[colley614]

Hi Guys,

I've been determined to start out for about 6 months to a year now. I've got a van, bought a reach and wash and ladders, traditional gear. I've basically bought everything I need to get going the only thing I need is the work. I've got to the point now where I could start building my round at the weekend and am wanting to get a canvasser involved to help me with building a round and I'm really looking forward to the hard work ahead.

However, My current employer really has the hump with the idea of me starting out on my own and said if he heard anymore on the subject that he would sack me on the spot. I know he has put me through some good courses which I said due to his willing to put me on the courses in the past I would be willing to do any work for him that my qualifications were needed on the jobs he had and I would do it for the wage I'm on now. He said that was insulting but I honestly believe I would be better off on my own and provide a better future for my family. I have really gone out my way for my employer on a considerable number of occassions work 16 hour shifts when he hasn't had the man power to complete jobs he has taken on but all that seems erelevant now to him.

I need to use my van to get to work and if he spotted my system in the back or if he found out I was doing work at the weekends I think he would sack me on the spot. What would you guys do?

[VSP Home Care]

Well I'd save up and buy my own transport and then use that to start out.  Don't bite the hand that feeds you mate    It's not only the sack you should consider, getting pinched for no insurance is also on the cards if you're using his van.

Good luck

[GDwindowcleaning]

Its his own van....

[VSP Home Care]

Whoops I stand corrected 

I'm going out now, I can't read properly today 

[idealrob]

What reason would he have for sacking you, carry on as you are and  just before leaving, let him sack you and sue the pants off him, and i am an employer

idealrob

[richywilts]

Keith come and see me and we will work something out I've gotta drop me lad off at 7ish in new ferry if ya fancy a pint

[colley614]

Yeah that would be boss mate. Were about where you thinking?

[colley614]

What reason would he have for sacking you, carry on as you are and  just before leaving, let him sack you and sue the pants off him, and i am an employer

idealrob

He doesn't have a valid reason to sack me. Although he does seem to have temper tantrums as bad as my three year old. In his clients eyes which are major commercial clients they say I am by far the best and most professional window cleaner they have ever met.
I have never had any ideas about approaching these people either.

[richywilts]

Il give u a call bout 6ish got all three kids today been hectic!!

[londoncleaners]

Bin him, start ur own empire, just like us..
Good luck

[colley614]

Il give u a call bout 6ish got all three kids today been hectic!!

Sound mate.

[Deangsi]

Pick his brains where you can and start up on your own

[Dave71]

 Your doing the right thing by starting by working weekends i did simliar,  i set myself what i was wanting to earn in a day say £100 4x sat month =£400 it took me 6 months  once  i reached this point and in that time i never took a hoilday from my fulltime job and so had about 3 week due to take, used they 3 weeks to go cavnessing everyday and had got £600 of work by the end of 3 week, on the monday i went back work  handed in notice brillant feeling never forget it and have never looked back

[colley614]

Pick his brains where you can and start up on your own

Don't mean to sound big headed but the guy I work for knows nothing of window cleaning although he thinks he knows it all. He has never cleaned a window in his life but was given over £100k in window cleaning work handed to him.
I have spent mosr of my last 10 years working on big commercial contracts so I know exactly what I'm looking at whenever I go to a new site.
I am personally sick of having to explain why this happened and how that works, if everything goes wrong I get a phone call asking what to do so the company expects me to be reactive. Then I try to be proactive and say "well if we do this then that won't happen..." but it falls on deaf ears. I have been told before. your ways good but our way is better. This is the main reason why I have been thinking of starting on my own because I'm sick of being told to do stupid things like reach and wash windows off the top of a ladder and when I refuse they say well if you don't want to work theres the door.

[GDwindowcleaning]

We will get you over 100 for each saturday so you will be in front and have a good base very quickly, and with our payment methods you wont have to lay any money out up front(apart from expenses). Thats if you still want my services lol....

[colley614]

I'll be honest mate. I was dying to call you Friday to get the ball rolling but its the thinking I could get sacked while I need the wage thats put me off. You know what George sod it, lets get the ball rolling!

[ringo1968]

Your doing the right thing by starting by working weekends i did simliar,  i set myself what i was wanting to earn in a day say £100 4x sat month =£400 it took me 6 months  once  i reached this point and in that time i never took a hoilday from my fulltime job and so had about 3 week due to take, used they 3 weeks to go cavnessing everyday and had got £600 of work by the end of 3 week, on the monday i went back work  handed in notice brillant feeling never forget it and have never looked back

   That's my dream as well. I finish fridays at 3pm and Mon- Thurs 4pm (often earlier) and weekends are free. Did you just clean Saturdays?

[colley614]

See the part of my problem is my boss likes to spring on me on a Friday that I'm working all weekend and if I refuse his eyebrow will raise. He has already constructively dismissed 1 person who was refusing to work weekends and another that he thought had his own round at the weekend. He also seems to give himself a pat on the back for doing the dirty on people. He once blew one of our ex employees up for working cash in hand for a few hours a week once. I know its wrong but the guy was on the dole and was only doing it to see if he could get a full time job out of it. Then my boss probably rewarded himself with getting his car valeted.

I don't really want to end up loosing my house over something thats not illegal just because he see's his bum with me and lays me off.

[GDwindowcleaning]

Only you can decide colley, i would work out what i needed to survive and get that amount asap then build from there...

[colley614]

George I reckon I need £580 a month as a personal survival budget. Anything over that would be disposable income, well it would go back into the business.I mean I wouldn't owe it out on bills