[4sta]

Hello all.

I am not strictly a window cleaner at all, and have no experience in the business whatsoever, so I apologise for lack of basic knowledge.

I am a student studying at Sixth Form College in the North East, and for an exam I must write up a business plan for a new window cleaning business I have set up from scratch.

I thought I'd come on here and see if you lot could answer a few questions for me to develop a basic idea on how you run your businesses and go about gaining new customers etc. Thanks in advance.

1) How do you gain custom in the first place, can you "steal" work freely, or as I've heard you buy rounds from other window cleaners?

2) How do you price up jobs, per hour? etc.

3) How many houses would you usually get round in your day, and then how many times a month would you clean the same house?

4) What are the legal aspects of running a business, health and safety etc?

5) Do you ever struggle with income in certain seasons, i.e. winter?

Although this question is probably largely down to opinion, here goes!
6) What mixture works for you to stop smears and give a sparkle, do you use any applicator to water?

7) When using a water fed pole, what tank size would be used when doing your average round?

What's the basic equipment you'd need to start work, with a water fed pole?


Thanks again, and I look forward to your answers, you do not have to answer all the questions, just aslong as I get a bit of knowledge before writing the draft up, that would be great!

4sta 

[Pittmonkey]

Hi 4sta

This would be a good starting point for general info.

http://www.windowcleaningresources.co.uk/index.html

Have a read through some of this and come back with anything you are not sure about. No doubt some of the guy's will chip in with more info for you. Good Luck

Wayne

[cbcs]

TAXMAN ALERT !!!!!!

[jampot]

TAXMAN ALERT !!!!!!

 

[4sta]

Thanks for the link Pittmonkey!

haha! 

[Clive McDonald]

4sta,
Yes it's a very good business to write a business plan for. Aside from all the obvious things if you want a really high mark stress how modern technology can be applied to a traditional trade. These aspects would include.

Window cleaners no longer need to go back and collect because people can pay online via bacs and wc's leave an SAE. People generally don't have cash so much and are happy with this.

A european H&E law- working at heights- passed in 2004, made WFP a virtual necessity.

Computers are used for round management, marketing (website) and leaflets.

The customer base has exploded because of conservatories, and upvc that people want cleaning.

Best of luck with your project.

[4sta]

Any more answers would be great, thanks for the help guys.

[Clive McDonald]

On a more general note the real life opportunities for starting a business are quite restricted.Manufacturing has all gone to china, independant retai is shrinking due to supermarkets and the internet, fast food is growing a lot of people are starting up in it.The best business start up brains say look for an industry with growth potential, and this is usually best achieved during a period of change such as that brought about for us by both by the health and safety legislation and by rapid advances in technology.

A guy on this forum- an A level student- did in real life just what you propose. He's been going a few months now and is doing quite well.

[4sta]

Bump!

Any more answers would be great.

[pjulk]

This seems to come up every year someone at school or college wanting info about window cleaning 


Are you wanting to become a window cleaner ?

If not why did you choose window cleaning as a project ?

Are you actually in sixth form or college ?

[mark dew]

1. advertise or canvassing is a start. I couldn't afford to buy work when i started.

2. speak to a local window cleaner or several and ask what they charge. When staring you can't really price up per time as you will be twice as quick within 3 months.
I priced and still price per window. Though now i have some experience about how long a job will take i will take time into account as well. But only if the windows are awkward or will take longer than average. I then add on £.

3. Most jobs are monthly. Some more, some less. How many houses are done in a day will depend on the type of house. A 3 bed semi with 14 windows would take around 15 minutes with wfp.

4. As a sole trader there are very few legal aspects to consider. As an employer health and safety and insurances become necessary.

5. No, not really. Winter tiome is as lucrative as the rest of the year.

6. You can leave smears whichever products you use. Though wfp is unaffected by smears as it is pure water only.

7. The majority would need 250 - 1000 litre tank, depending on payload of van and how much work you have.

The most basic setup for water fed pole cleaning would be reverse osmosis unit or a DI vessel (to process the water). water butt at home to store water. A battery powered backpack and a pole.

[4sta]

Thanks for the replies, I've now got all the information I need. Thanks for your input.

I am not wanting to become a window cleaner, no.

I am in Sixth Form. The course I am on (double business A level) demands I write an outline for a  business plan which will be written up and properly presented in an exam.

The reason for choosing window cleaning is the fact it has basic start up costs and little overheads. Meaning simple (in theory) financial documents.

Sorry to bore you lot anyway, and thanks again 

[dave0123]

It would be intresting to see the business plan once completed.