Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Ray Pickering on August 07, 2005, 06:01:26 pm
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Don't no whether this has been aired before but.
What did you all do before Window Cleaning!!
There seems to be some quite intelligent people on this Forum,
(i'm not one of them) some of the question's & answer's i've got no idea what your talking about( then again i'm quite thick)!
Here goes with my bit.
I was in the building trade for (100) years in between i had 2 Newsagents which i spent 5 years in each, then the last 5 years i was back in the building trade up until about 3 months ago i started as a Window Cleaner.
As you can gather my best subject at School was'nt Maths cus that makes me around about 115yrs old.
Even Gaza knows i'm not quite that old YET.
Anyway who fancies spilling there gut's next.
Regards Ray ;)
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Where do I start? I was...
A retail assistant (twice),
Insurance agent (the man from The Pru)
Car valeter (fully qualified with Autoglym for the Motor Show),
Also a driver for a garage,
Car Salesman, ;) and I'm sure there's more I've forgotten.
All this and I'm just over 30!
Who knows, I'll probably want to start a new business sooner or later that makes me more money. :P
Roger.
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Mines boring..Left school at 16 went in to import export and thats it.....reason I have got in to window cleaning is that my daughter lives with me and it give me flexability to do schoool run etc....wish i had done it years ago....the summer is great being out and all that and the winter is just cold but you can't have it all....oh was a DJ for a while crap money for long hours...
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Have done lots of things
Started off at 15 in the Navy,
Then Electrition, 15 years at a Biscuit factory,
10 years as a roofer a couple of years on Blackpool Transport , and from 1997 window cleaning, where has all the time gone
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I'm 20 and I've been a plumber, a car mechanic, a gardener and daddy of them all a window cleaner lol. ;D
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Van driver
Baker
Retail
Panel beater
Mechanic
Thats about all i have done so far !
Rich P @ F
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Well a good variety so far!!
Anybody else out there-- like accountant--doctor---brain surgeon
rocket scientist--dustbinman!! rent boy --whatever.
Oh i did work on a sewerage farm in the "70s"
Regards Ray.
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joined Army (junior para) at 16, spent a year there before going to Parachute Regiment Training Depot in Aldershot for 6 brutal months before posting to 3 Para for 3 years...all in all 4 years 285 days according to my discharge book...although I never counted..!!
Left in December 1988, working in a variety of dead end security/doorwork jobs until I got accepted into Meseyside Fire Brigade in August, 1989 where I served for 9 years before leaving to work as an agency worker for 3 years with young offenders in a secure unit in Warrington. Then moved into the agency office as a recruitment consultant, finding placements for social workers. 18 months or so was enough of that environment before plunging myself into our great little world...it is so good to be in charge of my own life ;D
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A very varied life Steve! & everyone else.
How did you cope with them there young offenders? :-\
I can see why you went in to W/Cleaning!
Ray.
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I spent 20 yrs in marketing, even got a Masters Degree :D
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I TOLD YOU THERE WAS SOME INTELLIGENT PEOPLE ON HERE.
Ray. ;)
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6 years as electrician, includes apprenticeship.
5 years as maint electrician in a hospital.
7 years with BT as maint engineer, [lights, generators, batteries, air conditioning].
10 years as a BT Engineering instructor, training people on the subjects in the previous line.
13 years as a Senior Engineer with a High Street Bank.
Nearly 2 years recovering from quadruple bypass surgery.
6 months as Window Cleaner, LOVE IT!
Baldeagle in Staffordshire
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I'm sorry to interrupt everyones viewing of the telly tonight!
But what on earth are you watching!!
As usual theres a load of crap on!!
I should know i've (not to brag) got the benefit of 5 yes 5 different channels! ;)
Ray. 8)
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Baldeagle!!
With all due respects! :o
You sound as though your even older than me :o
Oh by the way i'm ---ty one. ;)
Ray.
Keep em coming lets hear from TOSH & IAN!
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I was a Business Manager, in the end got fed up of the back stabbing. Never
had a life, worked 10 hrs a day also had to work weekends. The light one
day clicked and realised companies don't care about you, so in
the end before I beat some one up decided to change profession.
Tried a few things and now window cleaning, best job I have ever had. Earning
more than was a Manager, wish I had done this years ago.
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Yes don't we all.
Ray.
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Ray - I was 60 on 14th July.
I'm registered as a Handyman with the tax people, window cleaning is something I do, "as well as", but I love it.
Starting to do more of it and leaving the other work, it's too erratic, I can plan W/C between the times I sail my boat and go ballroom dancing.
All keeps me fit!
Baldeagle
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carpenter intill 2 1/2 yrs ago :)
love carpentry, BUT im not a part time W/C'er and full time dad (while my mrs works) 3 days each :)
and i love it, not so much the W/Cing, but spending all my time with my daughter
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Left school went to work for a local bakery on the vans,
Changed to night club work at 21, Moved to publican at 29, stuck it for 6 years and realised that all I was getting was lungs full of smoke and a hangover most mornings, got a morgage and packed the job in,
Started selling insurance lasted 4 months, did some agency driving (got stuck on the M6 when all that snow came down years ago)left that and went selling fresh (dead) chickens door to door for 8 months started to clean windows to earn extra cash got to the point where I was earning more than the chicken sales so went for it full time that was 1991 not looked back, best thing I ever did apart from taking the plung fot WFP three and half years ago.
