Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Fredboy on December 29, 2007, 03:32:29 pm

Title: DO YOU NEED AN ADDITIONAL INCOME?
Post by: Fredboy on December 29, 2007, 03:32:29 pm
Hey Guys - am selling my bouncy castle business so that I can concentrate on expanding my window cleaning business.

It is a very profitable business run mainly at weekends in the South West London and Surrey area but it could easily be transferred elsewhere.  You are able to earn £300 per day at weekends by hiring out all four castles at current hire prices.  The business consists of 4 bouncy castles, blowers, mats, extension leads, website, dedicated telephone number (which can be attached to any landline number) and advertising in 2 local Thomson directories (Sutton & Merton and Wandsworth).

Interested?  Email info@avabounce.co.uk for further details.
Title: Re: DO YOU NEED AN ADDITIONAL INCOME?
Post by: D woods on December 29, 2007, 04:18:47 pm
That sounds like a lot of hot air to me.
Title: Re: DO YOU NEED AN ADDITIONAL INCOME?
Post by: Fredboy on December 29, 2007, 04:19:58 pm
Sorry?  What do you mean?
Title: Re: DO YOU NEED AN ADDITIONAL INCOME?
Post by: Davie T on December 29, 2007, 04:32:13 pm
It is over inflated!
;D
[/b][]
Title: Re: DO YOU NEED AN ADDITIONAL INCOME?
Post by: Walter Pole on December 29, 2007, 04:34:19 pm
emailed you
Title: Re: DO YOU NEED AN ADDITIONAL INCOME?
Post by: Tim Rose on December 29, 2007, 04:39:12 pm
It is over inflated!
;D
[/b][]
It'll never take off!

(£300 a day?  WEEKENDS?, No thanks)
Title: Re: DO YOU NEED AN ADDITIONAL INCOME?
Post by: Fredboy on December 29, 2007, 04:59:04 pm
Glad to see the Christmas spirit is still going strong!!!

Title: Re: DO YOU NEED AN ADDITIONAL INCOME?
Post by: Paul Coleman on December 29, 2007, 05:14:14 pm
Glad to see the Christmas spirit is still going strong!!!



Maybe this could be another way of cleaning windows without ladders   ;D .  Just bounce up with squeegee in hand and clean.  Or maybe the castle could be a new line in "fall arrest" equipment.
Title: Re: DO YOU NEED AN ADDITIONAL INCOME?
Post by: Tim Rose on December 29, 2007, 05:23:37 pm
Baaaaa humbug!

(http://image.orientaltrading.com/otcimg/4_4887.jpg)
Title: Re: DO YOU NEED AN ADDITIONAL INCOME?
Post by: matt on December 29, 2007, 09:56:05 pm
its good to bounce idea's around
Title: Re: DO YOU NEED AN ADDITIONAL INCOME?
Post by: D woods on December 29, 2007, 10:07:58 pm
That's enough, stop jumping up and down on this guy.
Title: Re: DO YOU NEED AN ADDITIONAL INCOME?
Post by: Tim Rose on December 29, 2007, 10:13:49 pm
"I'm the king of the bouncy castle, you're the dirty rascal!"
Title: Re: DO YOU NEED AN ADDITIONAL INCOME?
Post by: Grafters Cleaning Services on December 30, 2007, 10:13:34 am
this is a good place to AIR your views
Title: Re: DO YOU NEED AN ADDITIONAL INCOME?
Post by: Sir Squeaky on December 30, 2007, 12:38:10 pm
What about this one? ;D

Title: Re: DO YOU NEED AN ADDITIONAL INCOME?
Post by: window pain on December 31, 2007, 01:17:03 pm
Hey Guys - am selling my bouncy castle business so that I can concentrate on expanding my window cleaning business.

It is a very profitable business run mainly at weekends in the South West London and Surrey area but it could easily be transferred elsewhere.  You are able to earn £300 per day at weekends by hiring out all four castles at current hire prices.  The business consists of 4 bouncy castles, blowers, mats, extension leads, website, dedicated telephone number (which can be attached to any landline number) and advertising in 2 local Thomson directories (Sutton & Merton and Wandsworth).

