Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Matt - aquatec on September 06, 2011, 05:52:02 pm
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Hi
I would really welcome everyone's opinion on this.
I am looking to build a business just to start with on conservatory roofs using a WFP trolley system.
The reasoning behind this is very simple, I don't have much cash to invest straight away into a complete van system and secondly I will have to start part time as I already have a fully time occupation.
So my thinking is, market conny cleans only. This way I can fit them in as and when they are required at a time that suits both the customer and myself. Once I gain some customers then I can schedule maintenance cleans and build it up this way.
I know it sounds simple and it certainly won't be to start off with but as it is said, you get nowt for sitting on yer arse.
Has anyone done it this way and what would be your suggestions.
Many thanks
Matt
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Whats to stop them getting their window cleaner to do it?
Look at doing windows seriously, find a way to carry more water, it will take a good while to get enough windows, con roofs will be very hard.
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As an extra income, you will earn a few quid,
But how are you planning to get custys, as it would be a hell of alot of leg work, for little return.
Wouldnt fancy cleaning con roofs with a trolley, especially if the custy didnt habe an outside tap
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me thinks your going in the wrong direction matt, conny roofs take a lot more water than windows and if you did a big conny roof you would need quite a few barrels of water to clean it.
best advice I can give is just market window cleaning as this would be easier for you being a newbie and the work is more reguallar most customers usually only have the conny roofs cleaned no more than twice a year and in many cases just the once.
you will gain valuable experience from cleaning windows and once you start building up your customers they will automaticly ask to clean their conny roofs as and when required.
besides a customer who wants the conny roof cleaned will more than likely also want the windows cleaned, start at window cleaning and let the business progress.
Steve
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A trolley system will be ok to finish a roof off if its glass with pure water but to use it to clean all conny roofs its gonna use a hell of a lot of water.
why dont you just concentrate on getting window cleaning work and wfp tops/trad ground floor and just take on roofs that have an outside tap you can plug into to save your water?
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Why limit yourself to just roofs? Sure if you get loads and loads of take ups then I guess thats fine but you might find work hard to come by so in which case you may as well take what you get and if that house windows then dont look a gifthorse in the mouth. I would think if you are hoping to build a decent business in this economic climate you should take whatever comes your way. And as for you dont have much time...it takes a lot longer to do a roof than to clean the windows on a house...unless its a mansion, and finally the vast majority of conservatory roof cleans I do I get in the spring, people dont tend to worry so much when winters coming as they dont tend to sit in them so often, spring time is busiest for me
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Go for it. My son's doing this.
You can use ordinary tap water to do the cleaning and then your pure to rinse off.
REPEAT - Don't use pure for the cleaning. Use it only for the rinsing. That way you can get away with less than 50 litres = two cans on your trolley.
He does it this way >>>>
>>> Spray the conny with a weak non-caustic TFR (traffic film remover) solution using a 5-litre garden sprayer.
>>> Wash it with your pole with a really high flow of tap water from the customer's outside tap.
>>> Rinse with pure.
Start with the roof working from the ridge cappings down and then do the sides.
And charge HIGH!!!! £5 per roof panel is a good start - and add an extra for those with box gutters.
The only mistake you can make is to under charge.
As a part-time business to get yourself going, it WILL work.
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What if the custy doesnt have an outside tap
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Disagree with most of whats been said apart from last post ;D ;D
Trolley is perfect for finishing conservatories esp glass obviously.
If your are going to clean them properly including framework wfp waste of time, comes down to hard work elbow grease. Need Upvc chemicals selection std brushes and platform for access. You can charge far higher prices than last post only prob is getting your name out there....
We clean con all year round even xmas time as customers have parties etc
But talking about 'proper cons' not '3*4s'
jes how many custys dont have outside taps! Most most decent size houses have oputside taps its 2011 ! worst case if access from washing m/c you can use that same thread!