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Hi,
Running 2 filling stations
Area manager for blockbusters
Self employed newsagent
Convenience store manager
Telesales manager
Roofer
Pub asst mgr
Trainee baker
Y.T.S. ( Young, thick & stroppy )
Cheers Mark.
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Baldeagle!
I'm just a tiny bit (age wise ) in front of you.
With your byepasses etc; i think your doing brilliant & obviously enjoying your life probably even more than before.
All the best for a lot more years to come.
As for the rest of you-------- with your backgrounds we must have the most talented W/Cs in the world!!!!!!
Regards Ray.
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1 year apprentice draughtsman (so boring)
3 years as a mechanic
23 years as an engineer
last 18months cleaning windows and lovin every minute even when its freezin
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Well done mate!
Enjoy it!
Ray. :)
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Carpenters mate
builders mate
sparkys mate
tractor driver (not to be confussed wuth tractor boy) up the canaries
glassfibre laminator
lotus Cars test pilot (SINCLAIR C5) ha ha
lsat 15 years class 1 HGV 15 hr days Out mon - fri missed the kids growing up
3 months ago start window cleaning
ps dusty (mark) be nice to meet local w/c
Chris C
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My work history is very simple:
Worked in a kebab shop at age fifteen.
Joined the army at age 16.
Left the army at age 34 (loads of medals unlike Steve K - NI, Gulf War 1, Bosnia UN, Bosnia NATO, Kosovo UN, 1080 day medal for spending more than 3 years in dodgy places (No LS & GC)). I'm sure I'm missing a couple too.
Became a window cleaner.
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1 thing which I have noticed more is the back stabbing which comes from offices...I am so happy I am no longer in that enviroment..Own Boss Can't beat it...apart from holidays, sick pay christman bonus etc
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Don't no whether this has been aired before but.
What did you all do before Window Cleaning!!
There seems to be some quite intelligent people on this Forum,
(i'm not one of them) some of the question's & answer's i've got no idea what your talking about( then again i'm quite thick)!
Here goes with my bit.
I was in the building trade for (100) years in between i had 2 Newsagents which i spent 5 years in each, then the last 5 years i was back in the building trade up until about 3 months ago i started as a Window Cleaner.
As you can gather my best subject at School was'nt Maths cus that makes me around about 115yrs old.
Even Gaza knows i'm not quite that old YET.
Anyway who fancies spilling there gut's next.
Regards Ray ;)
Well I was a builder's labourer straight from school. Then I worked in a bakery for a little while. I followed that up with a few weeks in a sheet metal factory (boring). I followed that up by working in a hotel kitchen (I had nowhere to live and it was a live-in job). Then came 13 years as a printer's assistant. After that I did multi-drop in a 7.5 tonner. Next came the care work in a psychiatric clinic (I sometimes thought I was a psychotic patient having a delusion that I worked there ;) ) . Then I was with an advertising company. I used to drive around the southeast sorting out some advertising at supermarkets. Then came the windows.
I must say that my worklife has been extremely varied and I guess I'm richer for the experiences - even the negative ones.
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WORKED WITH THE POLICE {10 YRS} IN JAIL
TRAFFIC WARDEN 10YRS LOVE GIVING THOSE LITTLE TICKETS A LICK BEFORE SLAPPING THEM ON THE SCREEN
TAX OFFICE FOR 10 YRS.
FED UP OF BEING HATED BY PEOPLE BECAME A W/C ;D NEVER BEEN HAPPIER
Serious :
worked on the land
salesman
mechanic
building site factory
pro dj [17yrs}
taxi driver
van driver w/c
gaza
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Left school at 15 1st job...Tesco!! £7:00 pw gross. Only worked there about a year or so. Jumped in and out of various jobs for a while. Then came the 70s'. Which some of you will know, they say 'if you can remember the 70s' then you were'nt there!' Well I'm told I was there. Then I met my life-long pal and never failing support - she straightened me out. I did a few years in newspaper advertising, then car graphics, then in 1987 a friend showed me how to clean windows, and he is still a friend! the rest is history. Started cutting back a bit 4 years ago found my knees waring out, 2+1/2 years ago had heart attack, turned life upside down for about 6months, been getting back ever since. Take it as it comes now, some clients stayed loyal, been picking up ever since, with my wife's help. Life is great.
Don't want to do anything else.
Pj
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Left school 10 years ago and went straight into wc starting my own business, my dad used to be a wc for 25 years and i used to help him in the school hols so i knew a bit about wc before i even left school,i now have 8 full time lads and we only clean blue chip companies,no domestics at all,so ive never actually worked for anybody and i hope i never have too.
Daniel
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That's the only way to be when working.
Self Employed!
Ray.
