Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: dazmond on July 09, 2015, 07:01:28 pm
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a guy i know is 71 and still at it(trad ) part time(4 days a week) works alone.topping up his pension.he s been window cleaning since he was 18!
another guy i used to work for is 68 and works 3 full days a week with 2 lads helping him out(trad).he still does a bit of ladder climbing as well! ;D
i think the oldest guy on here is DAI i think?(early seventies?)
what about you guys? :)
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Bob plum is older than that ;D
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Good for them! I'm sure they've built up many loyal customers over the years and it's perhaps become more of a vocation for them than a job. This was the case with some of the milkmen I worked with when I was employed by Unigate.
With the pension age being raised and the demise of 'gold plated' final salary pension schemes we are going to see more people working into their late sixties & seventies. If I'm still physically & mentally capable at that age I fully intend to keep on working even if it's for 1 or 2 days a week (I've another 20 or so years to go yet!).
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i am............hang on ..............just confirming with the wife.............yes 53 :'(
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Been at it 10 years this October, at the ripe old age of 41 now.
I only see around 4 or 5 old school trad guys in Swindon now. Wooden ladders on old cars.
Most new start ups here seem to go straight in with a wfp set up. Only seen a few new trad guys in the past couple of years. It's definitely a dying trade window cleaning off ladders.
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I am 53, in this game for 18 years and 100% trad.
I intend to keep going for as long as I am physically able to. As my kids start to fly the nest I may reduce the number of days that I work though, but I can't see myself retiring altogether.
John
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I'm coming up to 55 and been shining since I was 15 and 2/3 bed houses fetched about 45/50p.
I badly misjudged a situation at work when I was 39 and broke an ankle. I carried on for 5 years after it healed until I couldn't stand the pain in my ankle anymore . Had surgery to fuse it, which was successful but pretty much left me unable to use ladders anymore so switched to WFP. Wished I'd done it a lot earlier. I really enjoy cleaning windows this way. I still do a little trad here and there and I don't plan to stop anytime soon.
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I am 53, in this game for 18 years and 100% trad.
I intend to keep going for as long as I am physically able to. As my kids start to fly the nest I may reduce the number of days that I work though, but I can't see myself retiring altogether.
John
i know a few guys whos knees are shot after 30 yrs on the ladders too.the guys who are still climbing ladders in their late sixties/early seventies are very thin with no excess weight so less strain on their knees.
ive still got 2 little lumps below my kneecaps from 17 years on the ladders(where my legs used to rest on the rungs).i dont have any problems with my right knee though anymore since going wfp.
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I reckon when I retire I will keep my best 100 customers as a pension top up .... 10 a day and rest of month off :)
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how old is ian101?i had a look at his website the other day and i thought he looked like he was in his late 50s.turns out he s only in his 40s! :o
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how old is ian101?i had a look at his website the other day and i thought he looked like he was in his late 50s.turns out he s only in his 40s! :o
;D .... 47 next month ... don't forget my card .............. had a hard life Daz .... oh and in photo 4 stone over weight don't help ... lost 1 stone over last 6 weeks though so another 3 to go ............... plus 26 years selling cars enough to age anyone
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how old is ian101?i had a look at his website the other day and i thought he looked like he was in his late 50s.turns out he s only in his 40s! :o
;D .... 47 next month ... don't forget my card .............. had a hard life Daz .... oh and in photo 4 stone over weight don't help ... lost 1 stone over last 6 weeks though so another 3 to go ............... plus 26 years selling cars enough to age anyone
;D ;D ;D
love the new logo though mate.much better than the h20! ;)
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i'm 62 and still going strong, been window cleaning on and off since the 70's
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how old is ian101?i had a look at his website the other day and i thought he looked like he was in his late 50s.turns out he s only in his 40s! :o
;D .... 47 next month ... don't forget my card .............. had a hard life Daz .... oh and in photo 4 stone over weight don't help ... lost 1 stone over last 6 weeks though so another 3 to go ............... plus 26 years selling cars enough to age anyone
;D ;D ;D
love the new logo though mate.much better than the h20! ;)
cheers .................. five dollars from fiverr.com
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I'm antique window cleaner 58 yrs old, and have cleaned 5 days a week for over 30yrs. We're is me gold watch? :)
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Been at it 10 years this October, at the ripe old age of 41 now.
I only see around 4 or 5 old school trad guys in Swindon now. Wooden ladders on old cars.
