Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: dotdash on August 05, 2008, 02:38:13 pm
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This place is fantastic - I can't believe how all you professional window cleaners are willing to not only share your knowledge and expertise, but to motivate us wannabe newbies as well!!
I've read trough the faq - and can't find an answer, so here goes.
Is there anywhere I can go to learn the ropes about trad and wfp? I'm female and knocking on a bit (49) so don't fancy carting ladders about.
I thought I could do trad downstairs and wfp up - and was thinking about a back pack type thingy. I know that I will have to practice practice practice until I am proficient enough to let myself loose on the paying public, however I live in a bungalow, so can practice my trad technique at home but will need to borrow a couple of friends houses for the wfp.
Does anyone know if there is a training course available in West Yorkshire, or is there a friendly wc out there willing to show me the ropes for a week or two? I am quite fit for an old lass, and very hard working, more importantly I want to learn learn learn.
I have LOADS of questions, but I will wait until I hear from you guys first.
Hubby thinks I am having a mid life crisis!! Don't care, sick of office work - one last career change before I draw my pittance of a pension!!
Thanks in advance for any input
Deb
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If you good looking i`d be willing to travel lol. ;D ;D ;D ;D
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If you want training, go to The British Window Cleaning Academy.
I trained there and they are very good.
www.bwca.co.uk
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Oh that's fantastic, thank you - just the sort of help I was hoping for.
Right, I'll make myself a cuppa, have a good read, and come back with loads of questions!!
You mentioned that you trained there? How long have you been is business, do you enjoy it?
Thanks again for responding.
Deb
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I started 2 years ago like yourself...looking for all the answers to questions that I could not think of....good luck....as you are doing...look through all the back posts...it'll take some time but well worth it...
Good luck....you'll look back in a couple of years and wonder why you never did this years and years ago...
Good luck and welcome.
Dave.
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Thank you, Dave, that was a lovely welcoming greeting :)
I'm really looking forward to being part of this community - you never know, in a couple of years I might be encouraging newbies to go for it, I could even be offering advice to them!! Watch this space!
I really, really have a lot to learn. I guess that one of the downsides to me being a bit more 'mature' shall we say, is that I can't afford to learn on the job. By that I mean that I feel that I have to be able to do a really good job from day one, as I know that it will take time to build up my reputation and therefore customer base.
I think that I will have to go on the BWCA training course - it sounds as if it will be money well spent - but Newcastle's about 100 miles from here so not looking forward to the drive!!
Has any one else here been on this course? Would you recommend it? Will they explain the different kind of WFP systems? I don't want to buy a really expensive one to start with, but then don't want to get caught out with one that will not be big enough when the round gets bigger.
Any comments, advice, suggestions, please bring it on - I will read all the posts carefully and really would appreciate any helpful suggestions.
When I first considered this, I thought that door to door canvassing would be a problem, but I'm not worried about this now - I'm quite a confident person and I've read all the advice about wearing overalls or a tee shirt with the company logo on to ensure that I look the business - just worried about getting the work and not doing a really good job straight away.
Any lady wc out there? Would love to hear from you.
Thanks again for taking the time to read this and respond.
Deb
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hi mate.
my advice overal is to take your time and do a good job also always clean the frames inc the top of the frames. it will take twice os long but will pay when you go wfp.also use the min amout of soap.
build a good reputation, and build your round slowly if u can,
dont take on to much cheap work, just enough to pay ya bills then target the bigger houses.
buy about 20000 leaflets and put them out in blocks of about 2k choose 3 good areas and leaflet each area then repeat it ,yes releaflet the same ares every 2-3 months. do this for the 1st year along with adds in village and town mags. be seen and always do a little extra for the regulars you pick up. i always wash a nd dry front doors.
tom
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I don't mean to sound sexest but it is advice you are after, you may find a back pack heavy, even some of the lads on here do. A trolley system is better and holds more water or as some have done buy a trolley, ie sack truck and strap the back pack to it. 8)
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Thanks to both of you - really good, sound advice there!! Blimey, just shows what a wally I am, I didn't think for a second that the back pack might be heavy!! I'm not exactly a big strapping lass either!! I'm really glad I posted here :) I would have probably looked like a middle aged female ghost buster anyway!!
