Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: geefree on September 03, 2006, 12:51:31 pm
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Hi all,
I have read lots of posts from you guys helping all us new w/c,s
and i have also read lots of posts from people
" thinking of starting up ".... but my question here is where are you guys who asked that question,?......are you still doing w/c ..?
i know of the 2 or 3 of us who are blasting the forum for help, to try and get up and running.
Do you experienced guys get a lot of this, people asking then simply disappearing.... or are you newbies still here but too busy to come back to the forum..
just curious guys.
gary
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Window cleaners on forums, are Just like real life window cleaners, they come and go.
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so it seems to be a trade a lot of guys dont stick to?
i know i ask a lot of questions but thats how i am learning i guess,
oh and to any of you guys reading regarding my ladders,
i bought a pair of youngmans they are solid and sturdy, just a slight problem tho, they are about a foot above the sills without extending, may need a stand off now.... but at least now i dare extend them to the top of the whole window and clean from there, whereas my flimsy old ladders frightened me to death. ::)
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Hey! thats what a forum is for! To ask a lot of questions, and if anyone doesn't know the answer, then you don't get a reply, but the guy's & gals on here are very friendly and someone usually knows the answer to a question.
Window cleaning is like any other Job, some get fed up with there work and change there Job's, other's can't handle the winter, or dealing with customers.
One tip I can give you is if you ever get to the stage were you begin to get fed up with it, Just think of your last Job, or what Job will replace your wc job. You won't want to work for anyone else once you have worked on your own for a while.
You don't have to phone in sick when you want to watch the world cup, you don't have to ask for a day off, you don't have to ask if you can finish early.
But most of all your earning potential is up to you, work hard and reap the benefits or tick over just to pay the bill's the choice is yours.
Your ladders sounds a little tall,so a stand off is a good idea, but you will find them a pain in the a**e for constant work, But like yourself I have a couple of jobs were i find it better to extend them above the windows and work downwards, you won't be able to do that with a stand off attached.
Don't worry about asking questions
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Its an easy job to start up,but a hard one to stick to.As regard to the ladders,the youngmans arent too bad,but i would seriously think about saving up and investing in a set of ramsey pointers,especially if you are doing town houses on windy days.They are quite heavy and sturdy,whereas the youngmans are light.Plus with the pointers,you can put them on the frame of the window,and position them easier on unevan surfaces.Anyway,gazza how are you getting on?
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Hi ,
Thanks jeff for your advice, i will stick at it, i am working hard to build and i wont throw this hard work away, and yes, you are right about working for yourself, its a real buzz knowing if i dont reach my own targets...I WONT GET THE SACK ;)... each new customer i get spurs me on.
Fast one... its going ok building steadily, my back aches a bit though :)... feel a bit of an idiot about my ladders now, do you find it ok to put them above the window to clean?
gary.
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I have a couple of ladders, both youngmans, diffrent lengths.
I am from the old school and I like flat angled alluminium rungs, but I prefer wooden sides to ally. They are a lot warmer to the touch in winter which helps. They are not as noisey has ally ladders.
Problem is they are heavier then ally ladders but a blessing on a windy day and more expensive to buy.
Just stay safe.
Nel.
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neil,
great point about the wooden ladders,
im the same
wooden pointer
rgds
stuart
www.skypolesystems.com (http://www.skypolesystems.com)
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gazza,no need to feel an idiot,mate your ladders are fine.Yes,sometimes i have the ladders above the window,alternatively put it to the side.I wouldnt bother with a ladder stay(stand off).They are ideal for pebble dashing and building work,but are not really feesible for window cleaning.
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thanks.
i had to leave a window the other day as the ground was not level, do you use chocks of some sorts, i cand afford stableizers yet.
gary.
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I use a wooden wedge that I have carried in my Top pocket for the past nine years,
3''x 2'' piece of wood cut into a gentle wedge shape. it will fit in your pocket, and is at hand straight away, so you won't be tempted to make do when on uneven ground and your levelling device is back in your van.
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" thinking of starting up ".... but my question here is where are you guys who asked that question,?......are you still doing w/c ..?
Hi
I'm still here, not as vocal as some on the forum but still here.
Tomorrow will be the start of my nineth week, and its only getting better.
Hopefully should have over 80 customers now, only check it once as month as seems better than counting up every week.
My 4 weekly wage is slowly getting nearer what i earnt in my previous job, which was a very reasonable salary so all good really and very encouraging, used to be a general manager for a office supply retailer.
