Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: geefree on February 16, 2009, 07:04:49 pm
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Hi, its taken me longer than most to build up a decent round,
but from the outset , i decided i would target large detached, and large semis...... and insist on posting of cheques ,if not at home.
but i have been reading some of the leafletting posts on here, and it seems people pick up better numbers than me....
are you targeting anything..?. as i dont ...
i try to be selective when canvassing/leafletting...
i wont go near dodgy areas, where i think i may be taken for a ride..
but sometimes i think i am over cautious....
i dont want big council estates..... i dont want a debate about this..... i just dont want them.... my choice...
i was brought up on one ( so i aint a snob) ;)
but am i being too selective...?
i thought eventually my round would be full of large decent properties.... and it is nearly....
but obviously its a slow build.
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Exactly the same here, but you dont want to over commit yourself.
Take your time, look upwards, not sideways or down, unless you really need the money.
Concentrate on building your business the way you want it to grow.
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I think your doing the right thing Gazzasp8, I could have a full round now but i only go for certain areas and propertys, when i 1st leaflet dropped every house in that road got one now id say 75% do, i look at access, parking, windows, frames etc.
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Council prop aside, what does it matter what type of prop you clean (apart from access issues etc)
If the job gives you your minimum hourly rate it shouldnt matter, maybe you prejudge certain prop unfairly.
Mark
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When I set up 6 years ago I filled up my time with anything, and then as I got new work I dropped the lowest or most inconvenient off the list. Full list almost straight away but left enough time to hunt out new work of course.
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stick to your guns gazza. i only take on recomendation dont go knocking or what ever, im like you gazza, i would rather take longer getting it right, i do it my way and dont care what others say, i get told a lot by others that i should be grab in what ever work i can, i did that a long time ago when i started and got the crap jobs two it took me about 3 - 5 years later to correct my mistakes and start to get it where i want it,
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Council prop aside, what does it matter what type of prop you clean (apart from access issues etc)
If the job gives you your minimum hourly rate it shouldnt matter, maybe you prejudge certain prop unfairly.
Mark
It matters to me - i might have to clean that dog poo infested hole for another ten years so i select the properties i want to clean and dump the ones i hate cleaning. Same goes for customers if i don't like their attitude then i don't have to work for them.
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Council prop aside, what does it matter what type of prop you clean (apart from access issues etc)
If the job gives you your minimum hourly rate it shouldnt matter, maybe you prejudge certain prop unfairly.
Mark
It matters to me - i might have to clean that dog poo infested hole for another ten years so i select the properties i want to clean and dump the ones i hate cleaning. Same goes for customers if i don't like their attitude then i don't have to work for them.
FTP your 100% right, so long as you have your health and your wife and kids love you, then what else matters eh!
Are you suggesting that the type of prop gazzasp8 cleans now doesnt have rude customers, slow payers or any dog s*ite??
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Thanks for the input.
i do pre-judge properties... but not unfairly... i judge them mainly for me!...for the growth of a decent round,... for my benefit not the people in the houses.
i was once asked to clean a property by a neighbour,
the house was nice.... i knocked on the door, the girl was nice and respectable looking.....within 5 seconds i had told her sorry, but i had a full round and could not take anymore on.... i lied.
i quickly had a bad feeling about her... i dont know what it was,
anyway , the next month , i cleaned the neighbour, (my existing customer )....she asked me if i had called on the new house, if i was cleaning hers?
i said no,.... she said i dont blame you her last window cleaner was owed about 6 months money !!!!! but stressed she had promised her she would ask me to call.....
so i am cautious, i like to look at the people, as well as the properties.
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Council prop aside, what does it matter what type of prop you clean (apart from access issues etc)
If the job gives you your minimum hourly rate it shouldnt matter, maybe you prejudge certain prop unfairly.
Mark
It matters to me - i might have to clean that dog poo infested hole for another ten years so i select the properties i want to clean and dump the ones i hate cleaning. Same goes for customers if i don't like their attitude then i don't have to work for them.
FTP your 100% right, so long as you have your health and your wife and kids love you, then what else matters eh!
Are you suggesting that the type of prop gazzasp8 cleans now doesnt have rude customers, slow payers or any dog s*ite??
I don't know what Gazza cleans but that's the advantage of this job - you can be selective if you want to be and target the areas or houses you want to clean. No point in taking on work in crappy areas when you don't need to. If i can i much prefer the larger properties in the country with beautiful gardens to a dog crap infested council house full of chavs.
