Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: supernova77 on November 07, 2007, 05:33:03 pm

Title: Getting dark...
Post by: supernova77 on November 07, 2007, 05:33:03 pm
The last 3 days I've found myself finishing off my last house of the day just before it gets dark! In fact yesterday I was still cleaning a conservatory roof at 4:45pm.

It's a nightmare! I'm gonna have to get up 30 mins earlier I think  :'(

Andy
Title: Re: Getting dark...
Post by: Russell Macdonald on November 07, 2007, 05:41:42 pm
What time do you start Andy?

I never start later than 8 am.
Title: Re: Getting dark...
Post by: M & C Window Cleaning on November 07, 2007, 05:46:18 pm
I also finished at 4.45pm today. I don't normally push it this late but my custies didn't seem to mind.
Title: Re: Getting dark...
Post by: Sanity on November 07, 2007, 05:49:38 pm
Finished at 4pm today.  Gonna start earlier myself...
Title: Re: Getting dark...
Post by: supernova77 on November 07, 2007, 05:50:52 pm
I've been starting at 9am... I did have my cousin working with me up until last Friday, so I've now got it all to do on my own.

I think that if I start by 8:30 am I should be done by 4ish.

Andy
Title: Re: Getting dark...
Post by: ronnie paton on November 07, 2007, 05:53:05 pm
iv been starting bout 7 30, getting busy now theres less hours its not fair :'(
Title: Re: Getting dark...
Post by: Sir Squeaky on November 07, 2007, 05:55:36 pm
I finished at just gone 4 today. :o

Latest for months!
Title: Re: Getting dark...
Post by: jdemarco on November 07, 2007, 05:59:11 pm
I've been starting at 9am... I did have my cousin working with me up until last Friday, so I've now got it all to do on my own.

I think that if I start by 8:30 am I should be done by 4ish.

Andy
From now and over winter i finish at 5 or just after i keep certain houses till last that i know wont mind me cleaning if it gets a bit dark or some i know wont be back from work till 5.30. still starting at 7.30am thats not leaving my house thats cleaning my first customers house which is usually a farm or a customer whos up early, its usefull to know whos up and whos not, thats if you want to make the most of your day, which i do.
Title: Re: Getting dark...
Post by: supernova77 on November 07, 2007, 06:03:15 pm
Quote
From now and over winter i finish at 5 or just after i keep certain houses till last that i know wont mind me cleaning if it gets a bit dark or some i know wont be back from work till 5.30. still starting at 7.30am thats not leaving my house thats cleaning my first customers house which is usually a farm or a customer whos up early, its usefull to know whos up and whos not, thats if you want to make the most of your day, which i do.

Soon it will be pitch black by 5pm so you'll have to start finishing earlier.

Andy
Title: Re: Getting dark...
Post by: dai on November 07, 2007, 06:07:45 pm
I am starting earlier too. The first hour seems to be the most productive of the day.
Other tradesmen start at 8am so why not us?
Wet bristles on glass makes for silent cleaning, so I'm not disturbing anyone.
The trouble with 4 pm finishes, is that I leave for home before most of my customers finish work. I have a hell of a lot of collecting to do tomorrow night. Dai
Title: Re: Getting dark...
Post by: jdemarco on November 07, 2007, 06:09:02 pm
Quote
From now and over winter i finish at 5 or just after i keep certain houses till last that i know wont mind me cleaning if it gets a bit dark or some i know wont be back from work till 5.30. still starting at 7.30am thats not leaving my house thats cleaning my first customers house which is usually a farm or a customer whos up early, its usefull to know whos up and whos not, thats if you want to make the most of your day, which i do.

Soon it will be pitch black by 5pm so you'll have to start finishing earlier.

Andy
Not unless i have houses that i can do ie if customers arent back till 5.30. its not as if you can do a bad job cos you cant see the top windows properly when your wfp any way. not from the ground.
Title: Re: Getting dark...
Post by: ronnie paton on November 07, 2007, 06:09:15 pm
get rid of the collecting then ???
Title: Re: Getting dark...
Post by: ronnie paton on November 07, 2007, 06:10:44 pm
jdmarco are you seriously saying youll clean in the pitch black and be happy??
Title: Re: Getting dark...
Post by: jdemarco on November 07, 2007, 06:14:00 pm
I am starting earlier too. The first hour seems to be the most productive of the day.
Other tradesmen start at 8am so why not us?
Wet bristles on glass makes for silent cleaning, so I'm not disturbing anyone.
The trouble with 4 pm finishes, is that I leave for home before most of my customers finish work. I have a hell of a lot of collecting to do tomorrow night. Dai
Dont collect then let your customers know you wont be calling round so can you send a cheque or just keep it for next time. Ive never collected in 4 years of window cleaning. Train your customers well. They wont send it to you cos they know youll be coming round if you dont theyll send it you. otherwise your hourly rate decreases.
Title: Re: Getting dark...
Post by: jdemarco on November 07, 2007, 06:16:04 pm
jdmarco are you seriously saying youll clean in the pitch black and be happy??

