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Window Cleaning Forum / Re: Gutter Cleaning Job
« Last post by Rob.Hall on January 20, 2026, 06:32:22 pm »£1 to £3 mtr depending on where you live.
Access and disposal of waist.
Gear using.
Access and disposal of waist.
Gear using.
Recent Posts
52
Window Cleaning Forum / Re: Best way to buy a new van
« Last post by dd on January 20, 2026, 05:56:44 pm »20 years ago (in Feb) I paid £11500 for a brand new 2.0hdi dispatch. I still run it as my only work vehicle and it is going in for annual service and MOT tomorrow. 160k plus on the clock.
From your posts I understand your VW is several years younger than my dispatch and you are having to replace it because it is falling apart with rust. Personally this would not persuade me to part with £40k (which must be at least a whole years profit for you), to buy another one.
Also from reading your posts, your VW has needed significantly more things replaced on it than my 20 year old van. Personally I think VW is over hyped and over priced.
From your posts I understand your VW is several years younger than my dispatch and you are having to replace it because it is falling apart with rust. Personally this would not persuade me to part with £40k (which must be at least a whole years profit for you), to buy another one.
Also from reading your posts, your VW has needed significantly more things replaced on it than my 20 year old van. Personally I think VW is over hyped and over priced.
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Window Cleaning Forum / Re: Best way to buy a new van
« Last post by Stoots on January 20, 2026, 04:42:27 pm »Theres nothing wrong with buying a new van if you want one as long as you are aware its a nice luxury that you dont mind paying for its no different to going on 5 star hotels or buying designer clothes.
What ive found though is that new van feeling wears off within a few months, the excitement and novelty goes and its just ends up getting knocked about and neglected, its a work van end of the day.
I lost 16k inc the vat i couldnt claim in 3 years on a the last van i bought, thats madness really, soon got bored of the £500 a month going out to finance payments.
I hope i never get the urge again to buy a new one because it can be very tempting.
What ive found though is that new van feeling wears off within a few months, the excitement and novelty goes and its just ends up getting knocked about and neglected, its a work van end of the day.
I lost 16k inc the vat i couldnt claim in 3 years on a the last van i bought, thats madness really, soon got bored of the £500 a month going out to finance payments.
I hope i never get the urge again to buy a new one because it can be very tempting.
54
Window Cleaning Forum / Re: Best way to buy a new van
« Last post by Scottish Cleaning Service on January 20, 2026, 01:15:43 pm »I must be making a grand a week and I have bought everything I need bar another PF hosereel because they are bomb proof. The work is coming in thick and fast now so I have decided to save as much as I can this year and try and buy cash. May need to get a £10k loan to top the balance up. There is a VIP event at my local VW dealer next week so I might as well pop along and eat all their biscuits and discuss it. The only thing; they are sick of the sight of me, as I always pop in for parts and then mention a new van.
Anyhow, picked up 2 new customers yesterday and one today without trying. If I can focus on saving all my income then I will have the funds in place before the year is out. watch this space.
Anyhow, picked up 2 new customers yesterday and one today without trying. If I can focus on saving all my income then I will have the funds in place before the year is out. watch this space.
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Window Cleaning Forum / Re: Best way to buy a new van
« Last post by AuRavelling79 on January 20, 2026, 12:32:04 pm »Personally I would never consider a brand new van, which ever method of purchase was available. I look at ex BT vans when the time comes, very well looked after and way cheaper.
I would consider brand new if I planned on running it in to the ground ten to fifteen years later.
If I needed to buy with less than 5 anticipated years working life left in me I would buy something about 5 years old that seemed in good nick for its age.
If I wanted to keep up to date (I wouldn't) I would buy at 2 years old and sell at 5.
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Window Cleaning Forum / Re: Best way to buy a new van
« Last post by Splash and dash on January 20, 2026, 11:26:23 am »Personally I would never consider a brand new van, which ever method of purchase was available. I look at ex BT vans when the time comes, very well looked after and way cheaper.
Depends what you are earning if a small or part time income then yes older secondhand vans are the way to go to save money , but if earnings are much higher it’s a no brainer to have new vans as far more tax effective and also the VAT can be claimed back .
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Window Cleaning Forum / Re: Best way to buy a new van
« Last post by NBwcs on January 20, 2026, 09:45:15 am »Personally I would never consider a brand new van, which ever method of purchase was available. I look at ex BT vans when the time comes, very well looked after and way cheaper.
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Window Cleaning Forum / Gutter Cleaning Job
« Last post by EandM on January 19, 2026, 09:11:30 pm »Bit out of my depth on this one: Just had a very good, regular customer ask me to clean the gutters at their site.
It works out at 378m of reasonably straightforward access and it's mostly not that high.
As it's fairly compact and not horrendously full of rubbish, what do you think I should be charging per m?
It works out at 378m of reasonably straightforward access and it's mostly not that high.
As it's fairly compact and not horrendously full of rubbish, what do you think I should be charging per m?
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Window Cleaning Forum / Re: Best way to buy a new van
« Last post by AuRavelling79 on January 19, 2026, 08:51:24 pm »I paid cash for my iload brand new in 2012 for £16,500.
In 2023 I got £6250 from a no fault accident payout and kept the salvage and got it repaired.
It's a Cat S worth low £1000's I guess.
Only being on 86,000 miles means it should see me out.
My son-in-law had 17 plate Transit Custom from about 2022. Unfortunately it has had issue after issue ending with a dead engine.
He bought a '10 plate iload to tide him over. I went with him to look at it as it's pretty much the same as mine. He got it on 212,000 miles for £1800!
He had the cam chain changed immediately and it's running like a good 'un.
The previous owner had it for five years as he rescues dogs. We went to his small terrace house to pay for the van - and had to negotiate seven - yes seven massive huskies in great condition!
In 2023 I got £6250 from a no fault accident payout and kept the salvage and got it repaired.
It's a Cat S worth low £1000's I guess.
Only being on 86,000 miles means it should see me out.
My son-in-law had 17 plate Transit Custom from about 2022. Unfortunately it has had issue after issue ending with a dead engine.
He bought a '10 plate iload to tide him over. I went with him to look at it as it's pretty much the same as mine. He got it on 212,000 miles for £1800!
He had the cam chain changed immediately and it's running like a good 'un.
The previous owner had it for five years as he rescues dogs. We went to his small terrace house to pay for the van - and had to negotiate seven - yes seven massive huskies in great condition!
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Window Cleaning Forum / Re: Best way to buy a new van
« Last post by ֍Winp®oClean֍ on January 19, 2026, 07:56:25 pm »My previous van I bought for £3750, ran it for 5 years and traded it in getting 2k part ex. New van was 5.5k (3.5k less 2k part ex). I've run this current van for 6 years trouble free and it's still worth 2/2.5k. It's a work tool, the less money I spend on it, the more of the money it/I earn 'I' get to keep! 👍