In general window cleaners wont touch them as it takes toooo long
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Just cleaned my conny outside used flash liquid brush & a hose. :-[ There was 2 years worth of dirt on it, "shame on me" :-[ finished off with WFP took best part of 5 hours from start to finish. Looks great (My wife thinks i'm wonderful) :) ;) :) ;D
Rickster
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Mike Roberts. How long do you think it will take a newbie to clean an average sized roof to a decent standard?
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Cleaning con roofs are gonna get the con windows dirty, so unless your a magician, your gonna have to clean the con windows aswell. So you had may aswell clean the house windows aswell.
In a nutshell... the idea is pointless!
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Cleaning con roofs are gonna get the con windows dirty, so unless your a magician, your gonna have to clean the con windows aswell. So you had may aswell clean the house windows aswell.
In a nutshell... the idea is pointless!
er what ??? ??? Pointless what ??? ??? Generally if you clean a conservatory the windows on the conservatory are part of the conservatory ;D ;D so yer u clean them as well ;D any effected windows you clean them as well :P
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Mike Roberts. How long do you think it will take a newbie to clean an average sized roof to a decent standard?
Not sure what a average size is ??? ??? thats say 1/2 - 3/4 of a day proper clean for the first dozen.
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Cleaning con roofs are gonna get the con windows dirty, so unless your a magician, your gonna have to clean the con windows aswell. So you had may aswell clean the house windows aswell.
In a nutshell... the idea is pointless!
In a nutshell ... the idea is perfectly sound.
Evidently, if the roof is grubby, so is the rest of the frame going to be, so it will need cleaning anyway.
So what if it takes ages? The next one will be a bit quicker etc.
As a part-time business it's absolutely perfect.
Matthay, I expect loads of your buddies have got conservatories. Ask them if you can clean them for free. By the time you've done 2 or 3, you'll be sufficiently expert. After all, it's not rocket science - it's cleaning!!!!!
And Rick is right about using Flash liquid. I've used it in an emergency when I didn't have TFR. It did the job - but it stank of chemical lemons!
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It will cost you too much money per job to get the work, Better off cleaning the full conservatory and taking a decent amount of money off the custy. You could complete a full conny clean in the time it takes you to pack up and move around 4 or 5 custys If your thinking of starting now, give them a free gutter flush worth £x (conny only)to prepare them for the winter.
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Cleaning con roofs are gonna get the con windows dirty, so unless your a magician, your gonna have to clean the con windows aswell. So you had may aswell clean the house windows aswell.
In a nutshell... the idea is pointless!
In a nutshell ... the idea is perfectly sound.
Evidently, if the roof is grubby, so is the rest of the frame going to be, so it will need cleaning anyway.
So what if it takes ages? The next one will be a bit quicker etc.
As a part-time business it's absolutely perfect.
Matthay, I expect loads of your buddies have got conservatories. Ask them if you can clean them for free. By the time you've done 2 or 3, you'll be sufficiently expert. After all, it's not rocket science - it's cleaning!!!!!
And Rick is right about using Flash liquid. I've used it in an emergency when I didn't have TFR. It did the job - but it stank of chemical lemons!
Thank god we have someone with sense ;D ;D thats not get to fiesty rrr luv it
I may of made mistake :o Assumed you would clean all ... all of the conservatory.... not just top but all of it god damn...
We offer cons cleaning as part of our business (you can all see that not hidden ;D ;D) If i had time we can run that service as a stand alone business there is enough work out there - to busy on this facebook!
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Matthay - i think its a good idea why not god dam it. come and work for me ;D
The big problem is you work full time.... nights drawing in only leaves wkends will work with some custys but not all.... as a newbie (bloody hate that term) do u want someone there watching u ??? ???
If you can only work wkends dont c how window cleaning will work as round will grow little scope to do the work ??? ???
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I'm gonna open a fish n chip shop but just sell chips
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now thats just being silly ;D ;D ;D
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i dont like chips ;D ;D prefer fish ;D ;D
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But why use a trolly to clean a conservatory roof? The idea is sound except for that one detail. A WFP pump won't pump out enough water fast enough to get a good flow of water running down the roof to wash all the bits off. Hook the pole up to a tap and you have a belting flow of water that will cascade down the glass and push everything in front of it. The flow coming out of the jets is like a pressure washer and breaks up dried on bird poo and even lichens that you won't reach any other way. Much easier and quicker and also cheaper! You won't be watching your water supply all the time either because you won't care how much water you are using.
