[dazmond]

just wondering how happy you are with your current window cleaning business?

ive got a mainly domestic round with a few commercial and usually have a good cashflow with a good mix of very compact estate work,pockets of 4 bedroom houses and scattered bigger accounts with all work within an 8 mile radius.

i clean a few big nurseries,children home,boating clubhouse,holiday caravan park,offices,housing association flats,financial consultants,converted barns etc.even clean a gigantic church every 6 months!

i also have a steady influx of add on jobs in the spring/summer months(conny roof/fascia cleaning etc)usually from existing customers.

some of my estate work needs upping  pricewise in the spring but im happy overall with my other prices.

i feel i have a good variety of work although im slowly moving onto new estates of 4/5 bedroom houses at much better prices than some of my run of the mill 3 bed semi stuff.

im 2 years into a 5 year plan for turning around my business into a top paying round.at present i do still go collecting usually on a mon or tuesday evening with SAE and bank transfer about 30% of total income earned.

im planning on staying as a one man band and upgrading van/equipment in 2 years time.i went WFP last year in may as most of you know!and its been the best thing i could of done for my business in terms of safety and speed.

im well established(17 years)but im sick of hearing all the doom and gloom about the economy and do think it could affect my business although it hasnt done yet.

im happy at present but im not one to rest on my laurels(anymore!)and will push on to create more turnover and profit.

ive learned from past mistakes and my finances are in much better shape than they were a few years ago.i seem to have a good worklife balance but its been more leisure time in the last month or so than i would of liked!but im ready to go at it with renewed vigour the next few months and kick on for the spring/summer months!

how are some of you other guys getting on and where are you with your business at present................and are you HAPPY with it!!!



best wishes to you all



dazmond

[formb]

 

Mondays 

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[andy1975]

i started mine in aug 2001,i was cleaning windows for my brothers business and needed more money as couldnt get mortgage.so started picking jobs from new housing estates whilst still working for brother.during this time there was about 6 new estates going on and would get about 4 new jobs on every estate a month.it was a slow process but i knew it was very good work.every time i got more work i would knock a day off my bro and went part time.after about a year had enough to go full time then got part time worker to build the business.then 2008 went wfp and had worker still for a year,then realised i can do the same work without worker and earning very well.my van and wfp system will be paid for in april and life will be really comfortable.during all these years my wife has neer needed to work,have 2 houses,and bread pedigree dogs.so for me things couldnt be better,i am very happy.its hard work,but the hardest job is done

[bobby p]

im just over 2years in ,with a chock full trad round.  was thinking of taking on a lad or lass but the first one backed out before he even started so im seeing that as a sign from above not to employ (yet)

 im happy enough with the round,albeit a very gruelling workload

[Clive McDonald]

I sometimes see it like a prison sentencee.I find the work gruelling and the challenges gone.Four years in and i find myself agreeing with godbers comment to fletch.
"Ten years is too long, six months is too short not enought time to settle in or get much of a break, eighteen months to two years is just about right."
 

[dazmond]

I sometimes see it like a prison sentencee.I find the work gruelling and the challenges gone.Four years in and i find myself agreeing with godbers comment to fletch.
"Ten years is too long, six months is too short not enought time to settle in or get much of a break, eighteen months to two years is just about right."
 

i think sometimes we take our work and our lives for granted!we really are very lucky guys!

out there earning a good wedge,fresh air,get paid every day,flexibilty!!


i know for certain there are people out there who would love to be in our shoes!!!

[andy1975]

after all when all said and done we can earn what we want not like most people on £5-£10 an hour.we should love our job

[Jackal]

im only just over 1 year in with my business so quite happy with my round for now,wasnt sure if build my round to big for just myself and rent or take someone on in the future still not decided on that yet,hoping buy the end of this year that my round will be full up,now on four days a week want to be 5 days full,possibly convert to wfp at some point,

overall definatly best job iv had in 10 years just for the flexibility alone,and if you fancy a day off you can,if i ever feel like w/c is not worth doing, i always look back at my old job working for JCB digger gaints on £11 p/h (good money round here) but out of the house at 6 and not home till 6pm everyday,then just wanted to go asleep,i just hope i never have to work for anyone else again

[Richard Neal]

Some days i look at my round and think here we go again, buy once ive done the first one im away and always enjoy it, the money isnt bad either!

[George P]

depends upon day, sometimes its realy good, but sometimes not so good

[Crystal-clear]

I Love it!

[Paul Coleman]

I feel reasonably OK about it but there's plenty of room for improvement.
I know what to do to improve it but doing it too quickly would be financially prohibitive.
I've never had much problem with the "speculate to accumulate" scenario.  It's time for 10,000 leaflets and some door knocking come Februuary in order to improve the quality of the business.
Could really do with a newer van but I would like to pay off another loan first.  It's still got 3 years to run.

[David lyddon]

 got a good compact round,been at the job 25 years.i get fed up at times but get on with it,the job has a lot of plus points. This job is in the blood i think. Take care be positive.

[Craig 72]

I'm certainly glad I got in when I did (a couple of years ago) and only wish I'd started years earlier.A difficult couple of years I must admit as it seems the world and his wife are cleaning windows these days.Finally getting there though and if I have a surge of customers this spring like I did last spring I'll be delighted.Love the lifestyle I must admit.