Cleaned any windows yet Mark?
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i was thinking more on the lines of decent sized properties, better neighbourhoods, and in general better quality of work, payers...
but especially, less houses for more money, and a better working day. ;)
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Gazza...go for building your round how you see fit.
I agree that selective properties is the way to go.....l
Why would you want to clean a council house with dog crap everywhere,two cars out the front with no panels on,a big fat lardy bird with skin tight lycra bottoms and two rolls of fat wobblying around her waste coming out and saying "scuse me mate,jew wan a cuppa"....
No thanks....stick to your guns.
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Gazzasp8 whatever works for you, but there are customers who meet your criteria who live in smaller / different properties to the ones you currently target.
Ftp/Djw who mentioned council estates?, once again you demonstrate your difficulty in understanding what is actually being said.
As to the " cleaned any windows " I drive a car but i didnt build it, does that mean i cant drive? You need to deal with your issues and move on with your life. Maybe buy a copy of Country Life and look at pictures of the houses you could one day be cleaning.
( expecting your reply to be ..."my favourite colour is blue")
Mark
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Gazza with both started around the same time and guess what...am in the same boat as you...but I think allowing time and space to be selected is not such a bad thing...rather than clogging up your round so full that you noether have time or capacity to enlarge your business as you want it...
Sounds like you are on the right path...as for me...I think that I will take another 2 years to be where I want....so 5 years sounds about right to me...
Cheers
Dave.
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Gazzasp8 whatever works for you, but there are customers who meet your criteria who live in smaller / different properties to the ones you currently target.
Ftp/Djw who mentioned council estates?, once again you demonstrate your difficulty in understanding what is actually being said.
As to the " cleaned any windows " I drive a car but i didnt build it, does that mean i cant drive? You need to deal with your issues and move on with your life. Maybe buy a copy of Country Life and look at pictures of the houses you could one day be cleaning.
( expecting your reply to be ..."my favourite colour is blue")
Mark
Do you have eyesight problems? Gazza mentioned council houses, you mentioned council houses and i mentioned council houses. ::)
The whole post was about being selective i believe.
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I ;D
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Gazzasp8 whatever works for you, but there are customers who meet your criteria who live in smaller / different properties to the ones you currently target.
Ftp/Djw who mentioned council estates?, once again you demonstrate your difficulty in understanding what is actually being said.
As to the " cleaned any windows " I drive a car but i didnt build it, does that mean i cant drive? You need to deal with your issues and move on with your life. Maybe buy a copy of Country Life and look at pictures of the houses you could one day be cleaning.
( expecting your reply to be ..."my favourite colour is blue")
Mark
Do you have eyesight problems? Gazza mentioned council houses, you mentioned council houses and i mentioned council houses. ::)
The whole post was about being selective i believe.
Yes it was about being selective, including the bit that said DONT INCLUDE COUNCIL HOUSES...sheesh!!
Mark
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Oh got it, selective reading seems to be your problem then. ::) ;D
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Theres nothing wrong with council houses, apart from the people in em.
;D
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Steady, we had one almighty debate before over these. I did say i didn't want to clean a council house full of chavs and dog poo everywhere. Everyone knows there are decent people about too (just not many round my way).
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i know some1 on here who ONLY cleans on 2 MASSIVE council estates up north ( i will not name the town / city, as i know he doesnt post on here what he cleans as he thinks people will look down on him )
he does very well out of them, he has complete roads where he does every house on them, they all pay cash and he is happy
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i know some1 on here who ONLY cleans on 2 MASSIVE council estates up north ( i will not name the town / city, as i know he doesnt post on here what he cleans as he thinks people will look down on him )
he does very well out of them, he has complete roads where he does every house on them, they all pay cash and he is happy
I have one day a week on what is classed as a not nice estate, a stones throw from Moss Side Manchester, was there today and the average price here is about £5 a house on my prices, was there today and did no less than £29 per hour trad :) Did £48 on one hour alone, and took home £100 without collecting....but thats work i had from day one , very first stuff i canvassed, and never give it up as i now have the whole estate as no one else would touch it, still get work from it every week, picked 2 up this week without even trying :)
However i wouldnt now go and canvass council because of that, i was lucky, and payment can be difficult sometimes, you have to be there at the right time of the week / month, but i never have to wait long.....
