time off) is £36800 and that is what potential buyers will see, never mind equipment or whatever or potential for add ons.
You will be better off advertising on a business for sale site and in your local rag. Don't put a price in your local rag and the you can easily sort out timewasters when they ring :)
Title: Re: Think I am selling up
Post by: scud on August 24, 2011, 02:36:24 pm
  Right, to clarify, if you actually read the ad, not what you want to read, I state that I average in excess of £800pw, I have not given the exact figure and that is worked on a 52 week year.

  I also state that the price is negotiable.

  I didn't ask for all the opinions on the price, but as is with this place I am obviously going to get that, but am just putting it out there in case a serious buyer is there and is interested.

  I am in no rush to sell, and will not let it go for a low price, I have been around business for a good while now and know there worth, whether I get a buyer remains to be seen, if not I will re-asses what I want to do with it, until then the work will still be serviced to the standard my customers are used to.

  If anyone of you out there can point me in the direction of a business that wants 50k and to start returning significant sums each and every week, please point me in that direction. ;)
Title: Re: Think I am selling up
Post by: wpclean on August 24, 2011, 03:21:14 pm
Do you have something in mind you are going to do if you sell up ?      I ask because I  sold up a few years ago cos I was fed up, and really regretted it afterwards !
You can take window cleaning for granted after a while, but there are very few jobs that can pay the same and give you the flexibility of time.
Try and perhaps rent out the round while you try something else, but think hard because a good window round with good customers can take many years to build.   

Hope things work out for you mate  ;D
Title: Re: Think I am selling up
Post by: king marko on August 24, 2011, 05:05:42 pm
if you want to split some i might be intersested - ive got a couple of days in bourne, thurlby and deeping st nick so could use some extra ???  ;)
Title: Re: Think I am selling up
Post by: ♠Winp®oClean♠ on August 24, 2011, 05:30:38 pm
Doesn't really matter what or who thinks, the fact remains that it's a domestic window cleaning round with a drop of commercial thrown in. Dress it up as you wish but I guarantee you that 50k is WAY off the mark! ;)
Title: Re: Think I am selling up
Post by: Dave Willis on August 24, 2011, 05:33:47 pm
I think we'd all be selling up tomorrow for that kind of return. Take a gap year and re-canvass.
Title: Re: Think I am selling up
Post by: Taylor & Taylor WC Services on August 24, 2011, 06:05:40 pm
Scud........do you have contact number?
Title: Re: Think I am selling up
Post by: LWC on August 24, 2011, 06:17:39 pm
I think we'd all be selling up tomorrow for that kind of return. Take a gap year and re-canvass.

Me to lol. I could take the next 3 - 4 years off if i sold mine off at that return ;D My opinion its just not worth what your thinking but good luck!
Title: Re: Think I am selling up
Post by: scud on August 24, 2011, 08:13:05 pm
Scud........do you have contact number?

 Give me youe email and I will send it to you, but am not on the phone until next week now, am having a few days off.
Title: Re: Think I am selling up
Post by: Frankybadboy on August 24, 2011, 08:16:47 pm
Scud........do you have contact number?

 Give me youe email and I will send it to you, but am not on the phone until next week now, am having a few days off.
someone shows a intest with a poss buy at 50k and you say he cant get hold of you for a few days.you cant be that intested in saleing it then, rolly eye :o :o :o :o
Title: Re: Think I am selling up
Post by: Taylor & Taylor WC Services on August 24, 2011, 08:18:13 pm
e-mail on my signature
Title: Re: Think I am selling up
Post by: David Kent @ KentKleen on August 24, 2011, 10:43:46 pm
I paid £40k for the goodwill of a off licence/general dealers store. A store that opened 5.30am till 10pm. I lived above it and IT ran my life!!!!!!
I could only dream of earning what your window round is bringing in for you! I bet you are not starting at 5.30 and on the glass till 10pm.

IF I knew then what i do now regarding window cleaning and you where in my area I would be finding 50k to give you.

Taking over someone elses window cleaning business if done right should see good customer retention.
I paid for goodwill on a shop. The customers did not have a contract with the owner i bought it off 'only to shop with him'

GET MY POINT!
Good luck and hope you get your asking price

 ;) 
Title: Re: Think I am selling up
Post by: CLEANCARE WC on August 24, 2011, 10:57:13 pm
kenklean 40 hrs on the glass @ £20ph= £800 easypeasy
Title: Re: Think I am selling up
Post by: dazmond on August 24, 2011, 11:18:26 pm
CLEANCARE none of us do 40 hours a week "on the glass" week in/week out 52 weeks of the year! ;D ;D ;D

try 32 hours "on the glass"at £25 an hour=£800! ;) ;)
Title: Re: Think I am selling up
Post by: MNWC on August 24, 2011, 11:38:33 pm
marc , if you are serious then id buy the commercial off you .....
Title: Re: Think I am selling up
Post by: mikecam on August 24, 2011, 11:52:50 pm