Interested?  Email info@avabounce.co.uk for further details.
How much does the public liability insurance cost
Title: Re: DO YOU NEED AN ADDITIONAL INCOME?
Post by: Fredboy on December 31, 2007, 09:06:08 pm
Public liability costs in the region of £400 per annum.
Title: Re: DO YOU NEED AN ADDITIONAL INCOME?
Post by: Alex Gardiner on December 31, 2007, 09:43:11 pm
Isn't the income from this sort up business a bit 'up and down' ?
Title: Re: DO YOU NEED AN ADDITIONAL INCOME?
Post by: gary999 on December 31, 2007, 09:52:42 pm
and the cost can be a little over inflated ; :)
Title: Re: DO YOU NEED AN ADDITIONAL INCOME?
Post by: bluez on December 31, 2007, 10:18:08 pm
 Hate to burst your bubble but these types of businesses have a lot of up's and downs  ;D
Title: Re: DO YOU NEED AN ADDITIONAL INCOME?
Post by: Londoner on January 01, 2008, 08:40:56 am
Yeah but they always bounce back.

Actually this is a good little business and just the thing to tide you over when the hosepipe ban kicks in. Somebody I know has done it for years and while he's not the sort of bloke to talk about money he's also not the sort of bloke to do it if there wasn't a good profit in it.
Title: Re: DO YOU NEED AN ADDITIONAL INCOME?
Post by: Village Gleam on January 01, 2008, 08:54:48 am
You need storage for four bouncy castles- you need transport sometimes to four different locations for delivery and collection erection and dismantlement. You need to advertise. The window for this business is about four months.
IE. 4 WEEKENDS * 4= 16*£600= £9,600 Gross max potential income.

From this I would deduce that you would need a minimum of an empty garage, a van(not cluttered up with wfp), and probably a trailer as well. And of course as always an understanding wife.
Title: Re: DO YOU NEED AN ADDITIONAL INCOME?
Post by: Paul Coleman on January 01, 2008, 09:22:39 am
You need storage for four bouncy castles- you need transport sometimes to four different locations for delivery and collection erection and dismantlement. You need to advertise. The window for this business is about four months.
IE. 4 WEEKENDS * 4= 16*£600= £9,600 Gross max potential income.

From this I would deduce that you would need a minimum of an empty garage, a van(not cluttered up with wfp), and probably a trailer as well. And of course as always an understanding wife.

and pretty healthy lungs as well   ;D
Title: Re: DO YOU NEED AN ADDITIONAL INCOME?
Post by: Village Gleam on January 01, 2008, 09:41:19 am
And to take Shiner's point that high 90% window cleaning start ups either fail or don't pursue it, if you are the type of person who pursues one hairbrained scheme after another and after buying all this kit your enthusiasm waned and you are coming to WFP on the rebound then it's pretty likely that this biz(WFP) will be up for sale too.
Title: Re: DO YOU NEED AN ADDITIONAL INCOME?
Post by: Londoner on January 01, 2008, 11:14:38 am
Actually, the demand for this business is year round although it peaks in the summer. When my kids were younger they both had parties with bouncy castles held inside halls. Their birthdays are in December and February. I can remember taking them to other parties where there were bouncy castles inside scout huts and sports centres.
The point is you only have to deliver them and collect them later. You don't have to be there all day.
If you have issues with storage or working weekends then its obviously not for you, but if you look at the hourly earnings for being nothing more than a delivery driver then its very good money.
Title: Re: DO YOU NEED AN ADDITIONAL INCOME?
Post by: Fredboy on January 01, 2008, 11:22:02 am
Quote
You need storage for four bouncy castles- you need transport sometimes to four different locations for delivery and collection erection and dismantlement. You need to advertise. The window for this business is about four months.
IE. 4 WEEKENDS * 4= 16*£600= £9,600 Gross max potential income.

From this I would deduce that you would need a minimum of an empty garage, a van(not cluttered up with wfp), and probably a trailer as well. And of course as always an understanding wife.