Yeh, i could clean windows with my eyes shut.
Title: Re: Getting dark...
Post by: supernova77 on November 07, 2007, 06:17:23 pm
jdemarco,

I don't think it's very pro to be cleaning windows in the dark.

Andy
Title: Re: Getting dark...
Post by: jdemarco on November 07, 2007, 06:29:16 pm
jdemarco,

I don't think it's very pro to be cleaning windows in the dark.

Andy
Im not really fussed what you think. when you have a busy schedule like mine you have no choice. You can clean a window when its dark at 5 just as good as you could if it was light.... if your a pro!
Title: Re: Getting dark...
Post by: Neil_A on November 07, 2007, 06:30:08 pm
I got to a customers house the other day @ 7:25am... Yes i was there early. but i was planning to eat mcd's breakfast there and start at 8:00am

The customer comes out in his dressing gown and waves me over...

When i get to the door he tells me 'i dont want it done 2day'  i ask 'whys that'

He said 'your to early'  just b4 i could say 'well i will do you later in the day' He slams the door...  £10.00 off that days earnings....

Should i dump him or bite my lip and keep him?
Title: Re: Getting dark...
Post by: dai on November 07, 2007, 06:31:58 pm
I like to be able to see what I'm standing in, or what I'm dragging my hose through. Dai
Title: Re: Getting dark...
Post by: supernova77 on November 07, 2007, 06:35:29 pm
Quote
Im not really fussed what you think. when you have a busy schedule like mine you have no choice. You can clean a window when its dark at 5 just as good as you could if it was light.... if your a pro!

Fair enough!
Title: Re: Getting dark...
Post by: Dean Aspects on November 07, 2007, 06:46:46 pm
Trailing a hose in the dark would not be safe for you or a customer someone could end up having an accident
I have worked a little later than i should sometimes but never when its totally dark to great a chance of doing a poor job

Dean
Title: Re: Getting dark...
Post by: jdemarco on November 07, 2007, 06:54:20 pm
I got to a customers house the other day @ 7:25am... Yes i was there early. but i was planning to eat mcd's breakfast there and start at 8:00am

The customer comes out in his dressing gown and waves me over...

When i get to the door he tells me 'i dont want it done 2day'  i ask 'whys that'

He said 'your to early'  just b4 i could say 'well i will do you later in the day' He slams the door...  £10.00 off that days earnings....

Should i dump him or bite my lip and keep him?
Bite your lip and learn for next time. there are some that wont mind you starting that early. just find out which ones.
Title: Re: Getting dark...
Post by: supernova77 on November 07, 2007, 06:55:16 pm
Quote
Trailing a hose in the dark would not be safe for you or a customer someone could end up having an accident
I have worked a little later than i should sometimes but never when its totally dark to great a chance of doing a poor job

Dean

Yeah but jdemarco is a pro!

He can see straight in the dark with a blind fold on after he's been spun around 3 times and still make £80 an hour 30 hours a day!

Andy
Title: Re: Getting dark...
Post by: Neil_A on November 07, 2007, 06:56:35 pm
I got to a customers house the other day @ 7:25am... Yes i was there early. but i was planning to eat mcd's breakfast there and start at 8:00am

The customer comes out in his dressing gown and waves me over...

When i get to the door he tells me 'i dont want it done 2day'  i ask 'whys that'

He said 'your to early'  just b4 i could say 'well i will do you later in the day' He slams the door...  £10.00 off that days earnings....

Should i dump him or bite my lip and keep him?
Bite your lip and learn for next time. there are some that wont mind you starting that early. just find out which ones.

Thats what i thought, but he is one of these guys that has a face you could slap  :D

Thanks
Title: Re: Getting dark...
Post by: Dean Aspects on November 07, 2007, 07:02:18 pm
Quote
Trailing a hose in the dark would not be safe for you or a customer someone could end up having an accident
I have worked a little later than i should sometimes but never when its totally dark to great a chance of doing a poor job

Dean

Yeah but jdemarco is a pro!

He can see straight in the dark with a blind fold on after he's been spun around 3 times and still make £80 an hour 30 hours a day!

Andy

 :o ;D
Title: Re: Getting dark...
Post by: simon knight on November 07, 2007, 07:10:58 pm

8.30 start  3.30 finish  indoors and having a brew by 4  ;D
Title: Re: Getting dark...
Post by: Grafters Cleaning Services on November 07, 2007, 07:15:21 pm

8.30 start  3.30 finish  indoors and having a brew by 4  ;D
same here, like to be done by 3-30 but today i worked overtime until 4pm
Title: Re: Getting dark...
Post by: windowwashers on November 07, 2007, 07:16:47 pm
I got to a customers house the other day @ 7:25am... Yes i was there early. but i was planning to eat mcd's breakfast there and start at 8:00am

The customer comes out in his dressing gown and waves me over...

