Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Gerald Ash on August 16, 2013, 04:35:08 pm
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I feel an argument starting but here goes. Water fed pole is the best method. If the window is excessively dirty then detergent, scraper then water fed with double rinse.
Price! I am a fat bloke going around in a little hatchback, if I try to charge top prices customers will mistrust me. The guys in the vans with amazing graphics can charge more because you look more professional. I`m confident the quality of my work is equal in it`s end product. I take longer because of lumping backpack about & refilling but end product is there.
You go & shop in harrods you don`t expect to buy 25p beans, likewise in Lidl you wouldn`t pay £35 for foie gras.
Now I`m not being arrogant but merely expressing my opinion with what I`ve learnt in the last few months. I would like criticism, the constructive kind, & advice & guidance.
Knowledge & information is vital in the growth of my business & myself.
Everyone I have met in this industry are great people. Your help & advice is invaluable. I am a beginner, I want to check if I`m getting it right.
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If you are on the back foot, you need to work harder for less.
Once you establish a sensible revenue (bread and butter income) you can then experiment with higher prices and better sorts of jobs. In the mean time any dirty job will do.
As time goes on you will find that the you will pay more attention to better paying jobs and less to the hard ones that don't pay as well. It s a natural progression, and if you stick it out for long enough you will ultimately have a good round that you are happy with.
That's normal.
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Dont undersell yourself, just because you dont have a flashy van dosent mean you shouldnt charge what your worth, still doing the same job
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If your working getting more work and are happy with your price then your
getting it right.
Like everything in life the longer you do something the better you will get and don't worry
about fancy vans have seen a lot of new starts with these and most end up on ebay.
Just people with more money than sense who think wfp is a magic wand.
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Another thing to remember Gerald if your not paying out a fortune in expenses you
don't need to charge a fortune to make a living.
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Gerald you say you are confident in the quality of your work.
That's great. 8)
But you say you take longer because of lugging a back pack about and re-filling.
So I think you need to look at increasing your speed with a view to increasing your turnover per day.
The answer is to buy a van and use a van mounted system.
It doesn't have to be flashy or particularly expensive, but it really will help you to be more efficient in my opinion.
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I agree with Andy
Many, if not all of us started out with hard and underpriced work as you go along prices get better.
It's good you feel confident already that's a big plus in success of your biz, but as your customer base increases you will find you naturally require a better system of cleaning by moving to a trolley system and then van mount.
You have a great outlet with this forum to get all the required info to move forward without having to 'trial and error' your next business move
Darran
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I feel an argument starting but here goes. Water fed pole is the best method. If the window is excessively dirty then detergent, scraper then water fed with double rinse.
Price! I am a fat bloke going around in a little hatchback, if I try to charge top prices customers will mistrust me. The guys in the vans with amazing graphics can charge more because you look more professional. I`m confident the quality of my work is equal in it`s end product. I take longer because of lumping backpack about & refilling but end product is there.
You go & shop in harrods you don`t expect to buy 25p beans, likewise in Lidl you wouldn`t pay £35 for foie gras.
Now I`m not being arrogant but merely expressing my opinion with what I`ve learnt in the last few months. I would like criticism, the constructive kind, & advice & guidance.
Knowledge & information is vital in the growth of my business & myself.
Everyone I have met in this industry are great people. Your help & advice is invaluable. I am a beginner, I want to check if I`m getting it right.
Your water is just as pure as the water used from a flashy van. Don't do yourself down mate.
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buy roofbars for your car Gerald and a ladder to put on them , you will find a lot of work will come to you once you have these
ladders made by LYTE are what i recommend after learning of them on this very forum
i believe the breaking strain of LYTE trade ladders is 150 kgs
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I feel an argument starting but here goes. Water fed pole is the best method. If the window is excessively dirty then detergent, scraper then water fed with double rinse.
Price! I am a fat bloke going around in a little hatchback, if I try to charge top prices customers will mistrust me. The guys in the vans with amazing graphics can charge more because you look more professional. I`m confident the quality of my work is equal in it`s end product. I take longer because of lumping backpack about & refilling but end product is there.
You go & shop in harrods you don`t expect to buy 25p beans, likewise in Lidl you wouldn`t pay £35 for foie gras.
Now I`m not being arrogant but merely expressing my opinion with what I`ve learnt in the last few months. I would like criticism, the constructive kind, & advice & guidance.
Knowledge & information is vital in the growth of my business & myself.
Everyone I have met in this industry are great people. Your help & advice is invaluable. I am a beginner, I want to check if I`m getting it right.
