[richywilts]

righ one of the lads resigned today coz es got a cash in hand job window cleaning trad to go to so got my girlfriends nephew after bit of part time work coz e goes college part time two days a week, was looking at doing leafletting for me but got me tinking is there any sort of modern apprenticeship i can offer for cleaning services so it means more too him to have something to fall back on

this is just an idea before anyone starts

[H S and Son]

this is just an idea before anyone starts

 

[CLEANCARE WC]

righ one of the lads resigned today coz es got a cash in hand job window cleaning trad to go to so got my girlfriends nephew after bit of part time work coz e goes college part time two days a week, was looking at doing leafletting for me but got me tinking is there any sort of modern apprenticeship i can offer for cleaning services so it means more too him to have something to fall back on

this is just an idea before anyone starts

Richy this is one of your better ideas mate the Government will give you £2.60  towards his wage and you match that. Is that what you heard too?

[richywilts]

hes keen too work and i was thinkin 30quid a day cash in and leaflet dropping but he is doing plumbing at college which is ok but hundreds of kids do it and places are hard to come by he got into a fracas at xmas where a lad got stabbed in the neck he didnt do it but he on a tag type bail 10-7 looking to turn a new leaf

id like to sow him theres more to it than cleaning windows and get some cheap labour and qualofications behind him ipaf etc

[jouk45]

yes, started this young lad 20years old, he is brilliant, got the drft right from the start, a real natural right from the start, and he is very keen, already my profits have soared 

[P @ F]

Richy , every time i read your latest post i grin a bit more , i dont understand it mate , you say your facing finance meltdown , that home life aint so good , you had a pants last 12 months , your gonna borrow , and then i see your lookin at building a new round to add to your worries , and to top it your lookin to employ shall we say , a bit of a lad .
Dont get me wrong , i have had a bit of a shadey past , but i turned things around , got my biz up and running and have made a good go of it , i have recently been in the dumps as you have , i went back to basics , small round at a better price ,

I have checked out your site , seen your vans , its all very admirable my friend , now get a grip and hold on to 1 van and 1 worker , pick the best of your work , ditch the unit , keep your missus and children , admit defeat for now , give it 12 months , then attack again if you see fit .

All the above i have just done on not such a big scale , i feel better already , i still got the debt , but they cant take what i aint got mate .

Regards Rich  

[richywilts]

richy im confiedent i can rebuild the work up to where it was with better quality work this is a cheap alternative to employing whilst also giving back to community and doing my bit .

its an idea like i did highlight in the post

if i cud have two lads cleaning 350-400 a day and only paying 90quid tats good business sense and if it was a success and i employed another apprentice to go out with me ya getting 700 a day cleaned and only paying out 120-130 a day in wages for window cleaning

[mikecam]

richy im confiedent i can rebuild the work up to where it was with better quality work this is a cheap alternative to employing whilst also giving back to community and doing my bit .

its an idea like i did highlight in the post

if i cud have two lads cleaning 350-400 a day and only paying 90quid tats good business sense and if it was a success and i employed another apprentice to go out with me ya getting 700 a day cleaned and only paying out 120-130 a day in wages for window cleaning

Good luck finding two lads to clean 350-400 a day for 450 a week between them !!   

[P @ F]

Richy , i admire your willpower , it all looks great on paper , you know you can do it , you have before , now stop gluggin the beer and using txt speak !
I for one want to see you win this , keep us updated , but dont let it run your life mate .

Regards Rich  

[GDwindowcleaning]

I dont normally comment on richy but by god you dont half bounce from idea to idea, one day you moaning at everyone having a go then the next you coming back with this hair brain scheme that in your head will make you rich. You really think two young lads given a free run in a van are going to hit those figures? Dream land. The only way in my opinion is to pay fair wages to guys who are recruited properly and trained to work your way. You want people working for you who are honest and have responsibilities not a college kid who was involved in a stabbing a few weeks ago! The bit where you said its just cheap labour sums it all up.... Cheap labour is a false economy as they leave to go cash in hand up ladders....

