Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: sean84 on January 02, 2012, 09:06:31 pm
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Im going to be doing my first cleans soon so I just wanted to get my technique straight in my head before I start! Ive worked for a window cleaner years ago (so do have experience) but if I remember rightly we never cleaned the frames, only sills.
Anyway, included in my price Im going to clean the frames as well as sills so just wanted to know the best way / process to do this?
Do you:
1. Dip sill cloth in solution and wipe down all frames. Clean glass with applicator, squeegee off the wipe sill.
2. Dip sill cloth in solution and wipe down all frames, buff off wet frames with a dry cloth. Clean glass with applicator, squeegee off the wipe sill.
Hope this makes sense.
Also do you wipe frames every time or every other time?
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extend pole,connect to tank,switch on pump and wash and rinse ;D
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extend pole,connect to tank,switch on pump and wash and rinse ;D
dont tease !
Darran
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:D
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no 2
then go and get 30 pound
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extend pole,connect to tank,switch on pump and wash and rinse ;D
dont tease !
Darran
couldn't resist ;D
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Usually I wash/scrub the glass first, then wipe frames and at the same time remove excess water from edges then squeegee but keeping the sill cloth in my other hand for the final wipe of the sill.
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Im going to be doing my first cleans soon so I just wanted to get my technique straight in my head before I start! Ive worked for a window cleaner years ago (so do have experience) but if I remember rightly we never cleaned the frames, only sills.
Anyway, included in my price Im going to clean the frames as well as sills so just wanted to know the best way / process to do this?
Do you:
1. Dip sill cloth in solution and wipe down all frames. Clean glass with applicator, squeegee off the wipe sill.
2. Dip sill cloth in solution and wipe down all frames, buff off wet frames with a dry cloth. Clean glass with applicator, squeegee off the wipe sill.
Hope this makes sense.
Also do you wipe frames every time or every other time?
I really do hope your charging more for the extra work you will be doing, this is a classic thing that could hold you back if your not.
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beg to differ, itll set you apart from the rest. might force them to raise their game too if theyre going to survive
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beg to differ, itll set you apart from the rest. might force them to raise their game too if theyre going to survive
I will go down the middle yes do frames doing a thorough job is always a good thing, but window washers is right you need to charge a little more for this if your trad even if only on the first clean.
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Im going to be doing my first cleans soon so I just wanted to get my technique straight in my head before I start! Ive worked for a window cleaner years ago (so do have experience) but if I remember rightly we never cleaned the frames, only sills.
Anyway, included in my price Im going to clean the frames as well as sills so just wanted to know the best way / process to do this?
Do you:
1. Dip sill cloth in solution and wipe down all frames. Clean glass with applicator, squeegee off the wipe sill.
2. Dip sill cloth in solution and wipe down all frames, buff off wet frames with a dry cloth. Clean glass with applicator, squeegee off the wipe sill.
Hope this makes sense.
Also do you wipe frames every time or every other time?
I really do hope your charging more for the extra work you will be doing, this is a classic thing that could hold you back if your not.
Didnt think I would have to charge extra, thought it would be normal practise?
Maybe when I start canvassing I could give the option to the customer for wiping down the frames?
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beg to differ, itll set you apart from the rest. might force them to raise their game too if theyre going to survive
I will go down the middle yes do frames doing a thorough job is always a good thing, but window washers is right you need to charge a little more for this if your trad even if only on the first clean.
Actually im going to do first clean half price (already have leaflets printed) to drum up some work.
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beg to differ, itll set you apart from the rest. might force them to raise their game too if theyre going to survive
I will go down the middle yes do frames doing a thorough job is always a good thing, but window washers is right you need to charge a little more for this if your trad even if only on the first clean.
Actually im going to do first clean half price (already have leaflets printed) to drum up some work.
you might attract a lot of one off clean messers with that offer mate!
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first cleans shoukd be double set price mate if you want some tips go on you tube windowcleaning technics will sort you out
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beg to differ, itll set you apart from the rest. might force them to raise their game too if theyre going to survive
I will go down the middle yes do frames doing a thorough job is always a good thing, but window washers is right you need to charge a little more for this if your trad even if only on the first clean.
Actually im going to do first clean half price (already have leaflets printed) to drum up some work.
you might attract a lot of one off clean messers with that offer mate!
I might, but also may gain some good reliable ones too ;)
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dont undercharge you plonker, you do yourself and the w.c. community more harm than good.
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dont undercharge you plonker, you do yourself and the w.c. community more harm than good.
whilst not calling you a plonker sean ,dont sell yourself short.
if you do it for half price, i would bet there will not be many take ups when you double the initial price.
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I would never do first cleans at half price,no wonder this buisness is the way it is with people charging ridiculas prices,have a bit of respect for yourself and if not charge double charge half your initial price again,theres alot of people around my area charging half if not less what I charge and I cannot see how they make a living especially if they are FULLY INSURED and PAY TAX,
If you quote really really cheap people will think your a cowboy that is signing on and working at the same time,I like to think I quote fair,maybe a bit over sometimes and I always tell people you get what you pay for when they tell me the last guy only charged me half that.