The flow from the jets is strong enough to get into all those nooks and crannys on the ornamental bits which you should be careful about scrubbing for fear you knock them off which I have done in the past. Some are only glued on.
I've done a lot of conservatory roofs over the years and have got it down to a fine art, Give the roof a good spray first and let it soak into everything then off you go but let the water flow do as much of the work as you can . You still have to scrub everything but let the water flow wash all the bits down. Otherwise you end up trying to sweep them down with the brush and that takes ages.
You should clean all the guttering and white work down as well, and the glass, sills etc. No use doing the roof and leaving the rest looking manky. Finish off with pure at the end.
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this is the conny cleaning side to my business www.procleanconservatories.co.uk
(sorry not sure how to do links) and between march/april to august/sept this can bring 4 or 5 quotes a week aswell as leafleting and getting around 90% off them so yes i think just conny cleaning on its only can work but it takes a lot of marketing and leafleting
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Something i posted on matts forum this evening .... pictures and how i clean a conny .... hope it helps ;D
(http://i1123.photobucket.com/albums/l542/bluefrogsystems/Conservatory%20Valet%20310311/connygutters1before.jpg)
(http://i1123.photobucket.com/albums/l542/bluefrogsystems/Conservatory%20Valet%20310311/connygutters1after.jpg)
Was an hour to an hour and half for the roof - pointy bits, pannels & roof bars (i did have to go round the neighbours to do one of the 3 sides)
The gutters took about 35 mins with a hosepipe and a brush from a dustpan and brush set (thats still in the van - dont tell my wife).
Trick is to be generous with the virosol ... the conservatory in the pictures was a 3 pannel x 3 pannel and i used 5L of virosol mixed to 1:24. That might seem alot, but 1 x 5L concentrate bottle makes 125L.
Spray from the top (pointy bits), spray down and leave for 2-5 mins depending on sunshine / heat (2 mins if hot / 5 mins if cloudy).
I use a vikan flocked sill brush (very soft brush) to clean the roof. Spray a little water on the roof (quick zig zag motion) and then start cleaning from the bottom upwards (start closest to the gutter).The sill brush helps as it has a larger surface area compared to say a superlight. The chemical will foam up a little, this is what you want to happen.
Once you get to the pointy bits at the top, the sill brush has another use. Sill brushes have two sides to the bristles. This means you can sit one lot of bristles on the ridge and the larger set of bristles to clean the pointy bits. By doing it this way, you dont have to hold the pole up - you just rest it on the ridge and mover it side to side.
Once you have done this, then rinse the roof off with custys hosepipe. Quciker than using wfp (you can do a final rinse later if you want to with wfp)
Once i have done the roof then i move on to the lips where the water runs into the gutter. Easiest way i have found to do this is buy using a cloth. Sometimes you can take the plastic strip off, sometimes you cant. If i can i do as i find its easier to clean then
Then i rinse the roof again with the hosepipe and clean the external gutters and windows.
If they want the internal gutters cleaned out, then its extra - this one i think i charged an extra £25 just for the internal gutters. If im doing the internal gutters then i do this before the final rinse on the roof and before the windows on the conny.
First thing to do is to get any crap out of there. I have tried various scoops, but its easier & quicker to take a bucket up and scoop it out with your hand - gross yes, but time is money and all that.
Once you have scooped out the crap, then i use the customers hosepipe with a hoselock sprayer (plugs into a female hoselock and you twist it to move from a mist to a jet). First thing is to spray out any crap left in there. Next spray the gutter and use the brush from a dustpan and brush set to clean to white.
Hope this helps mate ... has taken me a while to figure out how to get the perfect conny roof clean .... this is my method and it does the job !
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nice one ;D ;D
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Thank you all for your replys and comments, I do work full time but can be a little creative as it's my own business.
