[PurefectWindowCleaning]

The majority of my work is domestic, and is all at 6 weekly cleans. Only problem is that I have to much for me (+employee) to cope, and on average are always running at roughly 2 weeks behind.

So, I have 3 options.

Dump/sell 2 weeks worth of work.
Keep plodding on always running behind
Get 2nd van on the go and 'try' to find someone suitable/trustworthy

Im thinking just plodding on is the best option as 2nd van etc could throw up all kinds of problems.


Anyone else in a simalar situation?

[dazmond]

what i would do(and have done in the past)is sell some work on.

another option is to increase your prices as you wont mind losing a few.


at the moment ive enough work to do without having to work all the time.it suits me fine and earn enough.i also have space for the extra work that comes in during the spring/summer months(conny roof/fascia cleaning etc).

[PurefectWindowCleaning]

A price increase is long overdue... but prob aint best just after xmas?!

[dazmond]

james tell them in march and put them up in april.what have you got to lose?you wont lose 2 weeks works.probably 3-4 customers!!all your underpriced work hike up by a few quid.if you lose them then so be it but you wont lose half as many as you think you will!!!

[Inside Out]

Thing is, if you put prices up, those you might lose make it less worth going to that area in the first place.
Eg. Drive 10 miles to do 5 20 pound houses. Put em all up by 2 quid. One says no. Now you are riding out to do 88 and not 100!

Two people in two vans would make you more money than two in one, but then you will have double running costs too.

What van you have? Can't you have two lads with you, three man team? If you have the work as you say, surely a bigger van, to enable 3 man team would make you the best return!?

[CraigBlues]

Personally if you think a 2nd van is off the cards, I would make your area smaller (closer to home) if possible, less costs then. Then sell some customers, as most customers won't notice your late/their windows are overdue but you don't want to start loosing good customers because they are very keen on the "monthly" clean.

Where are you based?

[PurefectWindowCleaning]

Yeah am going to wait till at least Feb then increase everyone by a quid, and all other shiity work ill up by more and if they accept then sound, if not, so what.

I have worked as a three before mate, and it didnt work out as I thought.

[PurefectWindowCleaning]

Based in Somerset Craig

[PURER CLEAN]

you can do the price increase or rent the work. ive sold at least 10/12 rounds since ive been cleaning,
and now i wished i hadn't  Having said that it is your choice at the end of the day & selling it off may not bother you. 
These days i wish i had more work, not a lot more just DOUBLE 
Good luck with what ever you deside to do tho m8 

[Jackal]

employing isnt for everyone,iv had a mate working for me for about 4 months or so since i broke my ankle im ok now but for me it doesnt earn me enough to be worth the hassle of it,i dont get the freedom now either that i liked if it rains i used to pack up and get myself home watch tv but now have to stay out as he still needs paying,i will be glad when he decides to get another job as when he gets his licence back in a few months he will need to be earning more money as only pay him a basic wage,

so its made me realise im staying solo, if i have to much work for just me then will increase prices a bit and sell off the work i dont want,easy life for me

[PurefectWindowCleaning]

Im happy as it is I think just with one part time employee, who is also a friend, where as id have to advertise for someone if I decided to get a 2nd van on the go. After paying thier wages, insurance, van costs etc, I dont think the profit would be high enough....

I guess its a risk at the end of the day, might work, might not.

[Crystal-clear]

james,

dont sell the work keep running late or change to 8 weekly,
if you get 2nd van and someone you can trust, even if you are making £50 profit a day its still worth it that kind of profit comes from spending £250k on a rental property so dont underestimate it!

[PurefectWindowCleaning]

I spose. £250 extra a week is ok, providing you find someone that is completly trustworthy.

[mlscontractcleaner]

I'd buy a second van, employ someone, have your mate work with him in one van and you work in the other, canvassing every evening to fill your month with the second van. When you've more than enough new work for yourself in the second van employ someone to work with you and canvass again to fill the month up for the two of you. And then do it all again..........

[SunShineCleaning]

The Grosvenor family who own most of the better parts of London have a motto "Always lease, never sell"

If there is one thing I wish I had done it would be to lease work out rather than sell it.

