[richard jagger]

   geoffreyspecht I see you started in 2003 you might be surprised it will take you  a lot longer as times have moved on Mate.

[David Kent @ KentKleen]

£30,000 a year in this economic climate!!!!! starting out with all the job losses!!!! you would be crazy!!!! go for £37,000 with no door knocking. I have had more saturated socks!!!!

[geoffreyspecht]

   geoffreyspecht I see you started in 2003 you might be surprised it will take you  a lot longer as times have moved on Mate.

loads of work gut there if u look for it

[David Kent @ KentKleen]

here here 

[geoffreyspecht]

   geoffreyspecht I see you started in 2003 you might be surprised it will take you  a lot longer as times have moved on Mate.

i started in 1973 not 2003 and time always moves on and i can still build a window cleaning round  with a tunover  of£25000 to £30000 a year within  3 months

[SunShineCleaning]

You will have to be prepared to face the fact that to build up a round that will give you an average income will prob take 2-3 years. I would be impressed if someone could get together an annual workload of say£25-30k in  less time than that.

it would take me 3 months to build a domestic round with an anual turnover of £25 to 30k a year

If that's true I'd be impressed however I guess its 'Keyboard bravardo' If this was the case you would be advised to build 2 or 3 rounds per year and sell them on for mega profit. Maybe you already do that, who knows.

However, back on planet earth, 99% of new startups will not be able to get to that sort of turnover in the time period I stated. To canvass £2500 and have it ready to work in just a few months is beyond their capabilities.

The problem is, as has been said, prospective cleaners read this forum and think its easy. Spend money they dont have and wonder why they either dont make a living or cant get the windows clean!!

[Cleaning Buddy]

Contary to a lot of comments. I will make this work

I have a can do attitude.

I never thought this was going to easy, its been better since I originally started this thread. I have been out and about today and picked up 9 customers in 3 hours. I am knackered with the walking mind!

Saturdays canvassing is definately better than canvassing during the day

[groundhog]

I have a can do attitude.
I have been out and about today and picked up 9 customers in 3 hours.

Good luck to you Buddy, but if you really had a "can do" attitude then you would have been canvassing for 8 hours+ today.. not 3!!! I know I would have if I was just starting up and needed customers!!! 

[Craig 72]

Be sure to keep your eyes open for new estates.It seems they're spinging up all over the place where I live and obviously they're a great way to get new business if you get in quick.Also,be prepared to target different areas.If I just targeted the area where I live I would have no chance of surviving frankly.It's worked out much better for me to travel a bit and hit more rural areas.Not for everyone and it has it's downsides (increased travel costs,customers spaced out etc),but you have to do what it takes to make things work.Like any new business the first year is difficult but stick with the hard work and all of a sudden things will seem to come together.

[geoffreyspecht]

Contary to a lot of comments. I will make this work

I have a can do attitude.

I never thought this was going to easy, its been better since I originally started this thread. I have been out and about today and picked up 9 customers in 3 hours. I am knackered with the walking mind!

Saturdays canvassing is definately better than canvassing during the day

u should have been out canvassing all day then u would have got more customers

[lee_dewing]

Cleaning Buddy:

Try Canvassing on a sunday morning say 10.30 til 1pm and same for saturday;  longer if you can bear it.
(i think you'l get more custy's on the sunday)

I'm am a coward and leaflet and agree 2-3 yrs for a half decent round i have got rid of about £700 worth of work in the last two yrs, i constantly refine my work, it's usually messer's that get dumped.

I have read alot of posts regarding canvassing.
If i was brave enough i would knock, then if no answer leave a leaflet; then return to not-in's (one's you have leaflet'd.)

That would be the most efficent way for a compact round (very, very time consuming)
But you might as well do all the hard work now; so life get's easier and easier in time.

The 2-3 yr stage mentioned is when you are established and work finds it's way to you
Reccomendation is the niciest way by far.

Just think as if your climbing a high wall at the mo; but when you get to the top; you'l be abseiling down the other side.

good luck mate.

[Johnny B]

It is tough out there, but you CAN do it.

In July I will be moving to Ireland and starting up from scratch. That will be a challenge I am sure!

I will be starting off by cleaning my mother-in-law's (we will be staying with her initially) then knocking the immediate neighbourhood and working from there.

I will be out during the day, every day, ready to clean any that I pick up, there and then.

When this happens, I will be up and running, as people will see me working, and therefore I will be advertising myself and earning at the same time.

I did this when I started up, and although realistically, not everyone took me up straight away, some did, and very quickly word spread, and I began to earn from it,  thus  it gave me the confidence to build my business from there.

Why not try it. You've nothing to lose.

Best wishes,
John