Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: colin bird on June 24, 2015, 06:38:55 am
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Thanks for reading ,I'm 53 and have good domestics round which is now to capacity for one man.
There is good potential in my area to gain more customers.
I don't like turning work way,but I am concerned about taking someone on in case they turn out to be unreliable when I have taken on more work,as this would mean I would have to work harder and longer to try and keep the round up to date,which is possible in the summer but not in the winter due to weather and limited day light hours
Should I stay on my own and earn a good living,or take someone on,which I feel could be trouble,and disruption to my business,for possible not a lot of extra income.
I'm sure some have been in my position,any suggestions and advice is much appreciated
Many thanks
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I'm in exactly the same position and swamped with work - probably turned away ten jobs in the last week alone. I know I should employ. Problem is i really don't want to. I know I'll never find the right person and simply couldn't tolerate anyone who didn't come up to my expectations.
A lot depends on who you are and your character. As for me I can't see me changing so I'll stay as I am.
Read the Richy Wilts posts on how not to employ.
Read Perfect Windows and Smudgers posts on how to do it successfully ;D
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I think most of us end up in this situation sooner or later. It really depends on your own personal circumstances how far you can or are willing to take the business.
Personally if I was in my 50s I'd be looking to slow down a little and have an employee or employees take the weight off my shoulders.
But then if you still feel good and are comfortable with what you are earning then the simplest option would be to stay as you are.
I'm 30 with a good size round, a solid income, have a missis who earns just as much as me and we have 2 young kids. For me thats enough, for now. I turn all but the best new work away as I don't want to over complicate my life during these crucial early years of my kids lives. Plus I just don't have time for anything else with doing school runs etc.
When I hit 50 though, kids will be grown up, I'll be older and wiser but fatter and lazier ;D then employing would definitely seem the best option
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You can always test the water with someone for a day, and take it from there. If I was to employ a young person I would look at investing a lot of time, and effort in advancing their skills, and confidence so that I could leave them to work on their own.
I would send them on every available course, and make sure they were paid a decent wage, and would mentor them.
I wanted to do all this with my son, but unfortunately he turned to drugs at an early age, and now suffers from paranoid schitzophrenia , and is unable to work, but I remember teaching him to use a squeegee when he was 12, and feeling a great sense of pride when he could cleana window without leaving marks ;D
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im the same although im 10 years younger!(43).good solid round.plenty of work(without slogging my guts out 10 hours a day,6 days a week).
TBH im happy as i am.of course i take new work on at the right price but i dont get many new jobs these days as theres too much competition.ive had large parts of my round canvassed,leafleted,undercutters having a go at least 10 times already in the last few months but i still get a little trickle of new jobs plus a few add ons every month so im happy :)
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Depends mate, are you going to employ him legitimate, this then goes down the route of employers insurance, holidays and all the other that comes with it
Or
Casual employment were they can be called in as and when required
Or
Cash in hand, were they come get paid and go home, no questions
Me personally am all commercial so only the top one applies, BUT........ If I was to be doing domestic work daily and majority of payments was cash then I wouldn't consider the top one and would be more inclined to consider the lower or lowest ;D one.
Benefits are there more in you do decide to expand and as your age increases there is always the possibility to rest more and let the guy do more.
Me personally I would defo go for it, I already have staff but am always on the look out for what I would consider to be decent lads with work ethic installed in the head, good lads will make you money so I will find work for them..........any one who thinks they going to turn up for work with me and stand around picking there backside gets told how it is
You are here to work, if you don't like it go find yourself a bus stop that will take you home, and that's it for them......down the rd
I think finding staff is the hardest part of it, training them is easy and finding work is easy, just not enough hours in the days
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Thx Dave !
As already been said, there is no right or wrong and you should run your business the way YOU think is best.
I'm almost 49 - when I started out 5 1/2 years ago my plan was always to employ - it's had its ups and downs with my fair share of errors, but overall it's been the right move for me ( I never saw myself cleaning windows in my late 50's )
Believe it or not there are some great people out there, we have a great guy who's 61 he only wants 1 or 2 days a week although he mucks right in on busy weeks doing 60 + hours his pace and quality matches everyone else on the team, so someone like this would be a good first step.
I'm lucky Mrs Smudger was a great recruitment consultant for many years so our recruiting process is pretty good and she has a great knack in finding the right person who fits in with us and the team.
