Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: trippyboy on November 06, 2013, 05:21:50 pm
-
Ok first let my say I wasn't born with a gardiners slx up my bum,i done trad for 14 yrs and I was lighting quick with trad.
In those 14 yrs I had 3 accidents with ladders (my fault yes)
I just want to know from you trad guys one thing.
Why do you choose to stick with trad when wfp is much safer,and I reckon at least 50% quicker?
Not having a pop at you,just wanting to understand you is all
cheers
-
I enjoy it and it keeps me fit ;D
-
forgot to mention been doing trad 22 years, since i was 20 ;D
-
Money?
You can start earning trad with next to nowt, borrowed ladders and a bucket.
-
And i pick up all the work you wfp lose due to custies not liking wfp. ;D
-
Ok first let my say I wasn't born with a gardiners slx up my bum,i done trad for 14 yrs and I was lighting quick with trad.
In those 14 yrs I had 3 accidents with ladders (my fault yes)
I just want to know from you trad guys one thing.
Why do you choose to stick with trad when wfp is much safer,and I reckon at least 50% quicker?
Not having a pop at you,just wanting to understand you is all
cheers
Fear of change.
-
very little overheads , and also a proper challenge .
-
ive been going about 3 1/2 years with first 6 months trad - still feeling like im cheating with wfp ;D
do sometimes miss simplicity of ladders :P
-
Been trad then WFP then back again to trad.
Main reason the van I had was poope and maybe should have got better van. I sold everything and went back trad as I knew I could get the work at high prices without the hassle of being WFP.
After a while I've looked at WFP and know I should have got better set up but then van insurance had risen and with the tank I wanted I couldn't be insured so I had found an excuse not to do it.
Now I'm planning to be WFP by feb 2014. Will still clean trad but will be concentrating on gaining WFP work and more commercials
Danny
-
being trad is harder in these months, i remember last year if i didnt do wfp + trad, there would have been windy days where i would not go out due to bad winds , danger up the ladders. but i still got out because i had backpack gear, not bothered about the wind now. it does pay for itself that way. its a bit of a headache starting out .
but easy after a while. unless parts go bad and need replacing. thats the only drawback in wfp
-
i was trad for 17 years.3 and a half years wfp now.i do spend a lot more money on equipment but i earn way more(nearly double what i earned on ladders in 3 and a half years).so im still making a fair bit more money.im safer and i enjoy my job so much more.
i still do a bit of trad(ground floor mainly).in fact last 2 jobs of the day today i used the ladders(the backs of one of the houses has a veranda thats only accessible with ladders)and a small little granny flat.
i enjoy using a squeegee sometimes.mine gets used every day at some point but its only a small percentage.
i think the number one reason that trad window cleaners stay as they are is the initial outlay and ongoing running costs.
2.fear of change and that they will lose customers in droves.
3.thinking they dont have a big enough customer base to warrant the outlay and ongoing costs
-
imo to some. window cleaning aint moved on a bit like putting your head in the sand.first thing i would say is do your resurch it dont have to cost the earth to get the very basic kit.ie if youve got a small budget .get a di bottle 5 or six 25 ltr water containers back pack £100 quid trad bottoms wfp tops.thats what i did when i changed over slung every thing in the back of a ford focus. of i went.got stuck in .i made a pole from a fishing pole simple if yove got the get up and go.ive got a van system now whith a hot wash worked my butt off for a year the work got easey give me time to expand
-
I have a wfp system, its in shed ;D
I use backpack only on windows i cant access Trad.
Wouldnt change to wfp full time, im happy the way i am and what i earn. Trad keeps me fit, if went wfp weight would pile on.
And i pick up most my work from custies not liking the wfp system.
-
Is it safer, yes
Is it faster yes
Does it always do a better IMO no.
I use both methods, I choose which I think will be a better finish as I like to leave a job as I think it should be left and how I would like my windows to be cleaned.
Gordon
-
Is it safer, yes
Is it faster yes
Does it always do a better IMO no.
I use both methods, I choose which I think will be a better finish as I like to leave a job as I think it should be left and how I would like my windows to be cleaned.
Gordon
+1
-
Yo wfp lads that keep on preaching the gospel are banging on to convince yourselves as much as anything . nobody likes to admit theyv frittered a whole lotta something when they were perfectly happy before and had been for many yrs,even decades with some very good holidays behind them
-
I have a wfp system, its in shed ;D
I use backpack only on windows i cant access Trad.
Wouldnt change to wfp full time, im happy the way i am and what i earn. Trad keeps me fit, if went wfp weight would pile on.
And i pick up most my work from custies not liking the wfp system.
Buy a brodex pole and put a vikan sill brush on, lugging that about will keep you fit ;D
-
I have a wfp system, its in shed ;D
I use backpack only on windows i cant access Trad.
Wouldnt change to wfp full time, im happy the way i am and what i earn. Trad keeps me fit, if went wfp weight would pile on.
