Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Frequently Asked Questions & Useful Resources => Topic started by: sandy on May 06, 2005, 03:31:06 pm
-
after a £85 overtime cut i have decided to make window cleaning my full time occupation.ihave been a part time window cleaner for 12 years.so i would just like ask the group their opinion of wether there is enough work to go around.is there enough window cleaners already or is there a shortage of good window cleaners.also whats the best way to test if an area is geting cleaned or not. how do you find areas that need your services
thank to all sandy
-
It depends where you are, in our area there is a shortage.
if you work at it full time, you will pick up work easily
Go and knock on a few doors, but be warned, dont under price, even if you NEED the work.
-
in my street i have seen 3 window cleaners each doing no more than 3 houses each, street has 50 houses never been asked if i would like mine cleaned.
fly whatever street you like the look of then do again a month later that way if you do not pick up anything, it must be covered. Flyers work better second time, but you will have to do a lot, which is where i am struggling at the moment.
I have got 2 good teenage girls putting out 500 a week for me from next week wher i want as i work full time too 6-2 and hate it.
ps in my experience for every 1 new customer i pick up they usually put somebody else on to me as well, if i get a small £6 pound house i knock the next door neighbours to get another which means £12 in just over half hour, not bad
good luck paul
-
make sure you do a min charge of at least 10 pounds if we all did this we would all earn a great living.we do 15 pound min and we are getting loads of work ,even on council estates.good luck .
-
I know it's sad but listening to Radio 2 recently on Steve Wright he was saying that they had got some info that there were 82 million windows in this country that had a need to be cleaned.
Will that be enough for you ;D
Rob
-
The real key to building a window cleaning business is not going away. If you just stick around, your business will grow. A real common response I get on the door step when I'm canvassing is 'yes, I'd love a window cleaner, but you are going to last aren't you?. That tells you all you need to know.
The advice to start off with ambitious prices is not bad advice, but you might want just to be reasonable initially. Your first goal should be to be working the hours you want to put in. You can look at upping your prices thereafter.
-
There`s plenty out there, don`t go too cheap though.
Look to realistically do 2 semis or terraces an hour initially, once you go round your round a few times, and get the first cleans out the way, life becomes simpler.
Practice at home too, practice on your technique, and time yourself.
If your reasonably fit, have good technique, and have a fairly well priced compact round, in time you should be able to bang out 4-6 terraced houses an hour, at say an average of £6 each (depending on where you live)
There is scope out there...remember though, it`s best even to drive half an hour from home if the work you pick up is more compact and better priced than on your doorstep.
Good luck...
-
after a £85 overtime cut i have decided to make window cleaning my full time occupation.ihave been a part time window cleaner for 12 years.so i would just like ask the group their opinion of wether there is enough work to go around.is there enough window cleaners already or is there a shortage of good window cleaners.also whats the best way to test if an area is geting cleaned or not. how do you find areas that need your services
thank to all sandy
I found that I had to kickstart my business originally by doorknocking. It took a while to build up but, once I had a regular workbase and people knew they could trust me, the work flooded in.
Two things against me were that I started in 1991 when there were high interest rates and a lot of people out of work. Also, I started in October just as Winter was coming. A lot of my early customers saw me around for a while but didn't ask me to start until Spring came around.
I made the mistake of being too cheap at first and eventually, I passed my early work onto someone else who was starting. I didn't have the cheek to sell the work as my prices were too low. I figure that if I'm getting too few refusals due to the prices, then I'm charging too low.
-
be realistic with your prices
up here an average estate house is about £2.50/£3.00,i know some of you will choke when you read this ,but that is the going rate!
do not overprice yourself out the game,and also do not underprice,if you are very reliable you will get recommendations as well......good luck
-
up here an average estate house is about £2.50/£3.00
How on earth can you make any money with price's like that you would probably get more money claiming unemployment money or working for mcdonalds.
After you paid your fuel, equipment, insurance, vehicle running costs, Tax, NI allowed for hoilidays is there any money left.
You would certainly need to knock some house out each day
Paul
-
be realistic with your prices
up here an average estate house is about £2.50/£3.00,i know some of you will choke when you read this ,but that is the going rate!
do not overprice yourself out the game,and also do not underprice,if you are very reliable you will get recommendations as well......good luck
Zeusjazmin,
Where are you? Those prices are mad!
-
I thought I was cheap at a fiver for a 2 bed semi, but £2-50/£3-50?
The only job I do for £3-50 is one terraced house in a quiet street in Stafford. I do several others down that street, but this one's only got 2 windows, both on the front, one up, one down, and not even a front garden, so I clean it almost "en-passant".