Set your sights higher with the people around you....

[tom cronin]

I dont normally comment on richy but by god you dont half bounce from idea to idea, one day you moaning at everyone having a go then the next you coming back with this hair brain scheme that in your head will make you rich. You really think two young lads given a free run in a van are going to hit those figures? Dream land. The only way in my opinion is to pay fair wages to guys who are recruited properly and trained to work your way. You want people working for you who are honest and have responsibilities not a college kid who was involved in a stabbing a few weeks ago! The bit where you said its just cheap labour sums it all up.... Cheap labour is a false economy as they leave to go cash in hand up ladders....

Set your sights higher with the people around you....

I had a couple young lads in for awhile, they were ok when they weren't together, but a proper nightmare together. What finally did it for me was when I went collecting on a saturday morning, and a couple of customers said " you're lad came round half hour ago to collect......." I acted ignorant, then the next Friday when he asked for his wages told him to f*** himself...the 28 quid he nicked cost him 200 in the end, the lad still hasn't found another job and that was 2 years ago.

[Dave Willis]

I would put an apprentice in the office too  :

[H S and Son]

 

[sam125]

Just stop thinking for your own sake mate, you are ridiculous sounds like you have had a touch him resigning one less person to get work for.

[Halfadaylee]

So one guy leaves who is skilled? and then you consider you girl friends relative?
Is that because she made or nagged you or because he is the right candidate to move your business forward.
You kill me man.
Art

[a900]

How long would a window cleaning apprenticeship last. 2 weeks?

[Jackal]

i think for now richy its the best think thats happened to you in a while this bloke leaving ,at least you dont have to pay him and you can now take a wage for a change,get all you sh*t sorted out first before you start taking more workers on

[William McCafferty]

Richy

Have you done a business plan? if so, what is the botton line?

What I am trying to so is get you figures sorted out before you start to employ, start from the botton line and then add alll the costs of running a business.

Apart from vechicle costs , employing is going to be the biggest expense, do not skimp on this, if ok employing dum dums to dig holes in the ground, but not to let loose with your business, and when they clean your customers windows they are intereacting with them, so if they do a bad job it will relex back onto you, likewise if the are really good at the job this will also reflex on you and your business.

A good member of staff is worth their weight in gold, do not try to save money on wages because a good member will earn you more than you can possible save.

Now back to your original question, apprentiships are a good way of moving forward, if you get the right one, you can mould and build him up to be the best cleaner you need, but remember they are not stupid, and if you take the mick they will pay you back in the future.

I have had gone down this route in the past and he are a few tips.

Make sure they have a driving licence, even though you only have to pay £2.60 per hour for the 1st year, I would not do this, start them off on the £2.60 but increase their hourly rate by 50p every 3 months, doing this the apprentice will become more happy with working for you and at the end of the 12 months you have to pay the minimum wage, so you will have a big hike in you wage bill if you don't.

Also pay out a bonus, say every 3 months.

In april the goverment are bringing out a scheme that if you take someone off the dole, who has been signing on for 6 months, they will give you I think £2750, but this is limited to the first 100000 applicants.

and finally, the figures you are using on what they can earn you a day, imo they are a little high, personally I work on the following figures

Domestic only

1 man with van £200 per day
2 men with 1 van £300 per day

with commercial, you should command more, now you might find these figures too low but if you employed a full time cleaner and paid him £10 per hour with bonuses, your gross profit on £1000 per week would work out at around £380, but this depends on your spending habits ie advertising,equipment etc

[colin purewater]

Not a bad idea rich, even if you have him with you
Droppin leaflets were you are working it will
Only cost you a couple of £ an hour,

I think people for get this is a forum for advice a and bouceing
Ideas about not a kangaroo court

[CLEANCARE WC]

Jouk soured or soared? Lol