And i pick up most my work from custies not liking the wfp system.
Buy a brodex pole and put a vikan sill brush on, lugging that about will keep you fit ;D
;D ;D
-
I was trad for a lot of years, and was always put off changing to wfp by so called experienced cleaners saying it did a rubbish job ! It was only when I bought some work that was cleaned by wfp that I realised what I had been missing out on for far too long.
Wfp has a bad name in some peoples eyes due to poor operators, taking shortcuts giving it a bad name.
-
Been wfp now around 9 years did ladders for 18 years, I look at jobs I use to ladder of 3 part and think sod that couldn't do it now. Like you say I hates looking to price up high jobs off ladders now I don't mind as wfp is easier. I gotta say thou when using ladders had no pains since wfp I've had frozen shoulders and neck pain occasionally. Could be old age at 44 who knows.
They say life starts at 40 they mean the aches & pains start about that age and more visits to the docs pmsl !!!
-
Is it safer, yes
Is it faster yes
Does it always do a better IMO no.
I use both methods, I choose which I think will be a better finish as I like to leave a job as I think it should be left and how I would like my windows to be cleaned.
Gordon
+1
+2
-
danny what pole do you use as your day to day pole?do you take glucosamine and cod liver oil every day?
extreme poles and extreme brushes for regular cleans really do cut down on strain.
robertphil wfp has been the best decision ive ever made in window cleaning,yes it costs a lot more(esp when you want the best lightest poles on the market)but i earn a lot more which easily covers the extra cost and then some. ;D
nowt wrong with trad only but its slower and you just cant clean windows as effective and add on jobs just cant be done to a good standard without busting a gut hanging off a ladder with a cloth/trad pole!! ;D ;D ;D
-
Been trad then WFP then back again to trad.
Main reason the van I had was poope and maybe should have got better van. I sold everything and went back trad as I knew I could get the work at high prices without the hassle of being WFP.
After a while I've looked at WFP and know I should have got better set up but then van insurance had risen and with the tank I wanted I couldn't be insured so I had found an excuse not to do it.
Now I'm planning to be WFP by feb 2014. Will still clean trad but will be concentrating on gaining WFP work and more commercials
Danny
In other words you couldnt afford it?
-
busting a gut, this is the clincher for me. now you line up 10 wfp and 10 trad sideways on and see which have the gut sticking out like a big extra bum . is wfp easier on your body in the long run , i doubt it
-
robertphil i havent got a big belly!! ;D ;DAND i have enough energy to go the gym and swimming now im not running up and down ladders all day!I keep the hose reel in the van and use ultra light carbon poles.
if your happy stay with the ladders!i think your foolish though if you have a busy workload.
regards
-
vanity...or safety...mmmmm! which one i wll pick! ::)roll
-
Been trad then WFP then back again to trad.
Main reason the van I had was poope and maybe should have got better van. I sold everything and went back trad as I knew I could get the work at high prices without the hassle of being WFP.
After a while I've looked at WFP and know I should have got better set up but then van insurance had risen and with the tank I wanted I couldn't be insured so I had found an excuse not to do it.
Now I'm planning to be WFP by feb 2014. Will still clean trad but will be concentrating on gaining WFP work and more commercials
Danny
In other words you couldnt afford it?
Money wasn't an issue, I just had problems with the van.
A few days like bob plum waiting for parts to arrive and thought I'm not bothering with this. It was round that time I was getting out of window cleaning but changed my mind later on.
I sold on a lot of work too then started rebuilding. Now I have more work, better priced and all monthly. Now I'm thinking I would love to have a WFP set up instead of ladders.
Ill admit that I jumped in first time without looking at the better options at the time such as microbore hoses and lighter poles. I guess the timing was wrong but here I am coming for a second go...
-
I've now got a daughter and I'm always thinking that the safety aspect will always outweigh any other factor.
-
Daz is it me or Danny guest regarding what pole everyday use
I use a Gardiners 37 ft slx and also the cheap unger green pole which to be fair do last along time as when the pole slips abit I take the clamp off puts electrical tape under the clamp and is as good as new. I've got the cill brush on it but not the lightest so make sure I eat 4 weetabix pmsl 😁
-
i dont give a monkys which is better saftey is paramount do you reley think a custy is gonna give a poope if you fell of the poxy ladders .that would be a big fat NO THEN.accidents waiting to happen ,what about family whose life gets turned upside down. if the worst happens god forbid.its about time folk woke up trad aint worth a life.phew ive said it
-
Bloodyhell Davey Boy I bet you feel better for that pmsl !!! Your right thou and I think all the trad workers or shiners if you can afford but won't go wfp I think you should all do it and move forward with the time as trad is now a thing of the past time to move forward. Robots in years to come to clean them dirty berty mork & mindos ie windows Feeeeeewwwww dats better as well lol 😳😳😜
-
Is it safer, yes
Is it faster yes
Does it always do a better IMO no.
