Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: bobplum on December 19, 2009, 09:21:31 am

Title: window cleaning--what next?
Post by: bobplum on December 19, 2009, 09:21:31 am
morning everyone
i have been wc now for 6/7 months,i have hived off some off the work to my son,ihave reorganized the work for myself so its done on a 5 weekly basis,four days a week , two tonights collecting,some pay online,its all traditional residential work, my thoughts are now turning to spring as it starts to get lighter on the 22nd(optimist or what) and im thinking what can i bolt on to the window cleaning
im thinking of the wfp,in a low key way,probably backpack and introduce it slowly

so for all you experienced people out there what direction would you go
many thanks in advance
and a good xmas to all
bob
Title: Re: window cleaning--what next?
Post by: Carl2009 on December 19, 2009, 09:29:21 am
Bob, without delay, get yourself a reasonably priced 5.5hp, 7 litres per minute pressure washer. If you spend a couple of hundred quid on ebay you'll earn it back in 2 jobs pressure washing patios and decking come March. I have added a rotary nozzle to mine (cost £179 spec as above) at a cost of £30. The last job I did paid £350. I'm planning on getting a more powerful machine. Mine is like this one:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/5-5hp-Petrol-Pressure-Washer-DRAWS-ITS-OWN-WATER-L_W0QQitemZ360206848625QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Home_Garden_PowerTools_SM?hash=item53de005271#ht_3951wt_944

Title: Re: window cleaning--what next?
Post by: elite mike on December 19, 2009, 09:40:30 am
hi bob

with regard to wfp , just go for it, you will not regret it

you can also offer carpet and upholstery cleaning.

if you go to the cc section ,and ask some questions

you will get some great advice

mike
Title: Re: window cleaning--what next?
Post by: Mist A Bit on December 19, 2009, 10:18:29 am
go for the wfp. im fitting mine over january
Title: Re: window cleaning--what next?
Post by: bobplum on December 19, 2009, 02:02:13 pm
im thinking of going for the wcw back pack in the spring,just need some advice on the other bits of kit i would need,any advice anyone
bob ;D
Title: Re: window cleaning--what next?
Post by: cleewindows on December 19, 2009, 03:37:00 pm
isit safe to clean decking?doesnt it make the decking bare?
i have a powerfull honda engined petrol one with a mossmatic,isit safe to clean direct to decking?
done many drives and patios but no decking!
Title: Re: window cleaning--what next?
Post by: daztheger on December 19, 2009, 10:08:08 pm
im a trad. window cleaner with a squad of 5 and im getting lots of new customers from the WFP crews about here THEY CANT CLEAN WINDOWS PROPERLY . happy days
Title: Re: window cleaning--what next?
Post by: eclipse on December 19, 2009, 10:15:22 pm
im a trad. window cleaner with a squad of 5 and im getting lots of new customers from the WFP crews about here THEY CANT CLEAN WINDOWS PROPERLY . happy days

 YAWN Here we go again!  ;D ;D
Like has been said before WFP is just a tool if you dont use it correctly your gonna get substandard results
Title: Re: window cleaning--what next?
Post by: gary999 on December 19, 2009, 10:22:15 pm
im a trad. window cleaner with a squad of 5 and im getting lots of new customers from the WFP crews about here THEY CANT CLEAN WINDOWS PROPERLY . happy days

like all tools they are only as good as the person
who master them.

plenty of crap wfp cleaners about,also loads of crap trad guys
about.

wfp is the way to go in the long term ive got my own regular
work but its amazing the amount of one off work i get for
con roofs,fascia cleaning etc that trad cleaners wont or not able
to do.

its nice quick and easy work with pole and it all adds to your income
Title: Re: window cleaning--what next?
Post by: ronnie paton on December 19, 2009, 10:37:06 pm
im a trad. window cleaner with a squad of 5 and im getting lots of new customers from the WFP crews about here THEY CANT CLEAN WINDOWS PROPERLY . happy days

how the hell is WFP still going all the trad cleaning must be licking up the work, no wonder my mainly WFP Business has nearly doubled in a year ;D
Title: Re: window cleaning--what next?
Post by: martinsadie on December 19, 2009, 10:44:50 pm
im a trad. window cleaner with a squad of 5 and im getting lots of new customers from the WFP crews about here THEY CANT CLEAN WINDOWS PROPERLY . happy days

how the hell is WFP still going all the trad cleaning must be licking up the work, no wonder my mainly WFP Business has nearly doubled in a year ;D
because most of your work is commercal and imposable to trad  ;D
Title: Re: window cleaning--what next?
Post by: ronnie paton on December 20, 2009, 07:46:46 am
i would say 70 percent??

but it could be tradded
Title: Re: window cleaning--what next?
Post by: Ian Rochester on December 20, 2009, 08:05:02 am
Back to the thread you bitching lot!  ;D

Natural progressions from Trad window cleaning, not including WFP are:

Gutter cleaning - buy a ladder stand off, some drain cleaning rods, a half moon attachment and a narrow trowel
Con roof cleaning - long car wash brush on a pole
Pressure washing - go for Honda GX390 13 hp machine if you can afford it, 5.5hp isn't up to some jobs.

Moving a bit more laterally you could go into:

Builders cleans - low investment costs - henry hoover, brushes, floor scrapers and some cleaning gear.
Carpet cleaning - high investment costs if you want to do it properly
Oven cleaning - - high investment and a pain in the  arse to do.
Title: Re: window cleaning--what next?
Post by: bobplum on December 20, 2009, 10:25:59 am
Back to the thread you bitching lot!  ;D

Natural progressions from Trad window cleaning, not including WFP are:

Gutter cleaning - buy a ladder stand off, some drain cleaning rods, a half moon attachment and a narrow trowel
Con roof cleaning - long car wash brush on a pole
Pressure washing - go for Honda GX390 13 hp machine if you can afford it, 5.5hp isn't up to some jobs.