I reckon 90% of the time this is true more in your head than the customers...
how does joe public know that a backpack isnt as good as a vivaro with a tank
Do a good job , make sure your gear looks tidy enough , vehicle clean and tidy no matter what it is and give a general good impression and i dont think anyone will care you dont have a 2013 vw to have to charge a good price
I find its more about the area you are in and your own experience with pricing, than what i drive, that dictates the price.
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buy roofbars for your car Gerald and a ladder to put on them , you will find a lot of work will come to you once you have these
ladders made by LYTE are what i recommend after learning of them on this very forum
i believe the breaking strain of LYTE trade ladders is 150 kgs
sounds like your using them for fishing
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I agree to a point.
When you canvass they can't see your vehicle.
What they will see is how you are.
If you lack confidence a potential customer will barter you down.
With confidence you may still barter down but you won't feel like they've done you over.
You're still at the building stage of your round, right?
You will be amazed at the confidence you gain once you don't actually need the money.
Don't worry yet.
If your bills are paid, you aren't a benefits scrounger, you're losing chub and building a business and a positive life I'd say you're onto a winner. Carry on lad!
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All great advice except Robertphil. I am famous for the fact I am weigh too heavy for ladders. Get the joke & I have lost three stone. I`m now 33st 4lb but my muscle has increased considerably.
I get the point about the canvassing & will try that. Afterall they will give me the chance & make the judgement on the quality of the job.
I am so rubbish at quoting, example. I went to quote for a job on a town house. The outside was beyond me because too high for my pole & very old glass in fragile looking frames so asked Tom of Champion Windows to do the outside & I`d do the inside.
Customer said fifty inside & out. Tom reckoned fifty just outside was fair so quoted that which she accepted. She asked how much for inside, whilst I thought she said, "thirty, thirty-five."
I replied that I was thinking thirty. What a pillock, I felt like kicking myself there & then. By the time I finished the job I felt suicidal. Lesson hopefully learned. Thanks guys for advice. From here on in I`m charging for the quality of my work & not for the Skoda Fallatio. Sorry, Felicia, but it does suck.
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All great advice except Robertphil. I am famous for the fact I am weigh too heavy for ladders. Get the joke & I have lost three stone. I`m now 33st 4lb but my muscle has increased considerably.
I get the point about the canvassing & will try that. Afterall they will give me the chance & make the judgement on the quality of the job.
I am so rubbish at quoting, example. I went to quote for a job on a town house. The outside was beyond me because too high for my pole & very old glass in fragile looking frames so asked Tom of Champion Windows to do the outside & I`d do the inside.
Customer said fifty inside & out. Tom reckoned fifty just outside was fair so quoted that which she accepted. She asked how much for inside, whilst I thought she said, "thirty, thirty-five."
I replied that I was thinking thirty. What a pillock, I felt like kicking myself there & then. By the time I finished the job I felt suicidal. Lesson hopefully learned. Thanks guys for advice. From here on in I`m charging for the quality of my work & not for the Skoda Fallatio. Sorry, Felicia, but it does suck.
We've all done it but you mustn't let the customers try to knock the price.
A suggestion: If you do still need to build work up and are negotiabe on price, I suggest the following. Don't let them haggle on the regular price. If you must give a discount, offer the first two cleans at your proper price and discount the third clean (or 4th or 5th - whatever takes your fancy). The discount is for one clean only - otherwise, if you discount the regular price, you will resent going there eventually. Been there, done that.
I realise that you may have felt out of control in other aspects of your life. But that is the past. This is now. Your business. You're in charge.
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You should be charging more for inside cleans, not less
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Can you go WFP Gerald?
Could you buddy up with someone who could trad tops & you do bottoms?
Can't say it enough bud-once you get your confidence in, you'll see a whole new perspective on the world.
Keep at it. You'll get there.
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nobody who does WFP loses weight,in fact they gain it on the belly , just ask the wfp lads on here Gerald
if you are 33stone you have 10 more to lose before you can scale ladders without the ladder snappin like a TWIG UNDERNEATH YOU,but if you cleaned the trad way with a wagtail etc which i saw in a vid you were doing at first + cutting down your corn , you Will get down to 23stone within a year of hard slog
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nobody who does WFP loses weight,in fact they gain it on the belly , just ask the wfp lads on here Gerald
if you are 33stone you have 10 more to lose before you can scale ladders without the ladder snappin like a TWIG UNDERNEATH YOU,but if you cleaned the trad way with a wagtail etc which i saw in a vid you were doing at first + cutting down your corn , you Will get down to 23stone within a year of hard slog
Not true.
The guy I bought (most of) my round from was read for 30odd years. Lost 2 stone in just over a year WFP.
It's different muscles being used.