Baldeagle in Staffordshire
-
i am in ayrshire,scotland
very recently put up some houses from £2.50 to £3.00 there was an outcry!!!!!!!!
i then explained to customers that elsewere in the uk people pay 6 or 7 pounds for their windows ,i was met with shock and horror as well as disbeleif.
in fact some of my customers stopped short of calling me a liar!
it is a part of the job that pes me off ,knowing i do the same work as you guys and get paid half the price
as i said it depends on the area you live in
in my area an ex local authority 3 bedroom house is valued at around £45,000,i have relatives in england who showed me properties very similar which sell for around £110,000.
maybe you guys could ger a petition going to get me a pay rise :)
-
very recently put up some houses from £2.50 to £3.00 there was an outcry!!!!!!!!
as i said it depends on the area you live in
in my area an ex local authority 3 bedroom house is valued at around £45,000,i have relatives in england who showed me properties very similar which sell for around £110,000.
Zeusjazmin,
How much does a pint of lager cost in your local? This might sound like a daft question; but it's the Geordie method of calculating the average cost of living in an area; and it really does work.
I think a pint of Stella costs £2.40 where I live. Personally, I can't imagine cleaning a 3 bedroomed semi for one pint of lager!
Saying that, I once met a window cleaner from Middlesborough, around two years ago, who used to travel to Chepstow (Caldicot) (South East Wales) once a month, lived in cheap accommodation and cleaned windows for a week. He said his first days work paid for his travel and accommodation and he charged around £7.50 per house, and 'advised' me nicely not to charge cheaper in his area.
When I asked him why he travelled from his normal round in Middlesborough, he asked me, 'How much do you think I can charge up there'? I didn't have a clue, but guessed there were regional differences in price. He said he made £120 per day here. Double for the same work up North.
But still, £3.00 for a house. What were window cleaners charging five years ago? If they put their prices up 50p per year, they would've been charging 50p per house. My Mum's window cleaner charged that in Newcastle in 1976.
My affection for Scotish people is not something I keep to myself. I'm an avid supporter of the Scottish National Party. I want the 'tight Jock gits' to get independance and severance from England. I know the Sweaties have a reputation of being tight, but something needs to be done mate.
That's just plain outragous. I wish I could offer some advice to help. Are there any other Jock window cleaners that could offer some advice?
-
stella is very expensive in my area £2.05 a pint,better with tennents lager £1.95 a pint
ayr which is 14 miles away is completely different,i think they charge about £5 or £6 for a normal house
funnily enough my relations who live in windsor love coming up here ,cos things are so cheap
i have a customer 6 miles away who lives in a huge house ,5 bedrooms ,2 sitting rooms 22 windows in all,plus double patio doors ,they do not think they are getting a bargain paying me £3
-
stella is very expensive in my area £2.05 a pint,better with tennents lager £1.95 a pint
ayr which is 14 miles away is completely different,i think they charge about £5 or £6 for a normal house
funnily enough my relations who live in windsor love coming up here ,cos things are so cheap
i have a customer 6 miles away who lives in a huge house ,5 bedrooms ,2 sitting rooms 22 windows in all,plus double patio doors ,they do not think they are getting a bargain paying me £3
The price of a pint isn't half what it costs here; therefore the price of window cleaning shouldn't either!
I just think cleaning a large house for £3.00 is... well... too cheap to put it politely.
I wish I could give you some decent advice to help you out, but you obviously know the area better than me; and you know the general views on pricing on this forum (which even by my standards are more than what I charge).
I couldn't do a £10.00 minimum charge; not for a good few years; after whittling down my smaller accounts and keeping on my better paying ones.
I think I know the type of area you clean in though. I've stayed at a friends house in Troon, which isn't far from Ayr (if memory serves me rightly). It was really rough there; even by Geordie standards. Many Southerners wouldn't believe what a Scottish 'rough estate' is really like. Wor Lass says certain estates round here are rough; but they're posh by the standards I grew up in.
I think you ought to target some rural type accounts; charging them double what you'd normally charge. Just get a whole load of leaflets; post them; and door knock a day or two later. Also do you advertise in your Thompson Local? Try for some commercial work.
You need to do something, Mate.
Regards,
Tosh.
-
just come back from helensburgh in scotland, the prices are same there has in ayrshire, telling them what the average is in milton keynes. 2 window cleaners in strathclyde thought i was taking the micky so the phone for a couple of quotes. proving i was right. they have to work there socks off all day every day. they want to muscle in my patch down here(AH-AH). yet if every window cleaner in ayrshire got together and priced fixed, wouldnt that solve a problem ?