Moving a bit more laterally you could go into:

Builders cleans - low investment costs - henry hoover, brushes, floor scrapers and some cleaning gear.
Carpet cleaning - high investment costs if you want to do it properly
Oven cleaning - - high investment and a pain in the  arse to do.

thank you ian ;)
Title: Re: window cleaning--what next?
Post by: Londoner on December 20, 2009, 10:45:16 am
My advice is the opposite to what is given by most people on here but consider what I say. Don't get distracted, you are a window cleaner not a jack of all trades. You can spend more time faffing around advertising and quoting for one off jobs than they are worth. Stay focussed.
Title: Re: window cleaning--what next?
Post by: martinsadie on December 20, 2009, 11:01:04 am
My advice is the opposite to what is given by most people on here but consider what I say. Don't get distracted, you are a window cleaner not a jack of all trades. You can spend more time faffing around advertising and quoting for one off jobs than they are worth. Stay focussed.
spot on just the odd gutter when asked with your hand
Title: Re: window cleaning--what next?
Post by: weetot on December 20, 2009, 05:11:01 pm
Oven cleaning, my god i cant even clean me own oven!

But good luck to all the guys and gals that do it. ;)
Title: Re: window cleaning--what next?
Post by: Window Washers on December 20, 2009, 05:19:40 pm
I am thinking of selling ice to the customers I cant clean in this weather, i HAVE 2 x 1000l 1x 650l AND A 500l AND ALSO 10 x25L TUBS
Title: Re: window cleaning--what next?
Post by: weetot on December 20, 2009, 07:57:44 pm
Mines a 25 litre tub and a 99.  ;D
Title: Re: window cleaning--what next?
Post by: Nathanael Jones on December 20, 2009, 09:27:28 pm
isit safe to clean decking?doesnt it make the decking bare?
i have a powerfull honda engined petrol one with a mossmatic,isit safe to clean direct to decking?
done many drives and patios but no decking!

Decking can normally be cleaned without using high pressure. A peroxide based bleaching agent will remove & kill any algae without bleaching the colour from the wood. Simply spray it on with an X-jet,.. have a cuppa & rinse it off! :)
Title: Re: window cleaning--what next?
Post by: cleewindows on December 20, 2009, 10:02:51 pm
really that easy?
Sounds good will have to advertise doing the aswell,cheers pal.
So long as its done on a low pressure you can't do any damage to colour?


isit safe to clean decking?doesnt it make the decking bare?
i have a powerfull honda engined petrol one with a mossmatic,isit safe to clean direct to decking?
done many drives and patios but no decking!

Decking can normally be cleaned without using high pressure. A peroxide based bleaching agent will remove & kill any algae without bleaching the colour from the wood. Simply spray it on with an X-jet,.. have a cuppa & rinse it off! :)
Title: Re: window cleaning--what next?
Post by: Nathanael Jones on December 20, 2009, 10:10:26 pm
As always, PPE & H&S precautions should be taken with chems. I buy it powdered, mix 15 minutes before use (It takes 15 minuted to disolve properly) pre wet surrounding plants & lawn with tap water & rinse down plants again after spraying to avoid browning leaves. The great thing about this stuff is that it breaks down into water in about 4 hours (So don't mix more than you'll use quick!) so its very eco-friendly.

http://www.mistral.ie/details.php?code=R6120

Soduim Hypochlorite bleach works better & faster, but it is more dangerous to use & bleaches colour from wood,.. brilliant for wall washing though.
Title: Re: window cleaning--what next?
Post by: Ian Rochester on December 21, 2009, 07:42:02 pm
There's a lot to be said for sticking to what you know best, I sometimes wish I'd done the same, especially at this time of year when everything is going mental and you don't know whether you're coming or going. 

However, my eggs are now spread around many baskets, and we get a lot of work now where the client wants to make one phone call and all his cleaning problems are dealt with.

We recently did a small carpet cleaning job for a customer, who unbenown to me also run sa medium sized business and had a couple of holiday cottages, since doing the first job for him in October, we have now done over £6000 of work for him already, including gaining the window cleaning contract for his offices, his house and his holiday cottages, cleaning the carpets in his offices and one holiday cottage, cleaning the gutters and conservatory roof on his house and finally sorting out a flood in one of his holiday cottages.  He has also asked us to clean his driveway in the spring
Title: Re: window cleaning--what next?
Post by: JSMC on December 21, 2009, 07:48:18 pm
yeah i have pressure washer and also waiting on some the rbitts n bobs for jobs which will bring me in some cash and after that it will be a polarvac. this will help me when really bad weather days  i reckon
Title: Re: window cleaning--what next?
Post by: ps outthere on December 21, 2009, 09:07:55 pm
I let my customers know I do small handyman jobs. I have a customer, I cut the grass for 8 months and in winter I prepare the garden for spring, I get paid £80.00 per month. Rubbish weather at the moment so I did some decorating for a customer; I asked her if it was ok to do it when I can, "no problem"; she has been waiting 3 months.
I have enough offers of handyman work I could do it full time, I won't ever employ, and I like the window cleaning, less hassle.
Title: Re: window cleaning--what next?
Post by: dazmond on December 21, 2009, 09:59:51 pm
i mainly stick to the window cleaning and like the routine of repeat regular work.i have 320 custys that keep me ticking over in winter.in summer i do the  extras, conny roofs/fascias/gutters etc.with the lighter nights and longer days.i prefer to keep it simple than "jack of all trades"!!i work in most weather inclu ice and snow so ive always got money coming in!! ;D ;D