[Ian101]

The majority of my work is domestic, and is all at 6 weekly cleans. Only problem is that I have to much for me (+employee) to cope, and on average are always running at roughly 2 weeks behind.

So, I have 3 options.

Dump/sell 2 weeks worth of work.
Keep plodding on always running behind
Get 2nd van on the go and 'try' to find someone suitable/trustworthy

Im thinking just plodding on is the best option as 2nd van etc could throw up all kinds of problems.


Anyone else in a simalar situation?

James I was in a simlair situation to you up till last week.

My round grew quite a lot this year and like you was permantley  behind to an extent that I was getting complaints off customers for being late ... nothing too heavy but along lines of you used to be so reliable .... which is a nice change from "is it that time again already"  :

I had binned all the dross customers a long time back so couldnt do that anymore .... so put a few underpriced jobs up and still they wanted me to keep coming.

My rounds are over 2 areas ...  Chester and various parts of North Wales where I live all within a 5 mile radius for the local jobs and Chester about a round trip of 25 miles so decided to concentrate locally and have just sold off all of my Chester work.

Was a big decision as quality work and nice people but summit had to give.

Now free to build up again but with local stuff.

Could have took a van lad on but wasnt really up for that, could have rented it out but again potential hassle.

Now got just enough for me to keep me quite busy but with a bit of space as Dazmond said for connie cleans, gutter cleans etc.

Will be back to every month bang on time and anyone that says "you back again" will be offered bimonthly at a slightly higher price.

Next step is to have a price increase in March / April ... canvass locally and eventually maybe take a vanlad on.

As for a second van what profit do you want .... man and a van should do you say £3000 less £1500 for wages and another £500 for fuel and insurance etc will leave you £1000.

but before you do anything dump any crap customers ... if you have any.

Just depends what you want out of window cleaning ... I keep swinging from just me with a nice quality round all at great prices ... then fancy a second van ... staff ... etc etc. but think just me is a lot simpler with no hassle

[CraigBlues]

Expanding is fun though! :-) if you can afford to.

Just think, get 3/4 vans up and running, you do the nice big easy jobs and then sit back in your nice leather chair reaping the benefits. :-)

[PurefectWindowCleaning]

I have been getting the 'cor your late' comments for over a year, maybe 2 years, but is simply down to I have to much work, not because were not putting the effort in, were flat out.

There are customers I could dump, ie the bad payers, but these are all friends reletives and 'school friends' that think they can run up a tab. (i do get it eventually, just takes time)

What do I want out of window cleaning? Well, I guess what most young (26)window cleaners want and that is a fleet of 10 vans going out every day  

Mlscontract cleaner - I think your on the right lines, but for that to happen, the lad thar already works for me needs to pass his driving license so that he can take charge pf the new lad.

hmmm...

[Ian101]

If I was to expand I would take a vanlad on .. get the van up to its max possible income then put him in a van on his own and take a new vanlad on ... get van up to max again and stick another van on etc etc etc

The first time u put a second van you will take a hit on the income front but a case of 1 step back to make 2 steps foward.

EG
2 in a van should do £6000 min then basically when u put a second van on your halving this but with the added expense of another van.

Then grow it again so van 1 on £6000 again and van2 on £3000 ... put another van on and you now got van1 back on £3000 but van2 and van3 both doing £3000 each.

Van1 £3000
Van2 £1000 after costs
Van3 £1000 after costs

and just keep repeating until world domination

simplfied example but u get the idea

[Danny Guest]

Hi James
Im in a similar position to you where i have two lads working with me on fortnightly work. Turnover is in excess of £1k per week and im now looking at changing all my work to monthly at higher prices. By far im the most expensive cleaner in the area but we provide the best service. We are bursting with work and its fantastic!

Most of the work has been changed over now with 3 rounds staying 2 weekly until April. I will be canvassing 2 nights per week until then and i have a canvasser returning to work. Im used to getting 20-30 customers per week on my own and my canvasser averages 20 per week depending on the area and prices.

Im looking forward to 2012 to take the business even further after rapid growth in 2011. Its up to you and it depends on your vision for your business

Good Luck
Danny