Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: tradman on November 16, 2008, 07:33:48 pm

Title: found this...an eye opener on what the public are starting to think
Post by: tradman on November 16, 2008, 07:33:48 pm
found this on a site called 'weekly gripe' this is what braggers are doing to our industry




Window cleaners taking us to the cleaners

We used to have a nice little man come around on his bicycle with his ladders, and he charged £3 to clean the windows.  Anyway, I heard that he ended up in prison for stealing from a customer. 

I wasn't bothered too much about him going, but then new window cleaner came on the scene.  He has a big transit van with a system to clean the windows using pure de-ionised water.  He wanted to charge me £18 to clean the windows on our house !  Can you believe that?! 

He says it's illegal to use ladders, but my aerial erector chap uses ladders.  I've read about other window cleaners earning up to £1000 a day using this system.

Further Information: Many window cleaning businesses are claiming that laws are about to come into force due to European Directive 2001/45/EC that will make ladders illegal for window cleaners, forcing a change to WFP systems.  However, the government denies this stipulation, as ladder use for window cleaning is "low risk and short duration" - source
Title: Re: found this...an eye opener on what the public are starting to think
Post by: trike on November 16, 2008, 07:40:52 pm
how many years ago was that 3quid,thats cheaper them me :o,i still charge the same as i did befor i changed to wfp,but i know people who doubled what they charged when they changed.but lost a good few custies,but still gained because of price rise,and does less houses
Title: Re: found this...an eye opener on what the public are starting to think
Post by: ronnie paton on November 16, 2008, 07:47:17 pm
im sorry but doesnt it say it all he was sent to ptison for stealing!!!!

if they would rather employ that type of person more fool them but we are running a business and have business costs and for a proper job to be done a proper charge must be put in place.
Title: Re: found this...an eye opener on what the public are starting to think
Post by: geefree on November 16, 2008, 07:49:24 pm
plumbers used to charge 10 per hour.. 20 years ago...

now they charge the earth.. and still get the work.

Times move on

similar must apply.
Title: Re: found this...an eye opener on what the public are starting to think
Post by: trike on November 16, 2008, 07:51:54 pm
plumbers are not coming for payment each fortnight or month,carnt realy compare
Title: Re: found this...an eye opener on what the public are starting to think
Post by: geefree on November 16, 2008, 07:55:34 pm
its a service which customers use and pay for...plumbers dont call each month to do a job either.... but that was not my point.
Title: Re: found this...an eye opener on what the public are starting to think
Post by: lovewindows on November 16, 2008, 07:58:00 pm
"Low risk and short duration"  ???? dont most traffic accidents happen on short journies , i can't see the govt saying that.
Anyway if i was that nice man on a bike i would only charge £2 to not do her windows anymore.
Title: Re: found this...an eye opener on what the public are starting to think
Post by: johns window kleen on November 16, 2008, 08:00:00 pm
Had a look at this site, just for general whingers. If the nice old man was cleaning windows for £3.00 on a bike good luck to the idiot. If he run a proper business and charged realistic 2008 money, he wouldnt have had to alledgedly stolenl money from customers.
Title: Re: found this...an eye opener on what the public are starting to think
Post by: L.J.Thorpe on November 16, 2008, 08:01:40 pm
"Low risk and short duration"  ???? dont most traffic accidents happen on short journies , i can't see the govt saying that.
Anyway if i was that nice man on a bike i would only charge £2 to not do her windows anymore.
actually that is pretty much what they do say
Title: Re: found this...an eye opener on what the public are starting to think
Post by: geefree on November 16, 2008, 08:02:20 pm
. If he run a proper business and charged realistic 2008 money, he wouldnt have had to alledgedly stolenl money from customers.
Quote

and he would be able to buy a van.:)
Title: Re: found this...an eye opener on what the public are starting to think
Post by: Tosh on November 16, 2008, 08:06:20 pm
found this on a site called 'weekly gripe' this is what braggers are doing to our industry




Window cleaners taking us to the cleaners

We used to have a nice little man come around on his bicycle with his ladders, and he charged £3 to clean the windows.  Anyway, I heard that he ended up in prison for stealing from a customer. 

I wasn't bothered too much about him going, but then new window cleaner came on the scene.  He has a big transit van with a system to clean the windows using pure de-ionised water.  He wanted to charge me £18 to clean the windows on our house !  Can you believe that?! 

He says it's illegal to use ladders, but my aerial erector chap uses ladders.  I've read about other window cleaners earning up to £1000 a day using this system.

Further Information: Many window cleaning businesses are claiming that laws are about to come into force due to European Directive 2001/45/EC that will make ladders illegal for window cleaners, forcing a change to WFP systems.  However, the government denies this stipulation, as ladder use for window cleaning is "low risk and short duration" - source

That's all put together a little too neatly; it's been posted by a window cleaner having a larf; I'd bet money on it.
Title: Re: found this...an eye opener on what the public are starting to think
Post by: L.J.Thorpe on November 16, 2008, 08:10:07 pm
this was posted up on here a while back by someone else as a link to the site in question
Title: Re: found this...an eye opener on what the public are starting to think
Post by: RSWindows on November 16, 2008, 08:11:18 pm
found this on a site called 'weekly gripe' this is what braggers are doing to our industry




Window cleaners taking us to the cleaners

We used to have a nice little man come around on his bicycle with his ladders, and he charged £3 to clean the windows.  Anyway, I heard that he ended up in prison for stealing from a customer. 