Yes, trad would usually keep you trimmer but not a 100% thing.
Gerald was a big lad-any kind of exercise trad or WFP is going to shed pounds
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Dont undersell yourself, just because you dont have a flashy van dosent mean you shouldnt charge what your worth, still doing the same job
Agree 100%.
Sadly, people judge others by first impressions. A guy who is shabbly dressed or has unkept hair is less trusted than someone who is well presented. It doesn't make the person who is well presented a better person. You will be incorrectly judged, but because people think what they do doesn't mean they are right. Most won't know where you've been, what you have achieved so far in turning your life around, and what you still want to achieve.
If you feel you have a disadvantage because of your weight, then perhaps you could raise your confidence levels by dressing in a business uniform. I wear a bib and brace which hides my weight a bit as they are black. An embossed teeshirt with your business name might give you a confidence boost.
Charge the going rate for a house, don't under price. I'm slower than most due to my age, but it doesn't mean that I can't charge the going rate because I'm slower. If your results are as good as anyone else, then charge that rate. Yes it may take you a little longer, but money isn't what its all about in the end.
Window cleaners tend to brag about how much they have earnt which can sometimes be very demotivating for others. How would you feel if you found out they hadn't actually made that amount of money. Some people are money driven, salemen tend to be like that. But how do you judge a good saleman, by the amount of money he earns? No, because he may only be in it for himself and not what his customers actually need. Sometimes they lie about the benefits just to get the sale.
Remember, job satisfaction comes from knowing you have done a good window clean. When you look at the result, pat yourself on the back, tell yourself how well you have done. Set your own standards - if they are higher than your customers expectations then they will always be happy.
As you have been doing this a while now, you are due a price increase, especially on those under-priced houses. Raise them a little bit each year if you can until they are market related. Your customers have seen that you have gone to a great deal of effort to keep their windows clean, so most won't mind a small increase. If you can clean 6 houses a day, an increase of a £1 each will give you an extra £6 a day or £30 per week for the same effort.
Remember to ask your happy customers for referrals. That makes it easier to get a better price because you come recommended.
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Spruce. Great advice & I`ll take that on board. As to weight loss I`ve only lost three stone so far but my legs & arms have increased in muscle.
I would not go back to trad now because wfp keeps windows cleaner & it is quicker, not forgetting safer.
I`m happy doing this, best decision I ever made.
Remember the £7.50 an hour. triple that now on average so can`t go wrong.
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Spruce. Great advice & I`ll take that on board. As to weight loss I`ve only lost three stone so far but my legs & arms have increased in muscle.
I would not go back to trad now because wfp keeps windows cleaner & it is quicker, not forgetting safer.
I`m happy doing this, best decision I ever made.
Remember the £7.50 an hour. triple that now on average so can`t go wrong.
Good on you! Its not all about weight loss, its about fat loss. Muscle is heavier than fat. Using the pole will build muscle on your chest and arms.
Unfortunately for me, that muscle seems to slip to my waste every so often. ;D
I'm inclined to agree with another poster, loosing weight when you are wfp will be more difficult. I couldn't go up and down ladders any longer as I'm not fit enough. With wfp you use and develop different muscles. Where traditional cleaning kept us trim, some of those who have gone to wfp feel they need to do join the gym to maintain their fitness level.
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Dont undersell yourself, just because you dont have a flashy van dosent mean you shouldnt charge what your worth, still doing the same job
Agree 100%.
Sadly, people judge others by first impressions. A guy who is shabbly dressed or has unkept hair is less trusted than someone who is well presented. It doesn't make the person who is well presented a better person. You will be incorrectly judged, but because people think what they do doesn't mean they are right. Most won't know where you've been, what you have achieved so far in turning your life around, and what you still want to achieve.
If you feel you have a disadvantage because of your weight, then perhaps you could raise your confidence levels by dressing in a business uniform. I wear a bib and brace which hides my weight a bit as they are black. An embossed teeshirt with your business name might give you a confidence boost.
Charge the going rate for a house, don't under price. I'm slower than most due to my age, but it doesn't mean that I can't charge the going rate because I'm slower. If your results are as good as anyone else, then charge that rate. Yes it may take you a little longer, but money isn't what its all about in the end.
Window cleaners tend to brag about how much they have earnt which can sometimes be very demotivating for others. How would you feel if you found out they hadn't actually made that amount of money. Some people are money driven, salemen tend to be like that. But how do you judge a good saleman, by the amount of money he earns? No, because he may only be in it for himself and not what his customers actually need. Sometimes they lie about the benefits just to get the sale.
