Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Londoner on January 15, 2008, 09:54:09 am
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Everybody has something about this job that they really hate. Today I would say rain but thats just because its today.
My real hate may make you laugh because it has never occoured to you. I hate that gravel they spread on flat roofs.
First of all, why do they do it? what purpose does it serve?
Had to go on a roof yesterday and it was covered in a thick layer of white gravel the size of small peas.
When you get to the top of your ladder you have to swing your leg onto the roof and then transfer your weight onto that leg.
As your weight goes onto that leg you can feel all the stones moving beneath the sole of your boot. You get to that queasy point where you are half on and half off and you can't feel your foot gripping. Its like stepping onto a load of ball bearings.
Also the gravel traps moss over time and that is really slippery.
Is it just me or does everybody get that moment?
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Any form of animal poo.
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Yes, that one as well. Even worse, human poo. Doing a house a few weeks back with big bushes in the front garden. There was something behind one of the bushes that looked highly dodgy. Looks like someone was taken short. yuk
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Customers ;D
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Everybody has something about this job that they really hate. Today I would say rain but thats just because its today.
My real hate may make you laugh because it has never occoured to you. I hate that gravel they spread on flat roofs.
First of all, why do they do it? what purpose does it serve?
Had to go on a roof yesterday and it was covered in a thick layer of white gravel the size of small peas.
When you get to the top of your ladder you have to swing your leg onto the roof and then transfer your weight onto that leg.
As your weight goes onto that leg you can feel all the stones moving beneath the sole of your boot. You get to that queasy point where you are half on and half off and you can't feel your foot gripping. Its like stepping onto a load of ball bearings.
Also the gravel traps moss over time and that is really slippery.
Is it just me or does everybody get that moment?
I'm not certain if I'm right about this but I believe that the "gravel" (we used to call them chippings) serve a useful purpose. As a flat roof gets a bit older, blistering heat sometimes melted the bitumen joints between the strips of felt. This could make the joints vulnerable to water seepage if we had weather of blistering heat immediately followed by heavy rain (not unknown in some Summers). I was once told that the chippings help to protect the joints from direct heat exposure from the sunlight. It sounds possible I suppose, though I question how effective it would really be.
While we are on the subject of gravel, I do dislike large gravel driveways. They can really sap the energy out of me at the wrong end of a day. Depending on my footwear, they can get stuck in treads too.
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Wheely bins.
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Moaning old bags.
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cat p::) ::) and plant pots, flower sticks, self closing gates, padlocks, wind, paying tax bill, paying bank charges thats enough starting to get depressed.
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cat p::) ::)
Sorry But when you got to go ;D
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Dogs with sharp gnashers :'(
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Rosebushes. My mate laughs his head off as I always seem to get tangled up in them.
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Rain
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Thorny bushes in front of windows, rain, wind, animal poo, big pot plants right where your ladders need to be, seeing a spot on the windows when you have moved away from them. That's enough for now. :)
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Moaning old bags.
Wot..........................like you Squeeks ;D ;D ;D
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When i was trad it was rose bushes you would get half way up the ladder and realise it had stolen you scrim >:(
Now its wheelie bins they are designed to catch your hose even if your hose is nowhere near them
Dean
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Wheelie Bins ???
I quite like em ;)
Just the job if a custie invites me in for a cuppa. I can back up to a wheelie and drop my Backpack off on top of one ;)
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customers that arent in
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When I was trad, Sky dishes, they were either sited on corners so that you could bash therm with your ladder, or under windows where you wanted to put your ladder. Now it's dog poo getting on my hoses. dai
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People that come upto you in the street and ask if your a W/C ::) Eer! all the gears out, T-Shirts and coats all embroidered with the words WINDOW CLEANER, Trailer with the same words, i often reply, No I'm a Burglar and just sussing this place out for tonight ::)
Also when I was Trad and England were playing, all the flags hanging out of windows and you had to fight with them to just get at the window.