I wasn't bothered too much about him going, but then new window cleaner came on the scene.  He has a big transit van with a system to clean the windows using pure de-ionised water.  He wanted to charge me £18 to clean the windows on our house !  Can you believe that?! 

He says it's illegal to use ladders, but my aerial erector chap uses ladders.  I've read about other window cleaners earning up to £1000 a day using this system.

Further Information: Many window cleaning businesses are claiming that laws are about to come into force due to European Directive 2001/45/EC that will make ladders illegal for window cleaners, forcing a change to WFP systems.  However, the government denies this stipulation, as ladder use for window cleaning is "low risk and short duration" - source

That's all put together a little too neatly; it's been posted by a window cleaner having a larf; I'd bet money on it.


cant believe im saying this but yeah i agree with Tosh
Title: Re: found this...an eye opener on what the public are starting to think
Post by: brett walker on November 16, 2008, 08:26:22 pm
He wants locking only charging £3.00 per house ::) thats why hes only riding a bicycle as for stealing from his customer they should chop his hands off

as for the rest of the article i too think its been put together too carefully

Brett
Title: Re: found this...an eye opener on what the public are starting to think
Post by: matt on November 16, 2008, 08:57:51 pm
to be honest, on most sites i use, if the topic comes up " what do you do to earn a living " i say " window cleaner " i allways get replies, they earn top whack money these days and i even get a few private messages about how much i earn

look at the security gaurd who i used to speak to on 1 of my comercail jobs, he put together a biz pack and touted around all the sites he works, from what i have been told, he has got a few jobs now, not enough to live on, but enough to finish the security work and now he window cleans and drives a taxi on the weekend

people these days think we earn more than a professional person or a manager, who it to blame for that, the people who need to brag about themselves
Title: Re: found this...an eye opener on what the public are starting to think
Post by: seandyer2003 on November 16, 2008, 09:02:36 pm
erm arent you one of the £500 a day boys :)

I think people always have a whinge like that article, one of my custys is minted he runs a second hand car business out of his huge grounds, but always goes on about how much window cleaners earn :) last time he asked if i wanted his wifes audi for 14, 000 and that was a bargain, like id pull it out out of pocket from my days earnings and pay :) mental, its if the daily mail prints stories like that article you need to worry :)
Title: Re: found this...an eye opener on what the public are starting to think
Post by: matt on November 16, 2008, 09:37:30 pm
erm arent you one of the £500 a day boys :)



that was last year, now its 750  ;) ;) ;) try and keep up  :P :P
Title: Re: found this...an eye opener on what the public are starting to think
Post by: alanwilson on November 16, 2008, 10:43:15 pm
£750 a day?

wouldn't get out of bed for it.

I wish. 
Title: Re: found this...an eye opener on what the public are starting to think
Post by: spark1 on November 16, 2008, 11:21:01 pm


STINKS OF BULLpoop!!!!
Title: Re: found this...an eye opener on what the public are starting to think
Post by: dave0123 on November 17, 2008, 07:21:35 pm
I agree with tosh!
 

there using all the short words for it such as wfp which they would use something silly like a "pole" or "stick thing" and all the codes for the hse sheets i dont even know them myself so i highly doubt a woman at home in a 3 bed semi would!


lol @ 1000 per day though x through out the year with a few holidays i would be a millonare 2 times over by now  ;D
Title: Re: found this...an eye opener on what the public are starting to think
Post by: DCS Dorset on November 17, 2008, 07:28:49 pm
im sorry but doesnt it say it all he was sent to ptison for stealing!!!!

if they would rather employ that type of person more fool them but we are running a business and have business costs and for a proper job to be done a proper charge must be put in place.

if he was charging them a reasonable price he wouldn't of need to steal!!
Title: Re: found this...an eye opener on what the public are starting to think
Post by: williamx on November 17, 2008, 08:40:39 pm
On some of my contracts, if you broke the figures down, then I could be earning over £2000 per day or even £14000 per week or over  £3/4 million per year, but alas this is not possible, because other factors come into the equation.

You don't need a wfp system to earn a good living window cleanng, you need to have a good pricing of your jobs to achieve a realistic wage.

The average wage in the UK is £27716 per year.

Which window cleaner do you know who earns this amount?

With the use of wfp systems and the more "professional" image that all window cleaners are adopting , be-coming more common.

The image of the window cleaner has risen from the "stan ogdens" who only go out to work when they need "beer money" and they don't have to"sigh on" that day, to the professional business persons that they have always been, but not accepted as.

The time has come when we do not have to "don our hats" and "toff our forlocks" to the squires anymore, instead we are on a equal footing with every other business man who is earning an honest living.

It does not matter how high you price you work, if you give value for money, then you will always have customers who are willing to pay you that amount.

If you under-price your work, then the only loser will be you.