Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: g.brookes on October 08, 2013, 05:45:40 pm
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Hi chaps. Does anyone run it this way? Im about to take someone on but i dont want to have to buy a bigger van and a new system. I am toying with the idea of me wfp'ing the tops, and my mate doing the downstairs trad.
Does this work well? Is there any chance of the dripping from the tops leaving spotting on the bottoms after theyve been done trad?
Do you need to do each house in a certain pattern?
Thanks in advance
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Tbh can't see the point in paying someone to trad the bottom windows as don't think you'll save that much time in wfp the bottoms yaself, you will save paying your m8's wages. Only my opinion some peeps may differ !!!
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Dont see the point
do all wfp
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Yes my mum and step dad do it like this and customer love it and has proved how much more they prefere the trad touch..
I do it with all first cleans which is why my folks think it should always be done like that.
It doesnt realy take that much longer and customers love it so win win doing it tradding lower windows.
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why would you need a bigger van? only need a new hose reel and pole... if your pumps big enough it should run a 2 man system. One man do the fronts one do the backs, or if you have a compact round do a house each at a time
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Don't agree Mick, why go to all the expense of a wfp then trad the bottom windows ? Also wfp to do it trad sorry m8 wfp is much faster that's right ain't it Bobski & H20 !!! 😀
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I have a nemo van and a trolley system. So as I've said if need a bigger van (to carry enough water for 2 men) and I would need a whole new two man system (and I would want it fitted and crash tested) so talking about 2k on upgrading van and about 2k on a system.
That's why I'm asking how viable it is to trad the bottoms. I'm not bothered about speed cos trad when done well is barely slower than wfp including loading and unloading.
Anyway, I'm not interested in a discussion about that, I just wanna know if there's any problems or tips for doing this?
Thanks chaps
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We do ours in a nice flowery pattern , the old dears like it :D
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i do tops wfp
misses does bottom . n book .works well for us ( that is bottom window ;D) not someones bottom if u know what i mean ;D
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haha Richard. do you not need to leave it a while before doing bottoms then?
oh, and thanks for the 'bottom' clarification haha
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give the lad a brolley while doing bottoms
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she knocks door for money first .by the time she comes round to do bottom windows drippers have stopped .if its a house on its own i give her a helping hand .if thier are custies next door i carry on with tops .that way im not stopping to collect money or do book .which can be time consuming
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If you have wfp do it all wfp , don't bother trad turn it all wfp does better job anyway with frames and windows convert the lot u won't look back.
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i cant see a problem mate.some window cleaners aversion to tradding windows is beyond believe!! ::)roll ;D
i trad some windows every day depending on the job. ;) :)
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Ive been doing it this way for a few years now wfp top trad bottom, and i tend to clean all the tops, then go back to where is started and clean bottoms. Than way the windows have stopped dripping by the time you get to each window.
Ive been thinking recently about changing to completely wfp also, and ive decided to stick to what im doing. I mean why double you expenses in resin or buy an expensive RO System, buy tank, pump etc... to save a minute or two on each house. Just my opinion.
Also i definatley agree that custys seem to be happier that i leave the bottom windows dry.
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Well all I can say is each to there own !!!
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Yes each to there own all my customers now have been wfp for 5 years and they wouldn't go back to traditional, I pick a lot of work up cause normal window cleaner s don't clean frames :-*
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Used to work fine doing it this way for me and my bro
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Yes each to there own all my customers now have been wfp for 5 years and they wouldn't go back to traditional, I pick a lot of work up cause normal window cleaner s don't clean frames :-*
What are you saying ? WFP windows cleaners aren't normal. :o ;D
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the thing is... WFP you clean all the frames etc? however most of the trad lads I know only clean the windows and ledges if the customer is lucky. So how do you tell the customer that the upstairs windows will have everything cleaned but the downstairs only glass and ledges? if you do the frames aswell you must have a lot of cloths!!!
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the thing is... WFP you clean all the frames etc? however most of the trad lads I know only clean the windows and ledges if the customer is lucky. So how do you tell the customer that the upstairs windows will have everything cleaned but the downstairs only glass and ledges? if you do the frames aswell you must have a lot of cloths!!!
Once you have done the first clean then it doesn't take much to give the frames a quick rub with a cloth.
A few cloths would do you all day.
Most trad guys don't clean frames because they don't need to, not because they cant.
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I know of a company local to me that when the wfp tops water drips on to the window below they just blade that off,not even soaping up
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I have a nemo van and a trolley system. So as I've said if need a bigger van (to carry enough water for 2 men) and I would need a whole new two man system (and I would want it fitted and crash tested) so talking about 2k on upgrading van and about 2k on a system.
That's why I'm asking how viable it is to trad the bottoms. I'm not bothered about speed cos trad when done well is barely slower than wfp including loading and unloading.
Anyway, I'm not interested in a discussion about that, I just wanna know if there's any problems or tips for doing this?