DENNIS
-
just come back from helensburgh in scotland, the prices are same there has in ayrshire, telling them what the average is in milton keynes. 2 window cleaners in strathclyde thought i was taking the micky so the phone for a couple of quotes. proving i was right. they have to work there socks off all day every day. they want to muscle in my patch down here(AH-AH). yet if every window cleaner in ayrshire got together and priced fixed, wouldnt that solve a problem ?
DENNIS
Yes but I think that would also be illegal. I may be wrong but price fixing cartels were outlawed some years ago. It's not relevant anyway as it wouldn't happen. The economics of supply and demand would dictate the rates. When someone tells me that they are a pensioner and don't have much money, I just tell them that I don't want to end up in their position too. Bear in mind that the cost of living is generally lower in Scotland and the north though e.g. cheaper houses so lower mortgages, lower rents etc.
I visited my sister in Co Durham a while back. I went into a cafe for breakfast and got a pretty full cooked breakfast for about £2.50. That would be at least £4.50 in Sussex where I live. I didn't save much though as I had a pudding too ;D
-
i think chepstow hit the point when he said i know the area best
in all honesty people in this area would rather do without a window cleaner than pay £5,the wheelie bin cleaner charges £1.20!!
troon is about 20 miles away ,but i would imagine i could charge more realistic prices there,but it is run by a different council and i do not have a licence to operate there
ps i cleaned a computer shop for 2 years one large window plus one door,my fee was £1 ,another cleaner does it now,the reason?,they wanted it done on a saturday,it suited me to do it on a friday one week,result,they are £1 better off
-
I'm sorry but I feel really depressed reading this topic. I just cant belief there are window cleaners out there only earning a pitance. Paul hit the nail on the head. How the hell do you make a living. Petrol must be the same price, Insurance w/c and car wouldnt be any cheaper. Also how can you afford to save for the rainy days, we all know you get a lot worse weather conditions in Scotland than we get here.
Its funny. I read that a starting price should be £10.00 and that make me feel that I should be putting up my prices. Then I read a topic like this and think I should lower my prices, which of course I wouldnt. But it makes me feel very content and most certainly lucky with the work I have.
Steveyboy
-
I live about 5 miles from Glastonbury and I am unsure how much to charge A work mate w/c charges a fiver. but if I did my house @ 75p a window/door it works out @ £6.75 is 75p a window/door a fair price
-
I live about 5 miles from Glastonbury and I am unsure how much to charge A work mate w/c charges a fiver. but if I did my house @ 75p a window/door it works out @ £6.75 is 75p a window/door a fair price
If that is a reasonably prosperous area, maybe go for £1 a window (frame - not pane) and set a minimum as well.
The way I quote is as follows:-
I count up the windows and reckon on £1 a window. I set a minimum of £10 per house. If there is an upstairs window that is more than one climb, I take the view that it's £1 per climb (I clean the traditional way for now). If I have to mess around setting up my extension pole for any awkward windows then I add some on. Also, I have a certain amount per hour in mind as well and I often double check my quote against that figure too. If I feel that I wouldn't achieve the per hour figure on a frame count then I go with the per hour figure. Additionally, if there are two small, very easy ground floor windows, I will often view them as being one window.
Also, if the windows are small panes (leaded or Georgian style) - I add a *lot* on. I do live in a reasonably well off area of the southeast though. It's not "millionaire's row" but it's reasonably OK.
You will probably be turned down on price sometimes. Remember, if you get all, or nearly all the work you quote for then you are going in too cheap.
-
Zeusjazmin
You say that Ayr is different and they charge £5-£6 and its only 14 miles away, cound't you start a round there?
-
i think someone would have all the goos houses sewed up
i go to an indian restaurant there and some of the houses i see would be about £20 to £30 ,they are big properties
also ayr comes under south ayrshire ,i am only licensed to clean in east ayrshire,
but it could be an idea to ask anyway cheers
-
Zeusjazmin, North Ayrshire is where I work - (Irvine). They are one of the few local authorities in Scotland who do not issue licences for window cleaning. The world's your oyster there. You are definitely charging too low. In Irvine my minimum charge is £4.00, soon to be a fiver. I'm licenced to operate in Renfrewshire where my min charge is £6. Like you I'm constantly coming up against the low pricers - don't do it - look for new work and price what the job's worth. In North Ayrshire there are many reasonable homeowners who will pay £5 - £6 plus for an average 3 - bed semi/detatched.
