Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: mlscontractcleaner on May 23, 2009, 11:28:46 pm
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Hi all.
After almost 20 years of window / contract / carpet cleaning in Plymouth we (the wife and I) are seriosly thinking of taking our services to the warmer climes of southern Spain 8) 8) 8).
Now, the language issue aside, do any of you have any good advice when it comes to living and working in Spain (or any other relevant advice learnt from living in any foreign country ) ???
We know it wont be a walk in the park, and we are obviously used to working hard to build up a reasonably lucrative business, we just fancy a change of scenery and the feeling of the sun on our backs for more than 2 weeks per year ;) ;) ;)
I've actually been able to make contact with a guy called Vince who used to clean window sin Plymouth and now does the same near Alicante and he gave me some good advice but any other input would be very welcome.
This is still in the early stages of planning and we have much to think about but at 40 years old we aren't getting any younger and would like to take the plunge whilst we're still young enough to look good on the beach ;D ;D ;D
Come on than folks, your advice is very welcome :)
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Vince is soming back to the uk....try the other forum. ;)
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Yeah he said that; something about taking a management job and having to have surgery on his arm. He offered me his business (£2K per month ) for £10K but we aren't ready to commit just yet.
It would have been ideal I guess, walking straight into a ready made business.
Never mind!
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I think your business will be working for the British Ex-pats from what I can gather. I don't think the natives have their windows cleaned in the same way.
My friend Gordon has a place in Spain, he's had it for years but he has never lived there full time. He's seen loads of Brits come out only to return a few years later.
If you want to do it then do it but think of it as an adventure and don't burn your bridges.
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You're never too old for adventure; and I try not to burn anything, what with health and safety and all that!!
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Hi mate, I would think you have heard it all from your mate down there, about all the relative working and business laws.
I would only add one point that I think is important though. The language, without being able to speak it well enough you will always be on the back foot when it comes to competition.
Unless you only intend to serve the expats, then no problem.
I hope if you do go that it works for you both, that offer you got sounds good to me.
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Hi Plymouth,
Nice idea in theory but in reality I think you'll struggle.
Firstly, ex-pats aside our continental cousins don't have regular window cleans. For them it's a bit like the Yanks...once a year and then a proper going over with frames and sills included. I lived in Austria for the first part of my life (Austrian mum) and all their windows open inwards and they all clean them themselves.
Unless you're prepared to learn the lingo and also prepared to cultivate the local populace into the benefits of a regular window cleaner your only alternative is tapping the ex-pat market. Now I could be wrong here but I would imagine that most ex-pats have villas, sprawling ground level affairs with all windows easily accessable with the owner happy to have a bi-yearly task to occupy the day. I have a friend who lives in Minorca in such a villa. He has a guy come once a week to clean the pool...but his windows?...pristine!
If you are in the happy situation where you can move out there with no mortgage and a bit of money behind you and the odd window cleaning job is more of pastime then go for it! But if the window cleaning has to work for you to stay out there...don't!
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AAH so you are a bit of an undercover boxhead then Simon. ;D
If I had the chance to buy a business down there I think I would take it.2K down in Spain sounds like a decent amount after tax.
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We'd obviously have some cash sat in our bank account so we'd have a certain amount of time to settle in and get the ball rolling with regards building up a reasonably profitable business, but yes, we would eventually be living off it so it does need to work long term.
It'll be a challenge we know but hey, what's life without challenges ??? ??? ???
If it all goes tits up we'll do what the Brits do best and buy a bar ;D ;D ;D
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Good luck to you if you venture over there to start window cleaning. My girlfriend owns a 6 bedroom house over there and is trying to get me to go over for a week or two on hols before she starts renting it out.
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Hi Plymouth,
Nice idea in theory but in reality I think you'll struggle.
Firstly, ex-pats aside our continental cousins don't have regular window cleans. For them it's a bit like the Yanks...once a year and then a proper going over with frames and sills included. I lived in Austria for the first part of my life (Austrian mum) and all their windows open inwards and they all clean them themselves.
Unless you're prepared to learn the lingo and also prepared to cultivate the local populace into the benefits of a regular window cleaner your only alternative is tapping the ex-pat market. Now I could be wrong here but I would imagine that most ex-pats have villas, sprawling ground level affairs with all windows easily accessable with the owner happy to have a bi-yearly task to occupy the day. I have a friend who lives in Minorca in such a villa. He has a guy come once a week to clean the pool...but his windows?...pristine!