Thanks chaps
If possible, why not use your tank in the morning, both poling, drive home & fill up then a tank in the afternoon. More $ than tradding/poling combo
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and then you lose an hour going home and filling up etc, when i worked with my brother he was on pole and i was trading the bottoms,opening gates, making sure the hose wasnt getting caught etc we was averaging around £400 a day
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the thing is... WFP you clean all the frames etc? however most of the trad lads I know only clean the windows and ledges if the customer is lucky. So how do you tell the customer that the upstairs windows will have everything cleaned but the downstairs only glass and ledges? if you do the frames aswell you must have a lot of cloths!!!
having a lot of cloths is not a problem, in my eyes if your a window cleaner cleaning the frames is standard as afterall a window doesn't just consist of the glass.
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the thing is... WFP you clean all the frames etc? however most of the trad lads I know only clean the windows and ledges if the customer is lucky. So how do you tell the customer that the upstairs windows will have everything cleaned but the downstairs only glass and ledges? if you do the frames aswell you must have a lot of cloths!!!
having a lot of cloths is not a problem, in my eyes if your a window cleaner cleaning the frames is standard as afterall a window doesn't just consist of the glass.
Being wfp it is easy to say that statement however when i was trad i did the minimal i had to to get paid as simply took too long to do.
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Ooooo I thought doing it the trad way was old hat pmsl didn't they do it that way back in the 90's come on all you tumblers get with it and if you only pole upstairs pull ya sox up and wfp them all you know you gotta move forward ha ha !!! 😜
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Hi chaps. Does anyone run it this way? Im about to take someone on but i dont want to have to buy a bigger van and a new system. I am toying with the idea of me wfp'ing the tops, and my mate doing the downstairs trad.
Does this work well? Is there any chance of the dripping from the tops leaving spotting on the bottoms after theyve been done trad?
Do you need to do each house in a certain pattern?
Thanks in advance
That's the way I would do it, snagging hoses bug the hell out of me so having to use two no way.
As for the drips you will still have that problem even if you wfp the bottoms.
If your run is compact enough I would clean the tops of the first house then move on to the next so that your
mate will always be one house behind so allowing more time for the drips to stop.
Would also rotate the work, you do the tops one day and your mate the next this would mean you both will get
up to speed and stay up to speed on both methods.
This will help if one of you needs a day off which is one of the benefits in employing.
A traditional cleaning secret, you only need to clean the frames every second or third visit just brush off the cobwebs.
Even then a couple of cloths will do you all day and quick rub will keep them up to speck.
I never understand why trad guys don't do this and let wfp cleaners take their work.
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I'd only do it this way if the bottom windows are easily accessible.
Quite a lot of mine would require using a pointer.
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and then you lose an hour going home and filling up etc, when i worked with my brother he was on pole and i was trading the bottoms,opening gates, making sure the hose wasnt getting caught etc we was averaging around £400 a day
An hour?! Only if you're filling your van tank from static using a thimble.
400l will transfer in 10 minutes with a half decent pump
If he's running 400l he probably isn't very far from home so travel will be negligible.
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refilling sint really an option because i am sometimes a half hour drive away, and if you head back you tend to stop for a brew or some lunch etc and lose motivation.
Plus like I say I have a trolley system so for 2 of us I would still need to buy a new system.
I do a lot of shop work trad, so im only looking at filling our days up with a bit of house work. thats why im not so keen to get a new system and new van.
Anyway thanks for your help chaps, im confident now that compared to the expenses I would incur, wfp tops and trad bottoms is viable. Especially when you include the helping with loading, opening gates and collecting payment etc
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I did some ground floor trad today and I must admit I enjoyed it. Quick, no hassle and very satisfying.
Would I wfp up and trad down every day? Probably not.
What will happen when you continue to expand and take on a third person?
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then i would get a new van and do it all wfp.
but yeah youre right, trad is far more pleasurable than looking up and waving a pole all day. if there were no safety dangers or slower speed with trad then i would never wfp
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then i would get a new van and do it all wfp.
but yeah youre right, trad is far more pleasurable than looking up and waving a pole all day. if there were no safety dangers or slower speed with trad then i would never wfp
Same here, I like the quality control that comes with trad.
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then i would get a new van and do it all wfp.
but yeah youre right, trad is far more pleasurable than looking up and waving a pole all day. if there were no safety dangers or slower speed with trad then i would never wfp
Same here, I like the quality control that comes with trad.
I like the money that comes with WFP
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i mix the two up every day.both trad and wfp.mostly wfp tops and bottoms though.this afternoon was a coldish day with blustery showers so i wfp nearly everything.
the pole wins hands down for most windows/situations but its nice to do a bit of trad from time to time. ;D
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i mix the two up every day.both trad and wfp.mostly wfp tops and bottoms though.this afternoon was a coldish day with blustery showers so i wfp nearly everything.
the pole wins hands down for most windows/situations but its nice to do a bit of trad from time to time. ;D
+1 and also customers do actualy prefere them to be left dry and spotless.. It doesnt take me anymore time doing it wfp or trad for easy access bottoms.
As long as the customer is happy then i am happy... Money for old rope.
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I'm really nuts; I trad the tops and wfp the bottoms.
