Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Martin-Swinscoe on July 01, 2008, 06:43:03 pm
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Hi
I've dicided to take the plunge headfirst and go into window cleaning full time. I'm in the throws of buying a round and with the customers that i already have it'll be around 260, I should ? i should make a decent wage.
The wife is absolutley worried sick about going self employed as i'm just about to give up a comfy wage of around £1,200 pm but that is doing 12 hour days/night shifts.
I'm fed up of working those long hours and i don't see the point in working for 12 hours for the same money if i can earn it in 6/7 hours.
Are their any words of wisdom from anyone that you could please tell her that i am doing the right thing?
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Your comfy 12 hr shift job earning £1200 will soon look like peanuts as long as you stick at it and keep motivated which is the hardest thing about the job
Set yourself targets some small easy ones and some long range ones and work towards these that should keep the motivation going
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have you got past experience of the job?
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Yes mate i've been doing it for 2 years.
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please dont try to run before you can walk!! learn the basics!!
good luck!
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Hi Martin,
I was a bit like you 4 years ago working 12 hour shifts when i decided to go head first into window cleaning I had never even cleaned a window before that. What i would say is yes i think you are doing the right thing you seem to have a decent round already so there will be money coming in and the get up and go to make it a success, not sure if your doing trad or wfp i would highly recommend going wfp mainly for the safety side of things but it also brings in extra add ons but i would stick with trad methods for 6 months or so untill your positive yourself this is what you want to do. But all in all for me personally it is 100% for sure a better way of life then working long shifts and for someone else and the only person who can make it succeed or fail is yourself.
So good luck mate, and as for the Mrs just show her a few threads where people are boasting on how much money they earn I'm sure she will see more positives then lol.
Paul
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Cheers paul for wise words, i'm as near as damn it that i can succeed. I just hope my lady could see the light. oh well a couple of holidays abroad a year ;) (heres hoping tongue in cheek)and a nice car ;)(heres hoping tongue in the other cheek this time) hopefully will convince her that we done the right thing.
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hi martin
just to wish you good luck
you can also add services like carpet cleaning etc
it helps keep the money coming in all weathers :D
mike
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Yes mate i've been doing it for 2 years.
Go for it Martin!
Years ago I left a well paid job on a Friday and started window cleaning with no customers at all on the Monday. I canvassed Monday then cleaned the work I got on Tuesday and so on.
Attention to detail, persevance and taking the rough with the smooth are all part of it. I personally think that you have made the right move and your good lady will agree with you very soon.
All the very best with it.
Andrew
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i started for my self in april 07 after 6years working for my dad learning/mastering the trade ;) 8)
when i started on my own my wife and i were sooooo scared. i applyed to become a postman to keep a good wadge coming in while i built work up. it took about 2 months to pass the interview's medicals etc. by the time they offered me the job i'd of been taking a wadge drop by taking it!
i was at a slight advantage because i had a handfull of customas already but there are far more windows than window cleaners so fear not, its one of the soundest trades to get in to!
but what i will say is dont start talking of holidays and new cars yet. set yourself a year of hardcore working to give your self foundations. you will be working so hard it will fly by!
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Yep, go for it but don't expect customers to come flocking to you it won't happen straight away. Do a top job and word soon gets round - there's nothing better than customers coming to you - nothing worse than begging for work in my opinion. Has to be done though to start with. ;)
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Yes mate i've been doing it for 2 years.
It will be a walk in the park for you with experience you've also gt the weather on your side at the moment,easy,easy,easy!
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martin where abouts you setting up?
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Good luck mate, i was a hgv driver for 20 yrs took the plunge 2 yrs ago, now gone wfp , at first it was me and the mrs, but just me now much easier with wfp, i work a max of 4 days some times 3, start 0830 finish 3 and earn more than BOTH of us were when we were working in ordinary jobs, nothing fancy work out of a peugeot 306(seats down) with a freedom trolley, barrels,and a 24 ft pole. just domestics, family life a lot better, wife at home all day no stress at all. youve gotta go for it mate, theres enough work for everyone out there.
All the best keep the faith.
terry
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if you have 260 customers then you're bound to bring in a decent wage for the first month!
I'm going to assume average price for each custy of £8 = £2080
thats roughly £100 a day, doesny sound like much but thats a good wage matey.
I say go for it - its not easy at the start, you will prob ache for weeks but its a great job and I mean that.
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You will never regret the move over to window cleaning as long as you veiw it as a job and not a doss as some newbes do.Nice to hear from andrew mccan again pure freedom not the same without you.
Oliver Collins
Rise & Shine Window Cleaning
ps Sorry to go off topic ???
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Mate, it'll be pretty scary at first.... but going self employed isn't as risky as it seems, especially on the windows.
Your wife is bound to be worried, but one thing I've learnt is that when you have a "comfy" job, all your eggs are in 1 basket.... lose that one job and you've lost your entire living....
With the windows, and the round you've built up, your eggs will be in 260 different baskets... you'll have a regular, secure, near recession proof income. Granted you've no sick pay etc, but get some money in the bank and decent income protection insurance and you'll be fine whatever happens :)
Best of luck to ya mate... best move you'll ever make :D:D
Another good tip is... Look after your customers!! You really can't beat great customer service, it'll keep the customers youve got, and it'll get you a good reputation and new work :)
Chris
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welcome to the fold .