Whilst the majority of the above quote is correct, I would point out that this is an all year round business with the busiest periods being between May to September.  Kids still have birthdays during the winter months so much of our business is inside halls during this time.
Title: Re: DO YOU NEED AN ADDITIONAL INCOME?
Post by: matt on January 01, 2008, 11:22:43 am
Yeah but they always bounce back.

Actually this is a good little business and just the thing to tide you over when the hosepipe ban kicks in. Somebody I know has done it for years and while he's not the sort of bloke to talk about money he's also not the sort of bloke to do it if there wasn't a good profit in it.

get him on here, he will soon be saying he is earning 750 quid a day  :P :P it seems all the rage
Title: Re: DO YOU NEED AN ADDITIONAL INCOME?
Post by: matt on January 01, 2008, 11:23:42 am
Quote
You need storage for four bouncy castles- you need transport sometimes to four different locations for delivery and collection erection and dismantlement. You need to advertise. The window for this business is about four months.
IE. 4 WEEKENDS * 4= 16*£600= £9,600 Gross max potential income.

From this I would deduce that you would need a minimum of an empty garage, a van(not cluttered up with wfp), and probably a trailer as well. And of course as always an understanding wife.

Whilst the majority of the above quote is correct, I would point out that this is an all year round business with the busiest periods being between May to September.  Kids still have birthdays during the winter months so much of our business is inside halls during this time.

indeed

ive been to 3 X 5 year old parties in the last 6 weeks and they have all had castles inside the halls
Title: Re: DO YOU NEED AN ADDITIONAL INCOME?
Post by: Village Gleam on January 01, 2008, 11:27:36 am
Possibly, but things have moved on since your kids were little. Kids parties have become ever more elaborate. Many industrial estates now have a kids zone party type places with lots of equipment and food. Affluent parents find this easier.

You are also up against pizza hut, mcdonalds etc.

There is still a demand yes, but whereas we are still in the first wave of WFP tech and are therefore the early adopters who make the most money, this can not be said of Bouncy castles. They are through this novelty stage and are now a commodity and command lower prices, just as we will do in ten years when wfp is ubiquitous.

Now if you're one of the early hot system users then your talking.... ;D
Title: Re: DO YOU NEED AN ADDITIONAL INCOME?
Post by: Londoner on January 01, 2008, 11:29:49 am
Yeah but they always bounce back.

Actually this is a good little business and just the thing to tide you over when the hosepipe ban kicks in. Somebody I know has done it for years and while he's not the sort of bloke to talk about money he's also not the sort of bloke to do it if there wasn't a good profit in it.

get him on here, he will soon be saying he is earning 750 quid a day  :P :P it seems all the rage
Title: Re: DO YOU NEED AN ADDITIONAL INCOME?
Post by: Londoner on January 01, 2008, 11:31:06 am
Yeah but they always bounce back.

Actually this is a good little business and just the thing to tide you over when the hosepipe ban kicks in. Somebody I know has done it for years and while he's not the sort of bloke to talk about money he's also not the sort of bloke to do it if there wasn't a good profit in it.

get him on here, he will soon be saying he is earning 750 quid a day  :P :P it seems all the rage
Title: Re: DO YOU NEED AN ADDITIONAL INCOME?
Post by: Fredboy on January 01, 2008, 11:39:49 am
Quote
Posted by: Mr Solubility  Posted on: Today at 11:27:36am 
Insert Quote 
Possibly, but things have moved on since your kids were little. Kids parties have become ever more elaborate. Many industrial estates now have a kids zone party type places with lots of equipment and food. Affluent parents find this easier.

You are also up against pizza hut, mcdonalds etc.

There is still a demand yes, but whereas we are still in the first wave of WFP tech and are therefore the early adopters who make the most money, this can not be said of Bouncy castles. They are through this novelty stage and are now a commodity and command lower prices, just as we will do in ten years when wfp is ubiquitous.

Now if you're one of the early hot system users then your talking....   