If you are in the happy situation where you can move out there with no mortgage and a bit of money behind you and the odd window cleaning job is more of pastime then go for it! But if the window cleaning has to work for you to stay out there...don't!
You said it all really Simon. Except most windows are cleaned by maids on €5 an hour. And yes - most windows do open inwards.
Don't forget as well, the ex-pats disappear in winter & the heat of August. The Spanish aren't that bothered about having clean windows either.
Definately come out with shed-loads of money. This isn't a window cleaning market with the sense of monthly cleans, it's an entirely different market to the one you are used to in the UK. I think Vince put out 10,000 leaflets & got one response. But he stuck at it. 8)
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We'd obviously have some cash sat in our bank account so we'd have a certain amount of time to settle in and get the ball rolling with regards building up a reasonably profitable business, but yes, we would eventually be living off it so it does need to work long term.
It'll be a challenge we know but hey, what's life without challenges ??? ??? ???
If it all goes tits up we'll do what the Brits do best and buy a bar ;D ;D ;D
Sorry to be negative...but before wasting your money i would defo do some serious homework first.It was on the news the other day about how spain is being hit so hard with this global recession,and i have seen numerous reports on expats selling up to come back to the uk (if they can sell).
I agree with you when you say that life is a challenge,but after having built a good business and having some money saved like you say,then i would be very very careful in these times with parting with it.
Good luck.
Dan :)
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Easiest way to lose your money is to buy a bar.
The only ones making any money are not for sale, the ones that are for sale have probably had ten diferent owners in 10 years, with them all losing every penny they own.
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Blimey, it's amazing any of you have ever actually took a chance a decided to work for yourself!!!
Don't do it, it wont work, you'll all starve and die of malnutrition!!!
There are actually Spanish window cleaning firms out there; I've got a few of their websites under my favourites. The commercial clients are cleaned at least monthly, as are most of their residential clients. Their working practices are vastly different to ours; it's like the old days of walking on window sills and taking daft risks ( a bit like going to Spain to live :) )
WFP is only used by the few British window cleaners out there, and there are quite a few British cleaning firms out there catering for holiday lets and such like. That'd be a good add on, along with rug cleaning which seems to be fairly profitable. Thankfully we run a contract cleaning business here and are not limited to just window cleaning, which has to be a help.
My comment about opening a bar was just a joke :)
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Ok sorry mate...
My real thoughts are that you should sell everything you own and take a chance.
Not only should you get into window cleaning,but also buy a bar.Take a look on the internet under spanish real estate,you will find thousands of bars up for sale,get in quickly so that you can make a fortune.
OR....
you could ask a question on this forum and respect the replies that you get and asked for.... ::)
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I didn't mean it to sound arsey but setting up a business anywhere is a risk. We wont be selling up anyway; our son will be managing this end of things while we work over there. At least that way if it were to go pear shaped we'd have something to return to.
We just reckon that if we take on the Spanish way of life and don't just stay "Brits abroad" we'll get on fine.
Anyway, with everyone else staying in the UK at least we wont be competing with you all for work ;)
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What is contract cleaning?
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cleaning eg- hoovering dustig etc, pubs, offices, hotels etc etc
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Sorry to be negative...but before wasting your money i would defo do some serious homework first.It was on the news the other day about how spain is being hit so hard with this global recession,and i have seen numerous reports on expats selling up to come back to the uk (if they can sell).
I agree with Daniel here. Spain is having it far tougher than the UK at the moment. I remember reading somewhere that there's thousands of Spanish living without power and water because they can't pay the bills.
What's the exchange rate like at the moment also?
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1.14 at the moment, 6 months ago it was stable at about 1.45 Can't see any big changes on the way either :(
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cozy, lets do a house swap working holiday, ill go clean for the box heads! ;D
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Exchange rate is near enough Euro = Pound. You are right about the unemployment. We hit 70% in the last winter here in Mallorca.
Yes, you'll make some money sweeping floors, but don't expect the same rates you can get in the UK. You are best looking into marble & tile polishing. Rugs are cheap enough here to throw away & buy new. If you don't speak Spanish, I wouldn't get your hopes up on the contract cleaning side. As for the comment on the monthly cleans, ermm.. who told you that?
