Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: AuRavelling79 on January 10, 2007, 10:15:34 pm
-
Hi, Ross - how's "going it alone" working out and did you get a van sorted?
-
Hi Malc
Thanks for the thought.
I'm picking up the van on Friday. It's an ex BT van, 2 years old with 11 000 on the clock and at £5 000 incl VAT as compared to £13 000 for a new one, I'm happy. I could have bought new but an extra £8 000 just for a 3 year warranty and yes, I'm a scrooge.
It'll be odd starting up all over again. I was a part of quite a growing business that was highly profitable and in a few short weeks, I'll have gone from dealing with companies and business's to canvasing for work with leaflets and to start with, I'll be aiming at middle/upper class bungalows.
What's nice is no more hassle organising it all. Today a lady along the street asked me to do her 2 up 2 down council house. It was only a tenners worth and I had to walk maybe 100yds with a ladder but how simple and how easy? 20 minutes work if that but just how simple? Clean the windows and collect the money. Sounds great to me. No invoices, no VAT headaches, no accounts, no waiting on the phone, no organising just clean the windows and get paid.
Sounds great. I can't wait to get going.
Cheers
-
ross
is that 11k or 111k? ;)
-
Hi macmac
11 000 miles. Not 110 000. Some BT vans do hardly any milage if they're in and around town.
Cheers
-
Hi Malc
Thanks for the thought.
I'm picking up the van on Friday. It's an ex BT van, 2 years old with 11 000 on the clock and at £5 000 incl VAT as compared to £13 000 for a new one, I'm happy. I could have bought new but an extra £8 000 just for a 3 year warranty and yes, I'm a scrooge.
It'll be odd starting up all over again. I was a part of quite a growing business that was highly profitable and in a few short weeks, I'll have gone from dealing with companies and business's to canvasing for work with leaflets and to start with, I'll be aiming at middle/upper class bungalows.
What's nice is no more hassle organising it all. Today a lady along the street asked me to do her 2 up 2 down council house. It was only a tenners worth and I had to walk maybe 100yds with a ladder but how simple and how easy? 20 minutes work if that but just how simple? Clean the windows and collect the money. Sounds great to me. No invoices, no VAT headaches, no accounts, no waiting on the phone, no organising just clean the windows and get paid.
Sounds great. I can't wait to get going.
Cheers
Ross. It hasn't happened recently but I do get the occasional enquiry from down your way. If you wish, I could contact you if I get others. I live in Crawley so Brighton area is a bit far for me (unless for a very large job of course). I haven't kept a record of who contacted me but, if I hear from anyone again in Henfield, would it be alright to contact you about that or is Henfield a bit far out?
-
what happened to you Ross. Did you stop for some reason?
That van sounds a bargain. ;)
-
Yes Ross tell us more. Whats happened to the guys you were working with & have you gone over to wfp completley or are you not gonna bother.
Has the Hearse died?
Steve
-
Ross
Where did you get the van from?
Dave
-
Ross
Where did you get the van from?
Dave
Yes,
Please tell us from where you got the van from!
Spruce
-
Aye ross, why did you pack it in with your last lot ?? ?? ? i have wondered a few times
-
Sorry for not posting
I got the van from a place called QV who sell ex BT vans and are have a showroom/forecourt and are in Kingswood in Surrey.
The van I bought was a standard Ford Connect (short wheel base) with 19 000 on the clock. It drives like a dream. It is an 03 reg but is in perfect nick. What I liked was the owner of the place, he was a no frills, no sh*t type of person and was eager for repeat business in a few years time.
I am more than happy with what I bought. What ever any one says about the Connect Vans, they are a lovely drive and well though out. Also, being an ex BT van it came with all the BT fittings, roof rack, safe, etc, etc.
The reason I packed up being part of a growing and highly successful business is hard to explain. Basically, I did all the organising and accounts. To start with it was just an easy job. We had virtually no work but over the years it has all grown and grown. We've gone from just houses to commercial contracts and all that such thing involve.
It was a lot of work and I felt the others I worked with didn't understand just what went into running a business. They'd just turn up for work in the morning not worrying about what went into each days work and who we used to sub contract, and how that went, and all that, and for them, those headaches didn't exist although I must stress, we all did a solid days work. I did not work with shirkers. Far from it but while they went home in the evening to do whatever they wanted to do, I spent time and phone calls even if I was knackered from the days work. On top of that, even at work, I kept a track of it all. I just got fed up of the strain of working and organising at the same time. I got extra money for it but it comes down to what cabin crew at BA are fed up with, not being appreciated.
Also, I just want to do 'it' for myself. I started work as self employed with someone else and it just grew and now i just want to be doing it for myself.
Sorry if the above is a bit short and abrupt but in a nutshell, that is it. There is a lot more to it than that and I'll miss the others who I worked with because we have had some real laughs and what makes it worse is that we all parted friends.
I'm going back to basics. Cleaning a few windows for a living. Well, for the time being anyway.
As for the van, I've been out every night this week and I'm well impressed.
Cheers
-
Hi Ross,
I know exactly what you mean about hours extra, i work & run the business, phone calls & paperwork. I,m trying to increase turnover then to employ more saff so that will free me & still give me profit.
I sometimes think it would be easy to go back to basics, but, i,ll keep going everybody keeps saying 'hows the empire growing', I say slowly.
But there is plenty of work out there.
Gary
-
cheers for the reply
i guess its what your happier with, as ive said B4, im happy with my lot ;)
good for you
-
Ross did you not take any work with you from the business to help get yourself going again?
Steve