Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Fin Clearview on September 20, 2012, 07:40:19 am

Title: Builders clean help
Post by: Fin Clearview on September 20, 2012, 07:40:19 am
Hi all,

I haven't done many of these since I started but have to give a price today and just wondered what the best method would be for windows with small amount of plaster, paint, gum marks from masking tape etc?

I was thinking slowly slowly with paper
Towels and spirit/acetone, or, possibly a jet wash to remove most of it first?

Don't want to mess this one up!

Cheers
Title: Re: Builders clean help
Post by: William McCafferty on September 20, 2012, 07:50:38 am
Hi fin

What I have found works for me is to first rinse the glass and coat with mdf with a mop, follow up with a wfp clean and remove any particles with the metal ball scorers that you use to clean non stick pans with, also use oil flow on any tape residue.

I then mop with water and soap (ecover) and squeegee off and finally do a wfp rinse.

If it is a big job I have 3 staff who follow each along the building, if you are on your own then do it in sections, you do not want to leave the mdf on the glass too long.
Title: Re: Builders clean help
Post by: Richard Shepherd on September 20, 2012, 07:56:06 am
Best method is to leave em alone.

If you must do it, get a scratched glass waiver signed or it could finish up costing you a fortune.

Price it twice what you think because it will take you longer than you think.

Try using 000 wire wool, it remove most things without scratching.

When I first started I did a couple of builders cleans and got caught out on a couple of the above, won't even look at them now
Title: Re: Builders clean help
Post by: supernova77 on September 20, 2012, 08:00:42 am
Builders clean help = Don't do them.

 ;)
Title: Re: Builders clean help
Post by: Fin Clearview on September 20, 2012, 08:01:55 am
Cheers fellas, i really want to take this one on though, its for a a list celeb in a road where i do 3 others, I've been recommended by them. The job is for the MD of the construction company.

What is mdf?
Title: Re: Builders clean help
Post by: William McCafferty on September 20, 2012, 08:04:14 am
Cheers fellas, i really want to take this one on though, its for a a list celeb in a road where i do 3 others, I've been recommended by them. The job is for the MD of the construction company.

What is mdf?

Mineral deposit remover, you can get it from window cleaning warehouse, but buy it fresh it turns to clay over time
Title: Re: Builders clean help
Post by: bumper on September 20, 2012, 08:17:49 am
hi keep us all posted how you get on and if they pay you :)
Title: Re: Builders clean help
Post by: David Salkeld on September 20, 2012, 10:02:51 am
First choice.......
RUN LIKE HELL  8)
Think of the most it could take you .
Charge your top rate............
And DOUBLE IT :-)
Trust me they are a nightmare.
David

Title: Re: Builders clean help
Post by: windiewasher on September 20, 2012, 04:28:05 pm
Best way is to say a crazy price £500 if you get it bonus.if not nevermind.
Title: Re: Builders clean help
Post by: Crystal-clear on September 20, 2012, 04:32:01 pm
best way is quote £1000.00 that way they will get someone els.
Title: Re: Builders clean help
Post by: Steve Sed on September 20, 2012, 05:02:44 pm
hi keep us all posted how you get on and if they pay you :)

 ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Builders clean help
Post by: David Salkeld on September 20, 2012, 05:43:22 pm
best way is quote £1000.00 that way they will get someone els.

Best advice  ;)
Title: Re: Builders clean help
Post by: david watts on September 21, 2012, 08:21:04 am
hi keep us all posted how you get on and if they pay you :)

 ;D ;D ;D
never done one for 4/5 yrs never bother with them now
Title: Re: Builders clean help
Post by: Ian101 on September 21, 2012, 09:07:03 am
hi keep us all posted how you get on and if they pay you :)

Builders not paying their subbies bills .... surely that dont happen !!!!!  ;)
Title: Re: Builders clean help
Post by: Ian101 on September 21, 2012, 09:14:12 am
Reminds me of a mate who "won" a contract with Persimmons Homes (think it was them) to do their builders cleans on new builds.

They basically rang him and asked if he would be capable and prepared to cover the north west so he said yes subject to agreeing prices "Oh we have a fixed price for this sort of thing" came the reply.

Day later their on the phone wanting him to get him and his crew over to Manchester to do 25 cleans urgently so he says I need to see this "fixed price" thing first before I go anywhere - eventually it gets emailed over.

Summit like £25 per builders clean so when he stopped laughing he rang them to tell them they were having a laugh and they were not happy when he just laughed at the prices - told him he had let them down etc etc but they didnt want to understand that the hourly rate was a joke.
Title: Re: Builders clean help
Post by: ray l on September 22, 2012, 12:04:54 am
Think of around 10x normal clean ( in + out builders clean )

1) go around with stanley blade to take off all tape

2) wfp too remove dust and crap

3) go around with mop and scrapper

when your outside you will think the dirt is on the inside
when your inside you realise the dirt was on the outide

yes i hate them but if you can do them on a rainy day who cares

Title: Re: Builders clean help
Post by: Banbury Window Cleaning on September 23, 2012, 08:04:09 am
we won a contract recently for 8/9,000 sq ft of glass
this time round its a builders clean and its already a bloody ball ache!!
dont get me wrong this will be a sweet 6 weekly contract but I hate builders cleans and as we started doing the offices this week I looked over at the house (where most of the glass is) and started thinking why oh why did I want to land this job!!
ALWAYS charge top whack for builders cleans as they are a PIA and always take much longer then you think.