-
Yep agree with malky your far to cheap
zeusjazmin i also work in north ayrshire (Ardrossan) and are getting £5.50/£7.50 here so why not in ayr, there are plenty of cleaners here still charging £3.50 but i still get my prices,
i have been cleaning now for 18 months and are picking up customers every time i am out, i have picked up customers from the £3.50 mob who just vanish but they are accepting my prices why, because i am regular and do a good job people will pay for a good reliable cleaner, i know what you mean though some estates you go to will not pay any more than £3.50 look for newer estates people there want a good reliable service. sorry everybody is but only certain ones will pay,think about it mate what would you rather do
100 houses@£6.50=£650
or 260houses@£2.50=£650
you know the answer
james
-
i cant believe that you would charge 2.50 for a house, i have a min of 8.50 and yes there are other window cleaners who offer a cheaper service in my area, however i often point out when i get a bad reaction to my prices i explain that we are a proffesional company unlike many window cleaners we pay our taxes are fully insured and are members of the NFMW&GC, in my experience this has won over a good % of customers, and i would suggest to anyone please help us cleaners to help yourselfs provide Quality, Proffessionalism, and good time keeping, and reach your worth, lets work together and improve the worth of a window cleaners time.
-
Interesting thread, I've been through bad times and good times over the years, don't give up guys, that is the key. how does the saying go..." Cut your cloth.." just live within your means. Don't get a heart attack like me and end up with nothing for six months, having to almost start again after 15 years, now 18 and still going not so strong. There are plenty tougher ways of earning a crust.
On a lighter note, basing things on the pint of lager scale is excellent.
I would suggest starting with three pints, then think of a number double it add a nought, and who cares if they want a window cleaner or not today.
Pj
-
Zeusjazmin, North Ayrshire is where I work - (Irvine). They are one of the few local authorities in Scotland who do not issue licences for window cleaning. The world's your oyster there. You are definitely charging too low. In Irvine my minimum charge is £4.00, soon to be a fiver. I'm licenced to operate in Renfrewshire where my min charge is £6. Like you I'm constantly coming up against the low pricers - don't do it - look for new work and price what the job's worth. In North Ayrshire there are many reasonable homeowners who will pay £5 - £6 plus for an average 3 - bed semi/detatched.
my sister stays in springside where the local cleaner charges £2 per house ,mind you i think that is only on the days he is not sighning on the buroo
-
I am in a state of shock and amazement that you guy's take work on at such low prices. I have been cleaning windows for 14 years and can only say this. If your service is good, your reliable, INSURED, frindly and helpful and wipe the window sills down as part of your service people will pay you what that service is worth. When I first started I was worried about charging too much or too little, then I decided to bite the bullet and do what was good for me and change my business around. My minimum charge is £10 no matter what your property is, I explain to customers that once the VAT @17.5% is out, then the Tax Man 10 - 15% has his share, then the wages for the guy that helps me, then the cost of petrol and equipment is out this leaves the business about £4. This guarentees that I will be here next week, next month, next year in fact longer than they will probably live in their house. You pay for what you get in this world (excuse the pun) if they want someone who charges £6, has no insurance, is not registered or legal then I wish them well and leave them a card for when they change their mind. I did this 7 years ago and have never looked back. Think of it this way, you can only clean so many houses in a day so your in charge of what you can earn. Would you rather have 30 houses at £10 each and room for more or 60 houses at £5 each busting ya back???
Good luck to you all peoples and enjoy your day ahead
-
the thing is ,if there are another 19 window cleaners in your area,and they all charge maybe £4 or £5 on average ,all providing the same standard with the same overheads how do you convince your customers that you should be getting £10?
-
the thing is ,if there are another 19 window cleaners in your area,and they all charge maybe £4 or £5 on average ,all providing the same standard with the same overheads how do you convince your customers that you should be getting £10?
Yep I agree zeus
Years ago I had a different business in the affluent southeast, doing very well for myself, thought I'm so good at this i can make it work anywhere! So we moved to East Anglia, the business flopped left me 2 years later depressed skint in need of a new job, thats when I started w/c as a stop gap...18 years ago! I've survived, but would never be so overconfident again. Stick with what you know, and trust your own judgement on what you charge, only you know what you can do. (I'm starting to sound like Jerry Springer) just becase someone can earn 2 Grand a week standing on his head doesn't mean you can. Let the boasters boast.