Hopefully over the next 2 months i will increase my count to over 100 and my earnings will be very very near my last jobs net salary.
Bring it on!!
Andy
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Hi Andy well done, and keep up the good work.
when your doing your customers, just pop next door and ask if they want theres done, or if there not home leave a leaflet in there door,even the surrounding houses, even if the windows look clean it doesn't always mean they already have a wc, it may be they do them there selves and wouldn't mind a wc to do the job for them. if they already have a wc then they will tell you. you may be supprised how many more you can pick up this way and you don't have to spend hours canvasing.
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I am a new starter, I started about 5 weeks ago with zero customers and i now have 16, putting cards in shop windows/classified boards have been effective for me, about 10 have been through these cards,
I am not going to quit the window cleaning, i enjoy it too much and have never been more determined to succed in my life, (i'm only 21)
I sold my Uno Turbo to buy my astra van so there is definatly no turning back now as when i'm earning £100+ a day i can buy 10 uno turbos lol!
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like anything else in life you get out what you put in - a lot of guys come along, full of enthusiasm - but won't put the work in when the going gets tough. If you stick at it, have a friendly outgoing personality and take everything thrown at you with a pinch of salt you can make a success of it. I only have to mention the likes of propole and you ill see what I mean - positive outlook, its so important.
If you ever get down because you only pick up 2 customers a week then look on the bright side - 2 a week is 104 a year - 2 years thats 208, at £10 each thats £2080 a month = £24 960 a year. But you need to be persistant and you can't do that unless you have a positive outlook.
(I know there's plenty of guys here who have and are making a success of it, I just chose propole as an example)
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With the determination I have seen from all you guy's on this topic, you will all go forward and £100+ a day is very achievable then it will be Uno Turbo's all around ;D ;D
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iv been window cleaning 12 weeks and still have a part time job to cover the bills although im now getting to the stage where i am thinking of dropping the part time job and concentrating on windows. I window clean 3 and 1/2 days a week. i have 63 customers which is largly down to other local w/c passing on work, so i have been lucky, i have also leafleted and am going to approach a local charity shop which always seems to have dirty windows, i will clean the 3 windows fortnightly and in return, ask to leave leaflets in shop. I am positive about w/c and hope its the only job i ever have to do, get so much more satisfaction from working for yourself, and feel great going home telling the missus, picked up more work today! ;)
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Guys....it's so nice to know that others (you) are also out there doing the same as me each day...Makes me feel so much better when I am drying my hands for the thousanth time to get another leaflet out. ;D
Cheers
Dave.
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I am a new starter, I started about 5 weeks ago with zero customers and i now have 16, putting cards in shop windows/classified boards have been effective for me, about 10 have been through these cards,
I am not going to quit the window cleaning, i enjoy it too much and have never been more determined to succed in my life, (i'm only 21)
I sold my Uno Turbo to buy my astra van so there is definatly no turning back now as when i'm earning £100+ a day i can buy 10 uno turbos lol!
Back in the day i always wanted an Uno turbo, LOL. Got a punto turbo instead as all the Unos i saw were rusty heaps couldnt find a good one.
Selling the car for a van is a good move as it will make you more determind to succeed as you have had to give up something to make a go of it, you now have a commitment to your self to make this happen!!!
Thought about selling my car for the same reason but i am lucky and had some savings to buy a van, so Mrs can have the car, Clio 182 sport, when i drive it now it feels like an F1 car!
For a bit I used it before i bought the van, had some real strange looks from peoplewith the ladders on it and i turned up to clean windows, people must have thought i was mad or made of money :)
Good luck
Andy
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Thanks lads
nice to hear from you, you seem to be doing ok, we are following in your footsteps.
jeff, just cut myself a chock, cheers for that.....now lol
what about soil when my ladders sink as i walk up them ;)
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I've now been up and running for 11 months. Pretty much from day one have visited this forum to get advice and see what the latest news is. Now i'm actually in the position where i can give a bit back.
I have built up a very good customer base and have now taken on my first employee. Still mainly domestic but gradually building up the commercial work, whenever it's more lucrative for a days work over the domestic.
For all you new guys after advice, the most important piece i can give is this. Never walk away from a job until you're completely satisfied you've done the best clean possible. It doesn't matter how long it takes you as you're not rushed for time. Yes you could be leaftetting after finishing your jobs for the day, but word of mouth recommendations will get you tonnes of work.
If you don't already include in your pricing the cleaning of frames and sills then i would advise you to do this. The amount of new customers i have picked up that moaned about their old window cleaner not doing this is unbelievable.