Right, trolley system - don't laugh you lot, I told you I was a newbie, will a trolley fit in my car? I only have a citroen c1!?
Thanks for the advice about leaflets - there was an excellent suggestion on this board about having one printed with a 'please clean me' sign on the back, the interested customers could put in the window. Anyone tried this? Did it work.
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hi dot dash
andrew macann is the man to chat about a trolley system, and can give you some good avice
here is his website
www.exelsystems.co.uk/trolleysys.aspx
good luck with your new career ;D
mike
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The problem with your car is it is too small it might be okay when you first start and dont have many jobs to do but as you pick up more work you will need to carry more water and with all your other equipment you are going to be struggling for space
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Oh and welcome to the forum and good luck with your new career ;D
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sell the c1 and buy a small van, it will make your life easier. even with a tolley you have to hump around 25ltr barrells,they are heavy, with a van mount all you do is unreel a hose, its the way to go imo.
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Thanks again for the helpful responses. Right, as I understand it, as I am only slightly built and the weight of the water barrels will be an issue for me, it would be advisable to keep the water in the car/van. My husband has a Touran - with the seats down, do you think that this would be ok to use? I would be gutted to see my c1 go - I love it - it's so nippy and economical!!
The more I look into this - with all your help - the more I see that it is not necessarily going to be a low cost start up. There is the cost of the water pole thingy system, then my training, now potentially a van. It's not putting me off, not really, but I have to carefully consider the cost implications and whether, having spent all this dosh, I am going to really like it.
My son is a window fitter, and occasionally, if his labourer is off sick, I give him a hand, and to be astonishment I absolutely love it!! I really enjoyed cleaning the windows etc., and after years being stuck behind a desk it was fantastic working outdoors.
Keep those comments coming, you are all helping more than you can possibly imagine, and any thoughts on the car situation will be helpful :)
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Thanks again for the helpful responses. Right, as I understand it, as I am only slightly built and the weight of the water barrels will be an issue for me, it would be advisable to keep the water in the car/van. My husband has a Touran - with the seats down, do you think that this would be ok to use? I would be gutted to see my c1 go - I love it - it's so nippy and economical!!
The more I look into this - with all your help - the more I see that it is not necessarily going to be a low cost start up. There is the cost of the water pole thingy system, then my training, now potentially a van. It's not putting me off, not really, but I have to carefully consider the cost implications and whether, having spent all this dosh, I am going to really like it.
My son is a window fitter, and occasionally, if his labourer is off sick, I give him a hand, and to be astonishment I absolutely love it!! I really enjoyed cleaning the windows etc., and after years being stuck behind a desk it was fantastic working outdoors.
Keep those comments coming, you are all helping more than you can possibly imagine, and any thoughts on the car situation will be helpful :)
is the Touran a 7 seater ? if it is you could get a van mount in there, save you lifting the barrels about, changing barrles all day can be a right pain to be honest with you.
Welcome to CIU by the way.
Ian
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Hi dotdash,
welcome, why don't you see if someone near you would take you out for a day or two, give you some on the job training and let you get a look at what you are letting yourself infor before you jump in the deep end!
I would be happy to take you out for a few days but I am in Ireland.
I would not be in favour of spending the money on a training course if your budget is tight, but rathar on good equipment. If you can afford both then why not.
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Hi dotdash,
welcome, why don't you see if someone near you would take you out for a day or two, give you some on the job training and let you get a look at what you are letting yourself infor before you jump in the deep end!
I would be happy to take you out for a few days but I am in Ireland.
I would not be in favour of spending the money on a training course if your budget is tight, but rathar on good equipment. If you can afford both then why not.
Have to agree one on one training and doing different work would be your time well spent what location are you ? I may be able to speak to someone in your area to go out with for a day or 2.