  If anyone of you out there can point me in the direction of a business that wants 50k and to start returning significant sums each and every week, please point me in that direction. ;)

There ya go............
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/find.html?locationIdentifier=REGION^813&maxPrice=50000

loads of them for 50k, probably returning around £400 PCM. Can be used as collateral, no physical work involved, a definate physical/real asset.
 Looks like you'll be struggling to find someone to pay 50k to do £800 a weeks worth of work for £800 though!!  ;D
Title: Re: Think I am selling up
Post by: Ian101 on August 25, 2011, 08:24:03 am

  If anyone of you out there can point me in the direction of a business that wants 50k and to start returning significant sums each and every week, please point me in that direction. ;)

There ya go............
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/find.html?locationIdentifier=REGION^813&maxPrice=50000

loads of them for 50k, probably returning around £400 PCM. Can be used as collateral, no physical work involved, a definate physical/real asset.
 Looks like you'll be struggling to find someone to pay 50k to do £800 a weeks worth of work for £800 though!!  ;D


loose change to a man like you Mike  ;)
Title: Re: Think I am selling up
Post by: Justen Uff on August 25, 2011, 11:05:45 am
  Right, to clarify, if you actually read the ad, not what you want to read, I state that I average in excess of £800pw, I have not given the exact figure and that is worked on a 52 week year.

  I also state that the price is negotiable.

  I didn't ask for all the opinions on the price, but as is with this place I am obviously going to get that, but am just putting it out there in case a serious buyer is there and is interested.

  I am in no rush to sell, and will not let it go for a low price, I have been around business for a good while now and know there worth, whether I get a buyer remains to be seen, if not I will re-asses what I want to do with it, until then the work will still be serviced to the standard my customers are used to.

  If anyone of you out there can point me in the direction of a business that wants 50k and to start returning significant sums each and every week, please point me in that direction. ;)

Well I put a sensible offer up there.  You have obviously shunned it.  You haven't even bothered asking if I'm willing to negotiate up.
You chose to put it on open forum,  you've got a mojority opinion feeling given, which is why you put it on here.
You want far more money than its worth because you haven't really decided to part with it.  It's obviously worth more for you to keep it than to sell it
And for that reason I withdraw my genuine offer and I'm out!
Title: Re: Think I am selling up
Post by: CLEANCARE WC on August 25, 2011, 01:33:18 pm
CLEANCARE none of us do 40 hours a week "on the glass" week in/week out 52 weeks of the year! ;D ;D ;D

try 32 hours "on the glass"at £25 an hour=£800! ;) ;)


Dazmond you cant speak for all of us  :P  ;D but yeh your breakdown is more like it. I was just pointing out that its hardly unobtainable.
Title: Re: Think I am selling up
Post by: Dave Mills on August 25, 2011, 04:56:29 pm
Well I put a sensible offer up there. 

You didn't.  Not really, did you?
Title: Re: Think I am selling up
Post by: Justen Uff on August 25, 2011, 06:53:37 pm
Well I put a sensible offer up there. 

You didn't.  Not really, did you?

Yep!  It is only goodwill from a list that you're buying. Lets say you realistically lose 50% of said round in first year, that leaves you with a turnover of £25k at best.  Lets say you manage £2k a month, well £7,500 for a round returning a minimum £2k a month is a very genuine offer.
But he ain't selling, and thats for sure.
Title: Re: Think I am selling up
Post by: Taylor & Taylor WC Services on August 25, 2011, 07:07:27 pm
Not sure this is a genuine post?
Title: Re: Think I am selling up
Post by: geoffreyspecht on August 25, 2011, 09:08:15 pm
 I knew I would get the inevitable who has 50k to invest in a window cleaning business crap.

  Perhaps someone who has 50k sitting in the bank earning next to nothing, and has a bit of business accumen about them will invest 50k for a good monthly return and still be able to realise atleast their initial investment when they want out?

  Alot of people on this site are very blinkered in their outlook.

  Any serious bidders out there, sorry for my rant, please get in touch if interested.
50p
Title: Re: Think I am selling up
Post by: LSB on August 26, 2011, 04:54:27 pm
maybe seperate your round and sell in it parts ?

i have a very large round and have considered / looked into selling , no window cleaner or someone wanting to be a wc is walking around with enough money to buy it , or able to borrow it.

like mine  , it may make good business sense on paper , but very few potential investors.

good luck though.     ( get some staff / rent it out )