Darran
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I'm in exactly the same position and swamped with work - probably turned away ten jobs in the last week alone. I know I should employ. Problem is i really don't want to. I know I'll never find the right person and simply couldn't tolerate anyone who didn't come up to my expectations.
A lot depends on who you are and your character. As for me I can't see me changing so I'll stay as I am.
Read the Richy Wilts posts on how not to employ.
Read Perfect Windows and Smudgers posts on how to do it successfully ;D
[/quote
I think I'm probably the same as you,one of the main downsides about not employing is either you keep working flat out as you get older or reduce the size of you round
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I think most of us end up in this situation sooner or later. It really depends on your own personal circumstances how far you can or are willing to take the business.
Personally if I was in my 50s I'd be looking to slow down a little and have an employee or employees take the weight off my shoulders.
But then if you still feel good and are comfortable with what you are earning then the simplest option would be to stay as you are.
I'm 30 with a good size round, a solid income, have a missis who earns just as much as me and we have 2 young kids. For me thats enough, for now. I turn all but the best new work away as I don't want to over complicate my life during these crucial early years of my kids lives. Plus I just don't have time for anything else with doing school runs etc.
When I hit 50 though, kids will be grown up, I'll be older and wiser but fatter and lazier ;D then employing would definitely seem the best option
The main think I noticed when I turned 50 was I started to feel tired,and fall asleep watching tv,I know it sounds funny but it's so true.
But in general I'm fit and can still put a good days work in,I have a son of 10 so not much chance of slowing down
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Thx Dave !
As already been said, there is no right or wrong and you should run your business the way YOU think is best.
I'm almost 49 - when I started out 5 1/2 years ago my plan was always to employ - it's had its ups and downs with my fair share of errors, but overall it's been the right move for me ( I never saw myself cleaning windows in my late 50's )
Believe it or not there are some great people out there, we have a great guy who's 61 he only wants 1 or 2 days a week although he mucks right in on busy weeks doing 60 + hours his pace and quality matches everyone else on the team, so someone like this would be a good first step.
I'm lucky Mrs Smudger was a great recruitment consultant for many years so our recruiting process is pretty good and she has a great knack in finding the right person who fits in with us and the team.
Darran
Didn't realise you were so old Daz ;D
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Depends mate, are you going to employ him legitimate, this then goes down the route of employers insurance, holidays and all the other that comes with it
Or
Casual employment were they can be called in as and when required
Or I
Cash in hand, were they come get paid and go home, no questions
Me personally am all commercial so only the top one applies, BUT........ If I was to be doing domestic work daily and majority of payments was cash then I wouldn't consider the top one and would be more inclined to consider the lower or lowest ;D one.
Benefits are there more in you do decide to expand and as your age increases there is always the possibility to rest more and let the guy do more.
Me personally I would defo go for it, I already have staff but am always on the look out for what I would consider to be decent lads with work ethic installed in the head, good lads will make you money so I will find work for them..........any one who thinks they going to turn up for work with me and stand around picking there backside gets told how it is
You are here to work, if you don't like it go find yourself a bus stop that will take you home, and that's it for them......down the rd
I think finding staff is the hardest part of it, training them is easy and finding work is easy, just not enough hours in the days
I can see the benefits of having staff,but can als see the negatives like having to employ them on the cards,and then they become unreliable or long term sick then it's hard to get rid of them.
Probably the best thing is take them on as casual and see how they go,I quite like the idea of that,I will keep an eye out for a potential person.
Thanks for your advice
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Thx Dave !
As already been said, there is no right or wrong and you should run your business the way YOU think is best.
I'm almost 49 - when I started out 5 1/2 years ago my plan was always to employ - it's had its ups and downs with my fair share of errors, but overall it's been the right move for me ( I never saw myself cleaning windows in my late 50's )
Believe it or not there are some great people out there, we have a great guy who's 61 he only wants 1 or 2 days a week although he mucks right in on busy weeks doing 60 + hours his pace and quality matches everyone else on the team, so someone like this would be a good first step.
I'm lucky Mrs Smudger was a great recruitment consultant for many years so our recruiting process is pretty good and she has a great knack in finding the right person who fits in with us and the team.
Darran
That person you have who's 61 would be perfect for me
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I would stay as you are personally. Do you really need the grief for little extra money, If your long term goal is to semi retire then concentrate on employing others otherwise continue working your best stuff without any hassle and just give out ridiculous quotes!
That is what I thnk most of the time and totally agree with you.
