[Gary f]

Priced job @ 12 back and front, did windows a while back .. Today in talking hows thing going . Got round to talking about cleaning she says I hope you dont mind but I thought you too dear.. I did 3 windows front, cleaned porch and her bit of fascia above porch. 3 windows and 2 patio and 1 above garage. friend across way has hers done for £8 and is detached.

Done waterpole she says done great job of frames? done me head in totally. Have i any chance of building a new round?

[Steve Sed]

Why doesn't she use the £8 guy then?

[bobplum]

the question is what does the house across the road get for £8.00,ie is it water pole if not then explain the big difference,if she still mumbles about price than this is a price client,ie only interested in the price not the service and quality.
make sure your not to dear for your area it may be that £10.00 is the right price
but if you want £12.00 then stick at £12.00 and it may be that job will disappear in a few months or drop to £10.00 and keep it for 12 months

[Gary f]

This neighbour worries about us moving and she said finally a window cleaner I can trust? lived next to them 13 years just goes to show you dont really know your neighbours.

Struggling to get going as converted trailer sytem to use out of car, nightmare.

Thinking of quitting and sticking to driving job that I hate?

A few customers but seems twice as hard as when I had round 15 years ago? Frustrated as i hate my job

[G Griffin]

Don't let one person put you off. She only said you were too dear, anyway; it's not that bad. 
She also said she could trust you, which would be more important to me than being dear.
A little communication with her might reassure you (or her) about your pricing.
Don't be over sensitive and emphasise that you offer value for money, despite being more expensive.

[TomCrowther]

You have to toughen up and be prepared for an uphill struggle to get the business going. We all had setbacks in the early days and just have to keep going. I remember one quote I did, i might have posted on here about it as I couldn't believe it.
Massive house, double fronted, three floor atrium type thing at the front, plus lots of other windows at the front, windows on both sides and a floating glass wall across the back downstairs. I quoted £50 which wasn't overpriced {as I know now, but wasn't sure then}. The guy told me he would get the window cleaner he uses at work {property developer} and he would be happy with £6.00.
I thought I 'm never going to make any money at this game. Three years later, while not exactly in Bill gates league, I am glad I stuck at it and you will be too, if you price right and do a good job. Keep leafletting/canvassing and you can't go wrong. Also, keep your kit working properly.

[mac74]

Forget the driving job (used to do hgv 1 tankers, hated it!) stick with it mate and it will come good. Its easy to get down hearted with this but its a numbers game, u would knock a few doors down and someone would prob tell u that it seems cheap?? It just goes like that?  Its always the bad one u tend to remember! What system u using?

[Gary f]

I have  made  my own pump box Ionics pump and simple water adjuster. Works fine but very easy to get airlocks.

Got large Ionics pole cae with trailer so ade a Harris pole and some attachments similiar to Wagga . Cheap brush and put some jets in works ok, will need van to move forward and a CLX 27 ft.. Anyone selling one reasonable price I would love to have one.

Will persevere but got to earn big this year as had big bill from something else. Looking to add to kit and add van. Only do Staurdays and learning how and not what to do.

Will be more full on when finances dictate probably next year Jan and Feb when driving dips.

Always looking for support as these was the last people who I thought would judge by price?

Fronts min £6 houses min £10 or therabouts

[Londoner]

Do not bother about it, do not even give it a second thought. You think you are in the business of cleaning windows. Thats wrong, you are in the business of dealing with the wonderful public.

Over time you will come across all sorts and get everything said to you that its possible to have said about your window cleaning.

Just say OK fine and move on. As much as I hate quoting the words of songs "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger"

[Gary f]

My thoughts are there loss will be someone elses gain!!

Been offered cheap Ford Escort what is Max these can carry? got 12 months MOT and recon engine.


Best small van option anyone or would you go straight to Transit

[Steve Sed]

I had a Escort 55 for my first year. Good little van. Basic, but fit for purpose. Paid £500 with 150,000 miles and sold for same.

[Paul Coleman]

Priced job @ 12 back and front, did windows a while back .. Today in talking hows thing going . Got round to talking about cleaning she says I hope you dont mind but I thought you too dear.. I did 3 windows front, cleaned porch and her bit of fascia above porch. 3 windows and 2 patio and 1 above garage. friend across way has hers done for £8 and is detached.

Done waterpole she says done great job of frames? done me head in totally. Have i any chance of building a new round?

Presumably your neighbour has never run a small business.  She (and presumably the other window cleaner) thinks in terms of labour charges.  You think in terms of profit after all your outgoings.  I don't know what she would have said to me.  £12 is my minimum charge for new residential work and I'm thinking of upping that soon.  It sounds like the windows you cleaned were 7 windows plus two patio doors plus some porch glass..  That sounds about right to me if the access was OK.  The facia would have been extra with me unless it was a good Christmas tipper.

[dazmond]

i wouldnt give your job up if i were you if one comment from a neighbour is putting you off building a business.if you have   big bills and stuff to pay then starting from scratch is very hard.

my advice would be to keep building some work that you can clean when not doing your regular job and save as much money as you can in the next 12 months to invest in a cheap second hand van,3 months money to cover bills and money to buy a small round to start you off properly then canvass and leaflet like mad for 6 months.

one things for sure it takes a few years to get  a good reliable customer base together so you can pay the bills on time and have extra money to invest in new equipment etc.


best wishes


dazmond

[windiewasher]

Dont worry move on and get more work.get some leaflets printed and pick up more work.
Your neighbour will want them doing again.say sorry every 4 weeks or nothing.

[Paul Coleman]

One reason why many window cleaners don't work for neighbours.  I had similar when I first started.  They hadn't been cleaned for years and she saw one tiny mark that hadn't come off (trad cleaning back then).  It turned it that it was something that was permanently etched into the glass.

[mister bit]

never work for neighbours, friends or family! My mum pays £3 for her window cleaning and gives the poor old window cleaner some right grief!

Suck it up and get out door knocking listen to some self help confidence tapes/cds to give yourself a bit of self belief. It'll be the best thing you ever did.

You don't need all the kit just build it up as you go along I still have my Harris pole with vikan brush silicon tubing and still use it. Brilliant bit of kit for bungalows!
 just keep building up and working your way up to that clx.

Mark yourself highly for the ingenuity you are showing never have self doubt that you haven't got the right kit ... don't knock yourself be your biggest fan you're out there doing and that my friend makes you a winner ... the dave beckham of window cleaning ... you get my drift

Call me mr motivator!

[Tomboler]

It's all part of the apprenticeship, helps with developing a thick skin in the long run. Listening to some self belief tapes (good idea mister bit) and reading stuff like 'The Magic of Thinking Big' with a pinch of 'who gives a toss what your neighbour thinks', mix it up, keep going regardless and you'll be fine.

I clean the majority of the houses in my street by the way & not one of them for £8