Most new start ups here seem to go straight in with a wfp set up. Only seen a few new trad guys in the past couple of years. It's definitely a dying trade window cleaning off ladders.
It all depends where your working, a lot of the more modern UPVC frames don't take well to WFP and can be a real pain
to get to a reasonable standard.
Other than the odd commercial guy I'm one of the few that has managed to succeed using WFP in my area, cant see ladder
work being replaced here anytime soon.
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My Father in law works for me, he's 72, all afp work, also another fella I have is 68. I always say my van looks like a scene from Cacoon
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My Father in law works for me, he's 72, all afp work, also another fella I have is 68. I always say my van looks like a scene from Cacoon
:D :D :D
My mum's old window cleaner kept going into his eighties. Recon he probably died window cleaning. Never saw him use a blade even. He was a scrim and leather man. Windows were never that clean but he was a cheerful old soul. Always singing or whistling and almost every time his parting line would be, "before I go, have you heard the one about the...." followed by a quick joke.
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Trad owd fella near me 82 and still goin strong on ladders, at it all week hes a fair size fella must have knees of titanium, looks well for age too, even seen him up ladders in snow
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Where are you based seank? We have the joy of having ionics in our doorstep in Swindon. So I assume lots of newbies are getting their set ups from there.
As for modern upvc not taking to wfp, I find these the easiest windows to clean. The newer the better for me.
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I am 53, in this game for 18 years and 100% trad.
I intend to keep going for as long as I am physically able to. As my kids start to fly the nest I may reduce the number of days that I work though, but I can't see myself retiring altogether.
John
I cant get my head round that kind of attitude. Why dont you pack in the ladders now and look after yourself? Treat yourself with some respect and encourage your body in a healthy way instead of screwing it over.
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Frankie is about the oldest regular member of the forum.
He's very good for his age.
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As for modern upvc not taking to wfp, I find these the easiest windows to clean. The newer the better for me.
Don't have a problem with UPVC, but have had a problem with lousy fitters who don't clean up properly, leaving muck all over the glass that won't budge with wfp or trad tools. Have to get up ladder and do them by hand. First cleans take ages. After that though, they're usually fine with wfp.
The other thing is people who try to revive there UPVC by spraying wd40 all over it and their windows. Don't you just love 'em
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I am 67 years in November full of arthritis in the knees but still doing a full on round. Trad and WFP/ The only recycled teenager on the block.
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I'm 58, Just had the doctor tell me about my arthritic right knee.
Cortisone in my left ankle.
Limping on both legs😂
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The only answer for your knees is a operation. Had one need two more.
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The only answer for your knees is a operation. Had one need two more.
You're jake the peg?
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I am 53, in this game for 18 years and 100% trad.
I intend to keep going for as long as I am physically able to. As my kids start to fly the nest I may reduce the number of days that I work though, but I can't see myself retiring altogether.
John
I cant get my head round that kind of attitude. Why dont you pack in the ladders now and look after yourself? Treat yourself with some respect and encourage your body in a healthy way instead of screwing it over.
Because it suits me just fine. I am fit enough and really enjoy what I do and the way I do it. I appreciate your concern though. :)
Best wishes,
John
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Been at it 10 years this October, at the ripe old age of 41 now.
I only see around 4 or 5 old school trad guys in Swindon now. Wooden ladders on old cars.
Most new start ups here seem to go straight in with a wfp set up. Only seen a few new trad guys in the past couple of years. It's definitely a dying trade window cleaning off ladders.
There will always be a place for trad...The more people set up with wfp the better it is for tradders if you ask me....
And I'm 90% wfp.
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I am 53, in this game for 18 years and 100% trad.
I intend to keep going for as long as I am physically able to. As my kids start to fly the nest I may reduce the number of days that I work though, but I can't see myself retiring altogether.
John
I cant get my head round that kind of attitude. Why dont you pack in the ladders now and look after yourself? Treat yourself with some respect and encourage your body in a healthy way instead of screwing it over.
How's cleaning window using any method treating your body with respect ? ::)roll
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I am 53, in this game for 18 years and 100% trad.
I intend to keep going for as long as I am physically able to. As my kids start to fly the nest I may reduce the number of days that I work though, but I can't see myself retiring altogether.
John
I cant get my head round that kind of attitude. Why dont you pack in the ladders now and look after yourself? Treat yourself with some respect and encourage your body in a healthy way instead of screwing it over.