As I get older I worry about my health and the effect illness would have on my business,luckily I'm currently fit and healthy,but if I stay on my own and became ill let's say for a few months,when I returned to work,I may only have half a business left,where as if I take someone on they would be able to keep going whilst I was off.
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im the same although im 10 years younger!(43).good solid round.plenty of work(without slogging my guts out 10 hours a day,6 days a week).
TBH im happy as i am.of course i take new work on at the right price but i dont get many new jobs these days as theres too much competition.ive had large parts of my round canvassed,leafleted,undercutters having a go at least 10 times already in the last few months but i still get a little trickle of new jobs plus a few add ons every month so im happy :)
Hi dazmond I've read a lot of your posts that offer good advice and make a lot of sense,it. Sounds like you business and life is in a good place ,good luck t o you
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Falling asleep in front of the telly? Tell me about it! ;D
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I would charge a lot more on all new work from now on, may be 50% or 100% more. If you get work from now it will be a cream paying job. I would then gradually increase the prices of all my other work. And all the customers that are slow to pay or job I did not like doing, up they would go in price or I would let them go when there was better paying job.
Don't work harder work smarter.
Roy
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Falling asleep in front of the telly? Tell me about it! ;D
I'm 27 years old and do that regularly!
Bit worrying. :o
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I would charge a lot more on all new work from now on, may be 50% or 100% more. If you get work from now it will be a cream paying job. I would then gradually increase the prices of all my other work. And all the customers that are slow to pay or job I did not like doing, up they would go in price or I would let them go when there was better paying job.
Don't work harder work smarter.
Roy
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thats what ive been doing for the last 5 years roy!and as a result im earning close to 20k more a year than 5 years ago.your posts over the years have helped inspire me to build a better,more profitable round without working silly long hours. :)
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Stay as you are and give new potential customers my phone number. If it's a viable job, once I price it and get the job, on the third clean I'll give one clean's worth of money to you - just for passing a phone number on.
Not a joke. Our work areas do overlap.
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Take someone on and work with him so as to doing your round faster and then you can train him up your own way before letting him loose to work on his own. This way you can see his values and work ethic. If you put down good work practice habits the chances are they will stay with him. Only do get him contracted so he does buzz off with your round and dont get him collecting cash. preprint all his invoices so as not know much on pricing.
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Some good reading there guys and it really is about personal preference.
Am 38, been cleaning windows since I was late teens , and self employed since I was 21. I employed from the start but was to young and maybe just lived for the day not knowing what the future held and life went by.
Now I see running the business completely different than I did say upto 3 years ago, I still struggle for staff and work every hour available but I price up jobs very much higher than I did in the past.
I don't want to be doing this when I get to say late 40's into 50's, If am still in the business I will be looking to only work on the tools part time, am not really the best when it comes to the office side so I couldn't see myself doing this either,
I don't love my job and don't hate it either, working long hours has always been part if my life since I started, I just get on with it, maybe addicted to it, ;D
Let no one hold you back, and I would say get out there and find someone you think is trustworthy casual work is a great way of testing the water, from day one explain to the person that he is only here to see if we can expand as a business, if after a set period things aren't how you would of liked them to be then it's the end if the trial.
Don't be afraid of getting rid of staff as soon as you no there not the right person for the job...... Your quick enough to give them a start if they don't take the opportunity and impress then it's bus stop time.
I am on the look out for a few young lads 16/17 year olds, looking to get them started and I will train them both up myself, if they stick it out I will offer them both permanent jobs and if they finish 2 years they will get there d/l paid for them to learn to drive.
I done this for a lad who ended up working 10 years for me, best lad I ever had but fell foul to the crap people put up there nose last year and I pulled the plug on his job immediately.
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Samson : cheeky barsteward :P
Nothing better than a nap in the afternoo........ Zzzzzz.... ;D
You can take them on as self employed - make sure they invoice you each week for the hours done
Darran
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thats what ive been doing for the last 5 years roy!and as a result im earning close to 20k more a year than 5 years ago.your posts over the years have helped inspire me to build a better,more profitable round without working silly long hours. :)
Dazmond, you need to change the signature at the bottom of every post then - work smarter yes but not harder ::)roll
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i put it there to motivate me dave years ago!its staying! ;D
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Stay as you are and give new potential customers my phone number. If it's a viable job, once I price it and get the job, on the third clean I'll give one clean's worth of money to you - just for passing a phone number on.
Not a joke. Our work areas do overlap.
Hi mate,I have recently started a mate up and giving him surplus jobs,