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My wife was the same when I went full-time a couple of months ago.
We are starting to see the benefits of the hard work I am putting in and things are slowly getting better for us.
Your wife will see this too, I am sure. ;)
Good luck!
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martin where abouts you setting up?
I'm in south shropshire,
Many thanks for the kind words, can't see how i can fail buit up a decent round with custys that i have got now. But with this new round that i'm about to buy, should put a decent wedge on the table. as long as i can earn enough and go and have pint at the weekend. I'll be happy. but to tell you the truth i want to do better than that ;)
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Hi
Good luck with it. I am nearly a year in this trade now and earning well, getting fit and enjoying the hard graft. There will be bad days when you think 'why did I do this' but there are many more good days. Stick with it and it will work out.
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Simple answer is , can you motivate yourself ? Do you like your duvet ? Can you set off even though it is raining ? ;D
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All the best.
Just remember the weather is great now and many people try this bis thinking its a doddle..........
Come the winter......They cant hack it.
Dark mornings. Dark early.
Rain and freezing weather. Work gets behind.
Freezing hands, gear, and body at times.
Money drops off if you cant keep up.
Not such a glamerous job then.
Take a look back to earlier on in the year on this site and you will see what I mean.
If you think you can handle this then you will be fine.
Personally this site is great because when you are on a downer their is always someone here to cheer you up or stear you in the right direction.
Its like a second family so to speek.
Get out their and dont look back
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Stay safe, and you you can't go wrong in this trade. Thats the main thing that can stop you really - your health.
You will be earning double your previous wage and having an easy life soon enough.
Oh, make sure you don't leave the ladder unattended and let it drop it on someones car, especially if your not insured!
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Get in contact with other trades people and tell them youll pass on there info to your custys and they do the same for you, I got 4 jobs in the last 2 days from a local gardener.
Chris
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I agree with what has gone before, but also check with the tax credit people, you might be entitled to something. do a cash flow projection and go to them with your worse case income after overheads. also remember with buying a round you only get a list of names, canvasing takes a bit longer, but the people you talk to have no preconseptions about the service so you are not tied to the other guy's pricing.
a friend passed 30 custs to me, but he charged way under the odds. my only upside is they cost me nothing to get, but it is more hastle getting them to a good price, than i have with canvaced custs.
but you get out what you put in.
:o
Niall
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Hi
I've dicided to take the plunge headfirst and go into window cleaning full time. I'm in the throws of buying a round and with the customers that i already have it'll be around 260, I should ? i should make a decent wage.
The wife is absolutley worried sick about going self employed as i'm just about to give up a comfy wage of around £1,200 pm but that is doing 12 hour days/night shifts.
I'm fed up of working those long hours and i don't see the point in working for 12 hours for the same money if i can earn it in 6/7 hours.
Are their any words of wisdom from anyone that you could please tell her that i am doing the right thing?
I was also in your shoes once, 12 hour shifts, double back shifts, working weekends. did it for 13 years & hated it, the shifts controlled my life, my moods, everything!
I left & took up w/c, was a bit scary at first but 5 years down the line my life is totally my own. I have way more money & free time, never work a weekend (only the very odd saturday if it's rained all week) i used to think i earned good money on shifts :o, i look back & laugh now. Best move i ever made. ;)
Good luck
Tony
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Ditto, i was round an old mates house last week when his neighbour wanted a quote for windows, gutters, facias, cladding, soffits and conservatory roof i quoted and did it next day. Mate couldn't believe how much i made in three hours (and i'm cheap!). Shift work sucks.
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Oh, make sure you don't leave the ladder unattended and let it drop it on someones car, especially if your not insured!
Ouch, sounds like youre speaking from experience mate? :-\ :-\
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i used to be like you on about 1200 a month 12 hour night shifts. got made redundant so started window cleaning. am up to about nearly that now but only work two days a week at moment but building all the while . a lot more time to do family stuff etc. you will never look back and with a few customers already well done and good luck
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So good luck mate, and as for the Mrs just show her a few threads where people are boasting on how much money they earn I'm sure she will see more positives then lol.
Paul
Yes good luck to you. but don't take it as gospel these so called threads where people say they are earning vast amounts per day. Yes it can be done and yes some people achieve it, but mostly it is when you have been going for a few years and have more confidence in what you are doing you then get the odd day which turns out to be really good. ;D
Someone else said about viewing it as a job and not a doss.....true words, but don't view it as a job,otherwise it will own you!!! view it as a business that you run and control.
Good points on the downside whoever made them, yes there are downsides i'm afraid and I expect like us all you will get some that nobody else has ever experienced, just go with the flow and keep on at it. IT may be hard with the so called finance problems in the world at the moment, but if you think cleverley and keep focused you should be ok. :)
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martin read some of my threads i made the same move in march,built up my own round ,then bought some more.
left a well paid job in retail like you rubbish hours plus stress...........now i have 265 customers and a different lifestyle and love it!
still not an expert but if you need any advice call 07949995475.....good luck dave