Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Ian101 on April 28, 2012, 08:13:05 am

Title: Starting again - for the oldies
Post by: Ian101 on April 28, 2012, 08:13:05 am
If you had to start from scratch again what would you do differently ?

For me I would have been less widespread and just concentrated on my local area as in early days just took any work in any area as needed cash but kept on doing this even when full so headless chicken most of last year chasing my tail .... dropped an area few miles away and canvassed up local so now getting quite compact.
Title: Re: Starting again - for the oldies
Post by: Dave Willis on April 28, 2012, 08:35:46 am
I would have bought a bigger van and a bigger tank, never wasted my money on glassfibre poles, never tried to clean with a Vikan sill brush and never told the  tax man how much I earned.
Title: Re: Starting again - for the oldies
Post by: dazmond on April 28, 2012, 08:36:03 am
i did the opposite of that a few years ago ian.i sold some local work as it was underpriced and a few messers/bad payers and just concentrated my efforts 5-10 miles away in a much more affluent area.

now most of my work is in this affluent area.over 250 accounts ranging from compact 3 bedders,4-5 bedders,some commercial and big stand alone properties and even a big church!converted barns,nurseries,offices,childrens home,financial consultants,narrowboat clubhouse.

i have a days work in another area mainly housing association flats and picked up some local work a mile away at much better prices over the last year or so.

so for me i have a very good round but i spent years cleaning underpriced accounts locally which i was glad to get rid of.

 ive turned it around.the biggest mistake i made when i started out was pricing work too cheaply to get the work.


regards


dazmond
Title: Re: Starting again - for the oldies
Post by: bobplum on April 28, 2012, 08:39:11 am
6 week cycle..and nothing else
wfp,no trad
Gardiner poles and equipment
compact work

AND STANDING ORDERS ONLY
Title: Re: Starting again - for the oldies
Post by: sunshine windows on April 28, 2012, 08:52:18 am
Vat registered from the offset. Larger tank in van. Van mounted hose reels. Slx instead of hxtel. Superlite instead of vikan.

Don't waste your money on a back pack. Used it for a couple of through the house jobs then dumped as I couldn't be arsed. Hose through now or not at all.

Still getting a wet leg with crap rectus 21 fittings.  :-[
Title: Re: Starting again - for the oldies
Post by: Roy Harding on April 28, 2012, 09:12:09 am
When I first started it was rat tail mops scrim ect, and you only ever saw window cleaners in towns. You could walk into any village and they had no window cleaner. If I had my time again I would of spent more time canvassing the rural villages.

But having said that I have enjoyed window cleaning, but to start today there is so many in the trade it would be hard and a long slog to build a round.

I was talking to a window cleaner the other day and there family stated in 1942.


Roy

Ps Also back then if you asked a window cleaner what he put in his bucket, he would not tell trade secret shhhh. Thing's have changed with forums.
Title: Re: Starting again - for the oldies
Post by: AuRavelling79 on April 28, 2012, 09:18:33 am
Vat registered from the offset. Larger tank in van. Van mounted hose reels. Slx instead of hxtel. Superlite instead of vikan.

Don't waste your money on a back pack. Used it for a couple of through the house jobs then dumped as I couldn't be arsed. Hose through now or not at all.

Still getting a wet leg with crap rectus 21 fittings.  :-[

Put a wrap of PTFE round the male end once in a while as needed.