Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: JSMC on February 21, 2009, 01:45:56 pm

Title: this credit crunch is scary
Post by: JSMC on February 21, 2009, 01:45:56 pm
for people out there who think it aint gonna hit them then i think yer in for a shock big time. I do loads of commercial work and tlak to the people in those places and loads are saying that one of the 1st things that will go is the window cleaner as some of them cant justify the money they pay.

i pity the guys charging 10 quid upwards on normal houses.

hard times are a comin'

no one knows where this will stop. Experts are just the same as us  i reckon. :(
Title: Re: this credit crunch is scary
Post by: DaveG on February 21, 2009, 01:56:00 pm
youve cheered me up :o
Title: Re: this credit crunch is scary
Post by: LSB on February 21, 2009, 02:46:20 pm
i havent really noticed it on domestic , however i do quite a bit of work for a commercial cleaning contactor ( normally my rainy day work ) and they are loosing contracts (inc the windows) !
Title: Re: this credit crunch is scary
Post by: landy2 on February 21, 2009, 03:59:43 pm
i agree its the comercial work being hit very hard but also like has been said people charging a lot for houses will start to feel it was talking to another cleaner the other day and he charges high prices and he told me he has lost a lot of work myself have always charged a average charge and not lost any hope it stays like that
Title: Re: this credit crunch is scary
Post by: trevor povey on February 21, 2009, 04:00:26 pm
Received a letter through the post today from an office I clean saying that they were sorry and had to suspend window cleaning for the moment....the job was for only £10.00 per month :o :o
Title: Re: this credit crunch is scary
Post by: cozy on February 21, 2009, 04:30:43 pm
I pity the guys that charged LESS than 10 quid, they didn't earn much before we ALL went bust. No really, it's looking like hard times a coming.( I studied at the university of the bl00dy obvious) ::)
Title: Re: this credit crunch is scary
Post by: trevor povey on February 21, 2009, 04:46:35 pm
£6.00/7.00(trad) for a straight forward semi in Leeds/wakey is a great price ;)

ps all rounds are compact
Title: Re: this credit crunch is scary
Post by: prestigeclean on February 21, 2009, 05:14:02 pm
i,m picking up loads of domestic work and losing very little , south east regards alan
Title: Re: this credit crunch is scary
Post by: JSMC on February 21, 2009, 06:00:08 pm
i clena a tan salon and is 5 quid every 2 weeks and they have put it out to once per month. I have saw other places getting workers to do it for them
Title: Re: this credit crunch is scary
Post by: R W C on February 21, 2009, 06:02:01 pm
i clena a tan salon and is 5 quid every 2 weeks and they have put it out to once per month. I have saw other places getting workers to do it for them

£5 every 2 weeks and thats cheaper then a hair cut tight gits, a mate of mine works in the town (same place as prestige) and there still picking up commercial.
Title: Re: this credit crunch is scary
Post by: AuRavelling79 on February 21, 2009, 06:41:36 pm
Oh get a grip guys - doom and gloom merchants the lot of you! Even if the economy does shrink by 5% this year that still means 95% of it is still there.

So cut down on your costs, shelve the foreign holiday and go to the take away instead of the restaurant. We ain't at the "cholera under Mugabe stage" are we? Or three families to a flat in Eastern Europe?

Get it in perspective.
Title: Re: this credit crunch is scary
Post by: Glyn H on February 21, 2009, 06:51:22 pm
We have  had the busiest months ever on both contract window / gutter cleaning and equipment sales :)
Title: Re: this credit crunch is scary
Post by: R W C on February 21, 2009, 06:54:35 pm
Oh get a grip guys - doom and gloom merchants the lot of you! Even if the economy does shrink by 5% this year that still means 95% of it is still there.

So cut down on your costs, shelve the foreign holiday and go to the take away instead of the restaurant. We ain't at the "cholera under Mugabe stage" are we? Or three families to a flat in Eastern Europe?

Get it in perspective.