How's cleaning window using any method treating your body with respect ? ::)roll
You're bored aren't you.
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I am 53, in this game for 18 years and 100% trad.
I intend to keep going for as long as I am physically able to. As my kids start to fly the nest I may reduce the number of days that I work though, but I can't see myself retiring altogether.
John
I cant get my head round that kind of attitude. Why dont you pack in the ladders now and look after yourself? Treat yourself with some respect and encourage your body in a healthy way instead of screwing it over.
How's cleaning window using any method treating your body with respect ? ::)roll
You're bored aren't you.
Yes. ;D
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The last few replies made me chuckle! ;D
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Didn't realise there were so many old farts.................I mean experienced window cleaners, on this forum. ;)
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I first cleaned windows in 1958 with mop and scrim. I remember doing a hotel in Llandudno watching princess Margaret getting married through the window. We thought squeegies were OK for shop fronts but no good on domestics because most had small panes. WFP has been the game changer, it allows guys who would get dizzy standing on a chair to become window cleaners. I'm 73 in September and often get asked when I'm retiring. There is a guy the same age next door, he goes to the gym 4 days a week.
Now why would you pay to get your exercse when you can get others to pay you while getting it?
I only use ladders to access balconies, and to be honest hate taking them off the trailer. Every thing gets done WFP and I have just bought new SLX 25 AND 18FT poles [Tip, fasten a bit of ordinary garden hose to the bottom section, you can then fold the Gardener pole hose, stick the fold into the piece of garden hose, and you can then stop the flow no matter how high your cleaning]. I only do 3 days a week now days, but I also have a small commercial fishing boat to earn more if I need it. I also have a 5 year old daughter and 37 tear old Mrs to keep me on my toes.
I'm just another old bloke who cleans windows, what they don't know is I am still knocking out £30 an hour. Window cleaning really is a great occupation, no collecting any more, but far too many online payments that you can't hide. Another big game changer.
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Did i read that right, at 73 you have a 37 year old wife??
Hat off to you.
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Nice one Dai, i'm impressed. Love the pole hose tip too.
I'm feeling good cause i'm only 50 (I don't normally say 'only' 50).
Best wishes to everyone and may the cleaning continue for a long time to come.
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I first cleaned windows in 1958 with mop and scrim. I remember doing a hotel in Llandudno watching princess Margaret getting married through the window. We thought squeegies were OK for shop fronts but no good on domestics because most had small panes. WFP has been the game changer, it allows guys who would get dizzy standing on a chair to become window cleaners. I'm 73 in September and often get asked when I'm retiring. There is a guy the same age next door, he goes to the gym 4 days a week.
Now why would you pay to get your exercse when you can get others to pay you while getting it?
I only use ladders to access balconies, and to be honest hate taking them off the trailer. Every thing gets done WFP and I have just bought new SLX 25 AND 18FT poles [Tip, fasten a bit of ordinary garden hose to the bottom section, you can then fold the Gardener pole hose, stick the fold into the piece of garden hose, and you can then stop the flow no matter how high your cleaning]. I only do 3 days a week now days, but I also have a small commercial fishing boat to earn more if I need it. I also have a 5 year old daughter and 37 tear old Mrs to keep me on my toes.
I'm just another old bloke who cleans windows, what they don't know is I am still knocking out £30 an hour. Window cleaning really is a great occupation, no collecting any more, but far too many online payments that you can't hide. Another big game changer.
Respect to you, Dai. I'm 71 in December but stopped cleaning in early 2010. Don't think I could do it now - you soon go soft at our age if you don't keep up the graft. Had an 'MOT' at the doctors last autumn and they told me I had to get more exercise - blimey!! I reckon I've climbed to the moon and back in short stages throughout my life, never thought I'd be told that. I've always walked my dog every day, but used to just amble along for an hour or less. Now I walk at least 4 miles every day and keep up as fast a pace as I can - not so easy with two completely flat feet and mucked up ankle joints but I think I can feel the benefit.
More respect to you being the dad of such a youngster - that must keep you on your toes. My youngest is 39 and I've got 8 grandkids and about 3 great grandchildren (I lose count!!)
Still go out quoting new jobs and tramping the streets canvassing when necessary and I'm on call 24/7 to sort problems ;D
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I'm on the wrong forum. ???
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Brilliant >:(
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That was supposed to be a ;D ;D ;D