Remember, job satisfaction comes from knowing you have done a good window clean. When you look at the result, pat yourself on the back, tell yourself how well you have done. Set your own standards - if they are higher than your customers expectations then they will always be happy.
As you have been doing this a while now, you are due a price increase, especially on those under-priced houses. Raise them a little bit each year if you can until they are market related. Your customers have seen that you have gone to a great deal of effort to keep their windows clean, so most won't mind a small increase. If you can clean 6 houses a day, an increase of a £1 each will give you an extra £6 a day or £30 per week for the same effort.
Remember to ask your happy customers for referrals. That makes it easier to get a better price because you come recommended.
By the spruce how old are you ? :)
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Dont undersell yourself, just because you dont have a flashy van dosent mean you shouldnt charge what your worth, still doing the same job
Agree 100%.
Sadly, people judge others by first impressions. A guy who is shabbly dressed or has unkept hair is less trusted than someone who is well presented. It doesn't make the person who is well presented a better person. You will be incorrectly judged, but because people think what they do doesn't mean they are right. Most won't know where you've been, what you have achieved so far in turning your life around, and what you still want to achieve.
If you feel you have a disadvantage because of your weight, then perhaps you could raise your confidence levels by dressing in a business uniform. I wear a bib and brace which hides my weight a bit as they are black. An embossed teeshirt with your business name might give you a confidence boost.
Charge the going rate for a house, don't under price. I'm slower than most due to my age, but it doesn't mean that I can't charge the going rate because I'm slower. If your results are as good as anyone else, then charge that rate. Yes it may take you a little longer, but money isn't what its all about in the end.
Window cleaners tend to brag about how much they have earnt which can sometimes be very demotivating for others. How would you feel if you found out they hadn't actually made that amount of money. Some people are money driven, salemen tend to be like that. But how do you judge a good saleman, by the amount of money he earns? No, because he may only be in it for himself and not what his customers actually need. Sometimes they lie about the benefits just to get the sale.
Remember, job satisfaction comes from knowing you have done a good window clean. When you look at the result, pat yourself on the back, tell yourself how well you have done. Set your own standards - if they are higher than your customers expectations then they will always be happy.
As you have been doing this a while now, you are due a price increase, especially on those under-priced houses. Raise them a little bit each year if you can until they are market related. Your customers have seen that you have gone to a great deal of effort to keep their windows clean, so most won't mind a small increase. If you can clean 6 houses a day, an increase of a £1 each will give you an extra £6 a day or £30 per week for the same effort.
Remember to ask your happy customers for referrals. That makes it easier to get a better price because you come recommended.
By the spruce how old are you ? :)
62. For me things 'went downhill' at 57 after I had a prostrate surgery. I'm also suffering with a bad back.
Whilst Gerald and I don't suffer from the same things, we are both trying to do the same work with a handicap that will have the same outcome - we can't zoom around the place like others can. The work we do will require a lot more effort. So in a way I can relate to some of the things Gerald is experiencing, although standing next to him I would be a 'fake' as his handicap is much greater than mine.
Some days I might only be able to clean 6 houses, other days I might make 10 but the next day won't be a good one. I bet its the same with Gerald.
People like him are an inspiration to me. If he can do it, what's my excuse I ask myself.
Gerald, you have earned my deep respect. Keep going. You will get there in the end although it won't be 'plain sailing' - someone one said that "calm waters don't make good sailors."
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Hi Gerald,
myself and alot of other cleaners i know charge 1.5 x the outside price for an inside clean.
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Dont undersell yourself, just because you dont have a flashy van dosent mean you shouldnt charge what your worth, still doing the same job
Agree 100%.
Sadly, people judge others by first impressions. A guy who is shabbly dressed or has unkept hair is less trusted than someone who is well presented. It doesn't make the person who is well presented a better person. You will be incorrectly judged, but because people think what they do doesn't mean they are right. Most won't know where you've been, what you have achieved so far in turning your life around, and what you still want to achieve.
If you feel you have a disadvantage because of your weight, then perhaps you could raise your confidence levels by dressing in a business uniform. I wear a bib and brace which hides my weight a bit as they are black. An embossed teeshirt with your business name might give you a confidence boost.
Charge the going rate for a house, don't under price. I'm slower than most due to my age, but it doesn't mean that I can't charge the going rate because I'm slower. If your results are as good as anyone else, then charge that rate. Yes it may take you a little longer, but money isn't what its all about in the end.
Window cleaners tend to brag about how much they have earnt which can sometimes be very demotivating for others. How would you feel if you found out they hadn't actually made that amount of money. Some people are money driven, salemen tend to be like that. But how do you judge a good saleman, by the amount of money he earns? No, because he may only be in it for himself and not what his customers actually need. Sometimes they lie about the benefits just to get the sale.
