[colley614]

Hi Guys,

I started out as a window cleaner about 18 months ago. When I first got going I started subbing off a cleaning company who basically have showed me the ropes and had me doing everything they do. From windows to carpets, from floor polishing to house clearances I have been doing it all.

Today whilst clearing out my garage I realized that I'm not really a window cleaner anymore but really a good all rounder. I was just wondering if from now on I should keep going with my with window cleaning or should I just change my company profile and name and go the whole hog.

As an example ( a few of you guys starting out will probably say ' lucky so and so') I have a high speed buffer, a smaller buffer which I bought with the high speed, I have a Numatic wet pick up, a george, 2 henry's, step ladders, 2x HD degreaser, 2x Floor Stripper, 4X floor polish, a jet wash 4X carpet extraction shampoo, 4X carpet foam, around 5 brushes, 10 mops and mop buckets in green, red, blue. I've got boxes and boxes of gloves, white rolls, pine gel, hundreds of clothes, spray bottles and loads more that I can't think of right now. This is all on top of the window cleaning gear I have. 

What do you guys think I should do?   

[BDCS]

I started drive cleaning - saw the gear when I was looking in exchange & mart for a generator, then I started windows with WFP to fill days up, then I started the carpet cleaning, then drain jetting and to top it all I also have a bouncy castle hire firm ! Work leads to work. I can clean the whole of the outside of a house, jet the drain and extract the sewage out of carpets after a spill. A broad knowledge is worth its weight in gold

[colley614]

Sounds a lot like me, today for example I did shop windows. Then shot down to a factory before it opened and sealed a floor in polish. Then shot to a school and cleaned a canopy before going to a cleaning supplies to pick kit up. Off to an office for a bit of carpet cleaning, next popped into some apartments and dusted communal areas then vacced them down before shooting off to clean another school kitchen canopy, a spot clean on a carpet that had loads of blood in an area the size of my fist before cleaning a few windows on the way home.

Thats not a typical window cleaners day, is it?

[sherco]

Im a tiler (walls and floor) and just getting into carpet and hardfloor cleaning, i dont think it matters the more strings to your bow youshould always keep busy.

[BDCS]

Sherco- you doin Gest this month ?

[pjulk]

I used to be like that still am a bit.

Used to clean a shopping centre 1st thing in the morning then onto windows and the odd carpet cleaning job. also builders cleans, gutters, conservatory roofs.

Never got round to office cleaning.

I got rid of my extracta excel carpet cleaning machine a few years back as it was most of the time collecting dust.

Now its mainly window cleaning and builders cleans but i have been thinking of doing other things again aswell as its nice to have varied work.

[Ian Rochester]

Likewise, started off 5 years ago carpet cleaning with an  Exel, then got asked if I knew a window cleaner as they had lost theirs.  So started window cleaning, took someone on to help me, then got asked about doing pressure washing, bought a pressure washer, then got asked about office cleaning took more staff on, then builders cleans, holiday let cleans, domestic cleaning, hard floor cleaning, etc, etc.

Now have 13 staff, 4 vans and a car, a Prowler TM, 2 x WFP systems, Texatherm, Honda 13hp 4000psi pressure washer, buffers, scrubber drier, etc.

There's very little we won't have a go at, just picked up three large jobs today, ones a quarry tiled floor to clean and seal, one's a church conversion to build clean from top to bottom, the other is carpet tiles in a large office area to clean.  I have had to come off what I was doing this morning to get things organised for

[sherco]

Sherco- you doin Gest this month ?

Havent got a bike at the moment, when is it? like to have a go on your Gas Gas 300

[BDCS]

300 died at le touquet, got a 250 gasser coming tomorrow 27th at brede

[sherco]

300 died at le touquet, got a 250 gasser coming tomorrow 27th at brede

You lucky boy 

[Paul Kettless]

I think having a "general cleaning company" is a very good thing, as you are not closing your door to potential customers.

This does not mean that you are a jack of all trades, as I have taken various different types of training, carpets, hard floors etc.  Infact, it can work in your favour.  I have quite a few customers that like the fact that they only have to deal with one company for a variety of services.

What do you have to lose....best of luck

[colley614]

thanks for the advice guys