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Left school in 1957 worked for a guy WC, no sqeegees in those days.
I was the big ladder man when 16 years old. Left and went into engineering. trained as a centre lathe turner, went onto the old numerically controlled machines and then onto the computer controlled machine centres and milling machines. Got made redundant in 1993 and went back to good old WC. took enough of the brown stuff over the years to last a lifetime, Dont take any now.
Oh I did work one season in Butlins 1963 running an arcade, I was rushed off my feet one day and the big man himself came to visit.
He sent one of his lackies to tell me the floor was dirty and to get it swept. I told the guy to go back to sir Bill and tell him that if he wanted the floor brushing the broom was behind the door in the change kiosk. I didn't lose my job. DAi
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Hi Chrisc,
where are you then mate.
Cheers Mark.
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Part time farm hand whilst at school and after on and off for 12 odd years.
4 years studying for a BSc (Hons) degree in Computer Aided Product Design then desided that I couldn't stand staring at wireframe diagrams anymore.
Delivery driver for a few months then first full time job for Daewoo Cars in the technical department.
A number of years in that department then transfered to the IT dept working up to head of Network Comms.
Moved to an IT support company as a network support engineer for a few years before that was bought up by ntl. Got given less and work to do then a series of redundancies and cut backs. Took this as a growing bad sign and jumped ship.
Helped in-laws with building work on house for a while then money started to get short.
Couldn't get another full time job as my wife is poorly after the birth of our second child. Old friends at farm gave me some work, put me through my HGV class 2 and then did a rubbish collection round at the weekends up in London.
Decided I needed to do some work during the week to as money was short so one day whilst cleaning windows at in-laws I thought I would give it a go as a business.
Too early starts (2AM finishing around 12PM) and disturbed sleep patterns meant the rubbish round had to stop, also round was growing.
Gone from strength to strength since round growing all the time. Working when we can get help looking after the children.
It's great, being your own boss, working when you want and no office politics.
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S Page!(is it Steve)
Sounds like you've had a busy life.
A warm welcome to you--glad your enjoying it :)
If you are a newbie ask all the question's you want theres loads of support on here from the pros (but i'm not one of them yet)
Regards Ray.
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Yep Mr S Page If that is all true, it's time for you to recover in the window cleaning jacuzzi. Welcome in mate and do well. Just don't f...rt. They don't like stuff like that round here.
Pj
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:) milk moniter, paper round then left school worked on a magget farm, knackers yard , van drivers assistant for curries then 7 1/2 tonne driver for bakers oven , driver for group 4 the last 14yrs window cleaning
regards
brett
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carpet warehouse
tea factory
coach driver
taxi driver
circumcision clinic (left because it was a dead end job and only
£10 pw +tips)
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Painter & Decorator
Betting Shop Settler/Manager (Ladbrokes)
Driver/Crane Operator for Film & TV Company
Painting & Decorating Tutor (unemployed young people on YTS schemes)
Charity Manager (for disruptive young people)
Youth Worker (Resigned....didn't agree with rewarding young people known for their bad behaviour and attitude with free trips and outings which was supposed to make them a better person.........not!! Waste of government money)
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Sparks
Refrigeration and air conditioning
Professional fighter (now retired)
And best of...now a shiner!
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Trainee boatbuilder 1 year
Window Cleaner 1 year 19 years ago
Carpet cleaner 1 year
Engineer 3 years
Milkman + part time window cleaner 10 years
Commercial window cleaner for company 4 years
Window cleaner 17 months to date i think i will stick with this now.
I guess i was alway destine to become a window cleaner as i first started 19 years ago and keep coming back to it.
Paul
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Professional fighter (now retired)
I boxed for the army. I only lost four fights.
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I only had six altogether.
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I do hope they were in the ring and not in pub car parks! ;)
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I only had six altogether.
I boxed for 8 years, thai boxed for 12, did brazillian jui jutsu for 5.
over 154 in total. Won 126 of `em.
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Well I competed in the Army Judo Championships.
I looked the part with my slanty-eyes and everyone said I looked like I should win.
Pity I had a mega drinking session on the way to Aldershot, was way too heavy for my fighting weight and ended up squealing like a little girl on the mat in front of hundreds of spectators.
Stop it UBA, you're bringing back bad memories.
Shooting was my sport. That's why they called me the 'Jap sniper'.
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so fedor or cocrop this weekend then
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so fedor or cocrop this weekend then
Fedor, no problem, let me just grab my Nikes first though :o ;D
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lost 28 then
::) ::) ::)
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lost 28 then
::) ::) ::)
In terms of mma, it`s not too bad. Are you offering ;)
FAO: gibbouk, i`m rooting for Fedor, a better all rounder IMO.
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??? did you not see my previous job iam an expert you know ;D
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in mma terms its a good record
i think fedor will take it
mind you i cant call the tournermant though
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I started windowcleaning when i was 14 (WEEKENDS) Can anybody beat this
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I learned to walk before I was 1...
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-----And i started window cleaning at---------------
SIXTY ONE. 8)
Ray.