Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: hank jr on January 12, 2012, 10:57:57 pm
-
Hi all , just wondering what everyones future goals are on here. ive got a window cleaning round that me and a man clean. im aged 32 and have no qualifications. im worried that i will still be a window cleaner in 15 years time. does anyone else my age think this , or is anyone doing window cleaning and studying for a career?
I know as you get older you get slower which = less cash.....
-
just till I die will do ;)
-
No I won't.
-
I studied first had a career and then became a window cleaner. ;) ;)
-
If its not broken - don't fix it!
-
I studied first had a career and then became a window cleaner. ;) ;)
why? more money ?
-
theres nothing wrong being a window cleaner
-
theres nothing wrong being a window cleaner
im not saying there is, im one too :) maybe my mind is too active and im just scared i have no other skills to fall back on in the future if anything went wrong.....
-
theres nothing wrong being a window cleaner
im not saying there is, im one too :) maybe my mind is too active and im just scared i have no other skills to fall back on in the future if anything went wrong.....
no job is safe in this country and definately no industry is safe!service jobs are some of the safest jobs going as people are getting lazier and lazier!
-
Hank I'm 33 so about your age too, I don't class myself as a window cleaner but a business owner, I am a mechanic by trade but chose to leave my 70k a year job in 2006 and start my own business. I don't regret it one bit at all, ok for 2 years it was hard graft buildng the business but now I have guys working for me, I'm not on the tools at all and wake up when I want and do what I want and answer to no one, my biggest decision every day is whether I can be bothered to take the ferrari out or not! And believe it or not 9 times out of 10 it stays at home, but I've had it for 2 1/2 years now anyway so novelty has slightly worn off!!!!!
1 thing I will say is even tho window cleaning gave me a ferrari at just passed 30 and lots of time off work and lkovely holidays, I still feel ashamed to say we clean windows
-
I hope not >:(
-
Hank I'm 33 so about your age too, I don't class myself as a window cleaner but a business owner, I am a mechanic by trade but chose to leave my 70k a year job in 2006 and start my own business.
i take it that was on helicopters and not on Ford Fiestas ;D
-
No
-
im 30 this year, enjoy my buisness and proud of what i do and always will
-
No im planning on winning the lottery ;)
The odds are only 13,983,815 to 1 so its bound to happen one day :D
-
I started window cleaning as a stop-gap when I was 32/33, I never saw it long term, it's always been a short term plan, something I'm doing "in-between"
I'm 58 in a few short weeks, still at it! Will I still be doing it next year? No idea really, but it looks like it. 8)
-
Hank I'm 33 so about your age too, I don't class myself as a window cleaner but a business owner, I am a mechanic by trade but chose to leave my 70k a year job in 2006 and start my own business.
i take it that was on helicopters and not on Ford Fiestas ;D
I use to be an aircraft mechanic, there's morexmoney in being a car mechanic, unles you don't mind working abroad
-
No
-
Hank I'm 33 so about your age too, I don't class myself as a window cleaner but a business owner, I am a mechanic by trade but chose to leave my 70k a year job in 2006 and start my own business.
i take it that was on helicopters and not on Ford Fiestas ;D
I use to be an aircraft mechanic, there's morexmoney in being a car mechanic, unles you don't mind working abroad
really,im suprised as i thought the aircraft mechanics were on big money. i was a car mechanic and earned ordinary money. i never heard of a car mechanic earning big money unless he was a rogue
-
A friend came to see me yesterday, had a look at all my equipment, had a go asked a lot of questions. He wants to start up and I will help him all I can.
He has a job already and quite a good job by most standards but he is going mad. I tell you it really doesn't get much better than window cleaning. Earnings per hour and total freedom from all the hassle and the BS.
The economy is still sliding, more and more jobs going all the time. The people who have jobs are all insecure and looking over their shoulders and me I'm out cleaning windows with my ipod in my ears free as a bird.
-
I enjoy running my own business.
I know someone who was employed and worked for the same company for 30 years... They were made redundant on the 23rd December 2011 and told not to come back in... They only got a pay off enough to keep them going for 3 months!
Look after yourself, thats what I say!
Andy
-
Loving the ipod Vince- me too!! total freedom ;D
-
I window cleaned til the age 0f 38, then decided enough is enough and entered the IT industry.Wish I had decided that at 28! I train Pilots, quality professionals, Lab technicians etc.
Now have a job I love that takes me all round the world.
Would certainly never be ashamed of having been a wc though.
-
yeah, quite happy being a W/C, and can keep earning into old age if necessary. It's flexible and little hassle. ;D
Better than milking cows which I did for 17yrs, twelve days on 2 days off, up at 5.30, long days for £6pr hr which was the most I got and that was 6yrs ago :o
-
I was a mobile crane engineer, used to earn fantastic money but it was 7 days and long hours even tho a lot of the time we wasn't doing much we still jad to be there. At least with this I have so much time on my hands!
-
Easy , how many vans you got on the road mate to be able to not work have to work and be able to drive the flash motor you drive??
-
I'll be working untill I drop dead. So I could still be wc when I'm 80!! Poles will be like feathers then hopefully!! ;D
-
Mick I run 3 vans but 1 is mainly for pressure washing and conservatories, the other 2 are flat out constantly. The main thing is my guys that work for me really are good and that's the biggest challenge.......getting the right staff, then keeping them! It doesn't happen over night, I've been through my fair share of idiots!!!