Anymore advise would be all very welcome, any suggestions for the trolley kit??? and stand alone tap filter / di unit etc...
Cheers
Matt
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Matthay - i think its a good idea why not god dam it. come and work for me ;D
The big problem is you work full time.... nights drawing in only leaves wkends will work with some custys but not all.... as a newbie (bloody hate that term) do u want someone there watching u ??? ???
If you can only work wkends dont c how window cleaning will work as round will grow little scope to do the work ??? ???
Hi Mike
ta for the offer of work, if you were closer I may well do.... ;D
With regard to growing, it's all about swapping one for the other, as my conny cleaning side builds then I will reduce the other side.... happy days...
Thanks again though... maybe worth a chat sometime??/
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Something i posted on matts forum this evening .... pictures and how i clean a conny .... hope it helps ;D
(http://i1123.photobucket.com/albums/l542/bluefrogsystems/Conservatory%20Valet%20310311/connygutters1before.jpg)
(http://i1123.photobucket.com/albums/l542/bluefrogsystems/Conservatory%20Valet%20310311/connygutters1after.jpg)
Was an hour to an hour and half for the roof - pointy bits, pannels & roof bars (i did have to go round the neighbours to do one of the 3 sides)
The gutters took about 35 mins with a hosepipe and a brush from a dustpan and brush set (thats still in the van - dont tell my wife).
Trick is to be generous with the virosol ... the conservatory in the pictures was a 3 pannel x 3 pannel and i used 5L of virosol mixed to 1:24. That might seem alot, but 1 x 5L concentrate bottle makes 125L.
Spray from the top (pointy bits), spray down and leave for 2-5 mins depending on sunshine / heat (2 mins if hot / 5 mins if cloudy).
I use a vikan flocked sill brush (very soft brush) to clean the roof. Spray a little water on the roof (quick zig zag motion) and then start cleaning from the bottom upwards (start closest to the gutter).The sill brush helps as it has a larger surface area compared to say a superlight. The chemical will foam up a little, this is what you want to happen.
Once you get to the pointy bits at the top, the sill brush has another use. Sill brushes have two sides to the bristles. This means you can sit one lot of bristles on the ridge and the larger set of bristles to clean the pointy bits. By doing it this way, you dont have to hold the pole up - you just rest it on the ridge and mover it side to side.
Once you have done this, then rinse the roof off with custys hosepipe. Quciker than using wfp (you can do a final rinse later if you want to with wfp)
Once i have done the roof then i move on to the lips where the water runs into the gutter. Easiest way i have found to do this is buy using a cloth. Sometimes you can take the plastic strip off, sometimes you cant. If i can i do as i find its easier to clean then
Then i rinse the roof again with the hosepipe and clean the external gutters and windows.
If they want the internal gutters cleaned out, then its extra - this one i think i charged an extra £25 just for the internal gutters. If im doing the internal gutters then i do this before the final rinse on the roof and before the windows on the conny.
First thing to do is to get any crap out of there. I have tried various scoops, but its easier & quicker to take a bucket up and scoop it out with your hand - gross yes, but time is money and all that.
Once you have scooped out the crap, then i use the customers hosepipe with a hoselock sprayer (plugs into a female hoselock and you twist it to move from a mist to a jet). First thing is to spray out any crap left in there. Next spray the gutter and use the brush from a dustpan and brush set to clean to white.
Hope this helps mate ... has taken me a while to figure out how to get the perfect conny roof clean .... this is my method and it does the job !
Great advice.... thank you....
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Blue frog, great post! ;)
Re: gutter scoop have you tried this one, i have used mine a few times i like because of holes in scoop let water through but keeps hold of the rubbish ;)
http://www.windowcleancentre.co.uk/productdetails.aspx?ProductID=111
Just add if no-one has mentioned a ladder stand off is geat for conny roofs; fit on your ladder and position under gutter but above windows; gives you a nice stable base.
http://www.windowcleancentre.co.uk/productdetails.aspx?ProductID=301&SectionID=28
I did conny roof yesterday and ended up hooking my pole to outside tap; so much easier as been said.