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hi
customers who follow you round
customers who open the door while your wfp ing it
who stop you mid flow to pay you
who see you arrive but the keep you waiting while they unlock the front door and then the porch door only to tell you to wait while they find their purse.
the not today merchants.
the pole hose caught on everthing
the idiots who forget to leave the gates un paddlocked
who offer you tea as your packing up the van
those who have conservatorys tha fill the whole of their gardens giving me 2cm to work around it.
those that tell you your too quick
those who tell you 'you must be rakeing it in'
and those who tell you IT LOOKS LIKE RAIN
i love all my customers dearly but they have all been tw4ts today.
on the other hand my mrs says its just me (bitch)
tomorrow WILL be better
tony
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couldn't have put it better my self lol :) :)
Andy
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customers that arent in
O contraire! I love when they're not in (if they're good payers) because you can go quicker and it doesn't matter if it rains!
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customers that arent in
Customers that are in.
That's right it is £20 and I know I've only been here 20 minutes
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customers that arent in
Customers that are in.
That's right it is £20 and I know I've only been here 20 minutes
Disgraceful.
It shouldn't take any more than 10 mins. :)
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Manchester United.
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football full .
can't stand the game >:(
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Manchester United.
LOL ;D ;D ;D
Usual stuff, poo, washing lines, phone lines, small insignificant shrubs and plants that serve no purpose whatsoever other than to tangle your hose...aaarrrggghhhh
Blethering custies, bad payers
My wife when she says no and means it ;)
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THE STATE OF THE ROADS :'(
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Getting stuck on grass verges that are saturated from the constant rain whilst parked up. I never learn. I now carry a wide wedge and some wooden grip boards to put under the tyres for these sticky/embarrassing moments.
The other thing I hate is, having to park on a river's edge along the shingle beach and watch the tide doesn't come in quickly before I've finished cleaning all three properties adjacent. Many a vehicle has been swamped by the tide coming in so quickly. I keep a tide table to be on the safe side :)
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Women.
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Something you want to tell us?
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;D
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Inland Revenue incompetents. >:(
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Men, cats, dogs, stick insects...
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dog poo and rose bushes
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dog poo and rose bushes
cat ++cough++ is worse than any dog muck hands down it stinks, hated it for years trad and more so wfp >:(
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dog & cat s*it rose bushes collecting mother in law rain bad payers lock gates ;D
brett
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dog & cat s*it rose bushes collecting mother in law rain bad payers lock gates ;D
brett
forgot rose bushes ;)
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dog & cat s*it rose bushes collecting mother in law rain bad payers lock gates ;D
brett
forgot rose bushes ;)
i dont like any big bushes :-X ;D
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dog & cat s*it rose bushes collecting mother in law rain bad payers lock gates ;D
brett
forgot rose bushes ;)
i dont like any big bushes :-X ;D
:-\ ;)
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windowwashers :) www.online 24 7.co.uk
ian dont you sleep ;D
posts.4042 :o 8)
brett
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windowwashers :) www.online 24 7.co.uk
ian dont you sleep ;D
posts.4042 :o 8)
brett
not much ;)
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windowwashers :) www.online 24 7.co.uk
ian dont you sleep ;D
posts.4042 :o 8)
brett
not much ;)
;D ;D ;D
brett
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bad paying customers
rose bushes (the bain of my existence)
rain
wind (apart from my own....it always seems to smell nice??)
driving miles to to an area and realising I've forgotten my scrims or something I really need!
custys who say "leave it for this month" or the ones who say it looks like rain??
1st,2nd floor windows lol
treading in dogs poo
working at the weekend
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For sale signs. Starting to dislike estate agents. >:(
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On thursday afternoon it looked like it was going to brighten up so i went out and did three houses before it started to hammer it down. So as i was driving home i remembered that before xmas a customer asked me if i could get rid os his old settee. I told for £30 no problem. So as i was putting it on the roof bars of my mondeo i slippped and it cracked my windscreen. £30 for the job - £94 for the new windscreen - fantastic
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On thursday afternoon it looked like it was going to brighten up so i went out and did three houses before it started to hammer it down. So as i was driving home i remembered that before xmas a customer asked me if i could get rid os his old settee. I told for £30 no problem. So as i was putting it on the roof bars of my mondeo i slippped and it cracked my windscreen. £30 for the job - £94 for the new windscreen - fantastic
Ouch.
I hate spending hours/days/weeks/months on a design, etc only to get it ripped off by someone and then have to pay for a Solicitor to get it sorted out >:( . We run on very competitive profit margins so it makes a difference to how much the customer ends up paying for the end product.