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I do it, WFP the tops using a backpack and have a 175 litre tank in the back of vehicle, usually take 2 x 25 litre barrels as well.
For me it works brilliantly and I wouldn't change, no snagging hoses and it takes one minute to fill my backpack.
I go round from the furthest point doing the upper windows, I keep an eye on the lower frames and if they need it I give them a quick wfp wash. Then trad the bottoms. Drips are a very rare problem and overall it works for me just right.
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the only time I take the blade out of my van is if there is a leaky window... once a day tops!!
its easier to clean all the frames, windows and doors with WFP
ye we get snagged and kinks from time to time... but I correct that faster than trad lads can position their ladders and climb it.
its easier to persuade customer that WFP works in the rain, I don't usually here about many trad lads working in rain.
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>John
How long were you a trad. window cleaner for?
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>John
How long were you a trad. window cleaner for?
Gold,
I never was a trad window cleaner I started WFP and had to do more and more trad cleaning as I have a
horrendous amount of problem openers on my round.
They leak like mad down on to the glass below and leave runs.
All new upvc frames so will only get worse as they age.
You name it I have tried it fast cleaning slow cleaning, cleaning all the openers first and going back to do the glass
underneath.
Nothing as bad as being packed up only to see water leaking out of a frame onto the glass below an opener.
I also work in a very saturated area so if my work isn't perfect there are 10 guys ready to take it.
So for me wfp hasn't been this wonderful money maker that some guys on here have found.
I know for a fact that this problem occurs a lot more than some on here would like to let on.
Don't get me wrong if it wasn't for wfp I would have never got into this business and I still make a good
living doing a job I enjoy with all the perks of being self employed.
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I'm really nuts; I trad the tops and wfp the bottoms.
lol
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>John
How long were you a trad. window cleaner for?
Gold,
I never was a trad window cleaner I started WFP and had to do more and more trad cleaning as I have a
horrendous amount of problem openers on my round.
They leak like mad down on to the glass below and leave runs.
All new upvc frames so will only get worse as they age.
You name it I have tried it fast cleaning slow cleaning, cleaning all the openers first and going back to do the glass
underneath.
Nothing as bad as being packed up only to see water leaking out of a frame onto the glass below an opener.
I also work in a very saturated area so if my work isn't perfect there are 10 guys ready to take it.
So for me wfp hasn't been this wonderful money maker that some guys on here have found.
I know for a fact that this problem occurs a lot more than some on here would like to let on.
Don't get me wrong if it wasn't for wfp I would have never got into this business and I still make a good
living doing a job I enjoy with all the perks of being self employed.
we all have this problem with certain windows leaking but after the first time I am usually aware so go careful around vents and just concentrate more on the glass then if its a lower windows clean the frames with a cloth, and if its an upstairs window unfortunately the frames don't get much of a wash.
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John
Before leaving any window with an opener that I have just cleaned, I always include a procedure just prior to, or whilst in the process of, dealing with the pain of glass beneath, that I have found completely eliminates the problem of tardy water runs from those potentially problematic crannies.
I simply press the brush onto the glass below the opener; angling it to allow a few bristles to encroach that space where the water droplets have, invariably, accumulated and with one or two passes with the brush disrupt the surface tension of those droplets procuring their liberation.
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Thanks for the reply Nick. I do the same with the droplets below the opener.
When I talk about a problem opener I mean an opener frame that fills up with water and slowly leaks
out through the drain hole below.
The water gets contaminated with the dirt gathered in the hollow of the frame so its like dirty water running
onto the glass below.
Unfortunately the guys who designed the window frames didn't have the intelligence to put the drain holes
at the outer end of the frame so then the water wouldn't run onto the glass.
If you have a frame like this there is nothing you can do but trad it.
I never put water above vents.
I think because of my previous comments Gold thought I was a long term trad guy who just didn't like
wfp as a way of cleaning and that was why he asked me this question.
I believe that if I had been a trad guy with a full round and hadn't the time to spot this problem then wfp
could have damaged my business as I am sure it has done with a lot that don't post on here.
I just want to make sure that guys don't listen to the get rich quick stories on here and are careful when
converting to wfp, do it for your safety and anything else is a bonus.
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John
with these offending openers you've described, does the problem of contaminated water dripping from holes in the frame long after you have finished the clean still occur if you leave off from wetting the top of the frame at all?
If it doesn't, then I'd tackle the top frame of any inaccessible window that behaved in such a manner by first draping a microfiber cloth over the end my brush (after clearing the bristles of any excess water with a swipe of my hand) and just use the overhanging material to wipe that part of the frame clean.
Am I stating the obvious?
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and then you lose an hour going home and filling up etc, when i worked with my brother he was on pole and i was trading the bottoms,opening gates, making sure the hose wasnt getting caught etc we was averaging around £400 a day
An hour?! Only if you're filling your van tank from static using a thimble.
400l will transfer in 10 minutes with a half decent pump
If he's running 400l he probably isn't very far from home so travel will be negligible.
His work was about 15 miles from home mate, it worked ok while we had to do it like that but was much better when he got a 2man system