I'm afraid I have to disagree with you - bouncy castles are still a huge success at kids parties - we have been running a successful business for over 3 years and during the peak season the phone is ringing off the hook and we genuinely have had to turn down up to 10 jobs a weekend.  You cant beat having a bouncy castle at a kids party - it keeps them entertained throughout and we have had many a grateful parent thankful that they booked it.
Title: Re: DO YOU NEED AN ADDITIONAL INCOME?
Post by: Village Gleam on January 01, 2008, 11:45:21 am
Fair enough ,I concede. I don't know anything about it anyway. I'm sure if you are good at that you'll be good at this. All the best for the new year, sometimes i just like to argue.
Title: Re: DO YOU NEED AN ADDITIONAL INCOME?
Post by: Paul Coleman on January 01, 2008, 11:52:21 am
Quote
Posted by: Mr Solubility  Posted on: Today at 11:27:36am 
Insert Quote 
Possibly, but things have moved on since your kids were little. Kids parties have become ever more elaborate. Many industrial estates now have a kids zone party type places with lots of equipment and food. Affluent parents find this easier.

You are also up against pizza hut, mcdonalds etc.

There is still a demand yes, but whereas we are still in the first wave of WFP tech and are therefore the early adopters who make the most money, this can not be said of Bouncy castles. They are through this novelty stage and are now a commodity and command lower prices, just as we will do in ten years when wfp is ubiquitous.

Now if you're one of the early hot system users then your talking....   

I'm afraid I have to disagree with you - bouncy castles are still a huge success at kids parties - we have been running a successful business for over 3 years and during the peak season the phone is ringing off the hook and we genuinely have had to turn down up to 10 jobs a weekend.  You cant beat having a bouncy castle at a kids party - it keeps them entertained throughout and we have had many a grateful parent thankful that they booked it.

Although I've no bouncy castle experience, what needs to be remembered is that a boubcy castle has 100% novelty value to a child.  An adult or older child will have seen it all before and the novelty value may well get a little tarnished.  However, to younger children, it will always be a novelty because it will be new to them.  And it's the younger children who drive such a business.
Title: Re: DO YOU NEED AN ADDITIONAL INCOME?
Post by: jjames on January 01, 2008, 11:55:20 am
Hi All

A bouncy castle business can be very profitable. We ran a bouncy castle business for 3 years. We started out with one and ended up with 15. It is an all year round business and although it is busier in the summer and at christmas, you can make a very good living all year round. It is very hard work when you have 15 castles but 3 or 4 could be very easy. You only have to work a couple of hours in the morning and a couple of hours early evening. Our last years turnover was £76,000 and we sold the business without vehicles for £20,000. The reason for the sale was back problems. The present owners employ staff and do not work on the business themselves as they have full time jobs. They have increased the turnover to approx £110,000 and now have 25 units. What fredboy says is entirely true and he is only trying to offer a good business for sale. Don't give him such a hard time
Title: Re: DO YOU NEED AN ADDITIONAL INCOME?
Post by: Village Gleam on January 01, 2008, 12:34:23 pm
I just said sorry, what about all those previous bouncing posts. I add interest and value to a thread because of my intellect and the fact that I stimulate other people into responding ;D. Therefore I am being helpfull because far more people will now get to know about this valued opportunity.

Shiner, it's true about a childs perspective, but I meant a new technology or period of change in an industry, and in business terms this is not new. WFP may have been around ten years but we are still in the first phase of widespread adoption. All industries undergo this, digital cameras have now overtaken for instance and nearly brought down Kodak. Later on in the cycle things become a commodity (as apposed to a novelty) and price becomes more dominant over new technology.
Title: Re: DO YOU NEED AN ADDITIONAL INCOME?
Post by: matt on January 01, 2008, 01:20:35 pm
I add interest and value to a thread because of my intellect and the fact that I stimulate other people into responding

its only the 1st of jan and we allready have a contender for the funniest post of the year

well done
Title: Re: DO YOU NEED AN ADDITIONAL INCOME?
Post by: Village Gleam on January 01, 2008, 01:33:13 pm
indeed ;D
Title: Re: DO YOU NEED AN ADDITIONAL INCOME?
Post by: Village Gleam on January 01, 2008, 01:50:25 pm
Okay be like that Happy new year Matt , oh and what's an inverter?
Title: Re: DO YOU NEED AN ADDITIONAL INCOME?
Post by: matt on January 01, 2008, 03:52:58 pm
Okay be like that Happy new year Matt , oh and what's an inverter?