Just my 2 pence, but alot of nice people and some very good tippers, 2-3 tip every time :)
One pays over £6 more than the price on every clean, dont ask why, im not - im just happy it keeps coming lol
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Yeah Sean I know what your saying, and i've got a similar estate that takes me about 3-4 days to get round, but I do it over two weeks as I find the place so depressing.
The custies are really nice, mainly oldies but the atmosphere is just deadly. CANT FACE DOIN IT FOR TWO CONSECUTIVE DAYS. Wall to wall hoodies, grafitti everywhere, man I hate doing it, but good business.
Would never seek to expand on it,
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Council prop aside, what does it matter what type of prop you clean (apart from access issues etc)
If the job gives you your minimum hourly rate it shouldnt matter, maybe you prejudge certain prop unfairly.
Mark
Matter’s a great deal, more so if you are a sole trader.
I don’t think it’s any kind of prejudices to be selective, most business have a particular type of customer and focus there marketing and products/services towards them.
A single window cleaner is not going to have the facilities and resources to cater for all (same applies to the largest corporation).
Achieving your minimum hourly rate is only one aspect, disregarding everything else will affect or have detrimental impact to the rest of your business, whether you are aware of it or not.
You are only being unfair to yourself if you try to take every job that comes along.
Well I thought I could talk bo**ox sometimes but youve got me stumped with that post.
Mark
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Hey, I'm in for this one- Davo vs Ewan. Ding Ding ;D
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Well I thought I could talk bo**ox sometimes but youve got me stumped with that post.
Mark
;D
Ewan’s ‘posts’ can be a bit confusing (sometimes you feel like you’re sitting an exam!) but if you can work it out, there’s usually a thought-provoking point in there somewhere.
I think he might be suggesting (in response to Gazza's original question) that it is best to concentrate on the types of jobs that pay the best, or the type that give you the most satisfaction. Perhaps go for a 'niche' market - and not try to be 'all things to all men'
Or – Only take on new BETTER work, not MORE OF THE SAME.
But, I might be wrong.
Mike
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Council prop aside, what does it matter what type of prop you clean (apart from access issues etc)
If the job gives you your minimum hourly rate it shouldnt matter, maybe you prejudge certain prop unfairly.
Mark
Matter’s a great deal, more so if you are a sole trader.
I don’t think it’s any kind of prejudices to be selective, most business have a particular type of customer and focus there marketing and products/services towards them.
A single window cleaner is not going to have the facilities and resources to cater for all (same applies to the largest corporation).
Achieving your minimum hourly rate is only one aspect, disregarding everything else will affect or have detrimental impact to the rest of your business, whether you are aware of it or not.
You are only being unfair to yourself if you try to take every job that comes along.
Well, this may be a CIU first. I agree with Ewan 100%!! :o & I totaly understand his post :o
Although I would add, it would depend on the position you're in. Given Gazza has stated he's nearly got a full round then yes, be as selective as you like!
Tony
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Yes, well done Ewan, your post made perfect sense.
(first time for everything)
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Stan, do me a favour and change that picture. I find it distracting ;D ;D
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Ewan I owe you an apology, my reply to your original post wasnt very constructive.
As to your last post, i think your entitled to your dig given the circumstances.
Mark
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Well, unlike most of you it appears, I'm more than happy to clean on council estates. This isn't due to lack of work or years in the job; I've been doing this since 1991.
We clean windows for houses aswell as a load of commercial clients. We clean carpets both private and commercial and have day to day cleaning contracts for night clubs in Plymouth.
We are very busy and I put this down to our ability to be able to mix with everybody from posh folk to common folk. Obviously on all estaes, whether council or private, you'll get the odd prson who has an adverse reaction to paying but they are soon dumped. 99% of households are decent payers, decent people who don't mess us around and are a pleasure to work for ;D.
I know this isn't a debate on the merits or otherwise of council estates, but to refuse to clean someone's windows because of their address is a bit odd in my opinion; and it is just that, my opinion ??? ???.
In the mean time I'll enjoy earning a very good living cleaning being less selective ;)
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Council prop aside, what does it matter what type of prop you clean (apart from access issues etc)
If the job gives you your minimum hourly rate it shouldnt matter, maybe you prejudge certain prop unfairly.
Mark
Matter’s a great deal, more so if you are a sole trader.
Why??