Good luck to all you new guys and stick with it.
Regards,
Lance
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Thanks lads
jeff, just cut myself a chock, cheers for that.....now lol
what about soil when my ladders sink as i walk up them ;)
When you put your wedge under your ladder stand on the first rung and jump up and down (without lifting your feet off) and this will compress the wedge into the soil, reajust your ladders if needed, and you will find it doesn't sink anymore.
You will get used to useing it, and it will become invaluable, until you forget to pick it up one day lol (been there done that) so when you can, cut a couple more and keep them in your van.
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If I ever get down in the dumps through lack of self motivation, all I do is look in the local newspaper or visit the job centre and remind myself what lousy underpriced jobs there are around here where I live and how fortunate I am to be a window cleaner even if it's the middle of winter and I've only gone out for 2 days in the week because of the lousy weather. I'd rather window clean 2 days a week and make a living for myself than go to work for somebody else doing something else getting bored stupid 5 days a week for less pay. That's how I motivate myself by keeping in touch with reality!
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Thanks sunshine for that pep talk, its brill to hear from people who started not so long ago, and are doing so well, makes us all feel better, and taking someone too, does it mean your goals are to keep building and taking more men on, until you are earning without breaking your back?
jeff cheers for that advice again mate, its making me look forward to tomorrow more now , also with my new sturdy ladders lol ;)
Gary.
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Good way of looking at thing easyclean,
is it possible to catch them missed days up in winter, or is it a case of next time around?
Gary.
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If you ever feel your getting low, come to the forum and tell the guy's on here, they will remind you of all the things already been mentioned on here, to try to lift your spirits.
Its the best Job in the world..........
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I feel great, this morning put out 624 leaflets...Had one customer that was going to have their first clean this week phone and tell me that they are now moving...so don't bother....so did have 16 customers now have 15....Onwards and upwards :'(
Ah well have another 2 quotes this afternoon.... ;D
Dave.
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gazz you need to be flexible with your ladder its not like a straight jacket
move it forward a bit or back abit to adapt for the height
the ground wont sink or go above the first rung if this takes you a couple of inches of the sill redapt an inch or 2 forward
a little bit of flex thats all
hope this helps mate
ps , the secret is to do it without thinking like any job the more relaxed you are the easier it gets
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thanks.
i had to leave a window the other day as the ground was not level, do you use chocks of some sorts, i cand afford stableizers yet.
gary.
Gazza i brought this adjustable ladder matts, Have a look.
I think they are great
Dave
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Hi Dave
I have heard about them, but was told to be very careful on moss, (the guy who told me that may reply and explain if he reads it)
Are they around £40 Dave.
Gary.
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No i payed around £20
Dave
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If you have to use ladders then put ladder mitts on the top and swivelling feet on the bottom.
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pointers ;)
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Are pointers a "A Frame Ladder" ?
If yes would a double set of these be better than normal ladders?
If so i will invest.
I spend more money at the mo than earning it....lol >:(
Dave
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Good way of looking at thing easyclean,
is it possible to catch them missed days up in winter, or is it a case of next time around?
Gary.
Hi Gary, if it rains I've no chance of catching up as at last count I was up to 504 customers and it's getting too much hard work now so I've just passed some work on to a friend who's re-starting. However I clean my commercial customers regardless of the weather and if the weather is too bad I spend time doing the tedious bookwork.
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Thanks easyclean,
will play it by ear (or sight :)) regarding the rain, at the mo im ok, when it rains i leaflet drop...so i hope i get the problem later down the line ,, as that will mean ive got my round going,
i do feel a little embarrassed to ask the next question as i feel i should know....but i aint starting a fresh topic as i have too many lol..
but, i thought pointers were A frame ladders too, if so, and if aluminium, then how are they safe so high up and so narrow at the top?.... told i may be embarrassed now :D
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'Pointers' is just a nickname for 'A' frame ladders. Most window cleaners who possess them prefer them to say normal household ladders as they feel safer up these.. The ones splayed at the bottom (aluminium) are safer then the straight ones (wooden). The pointed end at the top has a rubber block fitted to it which has recesses criss crossed to rest against the corners of brickwork or UPVC sills allowing for a better grip than metal ladders would normally. It's down to individual preference. I personally prefer WFP but use traditional ladders where required as I've not much use for 'A' ladders.
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Ah got it, thanks for that info easyclean,(whats yer name lol)..... makes sense now.... when i can afford i will buy one o r wfp. lol