No offence meant to anyone, just being realistic
Pj
-
Hi Zeus,
I understand what you're saying, have to admit if you have 19 other window cleaners in your area doing exactly the same standard, all insured and registered then thats a tough one :( . If it was me I would look to be different, perhaps charge a bit more and wash the window frames and the door frames, maybe offer a loyalty card where for every 6 cleans they get the next one half price, One thing that worked for me and my employee's was registering all of them with the County Police, just adds more protection to your clients and adds peace of mind, what about registering with the Federation Of Master Window Cleaners?? If the others in your area are charging the same then I would look to sell my service against them and charge an extra £1/£2 and see how you get on. Once you have cleaned them every month for 12 months and lasted the winter the customer has a proven track record to go by, more reason to accept the increase and not go walkies. I am not saying I know it all and hope it doesn't come across as that, all i am saying is I hate to see fellow window cleaners having their hands tied for doing what is a bloody hard job, especially in the winter!! ;)
-
Hi PJ,
Totally agree with you, everyone has to work within their own boundaries and limitations, all I was saying was don't be led by the others, be the leader yourself and change what is the normal ! Make the small changes now and the bigger benifits will follow. Am not saying I am right, I am just sharing what I did that made a change in my business, was not trying to boast in any way and if it came across like that I apologise!
-
there is loads of work out there go to every door and ask if they have a window cleaner if they say yes just say thank you for your time and walk away to the next door and so on once you get 1 or two houses in that street and you are doing a good job YOU MUST TURN UP EVERY TIME you will be swamped with work and everyone will be asking you to do theres
-
Hi PJ,
Totally agree with you, everyone has to work within their own boundaries and limitations, all I was saying was don't be led by the others, be the leader yourself and change what is the normal ! Make the small changes now and the bigger benifits will follow. Am not saying I am right, I am just sharing what I did that made a change in my business, was not trying to boast in any way and if it came across like that I apologise!
Fair point Trevor, not taking a pop at you or anyone, like you I have my personal experience to draw on. Pleased to take on board what anyone says on here as their experience. It's all gravy mate!
Regards Pj
-
i have no lack of customers ,i turned down about 250 houses last week,i just dont have the time to do them,,,,also if i take someone on to help me i cannot guarantee them a weekly wage due to weather
-
I've taken the advice from this forum and started door knocking.
I found hardly any responce to flyers but i went out last night for an hour and an hour tonight and pulled in at least 8 new customers.
I found out after i gave a quote that i had taken work from someone else on some of them even though i was more expensive just because i wipe the frames. I did lose out on some others which i thought i quoted quite resonable only to find i was £4 - £5 pound cheaper. I was kicking myself after.
There are quite a few window cleaners in my area who obviously charge very different prices.
I try and work prices out on the time it will take and how difficult some windows will be to get too. I would never try and take work off anyone on purpose but as one customer said to me "IT'S GOOD TO HAVE COMPETITION"
I still find alot of people will say loyal to there present window cleaner which is nice as i hope the ones i have will stay loyal to me.
I am going out again tomorrow to try and find more work as i want to make this my full time job.
I thought i wouldn't find work until i took everyones advice on here and it's slowly starting to happen.
So thanks for all the great advice everyone is giving and good luck to everyone in my position
-
well what can i say but i have seen this first hand and its not pretty, i knew a group of window clearners about 5 years back and they were charging 3.50 a house and a fiva for the bigger private jobs, now this is in the midlands!, i would talk to them and they would brag about how much work they have wich is grate but i was clearing the same money they were with a hell of a lot less work...
my advice is this...... you have the work you got now not very good wages but its yours.. now you need to expand quick! i know its hard to hitt the sweet spots/area's but they are out there, find em and get some better prices in, if cometition is so tough think of way of selling yourself that makes you look like you have a lot more to offer.... once you hitt a sweat spot start at a decent price and as you move along up your price untill you start getting the door slammed in your face, once you finish the area you will have found the best price you can get for that area, then start dropping some of the bad paying jobs and TELL them you will not be comming back becasue its just not paying the bills you never know the reaction, its different when you say you are putting up the price and they know you will be there next month but once YOU TELL THEM that you wont the shoe is on the other foot.....
in my experience once you give your customers a price and find out you just shot yourself in the foot its damn hard to pull the price up, so you have to tell them why you aint comming again and salvage what you can and add the newly priced jobs to that and you should be a atleast a little better off a hour...
put it this way, if you do 30 houses in a given street for 3.00 and yuo tell them your not comming back becasue they are just not paying if only 4 out of that 30 keep you on and agree the new price how long do you think it will be before the others ask you again? it wont be long m8, they all say "ill do it myself" but once that bird crap hits the glass they soon come round...
you are putting them in charge its your bussines not theres you just have to tell them withought actualy saying it if you know what i mean, trim that round up m8 or you will struggle when its time to put ya feet up and retire.....
i wish you the best
rick