Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: harleyman on April 29, 2020, 07:46:35 am

Title: Wood ladders v Ali ladders
Post by: harleyman on April 29, 2020, 07:46:35 am
Just a change of subject  I w onderd how many trad guy's  still use wooden ladders  and  way back in the day when I used wood  I found them a pain to maintain properly . I knew i had done a days graft . Then i started to use a ally  set what a differance. Until i discoverd  w f  p.happy days😊
Title: Re: Wood ladders v Ali ladders
Post by: Ralphie on April 29, 2020, 07:51:48 am
i don't understand why, if using ladders you would prefer wood over ali. the weight difference is massive!!!!
Title: Re: Wood ladders v Ali ladders
Post by: harleyman on April 29, 2020, 08:01:44 am
I've seen quite a few with wood ladders. Makes no sence  why use ladders any way  when there is a safer option  you don't have to get  a full van set up. . .
Title: Re: Wood ladders v Ali ladders
Post by: Paul-kent on April 29, 2020, 08:11:22 am
A old trad cleaner told me that wood ladders are not so cold in the winter months which make sense if your out on the shops early in winter
Title: Re: Wood ladders v Ali ladders
Post by: harleyman on April 29, 2020, 08:18:19 am
Thermal  gloves☺
Title: Re: Wood ladders v Ali ladders
Post by: Granny on April 29, 2020, 09:58:03 am
Once you've seen an aluminium ladder take off in a strong gust of wind and fly down the road the minute you turn your back on it, you tend to prefer wood. ;D
Title: Re: Wood ladders v Ali ladders
Post by: harleyman on April 29, 2020, 11:09:45 am
Obviously you haven't had any ladder training never leave a ladder unatended when not using it lay it on the floor ...simples👍
Title: Re: Wood ladders v Ali ladders
Post by: AuRavelling79 on April 29, 2020, 11:41:28 am
Once you've seen an aluminium ladder take off in a strong gust of wind and fly down the road the minute you turn your back on it, you tend to prefer wood. ;D

Back in the day that happened to me. Except I was on the flat extension roof and the ladders had blown onto the floor!  ;D
Title: Re: Wood ladders v Ali ladders
Post by: Stoots on April 29, 2020, 11:44:39 am
I saw an old chap yesterday cleaning windows with wooden ladders, pottering about and chatting with the customers etc.

I think at that point it's just a hobby and a bit of income. Nice simple job.

Its obviously not to make any serious money or run a proper business as the only way to do that is wfp.
Title: Re: Wood ladders v Ali ladders
Post by: Granny on April 29, 2020, 11:52:30 am
Obviously you haven't had any ladder training never leave a ladder unatended when not using it lay it on the floor ...simples👍
Oooooooh! Take back those claws you b****h! :D
Must be nice to be perfect.
Title: Re: Wood ladders v Ali ladders
Post by: P @ F on April 29, 2020, 12:01:11 pm
Don’t worry Granny, I’ve done it too !
Big set of doubles , left them on the front wall while I went to open the back gate then BANG , turned the corner to find them on the bonnet of the custies brand new Beemer  :o
Not a mark on it , still don’t understand how even now !
Title: Re: Wood ladders v Ali ladders
Post by: Granny on April 29, 2020, 12:07:48 pm
Once you've seen an aluminium ladder take off in a strong gust of wind and fly down the road the minute you turn your back on it, you tend to prefer wood. ;D

Back in the day that happened to me. Except I was on the flat extension roof and the ladders had blown onto the floor!  ;D
Don't you know you should have laid them on the floor after you'd climbed onto the roof!
Title: Re: Wood ladders v Ali ladders
Post by: P @ F on April 29, 2020, 12:24:13 pm
 ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Wood ladders v Ali ladders
Post by: Spruce on April 29, 2020, 12:40:59 pm
Once you've seen an aluminium ladder take off in a strong gust of wind and fly down the road the minute you turn your back on it, you tend to prefer wood. ;D

Back in the day that happened to me. Except I was on the flat extension roof and the ladders had blown onto the floor!  ;D
Don't you know you should have laid them on the floor after you'd climbed onto the roof!

 ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Wood ladders v Ali ladders
Post by: MrChurchMouse on April 29, 2020, 06:52:24 pm
I actually had this happen to me (for the 2nd time in my career) last week.  As in my ladder blew over when I had to leave it unattended while I was on a flat roof.  Had to use the ladder to get onto the roof but then could stand on the roof itself to do the upstairs windows.  Luckily I was able to get down okay without it and it didn't hit anything like a car or what have you when it fell.  Did slightly damage the ladder though in that it doesn't extend as smoothly as it did before. 
Title: Re: Wood ladders v Ali ladders
Post by: harleyman on April 29, 2020, 09:03:47 pm
Why use ladders when its that windy
Title: Re: Wood ladders v Ali ladders
Post by: harleyman on April 29, 2020, 09:05:52 pm
Unless you  have  a 😅parachute
Title: Re: Wood ladders v Ali ladders
Post by: Phil J on April 29, 2020, 09:13:50 pm
Wooden ladders are quieter, think barking dogs 1st thing in the morning when they hear the metal clanking.
Title: Re: Wood ladders v Ali ladders
Post by: Splash & dash on April 29, 2020, 11:03:04 pm
Why use ladders when its that windy

Why use ladders ?...
Title: Re: Wood ladders v Ali ladders
Post by: G Griffin on April 29, 2020, 11:14:46 pm
Wooden ladders are quieter, think barking dogs 1st thing in the morning when they hear the metal clanking.
Cat ladders are the worst for that.
Title: Re: Wood ladders v Ali ladders
Post by: KS Cleaning on April 29, 2020, 11:17:54 pm
Why open a thread about wooden ladders v aluminium ladders when you don’t use ladders?🙈
Title: Re: Wood ladders v Ali ladders
Post by: Stoots on April 30, 2020, 08:25:34 am
Why compare the horse and cart to a penny farthing when you can just drive a car (wfp) these days.
Title: Re: Wood ladders v Ali ladders
Post by: steve rix on May 03, 2020, 12:38:02 pm
if you can earn more with a horse and cart, and have been doing so safely for years, why not? We use wfp but if a customer prefers us to use ladders we will. Just charge 2.5 times the price, (per hour)
Title: Re: Wood ladders v Ali ladders
Post by: KS Cleaning on May 03, 2020, 02:31:05 pm
if you can earn more with a horse and cart, and have been doing so safely for years, why not? We use wfp but if a customer prefers us to use ladders we will. Just charge 2.5 times the price, (per hour)
Each to their own but I certainly wouldn’t give my customers a choice, I have invested heavily in equipment that enables me to clean windows in a safe and effective manner and I’m gonna use it. If they don’t like the wfp method they can find someone else.
It’s also maybe worth checking with your insurance that you will be covered in the event of an accident while using ladders when you have a safer alternative in place.
Title: Re: Wood ladders v Ali ladders
Post by: harleyman on May 04, 2020, 06:36:40 am
May be I should have worded it so you could have understood  . It's what you prefer and why
Title: Re: Wood ladders v Ali ladders
Post by: dazmond on May 04, 2020, 08:14:38 am
if you can earn more with a horse and cart, and have been doing so safely for years, why not? We use wfp but if a customer prefers us to use ladders we will. Just charge 2.5 times the price, (per hour)

Just out of interest how many customers have you got on your books that you clean trad then at their request?

I'm lazy and too busy splashing and dashing.....I just couldn't bring myself to trad a house with ladders these days....not after all these years WFP!😀
Title: Re: Wood ladders v Ali ladders
Post by: lal on May 04, 2020, 10:56:46 am

 I used wooden Ladders years ago, before i went WFP, they were the proper window cleaning ladders that groove to
a point at the top, they were very heavy, and after a few jobs you felt it on your shoulders &  arms, especially lifting off & on
the van, i wouldn't want to go back to them now after Wfping for the last few years.
Title: Re: Wood ladders v Ali ladders
Post by: harleyman on May 04, 2020, 09:50:18 pm
only time I use ladders which are Ali is to get over a gate which is rare. Just there for show..😊
Title: Re: Wood ladders v Ali ladders
Post by: steve rix on May 06, 2020, 01:06:07 am
Hi Daz,
We have about 1350 customers, 35% commercial.  Out of the rest between 40 to 50 % choose ladders,.
We obviously dont take any chances, but if they insist we are happy to oblige where we can. Lads are happy too, all on  30% commission  over target.
Title: Re: Wood ladders v Ali ladders
Post by: zesty on May 06, 2020, 08:14:36 am
if you can earn more with a horse and cart, and have been doing so safely for years, why not? We use wfp but if a customer prefers us to use ladders we will. Just charge 2.5 times the price, (per hour)

Just out of interest how many customers have you got on your books that you clean trad then at their request?

I'm lazy and too busy splashing and dashing.....I just couldn't bring myself to trad a house with ladders these days....not after all these years WFP!😀

It works for some, but I’m the same Daz, I absolutely hate getting the ladders off the van. Becomes a burden once you’ve been WFP.