-
Fair play to you. i remember when you showed me all your wfp gear when i wanted to start up 5 odd years ago which was a great help. I have now got 2 vans on road but a long way to go to catch you up..ill get there though. may even buy a flasher ferrari than you 1 day........doubt it but will try.
-
i hope so.
-
I have two jobs at the moment -
job1 -site manager / school maintenance / dogs body
pay - £14hr
pros:
cake and crumbs left over at end of day
cons:
lots of red tape and b****ks and grief from staff
unblocking toilets with alien toys in them - use your
writing reports to cover the previous report
Job2 - Window Cleaner / bussiness owner
pay - £30+ hr
pros: clean windows - how hard can that be
teas and fresh cakes - and yes they are fresh
happy people
the occasional police being called when you are cleaning the window s
cons:
not enough time to canvass as i'm to busy with jobs
not seeing the kinds in the evening due to job one
i think i know which way and where i be going in a few months
where else can you earn a decent living with out the hassle and stress
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
-
defintely till i die. i love it dont get me wrong it has its pitfalls. i used to be a builder and compared to that its spot on .
coming home with cement and sand on your skin and hair always dirty
clothes always mucky
not getting paid sometimes
dirty van
sore hands
little respect
worrying about getting work
hassel over people not turning up
i could go on. all i have to worry about is myself getting the work done most of custys stump up the cash on the day or over a few days by post . if any problem with custys dump them and get two new ones. simple
-
hi ya :)i am unemployable at 58, no other job will let me climb ladders cos of the HSE ;D, its a trad window cleaners life for me,AND PROUD OF IT :)
-
well what can i say, apart from thanks everyone for sharing your views. its well appreciated :)
-
I enjoy running my own business.
I know someone who was employed and worked for the same company for 30 years... They were made redundant on the 23rd December 2011 and told not to come back in... They only got a pay off enough to keep them going for 3 months!
Look after yourself, thats what I say!
Andy
im never the slightest bit sorry for anybody made redundant after a very long time, theyve had decades of the good times,so itd be wrong to coast into retirement without a dose of the bad
-
Depends how you see yourself. Sure I'm a window cleaner but I own a company that in 5 years has gone from nothing to employing 7, soon to be 9 people. With wives and kids thats quite a few people depend on me/us for a living and I,m quite proud of that.
-
ive had tow stints at window cleaning, packed it in in the 80s had few mundane jobs then back doing the windows its great being your own boss again takes a lot of balls to to know your on yer own not relying on some one else, im 50 plan to be doing this no mater what ;D
-
ive had tow stints at window cleaning, packed it in in the 80s had few mundane jobs then back doing the windows its great being your own boss again takes a lot of balls to to know your on yer own not relying on some one else, im 50 plan to be doing this no mater what ;D
good post. good attitude.
-
The beauty of window cleaning is that you have lots of little eggs in lots of baskets, so you are pretty much recession proof.
Customers are generally quite loyal and will not drop you if you're doing a decent job.
-
I did all sorts before I started window cleaning in 1991.
Builders' labourer, bakery hand, kitchen porter, printer's assistant, multi-drop driver, nursing assistant, advertising merchandiser. Quite a variety there - though the print work lasted the longest (13 years). I liked the advertising job too bombing around the southeast in someone else's van and only seeing a boss about two or three times in a year. That was what gave me the first clue that perhaps self-employment was for me. Nevertheless, when that job folded, I went on the dole while looking for work (the job market was very difficult then too). I started window cleaning out of desperation really. I had a Datsun Cherry hatchback that was on its last wheels so, with the last of my money, I bought a few tools. Even the ladder was borrowed. I knocked doors from zero turnover. I only intended to do it until I got a "proper" job. 20 years later, I'm still at it. It was getting very stale though but 6 years ago, WFP gave me a new lease of life. Happy to do this until I retire.
The beauty of window cleaning, especially if you use WFP, is that you can earn something reasonably decent even if you do it part-time and study on your time off.
-
plenty of days in winter when I question my job choice but there are many worse
-
Yeh.....Just like Stevie Gerrard...I signed up for life!!
Mind you not quite the money deal Stevies on but well OK for me.......BUT.......
I am bored sick of it!!!!!!!!!!
If I had my time again I would study IT. Back in the late 80's when I started PCs were just getting going and I could do BASIC on an old Commadore 64. If I'd have gone for it I could have been a progrmmmer and disigner and be retired now................but I didn't!
So, here I am 25 years on, lovely wife and 22 yr old daughter own home (still morgaged!) good window cleaning business.........AND......to top it all.......a SKODA OCTAVIA................WOO HOO!!
When I look beyond the day to day boredom I'm a happy bunny ;) ;)
David
-
I will be in this game for as long as I can.
I started 15 years ago through a friend who had the means to give me 3 days a week. After a few months I started up on my own and have never looked back.
I moved to Ireland 5 months ago and have started up a new business here. I'm loving it. I will be 50 this year and in good nick physically, so hopefully it should see me through a good few years yet. :)
John
-
So, here I am 25 years on, lovely wife and 22 yr old daughter own home (still morgaged!) good window cleaning business.........AND......to top it all.......a SKODA OCTAVIA................WOO HOO!!
David
Nothing wrong with an Octavia, I bought the Skoda Octavia Scout Estate 4x4 in the summer and LOVE IT.