[frames to panes]

Has any bright spark out there worked out the difference as a percentage between wfp and trad cleaning? The start up costs are obviously hugely different, same with the running costs. I'm only asking because customers seem to expect the same price for either method, it's not their problem how much it costs to clean wfp.

[Londoner]

It certainly costs you more to be a WFP window cleaner but I believe over time you make that back and more because of the saving in time.
You can't realistically charge the customer a different price. I know some people when they were converting took the opportunity to put their prices up as well but I thought that was risky.

I could see in a few years time that some trad window cleaners could get away with charging extra for "traditional hand washed windows" as a sort of premium service.

[s.hughes]

Where I have slowly changed some cutys over to wfp I have kept the price the same. If they decide that they want me to go back to trade then I will put the price up.

Steve

[xxmattyxx]

I could see in a few years time that some trad window cleaners could get away with charging extra for "traditional hand washed windows" as a sort of premium service.

Absolutely, they'll undoubtedly sell it as a more thorough method, which custys will understandably feel is true, whether trad is more thorough or not Im sure they'll be able to use that as a selling point.

[windowwashers]

It certainly costs you more to be a WFP window cleaner but I believe over time you make that back and more because of the saving in time.
You can't realistically charge the customer a different price. I know some people when they were converting took the opportunity to put their prices up as well but I thought that was risky.

I could see in a few years time that some trad window cleaners could get away with charging extra for "traditional hand washed windows" as a sort of premium service.

so so they should, more risk to them cleaning this way

[Jago]

OK Lets work it out

Bucket with lid £7.50
Double Ladder £100
Point Ladder £75
Applicator £7.50
Couple of Squigies £15
Replacement rubbers £15
Scraper £5
Extension Pole £10
Scrimms £20
Rags £5
fairy liquid £1
roof rack £45
£235 ish quid roof rack bargin

WFP trolley with 10 - 25 liter containers
Water butt, R\O filters, DI filter, spare resin
24ft pole brush
spare filters
tds meter
hose pipe
£1500 ish quid

Saftey in all weathers Priceless

Trust me I love traditional A lad got a buisness scholarship for showing trad cleaning was best cost effective buisness to start up
but we also have a dangerouse Job that people seem to froget.

My WFP system has already paid for itself with the customers I have picked up
on my yearly targets as I would not have got them without my setup
not hard really is it 10 x £15 customers x 12 months £1800 and i have double that amount that wanted me cause of old cleaner could not reach this window or that

I think it all weighs out  with WFP as I can fit more expensive houses into my day now too with time to spare

Regards Jago

[macmac]

It depends who you take advise from on this forum which could depict how much your overheads are. I charge more for trad than wfp, i earn the same rate if not more trad. it's easier to justify imo.

tony

[frames to panes]

As i've never been a trad cleaner  i was unaware that the two methods once set up seem to be fairly close. I never considered the performance difference between the two. Because i don't have a full round yet i often look at the local trad cleaner and wonder if it was really worth the initial outlay. A point that my wife and friends fail to understand. "why spend all that money - why don't you just get a bucket and a ladder?"Sometimes i find it difficult to find a really good answer!

[macmac]

As i've never been a trad cleaner  i was unaware that the two methods once set up seem to be fairly close. I never considered the performance difference between the two. Because i don't have a full round yet i often look at the local trad cleaner and wonder if it was really worth the initial outlay. A point that my wife and friends fail to understand. "why spend all that money - why don't you just get a bucket and a ladder?"Sometimes i find it difficult to find a really good answer!

That's to do with all the bu***it that's so easily bantered around on here mate.
There is a massive difference between reality & what you WANT to hear.
What van do you drive & how many ltrs of water do you carry dave?

Tony

[frames to panes]

It's a Daf with 2000ltr's









No not really, it's a Despatch with 650lts - plenty for a full days work more than adequate.

[Paul Coleman]

Has any bright spark out there worked out the difference as a percentage between wfp and trad cleaning? The start up costs are obviously hugely different, same with the running costs. I'm only asking because customers seem to expect the same price for either method, it's not their problem how much it costs to clean wfp.

I've never taken the trouble to work out the details, but the capital costs of startimng it up were so high, I don't owe the taxman anything this month.  Mind you, my first year WFP was slightly lower than my last year of trad.  Other things became more important that year than working hard.

[birdymiller]

ive seen this posted before about capital costs and not having to pay the taxman. Can you explain, if i was to get a bank loan to pay for a van and a wfp system is this the capital costs that you mean.

[peter holley]

i was 12 yrs trad and iv been 3 yrs wfp.....   it's not rocket sciense to work out the initial set up and running costs are far greater for wfp are .....  am i glad i took the plunge??    yes  definately! 

but buisness is about profit , not turnover.....
my profit has increased significantly.... but then so has the amount of tax i pay....

but for me personally in my part of the world, i can honestly say i have a far better standard of living since going wfp.

but it was a headache at first but well worth it

added to this is the safety aspect, but thats another story

but hey this is my view of matters many will disagree.

[L.J.Thorpe]

my diy set up came in at just under 1200 quid and the overheads are a lot higher than trad,you always seem to be ordering something ,whether its filters ,resin,connectors whatever but overall i am very happy the main reason being safety in my last year of being trad only i had 2 near misses on roofs and it was one of the main reasons i went wfp.I dont care how long it takes to pay for itself you cant put a price on your own safety

[Feen]

I charge more for trad than wfp, i earn the same rate if not more trad. it's easier to justify imo.

Hi Tony, Interesting point. Since going largely wfp I have found that some jobs verge in taking the p*ss compared to trad in terms of time taken. I haven't actually offered a trad clean as opposed to a wfp  for more money. I'd guess I'd be looking for double money, which might be hard to justify. Whadya say

[Feen]

I charge more for trad than wfp, i earn the same rate if not more trad. it's easier to justify imo.

Don't know what happened to the quoting Hope this is better.Hi Tony, Interesting point. Since going largely wfp I have found that some jobs verge in taking the p*ss compared to trad in terms of time taken. I haven't actually offered a trad clean as opposed to a wfp  for more money. I'd guess I'd be looking for double money, which might be hard to justify. Whadya say

[Paul Coleman]

ive seen this posted before about capital costs and not having to pay the taxman. Can you explain, if i was to get a bank loan to pay for a van and a wfp system is this the capital costs that you mean.

By capital costs, I'm referring to my van, water system, and tools over a certain price that will last a few years.  The amount to offset against tax with such items has to be spead over several years (usually four I think).  For many of them, you are allowed to offset 40% of the value in year one of buying it and spread the remainder over subsequent years.  The taxman reviews these percentages from time to time so it's better to keep up to date with any changes.
However, if you take out a loan for such items, you are allowed to offset all the interest against tax (assuming the items are used 100% for business).

[Jago]

Shiner is that a personal loan say from a bank or can it be a loan to myself from me?
I think that makes sense

[Paul Coleman]

Shiner is that a personal loan say from a bank or can it be a loan to myself from me?
I think that makes sense

Mine is a personal loan from a bank.
I suppose you could lend your business the money from your personal funds.  However, taxwise, I doubt that there is any point. If you charged yourself interest it would simply increase the tax for your "personal" income as interest would then be income for you personally and outgoings for your business.  After all, if tax wasn't paid on this, we could lend our businesses the money at 10,000% interest and never pay any business tax.