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looks like the best option would be to really do your homework on vinces business at least you would be walking straight into income and a ready made custie base to expand on, and if you cant expand it much you know you wouldnt of been able to start from scratch too easily but at least you would have the same amount of work you bought off him.... hopefully ;)
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cozy, lets do a house swap working holiday, ill go clean for the box heads! ;D
You can come over and do a week if you want to mate.You don't want to clean ze Guurmans though. Do some of my Brit custies if you like ;D
Free scoff and beer every day instead of pay ;D
guys, the fact that windows on the continent all open inwards doesn't effect the business. Some people hate or can't clean their windows. No shortage of takers over here.
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true that cozy, anyone can hoover but look how many people pay a cleaner.
im gonna go book my flights! ;D
where do you live?where i n uk you from?
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Place called Herford, mid north Gurmany mate.
Born in Liverpool, grew up in Derby. Been here as a civ since 85.
Got to go smear some windows, see you later guys ;D
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were have been looking at relocating for the past 2 years to villamartin south of alicante
we could see problems coming so have put off moving but are still looking for a property as its the best time to buy
weve been over about a dozen or so times in the last 2 years and are going back in july
the situation in the torrevieja area is dire
sometimes out of the june to aug season the place is like a ghost town
the euro situation is not helping businesses but it is a good time to buy
most of the cleaning work is found via word of mouth and local advertising
dont expect to jump straight into a good earner as there is a lot of competition 7 to 8 euros /hr is about the going rate buy like here there are eastern europeans
undercutting this
you would need a good year to 2 years money behind you to live especially if you are morgaged up
also look into the tax system its a little unforging towards new companies
self employed is a better option or do what most people do and dont declare anything
cash talks
saying that there is a market still for good cleaning/property management companies out there
you will need to get your fingers in many pies
initially keep your overheads low and advertise locally
you will need to get yourself known in the area
good news spreads fast over there
to sum it up give it a go we are within the next 12 months
good luck
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Cheers mate, a bit of encouragement at last!!
We're not stupid and know it wont be easy but hey, we like a challenge!
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I completly agree with scrubberscleaning, my parents have lived in villarmartine for the last 5 years and i reguarly go out there every year, things have gone a bit downhill regarding business closing and lack of tourists etc over the years in that particular area, but i wouldn't let that put you off nothing ventured nothing gained as they say. They used to do alot of cleaning of villas (they don't so much now as they don't really need the work but still get it offered to them) this work was mainly gained because they live on a complex and these complexes have management type commitee's that look after them mostly run by people living on the complex so these are key people you would need to hook up with and let them know who you are and what you provide as word of mouth is everything out there. I think they used to get about 35 euros for a 2 bed villa basicaly you mop all the floors sweep terraces, change and wash bedding ect ready for anyone coming in to rent the villa that the owner was renting out roughly about 1.5 hours work plus the time it would take to wash dry bedding, I did help them on a couple of occasions. This wouldn't be day in day out work but as and when it needed doing but generally 5-6 a week really depending on time of year etc.
But good luck it will be very hard but then the benifits will be worth the slog...
Paul
slightly off topic scrubberscleaning my parents have a 2 bedroom villa they are selling in villamartine on the verdima 2 complex had new kitchen and bathroom done a couple of years ago i can pass you his e-mail if you are interested and i know he would happily answer any questions you may have about the area etche has pictures of the rooms etc there selling it because they brought a bigger place as they have retired out there now.
Paul
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thanks for that but ive got three kids need a four bed place
thanks again
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just another pointer im not sure where your thinking of heading but if its the villamartin area try having a few pints in the winchester bar in villamartin they know everyone in there and you can put business cards on the wall youll probably pick up a few contacts
a lot of the local property rental lads drink in there
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thanks for that but ive got three kids need a four bed place
thanks again
I have a 4 bed detached in Valencia if you want to buy it? We're getting rid - €300,000 its yours.
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Place called Herford, mid north Gurmany mate.
Born in Liverpool, grew up in Derby. Been here as a civ since 85.
Got to go smear some windows, see you later guys ;D
Cozy
Are you from an army background?
Dean
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Place called Herford, mid north Gurmany mate.
Born in Liverpool, grew up in Derby. Been here as a civ since 85.
Got to go smear some windows, see you later guys ;D
Cozy
Are you from an army background?
Dean
Yes Dean came out the Army in 85 and eventually went self employed in 89 in this caper. Love living here but I do miss English bacon and stuff like FRESH white bread. That's the price i pay ::)