Like I say have some self respect because you will never get anywhere doing jobs really cheap.
As for techniques I clean the frames every time,only takes a few seconds and makes a hugh difference,remember the frame too is part of the window.
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dont undercharge you plonker, you do yourself and the w.c. community more harm than good.
Please don't call me a plonker.
I'm not undercharging, I'm drumming up business. Even if the first clean is half price it works out better than min wage. If the customer likes me and what I do I may gain a customer, it's a risk. At least I'm trying to do something, make something happen and not sat around moaning about the current jobs situation.
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I would never do first cleans at half price,no wonder this buisness is the way it is with people charging ridiculas prices,have a bit of respect for yourself and if not charge double charge half your initial price again,theres alot of people around my area charging half if not less what I charge and I cannot see how they make a living especially if they are FULLY INSURED and PAY TAX,
If you quote really really cheap people will think your a cowboy that is signing on and working at the same time,I like to think I quote fair,maybe a bit over sometimes and I always tell people you get what you pay for when they tell me the last guy only charged me half that.
Like I say have some self respect because you will never get anywhere doing jobs really cheap.
As for techniques I clean the frames every time,only takes a few seconds and makes a hugh difference,remember the frame too is part of the window.
Thanks for the advice.
Btw I'm doing this the right way. Setup a separate account today. Registering for tax and using new account for direct debit of national insurance contributions. Got a quote lined up with Ryan Insurance (£89) will be paying that this week, then all set!
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getting paid ten pounds for a 20 pound job is ten pounds more than sitting at home doing nothing
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all i can say is good luck sean, hope it goes well for you .
glad your in Worcester ;)
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all i can say is good luck sean, hope it goes well for you .
glad your in Worcester ;)
Bless, yeah thanks for that.
Why are you glad im in Worcester?! :P
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Good luck mate ,wouldnt be for me doing first clean half price but when you get established you will probably see that you didnt need to go down that route to get a round up and running. Once you get going and folk see you around you will get more custies for sure - word and mouth works very well in this game . I even worked extra slowly when I started so I was on the job and more likley to be see by other potential custies. ;D
Also glad your in Worcester ;D
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Good luck mate ,wouldnt be for me doing first clean half price but when you get established you will probably see that you didnt need to go down that route to get a round up and running. Once you get going and folk see you around you will get more custies for sure - word and mouth works very well in this game . I even worked extra slowly when I started so I was on the job and more likley to be see by other potential custies. ;D
Also glad your in Worcester ;D
I know what you mean, but I have nothing to lose I will only gain and we always learn by mistakes.
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I made that mistake myself. I offered what I called the 'first deep clean free'. I explained over the phone that there was a charge but the initial clean would be priced as the ongoing repeats. So in other words the initial deep ( which includes the spiders nests, the paint specs, the filthy frames and the glass that you can write your name in coz it has'nt been cleaned in yonks!!) chased down by a pure wash.
So plonker this is the kind of stuff your gonna get. And the type of custard who goes for this type of clean is not gonna get you back 6 weeks later. If they've let it get this bad in the first place? The windows are still spotless by their standards! Be wary when dealing with Joe public. They're only gonna be loyal when it suits them, especially in a repression.
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beg to differ, itll set you apart from the rest. might force them to raise their game too if theyre going to survive
that's cool thats your opinion dude, I prefer to earn money not give it away.
Why not Set your self apart from the rest and charge more, let the under chargers squabble for the little that's left behind
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As you say, we should all learn from our mistakes. But when there's others that have already made those mistakes it's sometimes best to bow to their experience ;)
Whilst I think you're attitude is a good one towards building your customer base, I do suspect that people will take the mick and as others have said you'll lose out and get very fed up with them soon enough.
There is a school of thought that says you should always charge a good price for a good service or product. If you don't, people will mostly undervalue either the service you offer, or indeed undervalue you as well.
Compromise, offer your potential customers a half price first clean ;) Tell them as you're expanding into the area you're currently offering 50% off first cleans, this should be your normal rate :) They get a quality service at a fair price, and hopefully you'll get a return of business.
Good luck :)
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Start as you mean to go on,no gimmicks.You are providing a REGULAR window cleaning service.If you have to work twice as long or twice as hard to bring the windows up to standard then let the customer know that and price accordingly,it will be accepted.To go at it any other way is sheer lunacy and makes no sense whatsoever so give over trying to justify it and cop on now.
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As you say, we should all learn from our mistakes. But when there's others that have already made those mistakes it's sometimes best to bow to their experience ;)
Whilst I think you're attitude is a good one towards building your customer base, I do suspect that people will take the mick and as others have said you'll lose out and get very fed up with them soon enough.
There is a school of thought that says you should always charge a good price for a good service or product. If you don't, people will mostly undervalue either the service you offer, or indeed undervalue you as well.
Compromise, offer your potential customers a half price first clean ;) Tell them as you're expanding into the area you're currently offering 50% off first cleans, this should be your normal rate :) They get a quality service at a fair price, and hopefully you'll get a return of business.
Good luck :)
I think you may of missed the point, on my leaflet it does say 'first clean half price.'
Anyway, this is my business, my way of doing things......