Thank you Malc im glad someone posted something with a bit of sense, not everyone is going to be affected the crunch.
Title: Re: this credit crunch is scary
Post by: NBwcs on February 21, 2009, 07:09:24 pm
By Tuesday this week, I lost 10% of my weekly turnover (in just 2 days) with cancellations. Just a touch concerned as you can imagine but got off my backside and went canvassing and have pulled it back. Its getting harder to get new work though and easier to lose what youve got which is not a good trend. On a lighter note, i spoke to a builder customer of mine this week who went from 20 staff down to 3 just before xmas but says hes busy again now and is looking to recruit and may even end up with more than 20. It all started with the building trade and spread so just maybe this is a sign that things might start to improve quicker than everyones expecting.  
Title: Re: this credit crunch is scary
Post by: sparklebright on February 21, 2009, 07:22:52 pm
I cleaned the window of a small newsagents. Next to another job and takes literally two minutes so I used to charge £2.50 a week.
The guy is cancelling to do it himself!
What a laugh, saving £2.50...what's the point.  ???
On a serious note I've lost a few hundred pounds a month from various jobs, but with the wide range of work types I've got it won't really damage me too much.
But all the jobs I've lost are commercial, so there's something to think about
Title: Re: this credit crunch is scary
Post by: Sir Squeaky on February 21, 2009, 07:29:56 pm
Cheer up you miserable sod.
It's only what you make it.

If your area is suffering, move somewhere better. ::)
No problem down south.

I picked up 5 in 5 days last week!
And they're all better priced than my old work.
The only way is up. ;)
Haven't lost ONE single job to the recession.

God, if I can be positive and expect to get more money every year, then anyone can.
Title: Re: this credit crunch is scary
Post by: pjulk on February 21, 2009, 08:12:02 pm
Its not scary at all.

I worked as a window cleaner in the last recession and it made hardly any differance.

I can't see this recession to be any differant.

I think some people panick over nothing.
Title: Re: this credit crunch is scary
Post by: NBwcs on February 21, 2009, 08:12:50 pm
Glad your not "feeling it" Squeeky, but we can all be over confident if your not yet affected. You'd be the first pouring your heart out on here if you were losing work! Theres a lot of very worried wc's out there with good cause. Good to hear its not widespread though. As for moving south...  reminds me of that prat Tebbit with his "get on your bike" advise during the Tory years.
Title: Re: this credit crunch is scary
Post by: kenaltobelli on February 21, 2009, 08:16:01 pm
a guy says on tv today use your recession wisely and thats right.
focus on the good and be addaptive to the market and dont go out and drop your prices
to £3 just for something to do offer to paint there out sides if thaye are shaby;
this is a good time to work for your self remmember be more like michel gecko
{wall street}
Title: Re: this credit crunch is scary
Post by: sparklebright on February 21, 2009, 09:05:55 pm
Cheer up you miserable sod.
It's only what you make it.

If your area is suffering, move somewhere better. ::)
No problem down south.

I do live down South so I guess you're wrong there. But I do live by the coast and we always feel the recession first and lose it last. I remember from last time.

It's all commercial that's gone, so that's ok really.
The good thing is we'll never lose all our work will we!

It reminds me to treat my customers well
Guess I'll have to go out and canvas again if I want more.
Title: Re: this credit crunch is scary
Post by: Londoner on February 23, 2009, 07:43:58 am
The thing is even if you lose half your customers you still have the other half and although you may not be running on all cylinders you are still running. You also have an ability to recover.

All those workers, especially in the financial sectors who have lost their jobs are completely stuffed. Its either job or no job and thats it. They will never work again at least not at a job like that.

Even when the recession lifts they will be tainted goods, yesterdays men. 
Title: Re: this credit crunch is scary
Post by: dudek on February 23, 2009, 07:43:46 pm
i heard today that northern rock are going to start lending again.
Title: Re: this credit crunch is scary
Post by: choice.clean on February 23, 2009, 08:30:45 pm
had my secretary phone some places today picked up £2400 per annum of new work different places domestic and commercial if you can get that on the phone shows its still out there. if it gives you any consolation people keep telling me about the last recession i was window cleaning then but i don't remember it. just keep your head down and don't make any silly business decisions that's my moto.  :D
Title: Re: this credit crunch is scary
Post by: AuRavelling79 on February 23, 2009, 09:30:55 pm
had my secretary phone some places today picked up £2400 per annum of new work different places domestic and commercial if you can get that on the phone shows its still out there. if it gives you any consolation people keep telling me about the last recession i was window cleaning then but i don't remember it. just keep your head down and don't make any silly business decisions that's my moto.  :D

Ooooh! Get you!  ;D

Seriously though; well done!