I am now thinking of pushing for this work and doing it on the rainy days (i work in drizzle and showers for the windows)
Really fed up of losing time and money.
Burnt my fingers on roof yesterday price wise :'(
all a learning curve i suppose :-[
But gonna price as you guys have said £5 a roof panel; then £3 metre cleaning conny gutters out.
Is that about right?
lee
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I'm gonna open a fish n chip shop but just sell chips
I'm opening up next door to sell the fish! ;)
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Blue frog, great post! ;)
I'll second that.
I have to say that this whole thread has been very interesting. Great ideas being pushed around.
I've only done 3 conny roof cleans and they were only because I was asked. The main reason I bought a pole in the first place was because so many were asking for outside gutter cleans on white PVC after the inside gutter clean. But thinking about it I do wonder if there isn't quite a bit of business to be had.
Good luck to OP with this and I might start asking some regulars if they want it doing.
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Really worth it ;D ;D
Times we go to quotes and get told their window cleaner wont touch it ...
I assume the problem is some can take 1/2 - full day ... one has taken 2 days 2 people (exception!) if the wc is busy prob trying to fit into current 'round'
Which is good for me ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D BUT make sure you charge enough :P
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And here are two more points that no one has mentioned yet:
1 - You don't even need pure water to do this business - as long as you only do connys with polycarbonate roofs (and they are the majority in my experience).
Poly roofs are translucent and don't show the spots, so you can get away with just using tap water. Then on the glass side panes, you can use a squeegee. If the upper small windows are modelled glass, you can use a microfibre or scrim on them.
So all you really need for this business is a 17 foot water fed pole and a hose pipe plus a mop, bottle-on-a-belt and a sqeegee and a supply of microfibres or scrims.
(Yes, I know there's loads of glass roof jobs you CAN'T do, but focus on the polycarbonate roof ones you CAN do (i) with minimum fuss and (ii) with minimum capital outlay expense.)
2 - There is frequently loads of small twigs and other stuff just under the ridge capping plate. You can get it out most easily by taking your brush off and wrapping a microfibre cloth round the gooseneck. Then you can poke about and get under the capping and coax it out.
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Really worth it ;D ;D
Times we go to quotes and get told their window cleaner wont touch it ...
I assume the problem is some can take 1/2 - full day ... one has taken 2 days 2 people (exception!) if the wc is busy prob trying to fit into current 'round'
Which is good for me ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D BUT make sure you charge enough :P
I find it amazing window cleaners wont do the roofs, busy or not, work is work. Good call on the charge as well Mike, i do know the ones I do I dont charge anywhere near enough!
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Its all about knowing how long it will take & how best to clean it to price them up right.
My first ever conny i charged £20 for and i spent 4hrs on it.
You learn from mistakes and i dont make mistakes any more when it comes to connys & fascias .... bloody windows still get me from time to time though ;D
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1 - You don't even need pure water to do this business - as long as you only do connys with polycarbonate roofs (and they are the majority in my experience).
Poly roofs are translucent and don't show the spots, so you can get away with just using tap water. Then on the glass side panes, you can use a squeegee. If the upper small windows are modelled glass, you can use a microfibre or scrim on them.
So all you really need for this business is a 17 foot water fed pole and a hose pipe plus a mop, bottle-on-a-belt and a sqeegee and a supply of microfibres or scrims.
Thank goodness someone has said this. I'm a bin and gutter cleaner - I've got no access to pure water at all. Didn't dare say anything in case I got pelted with rotten eggs but I've been doing it exactly as Seymour describes above - thanks mate :D
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pelt him with rotten eggs anyway ;D ;D ;D
up until last year we have been cleaning cons with no reach and wash (over 5 yrs)
Reach and wash just gives you that bit extra.... good selling point with it is you can reach the windows above the con ;D traditional wc cant ;D ;D
Use a platform for access good ones cost just over a ton far easier than ladders and safer... someone mentioned ladder stay i would avoid these tend to mark upvc unless u cover them then they slip.. we all know with a ladder should have 3 points of contact impossible when cleaning cons