Remember, job satisfaction comes from knowing you have done a good window clean. When you look at the result, pat yourself on the back, tell yourself how well you have done. Set your own standards - if they are higher than your customers expectations then they will always be happy.
As you have been doing this a while now, you are due a price increase, especially on those under-priced houses. Raise them a little bit each year if you can until they are market related. Your customers have seen that you have gone to a great deal of effort to keep their windows clean, so most won't mind a small increase. If you can clean 6 houses a day, an increase of a £1 each will give you an extra £6 a day or £30 per week for the same effort.
Remember to ask your happy customers for referrals. That makes it easier to get a better price because you come recommended.
By the spruce how old are you ? :)
62. For me things 'went downhill' at 57 after I had a prostrate surgery. I'm also suffering with a bad back.
Whilst Gerald and I don't suffer from the same things, we are both trying to do the same work with a handicap that will have the same outcome - we can't zoom around the place like others can. The work we do will require a lot more effort. So in a way I can relate to some of the things Gerald is experiencing, although standing next to him I would be a 'fake' as his handicap is much greater than mine.
Some days I might only be able to clean 6 houses, other days I might make 10 but the next day won't be a good one. I bet its the same with Gerald.
People like him are an inspiration to me. If he can do it, what's my excuse I ask myself.
Gerald, you have earned my deep respect. Keep going. You will get there in the end although it won't be 'plain sailing' - someone one said that "calm waters don't make good sailors."
Well Spurce, you have earned my respect, because you bring so much knowledge to this forum. I would have thought at the age of 62, you would have retired, but well done sir, you are still going strong.
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Dont undersell yourself, just because you dont have a flashy van dosent mean you shouldnt charge what your worth, still doing the same job
Agree 100%.
Sadly, people judge others by first impressions. A guy who is shabbly dressed or has unkept hair is less trusted than someone who is well presented. It doesn't make the person who is well presented a better person. You will be incorrectly judged, but because people think what they do doesn't mean they are right. Most won't know where you've been, what you have achieved so far in turning your life around, and what you still want to achieve.
If you feel you have a disadvantage because of your weight, then perhaps you could raise your confidence levels by dressing in a business uniform. I wear a bib and brace which hides my weight a bit as they are black. An embossed teeshirt with your business name might give you a confidence boost.
Charge the going rate for a house, don't under price. I'm slower than most due to my age, but it doesn't mean that I can't charge the going rate because I'm slower. If your results are as good as anyone else, then charge that rate. Yes it may take you a little longer, but money isn't what its all about in the end.
Window cleaners tend to brag about how much they have earnt which can sometimes be very demotivating for others. How would you feel if you found out they hadn't actually made that amount of money. Some people are money driven, salemen tend to be like that. But how do you judge a good saleman, by the amount of money he earns? No, because he may only be in it for himself and not what his customers actually need. Sometimes they lie about the benefits just to get the sale.
Remember, job satisfaction comes from knowing you have done a good window clean. When you look at the result, pat yourself on the back, tell yourself how well you have done. Set your own standards - if they are higher than your customers expectations then they will always be happy.
As you have been doing this a while now, you are due a price increase, especially on those under-priced houses. Raise them a little bit each year if you can until they are market related. Your customers have seen that you have gone to a great deal of effort to keep their windows clean, so most won't mind a small increase. If you can clean 6 houses a day, an increase of a £1 each will give you an extra £6 a day or £30 per week for the same effort.
Remember to ask your happy customers for referrals. That makes it easier to get a better price because you come recommended.
By the spruce how old are you ? :)
62. For me things 'went downhill' at 57 after I had a prostrate surgery. I'm also suffering with a bad back.
Whilst Gerald and I don't suffer from the same things, we are both trying to do the same work with a handicap that will have the same outcome - we can't zoom around the place like others can. The work we do will require a lot more effort. So in a way I can relate to some of the things Gerald is experiencing, although standing next to him I would be a 'fake' as his handicap is much greater than mine.
Some days I might only be able to clean 6 houses, other days I might make 10 but the next day won't be a good one. I bet its the same with Gerald.
People like him are an inspiration to me. If he can do it, what's my excuse I ask myself.
Gerald, you have earned my deep respect. Keep going. You will get there in the end although it won't be 'plain sailing' - someone one said that "calm waters don't make good sailors."
Well Spurce, you have earned my respect, because you bring so much knowledge to this forum. I would have thought at the age of 62, you would have retired, but well done sir, you are still going strong.
+1 totally agree with you Dani. Well done Mr Spurce