I don’t think it’s any kind of prejudices to be selective, most business have a particular type of customer and focus there marketing and products/services towards them.
Erm yes it is, that is precisely what prejudice means..... "To cause (someone) to judge prematurely and irrationally.......A preconceived preference or idea......prejudice"
A single window cleaner is not going to have the facilities and resources to cater for all (same applies to the largest corporation).
Access issues aside as mentioned in my initial post....what facilities and resources does he need??...you mean equipment used in the cleaning of windows??
Achieving your minimum hourly rate is only one aspect, disregarding everything else will affect or have detrimental impact to the rest of your business, whether you are aware of it or not.
erm.....dont understand what it is you are saying
You are only being unfair to yourself if you try to take every job that comes along.
If the job is on your terms why is that?
Mark
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i've worked on estates and in the more select parts of town; and i can tell you straight that you get less grief, (and more cups of tea) from the estates. they are less likely to mess you about for the money and don't look down their noses at you. it all depends on how you see yourself. i work commercial and have shop owners who have money and staff who are grafters. just because they live in big houses in a nice area doesn't mean they have a better attitude toward other people.
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Bump! ;D
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Council prop aside, what does it matter what type of prop you clean (apart from access issues etc)
If the job gives you your minimum hourly rate it shouldnt matter, maybe you prejudge certain prop unfairly.
Mark
this type of remark shows a.... not as window cleaner...or b INEXPERIERNCED...LOL
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???
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I was selective when I first started.
Now I try and accomodate all and have seen my busines grow.
I also reolized that it was better and faster to do 4 or 5 in one street than try and get 1 house in the sticks with a good cleaning value.
£25 for 1 house an hour or 3 to 4 at £10.
Picked up 4 £10ers yesterday, all side by side which can be done in an hour. Good windows great access.
Some of the older larger properties can look good on price but are a real pain to clean.
Now there are more w/c getting into the act I feel its good to have diversity in ones portfolio of custies.
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To sum this entire thread up, its like this.Most of you guys have left a s**t job with no future and crap pay to start out on your own, window cleaning.Some of you might have left a job due to health issues but I suspect the majority of you have left a job so you can have a more quality lifestyle with better pay and better working houres,(work when you want to).So why the hell would you want to clean a certain type of house if you don't want to?Isn't it better to enjoy cleaning the houses on your round than to dread going to certain houses?If cleaning council houses is your thing then great,if cleaning large, detached, country mansions is your thing then thats great to.Remember you are your own boss and you make the decisions so carry on the way you are mate,you will get there in the end,I did ;D
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Problem is Jeff its how quick you wan't to get there.
I started being selective but found a lot of the work was already taken.
Now I target areas where I want to work regardless of the type of house.
Also I did not have the time to build my perfect round.
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To sum this entire thread up, its like this.Most of you guys have left a s**t job with no future and crap pay to start out on your own, window cleaning.Some of you might have left a job due to health issues but I suspect the majority of you have left a job so you can have a more quality lifestyle with better pay and better working houres,(work when you want to).So why the hell would you want to clean a certain type of house if you don't want to?Isn't it better to enjoy cleaning the houses on your round than to dread going to certain houses?If cleaning council houses is your thing then great,if cleaning large, detached, country mansions is your thing then thats great to.Remember you are your own boss and you make the decisions so carry on the way you are mate,you will get there in the end,I did ;D
So true but i prefer the bigger 1`s as there`s no need for rushing about to do your money. ;)
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I clean windows to earn a living not to enjoy it. I just get on with it.
I have had rows of small houses and individual large houses, and you make more money per hour with the row of small houses any day.
People who live on estates have very little money but they are often not very careful with the money they have. People in large houses are generally more miserable and difficult to please.
having said all that most of my work is somewhere in between.
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I love my work and enjoy going to work everyday. :D
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I would say dont tar people from a council house with the same brush as scum bags, these are in every area, if you choose not to do because you want bigger houses then fair play, I was bought up in a council house and own one now and I always pay my bills on time as do my customers that live in council houses. You will always get knockers but that from experience is in all fields.
You will always get scum everywhere it is not tied to council estates, I will take on work anywhere, as I get on with any class posh or not so posh, as long as im paid I dont mind.
Also you will find that the general people in council houses pay there way more than the people that are in fine country houses. They are more down to earth.. and dont expect things, I do both and in between so saying from what I have faced and know.
Ian
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Well said Ian.