 ;D

i had gone out for a bike ride

im not if the inverter question is real or not

BUT

a inverter will convert 12 V to 240 V ( thus 12 V battery to 240 house mains socket )
Title: Re: DO YOU NEED AN ADDITIONAL INCOME?
Post by: Village Gleam on January 01, 2008, 04:00:00 pm
Ref: F-11E
PRICED AT £328.00
inc VAT £385.40

   Quantity 

add to basket »

 

11 L Room sealed W/Heater Electronic Ign

 

This is a state of the art modern appliance. Room sealed for total safety, it can be fitted in virtually any location, including bath and shower rooms. It has full electronic ingition without a pilot light and can operate on extreemly low water pressure and flow rates. Check out the technical and users manual in the manuals section of this website for full details. Flueing options include both horizontal and vertical. Maximum power consumption is a mere 35 watts, so this appliance could be used on a 12v system with a small invertor in installations such as narrowboats and horseboxes and large motorhomes etc.

Title: Re: DO YOU NEED AN ADDITIONAL INCOME?
Post by: matt on January 01, 2008, 04:05:54 pm
yes, it'll just need a power inverter to run it, most prob just for the the electronic ingition

they range from 80 W output from 20 quid, upwards in output and price

i have a 300 W output which i run a TFT & DVD player off and it cost me under 30 quid

you will have to ask them what power it needs
Title: Re: DO YOU NEED AN ADDITIONAL INCOME?
Post by: Village Gleam on January 01, 2008, 04:17:28 pm
35w
The only bad thing is the minumum flow looks a bit high. They mention a powered flue this might be the reason. I've got a cheap chinese one at the moment that works well, but I want something that I can rely on.
Title: Re: DO YOU NEED AN ADDITIONAL INCOME?
Post by: matt on January 01, 2008, 04:18:29 pm
i saw a 80 W 1 in wollies yesterday half price only 15 quid

that would do you in this instance
Title: Re: DO YOU NEED AN ADDITIONAL INCOME?
Post by: Fredboy on January 09, 2008, 12:53:28 pm
Still selling the business!!
Title: Re: DO YOU NEED AN ADDITIONAL INCOME?
Post by: Elginn on January 09, 2008, 03:06:07 pm
I bought my kids a big bouncy castle last year cost me £200 secondhand but I have to tell you it was the best £200 I've spent, it got to the point were they were bringing there friends around and I had to put a stop to so many wanting to come around, I didn't mind the fact that so many kids were coming,
I just didn't want the responsibility for any injuries.
I  told them I was going to charge them all a pound for using it and everyone said we'll pay ::) I thought if I told them that they would stop coming around, how wrong you can be?

It has to be a good little business but not for me.

Title: BOUNCY CASTLE BUSINESS FOR SALE - ADDITIONAL INCOME
Post by: Fredboy on January 13, 2008, 09:41:37 am
Business is still for sale guys - anyone interested?

email: info@avabounce.co.uk
Title: Re: DO YOU NEED AN ADDITIONAL INCOME?
Post by: window pain on January 14, 2008, 10:13:02 am
How do you generate business? are they just one off hires, or do you get repeat business? 
Title: Re: DO YOU NEED AN ADDITIONAL INCOME?
Post by: Londoner on January 14, 2008, 10:25:21 am
Yellow Pages. Also most playgroups have a notice board. If you get a booking via the playgroup the lady who runs it gets a bottle of wine.
Title: Re: DO YOU NEED AN ADDITIONAL INCOME?
Post by: Fredboy on January 14, 2008, 10:57:12 am
The business is advertised in two local Thomson directories as well as a local magazine.  We also get a lot of business via the internet - that is why the website is essential.  We do get repeat customers and word of mouth customers.  Never done the "bottle of wine" approach!!

If you want further info including details of our earnings over the last few years please email us at info@avabounce.co.uk.