Ian
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im not trying to put you off but do you think you will still love it in the middle of winter when you cant feel your fingers, if your going to trad bottoms.
my advice would be to wfp everything, at least you can wear gloves in the winter, but you will need to carry a certain amount of water, depending on how long you intend working per day and this will dictate the size of van you will need.
like i said this is only my opinion, everyone has there own way of working.
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Thanks again for the helpful responses - I really didn't expect all this - I thought that you would all think 'stay at your desk, you silly old burger!' a bit like my husband did. Yes, I did think about the freezing hands bit - I asked my son how he goes on fitting windows in the rain and snow, and he just said that you get used to it - but he's a young fit bloke!! The general consensus on here seemed to be trad bottom wfp top - I guess it's a case of see what works best when you're actually on the job!! Yes, the touran is a 7 seater, so it looks like that could be a goer.
TBH I would much prefer some on the job training - there is a thread on here where some lovely guys are offering to take us newbies out, but none in my area. I live between Bradford and Halifax.
I really hope that I can get this thing off the ground, it would be fantastic to think that one day I can take someone out and show them the ropes.
You haven't put me off at all, far from it, you're just being realistic and pointing out the pitfalls and disadvantages - I know that this will be very, very hard work but hey, bring it on!!
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im in keighley if you wont a day or to
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Oh Wow, Tommy, that would be fantastic if you don't mind. Do you have an e mail addy I can contact you on to sort something out?
Ooh, I'm really excited now!!
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not on hear iv got one on acs forum but im not tomy on ther so if you go on ther ask poo two , clik on poo two and thers persunal meage thingy
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for me like anything the best training you can get is hands on with someone then spending money on a training course altho i'm not knocking them i think you made need to revaluate regarding equipment and water you may need but as someone has already pointed out the guy you need to speak too about it all is Andrew macann and he will give you the top honest advice on that but i would say wfp the lot if you can..but whatever you choose hope it all goes well and build up a good business..also i would read all the old post as there is a wealth of information in them..
best of luck
paul
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Thanks Paul, I will do as you suggest and visit Andrew's website, Tomy, do you have a phone number I can call you on please?
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Even if you do decide to wfp up and down its is advisable to learn trad as often you will be asked to do insides and obviously you cannot wfp insides
Both methods take time to learn so as has already been mentioned try going out with someone local on the job training is the best way to learn
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Just remember that even an 18ft pole can be hard work, get a day out with someone - give it a try and see how you go.
I'd love it if you got to grips with it, I really would but if you do find it hard going you could try trad on shops, insides of nursing hoes etc.
Whatever you choose I really hope it goes well for you.
Alan
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Yes, i would say try and find someone in your area who is wfp maybe get him to demonstrate on your windows and let you have a go. Paying for training isn't vital 'cos it's pretty simple but to be honest your C1 is not suitable and if the touran is half decent then i'm not sure you will want to slosh water about in that. It can be hard work on the arms though especially stretching above conservatories. Good luck. ;)
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hav a look at www.window wash.co.uk
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Yeah, I hear what you're saying - hubby's not keen on my new career idea as it is, he probably won't be keen on me flooding his new Touran!!
Right, much to consider....it's not going to be as cheap a start up as I thought. I think I will take your advice and approach a local company. Perhaps I could offer my services for free for a while until I learn the ropes, you never know, someone might offer me a job for a while until I can decide whether it's suitable for me!
Just out of interest, some of you guys who employ people with your posh sign written vans, be honest now, if someone like me were to approach you and offer to work for nowt for a while - would you consider it? Bearing in mind that I'm not looking to do this full time, a couple of days a week would do me nicely (which is why my initial outlay will take some time to recoup) would you consider it? I'm thinking that I wouldn't be in competition, more that I could be someone that you could pass domestic jobs on to if you have bigger fish to fry.
Any way, once again, thank you all for your warm welcome, sensible suggestions and for being so honest with me.
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A couple of days a week :o once you start you get hooked ;D