[Mick Kent]

a brilliant side-line to have whilst studying, and if all fails with uni etc you will always have your part time window cleaning business to take to the next level.


good luck

[Soupy]

 If you want to do this job you have to be interested in doing it. If you aren't you wouldn't last very long. To make this business work you have to eat, sleep and talk window cleaning. It has to be a focus or part of your mindset to begin with. Its lovely being out working when the weather is good, but will you have enough interest, even motivation, to clean in the cold winter months?

I think that if I ate, slept and talked window cleaning I'd shoot myself. Window cleaning is tedious, unfulfilling, pays poorly and is bad for your health.

I love it, been doing it since I was 19, which was many, many, many years ago.

[Gray1]

Hi. Why not have two poles (no ladder) ?
There are plenty of vids on you tube for you to watch, and clean your own windows again and again until you feel confident. 
Plenty of window cleaners have started with a £15 Harris decorators pole with a squeegee and no ladders.

[windowswashed]

concentrate on getting  good academic qualifications, then you have better career choices later in life where you don't have to work do manual work and the associated health problems that come with age.  The career you mentioned charge £50+ an hour round our way and to qualify at university at a later age in life will take 5-6 years and the courses are extremely expensive compared to builders and plumbers courses and similar qualifications.
My father pestered me to learn a trade when I was young,......so I learnt two trades and have several other qualifications as I stayed on at University until I was twenty seven  and have travelled half the world in various jobs.  Sadly my father is no longer here to help me out but I am so glad he pushed me to gain qualifications. Manual jobs with good rates of pay are not the be all and end all, happy medium of balancing life, work, family and pleasure is the key to a good life.

[Richard iSparkle]

concentrate on getting  good academic qualifications, then you have better career choices later in life where you don't have to work do manual work and the associated health problems that come with age.  The career you mentioned charge £50+ an hour round our way and to qualify at university at a later age in life will take 5-6 years and the courses are extremely expensive compared to builders and plumbers courses and similar qualifications.
My father pestered me to learn a trade when I was young,......so I learnt two trades and have several other qualifications as I stayed on at University until I was twenty seven  and have travelled half the world in various jobs.  Sadly my father is no longer here to help me out but I am so glad he pushed me to gain qualifications. Manual jobs with good rates of pay are not the be all and end all, happy medium of balancing life, work, family and pleasure is the key to a good life.

it's interesting you say that.

i went to university and got  professional qualification. i worked in the NHS for 4 years as a healthcare professional but hated it. hated working 9-5 monday to friday. didn't like having managers, having to do what i was told when i was told to. it didn't make me happy

i started my own business and a little later got into window cleaning and now have those things you list as important "happy medium of balancing life, work, family and pleasure"

my friends who work as lawyers, teachers, doctors etc work far longer hours than me, and far worse work life balance

you can make this business what you want, i haven't cleaned a window in 3 years now

[Adrees]

concentrate on getting  good academic qualifications, then you have better career choices later in life where you don't have to work do manual work and the associated health problems that come with age.  The career you mentioned charge £50+ an hour round our way and to qualify at university at a later age in life will take 5-6 years and the courses are extremely expensive compared to builders and plumbers courses and similar qualifications.
My father pestered me to learn a trade when I was young,......so I learnt two trades and have several other qualifications as I stayed on at University until I was twenty seven  and have travelled half the world in various jobs.  Sadly my father is no longer here to help me out but I am so glad he pushed me to gain qualifications. Manual jobs with good rates of pay are not the be all and end all, happy medium of balancing life, work, family and pleasure is the key to a good life.

it's interesting you say that.

i went to university and got  professional qualification. i worked in the NHS for 4 years as a healthcare professional but hated it. hated working 9-5 monday to friday. didn't like having managers, having to do what i was told when i was told to. it didn't make me happy

i started my own business and a little later got into window cleaning and now have those things you list as important "happy medium of balancing life, work, family and pleasure"

my friends who work as lawyers, teachers, doctors etc work far longer hours than me, and far worse work life balance

you can make this business what you want, i haven't cleaned a window in 3 years now

Honestly, I'm not worried about university at all. I have finished my exams for this year and I am confident I can get at least 3 As next year and get into a good uni.

The reason why i wanted to get into this industry is because it pays better than other things available to people my age and it is a bit more flexible in terms of hours. Per house, I can easily make almost twice what I would get paid working somewhere else per hour.

And who knows? Maybe I'll get an idea for another business in the coming year and not bother with uni at all. Or maybe I'll get my degree and do something else. Thankfully, I'm a bright guy so I have a lot of options for the future.

[W.booler]

If I was 17 and unsure, then I'd write or ring local good window cleaners, and try and get a bit of work. Then if you like it and have picked up a bit of experience, branch out on your own..but be careful, only work for someone with a good reputation.

[Don Kee]

I'd buy the most expensive equipment I could find, get myself a uniform (Sports Direct are usually good) and then offer to clean windows for £4 (any house!!), or free first clean if they have a window cleaner but are willing to give you a go...

Capitalist world my friend, you do what you gotta