I use both methods, I choose which I think will be a better finish as I like to leave a job as I think it should be left and how I would like my windows to be cleaned.
Gordon
+1
+1
-
we will have to keep banging the wfp drum untill the trad dinosours wake up ;D looks like itll be a long time though
-
Why try to convert people to pole?
Leave tradders to it, if they're happy then they're happy....
People still ride horses, some people drive a car....
As long as people are happy leave them to it
-
Is it safer, yes
Is it faster yes
Does it always do a better IMO no.
I use both methods, I choose which I think will be a better finish as I like to leave a job as I think it should be left and how I would like my windows to be cleaned.
Gordon
All the way!
-
Why try to convert people to pole?
Leave tradders to it, if they're happy then they're happy....
People still ride horses, some people drive a car....
As long as people are happy leave them to it
+1
-
At the end of the d it's personal choice! if I want to use trad I will if I want to use a pole I will.
Thats why I am self employed so I dont have to dictated to.
It winds me up when people bang on about what if and what if that, yes it is a very dangerous job which is why we are well rewarded for it.
If you want to talk about danger and the effect it would have on other peoples lives, what if you hit a car from behind that had a family in it with half a ton or more of water on board it would be the same as an emty van of course it wouldn't, Yet we all still do it without worrying
The amount of people I see using water fed poles that have no cones out to warn the public, this could effect other peoples lives!
If you are very good with a squeegee does not mean you will be good with a pole! with that in mind some people may just prefer the finish they get with trad.
Regardless whether people think I am mad thats up to them I wil continue to use both methods as I don't think you can use either methods on everything so I will use what I think is best.
Regards,
Gordon
-
At the end of the d it's personal choice! if I want to use trad I will if I want to use a pole I will.
Thats why I am self employed so I dont have to dictated to.
It winds me up when people bang on about what if and what if that, yes it is a very dangerous job which is why we are well rewarded for it.
If you want to talk about danger and the effect it would have on other peoples lives, what if you hit a car from behind that had a family in it with half a ton or more of water on board it would be the same as an emty van of course it wouldn't, Yet we all still do it without worrying
The amount of people I see using water fed poles that have no cones out to warn the public, this could effect other peoples lives!
If you are very good with a squeegee does not mean you will be good with a pole! with that in mind some people may just prefer the finish they get with trad.
Regardless whether people think I am mad thats up to them I wil continue to use both methods as I don't think you can use either methods on everything so I will use what I think is best.
Regards,
Gordon
Sensible.
Other than the bit about the cone.
-
Hi Darren,
Surely if you are running hoses over roads and pavements? Or am I wrong?
Gordon
-
Hi Darren,
Surely if you are running hoses over roads and pavements? Or am I wrong?
Gordon
I think right/wrong perhaps isn't the way to look at it.
I don't use cones for domestic.
Not to say you're 'wrong' though. I just disagree that they are necessary.
-
I'm not saying there necessary, again personal choice but if on one hand people bang on about safety then surely it has to work both ways?
Gordon
-
I was trad for a lot of years, and was always put off changing to wfp by so called experienced cleaners saying it did a rubbish job ! It was only when I bought some work that was cleaned by wfp that I realised what I had been missing out on for far too long.
Wfp has a bad name in some peoples eyes due to poor operators, taking shortcuts giving it a bad name.
fully agree
-
total disregard for saftey thats all there is to it imo, you can go on for ever.on this matter discusing pros and cons ,this is just my opinion i feil very strongly,on the subject
-
I'm not saying there necessary, again personal choice but if on one hand people bang on about safety then surely it has to work both ways?
Gordon
Totally get you.
I don't bang on about it though bud.
I work in as safe manner as I think necessary.
I'm more about common sense than H&S.
-
I use 4 cones on domestic now. Used to use two.
It's the best advertising for passing cars and people. They see all these cones and look at me. Since going from 4 to 2 I would say I am picking up about 3/4 more customers a week.
-
i use backpacks...no need for cones ;)
-
Hi Darren,
Surely if you are running hoses over roads and pavements? Or am I wrong?
Gordon
I think right/wrong perhaps isn't the way to look at it.
I don't use cones for domestic.
Not to say you're 'wrong' though. I just disagree that they are necessary.
I agree , the hose is bright yellow /orange .
Im all for being safe but there is a limit.
What if they trip over the cone?
-
Hi Darren,
Surely if you are running hoses over roads and pavements? Or am I wrong?
Gordon
You're not Dave Willis in disguise are you? ;D ;D ;D
-
Sorry to disappoint you but no.
I'm not saying I don't like using the pole, I've actually just bought a clx which lm loving.
All I'm saying is if safety is the very reason why people go water fed then fine but to me if that's the case then it has to be all aspects of saftey not just the cleaning of a window.
Gordon
-
I use cones because I think you should give warning about a trip hazard. Not everyone has perfect vision. Having said that, nobody has ever tripped over my hose {apart from me} but someone has tripped over the warning cone ::)roll
-
:) Sod's law that Tom