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For sale signs. Starting to dislike estate agents. >:(
if they are anything like mine you have nothing to worry about ::)
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RE GRAVIL ON ROOFS THAY SHUD BE LIME STONE TO ABSORB THE HEAT NOT JUST FOR THE JONTS BUT ALL OF FELT ON THE ROOF , CAT& DOG
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hi
customers who follow you round
customers who open the door while your wfp ing it
who stop you mid flow to pay you
who see you arrive but the keep you waiting while they unlock the front door and then the porch door only to tell you to wait while they find their purse.
the not today merchants.
the pole hose caught on everthing
the idiots who forget to leave the gates un paddlocked
who offer you tea as your packing up the van
those who have conservatorys tha fill the whole of their gardens giving me 2cm to work around it.
those that tell you your too quick
those who tell you 'you must be rakeing it in'
and those who tell you IT LOOKS LIKE RAIN
i love all my customers dearly but they have all been tw4ts today.
on the other hand my mrs says its just me (bitch)
tomorrow WILL be better
tony
oh and another one,
those who say i thought you come at the end of the month when i have worked 4 weekly for 10 YEARS
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Bloody women who drag you in their house for marathon sex sessions >:(
Oh, hang on, I'm getting reality/fantasy mixed up again. I'm thinking about that film in the 70's :P
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hi
customers who follow you round
customers who open the door while your wfp ing it
who stop you mid flow to pay you
who see you arrive but the keep you waiting while they unlock the front door and then the porch door only to tell you to wait while they find their purse.
the not today merchants.
the pole hose caught on everthing
the idiots who forget to leave the gates un paddlocked
who offer you tea as your packing up the van
those who have conservatorys tha fill the whole of their gardens giving me 2cm to work around it.
those that tell you your too quick
those who tell you 'you must be rakeing it in'
and those who tell you IT LOOKS LIKE RAIN
i love all my customers dearly but they have all been tw4ts today.
on the other hand my mrs says its just me (bitch)
tomorrow WILL be better
tony
oh and another one,
those who say i thought you come at the end of the month when i have worked 4 weekly for 10 YEARS
I got that today lol, the woman said, do you alsways come on mondays (no sarky comments) I said no I will be here in 4 weeks approx the days change.
she looked puzzled and I have been cleaning these for many years now ::)
just goes to show most dont care when you come and clean as long as you do and as long as it is not to quick.
Ian
p.s just waiting for the comments about that :-*
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Earning over £1000 each week on paper and yet never seeming to ever have £1000 in my hand to put in the bank. Where does that mysterious £200 go each week that you never seem to see??? Please tell me I'm not the only one!!! ;D ;D
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Dont you just get embarassed :-[ when youve priced a new job up and a lady asks you ' how often do you come' ;)
back on topic i think
Brett.
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steping in dog poo arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr >:(
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washing lines and dropping the scrim whilst up the ladder........doh!
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oooh forgot about that 1, dropping the scrim when your up the ladder is so annoying lol
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Custys departing the property without paying.
That is so rude.
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Customers who depart this world without paying you.
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Shingle is definately there to reduce heat. If you've ever trod on flat roofs in the blazing sun without shingle and feet start to stick to the felt - you'd wish they had the stuff.
Looks very messy too with footprints everywhere!
Peter
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Forgot to say -
first thing on cold days when ladders are totally frost bound!! ??? ???
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Had another one today, gravel all over the roof. I hate that feeling when you weight goes down on it and you are half on and half off the ladder. I will only go on a flat roof If I can tie the ladder in. That way I can hold on to the ladder without pulling it over.
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Vince,
interesting you say that. I ALWAYS tie the ladder if it's up against guttering. Just feel the need, windy or not. Gives me a sense of security when getting on and off. Don't usually do so with flat roofs as often there is just nowhere to tie to.
Peter
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Had another one today, gravel all over the roof. I hate that feeling when you weight goes down on it and you are half on and half off the ladder. I will only go on a flat roof If I can tie the ladder in. That way I can hold on to the ladder without pulling it over.
As you have a strong dislike for stepping off of ladders onto flat roofs, may I suggest you try a pair of 'stabilad' stabilisers arms fitted to the the bottom stiles (sides)of your ladders to prevent sideway twists of your ladder. They only take seconds to fit and remove. Would certainly cure your fear ;D
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Forgot to say -
first thing on cold days when ladders are totally frost bound!! ??? ???
NASTY!!! not one of my favourites either :(