When i get to the door he tells me 'i dont want it done 2day'  i ask 'whys that'

He said 'your to early'  just b4 i could say 'well i will do you later in the day' He slams the door...  £10.00 off that days earnings....

Should i dump him or bite my lip and keep him?
Don't get there that early I would say, wait till hes at work, if hes in his dressing gown, you may have caught him at it, I start at 9, 8 on some that i know are not there. but 9am everyone that works should be there (well most anyway)
Title: Re: Getting dark...
Post by: matt on November 07, 2007, 08:00:49 pm
ive got a little lazy in the last few weeks, lack of sleep with the new baby means im not giving it 100 %, so im finished by about 3.30

still earn what i aim for though, so cannot complain
Title: Re: Getting dark...
Post by: pingu on November 07, 2007, 08:39:03 pm
Aim to be finished by 15:30 most days and this enough for me....trouble is there are too many days where I am finished earlier.....always have a few hundred leaflets ...so left, right...left right...

Title: Re: Getting dark...
Post by: Wayne Thomas on November 07, 2007, 08:45:08 pm

From now and over winter i finish at 5 or just after i keep certain houses till last that i know wont mind me cleaning if it gets a bit dark or some i know wont be back from work till 5.30. still starting at 7.30am thats not leaving my house thats cleaning my first customers house which is usually a farm or a customer whos up early, its usefull to know whos up and whos not, thats if you want to make the most of your day, which i do.
Quote

Jdemarco:

I agree with you it's easy enough to clean windows in the dark if you just go through the motions even though you can't see if there is any dirt (bird poo or whatever on the glass) :)

However;  if you were to buy one of them hand held 13 million candle power torches from B&Q that you recharge overnight you could work at least 2hours longer every evening and vastly increase your earning potential just to be sued from some nutter who puts in a claim against you for tripping over your hose which they can't see in the dark ;D

(Jdemarco, no offence intended, just having a laugh if you have a SOH :))
Title: Re: Getting dark...
Post by: Paul Coleman on November 07, 2007, 09:03:40 pm
jdemarco,

I don't think it's very pro to be cleaning windows in the dark.

Andy

If the inside light is on, you get a better view of the window in the dark than when it's light.  If no light on it's trickyt though.  I've found that WFP can be done in worse light than trad.
Title: Re: Getting dark...
Post by: Paul Coleman on November 07, 2007, 09:05:57 pm
I got to a customers house the other day @ 7:25am... Yes i was there early. but i was planning to eat mcd's breakfast there and start at 8:00am

The customer comes out in his dressing gown and waves me over...

When i get to the door he tells me 'i dont want it done 2day'  i ask 'whys that'

He said 'your to early'  just b4 i could say 'well i will do you later in the day' He slams the door...  £10.00 off that days earnings....

Should i dump him or bite my lip and keep him?

Depends on your work situation really.  As a £10er, it sounds very dumpable though.  Maybe do it on a Sunday next time to REALLY p him off.
Title: Re: Getting dark...
Post by: ronnie paton on November 07, 2007, 10:30:32 pm
i really think some people talk sh*t ::)
Title: Re: Getting dark...
Post by: gary999 on November 07, 2007, 11:09:00 pm
had a customer insist i clean her house yesterday just as was getting dark
6 bed detached house near the old pebble mill site in birmingham.got spotlights
on every corner of building never seen so much light.not a problem cleaning :)

by the time id finished was proper dark nearly broke my flaming neck tripping
over my microbore when packing up

wont be doing that again >:(
Title: Re: Getting dark...
Post by: Paul Coleman on November 08, 2007, 05:51:24 am
i really think some people talk sh*t ::)

And of course you never do, do you?
Title: Re: Getting dark...
Post by: ronnie paton on November 08, 2007, 12:13:04 pm
not on here no! y would i?? im here to give and recieve help not give people false hope or make my self seem bigger or better than i actually am.

my feet are firmly on the ground and has you will see shiner my business info is there for all to see!!
Title: Re: Getting dark...
Post by: jdemarco on November 08, 2007, 12:17:12 pm
not on here no! y would i?? im here to give and recieve help not give people false hope or make my self seem bigger or better than i actually am.

my feet are firmly on the ground and has you will see shiner my business info is there for all to see!!
No false hope here my friend! All the time ive been on here ive never made out that im something im not.
I am what i am. So get used to it!
Title: Re: Getting dark...
Post by: ronnie paton on November 08, 2007, 12:27:13 pm
 ::) ::)