[Dean Taberner]

Hi guys,

I've kept this poll simple after reading Lee Burbidges thread on VAT,

Ideally we'd all like an even mix and match between commercial and domestic where ideally cash flow could finance the commercial work and everybody would be happy.

But!

As Lee's thread highlighted, once you do go VAT registered you are at risK of losing the competitive edge that you once had due to the 20% surcharge that you're collecting for the queen.

So.....

I'd like to ask everyone, just out of interest, if you had to choose between sticking to domestic or going for it on commercial, what would you do?

Cheers,

Dean.

[cat9921]

WHAT'S VAT

Is that somethink I need 

[WGB]

Commercial.. would be a lot less stress and messers i would think

[Approved]

Domestic loads of money

[dannymack]

Commercial even more money !!!! lol !!!! 👹

[robertphil]

domestic =  no real stress  

[Simon Mess]

At the moment i am at least 99% domestic, and that, for the foreseeable future, is how i will remain. Heard to many stories about having to wait ages for money, companies going bust while owing window cleaners loads of money, not to mention all the safety reports and other h & s stuff.

There may ultimately be more money in commercial stuff, but i like a simple life

[Dave Willis]

I like commercial for the money but domestic for the banter. Don't like driving very far either. I don't think many sole traders hit the VAT level. Unless like DAZ you're on £60 an hour of course.

Domestic is so easy regarding regs.

[♠Winp®oClean♠]

I've got both but all my commercial is private, hotels, nursing homes, private school etc, no big chain stuff. I also do a lot of mansions, stately homes etc.

My mate is all commercial & I wouldn't work for what he gets paid! I get more for small bungalows than he gets for likes of a NEXT store! He recently told me he was onto a good earner with a University, inside + out. I wouldn't have even done the outsides alone for the same price!

So to answer the question- it would be all "private" commercial for me. However, I'd rather do all domestic if the commercial was chain stuff, shop fronts etc.

[Dave Willis]

Yes, I don't do any shops. My commercial is blocks of flats - good money. Not interested in chain stores or city centre stuff.

[SeanK]

It all depends on the round, if you end up with a round full of bad commercial customers then domestic is
going to look better and vice versa.
A good dependable round is what we are all looking for doesn't matter if it commercial or domestic.

[Dean Taberner]

I think that its fair to say that the chains have died their death after being driven price wise into the ground by companies who haven't got a clue.

We only clean one chain at the moment and that's not through a national company, I'd dread to think what the price would be if it were.

[g.brookes]

The big irony with the chain stores is they claim to use just one supplier to save money.
The national contractor earns £100
the regional subcontractor earns £80
then that gets subcontracted to the local window cleaner for £60 who actually does the job

It makes far more sense to give it direct to the local window cleaner for £80.  The chain store still saves money even though they have to deal with a few more invoices and the local window cleaner actually earns a decent wage.

The whole system is illogical

[Jim Waugh(Albright & Shiny)]

Domestics all the way.. one or two low value customers dropping out does not damage your cash-flow.. One medium commercial account frying could impact heavily on your business. IMHO.

[David Kent @ KentKleen]

99 coke machines springs to mind!

[deeege]

I think that its fair to say that the chains have died their death after being driven price wise into the ground by companies who haven't got a clue.

We only clean one chain at the moment and that's not through a national company, I'd dread to think what the price would be if it were.

I agree in general Dean but there are one or two still out there with very good prices. As you know we clean just for one national firm, great to deal with and imo the prices are very good. We maybe lucky just to have these 2 particular stores at such prices because of their large size.

For all the 'national bashers' on here I'd bet there isn't many that would turn down the chance to clean the 2 stores that we clean, for the prices they pay.

[deeege]

The big irony with the chain stores is they claim to use just one supplier to save money.
The national contractor earns £100
the regional subcontractor earns £80
then that gets subcontracted to the local window cleaner for £60 who actually does the job

It makes far more sense to give it direct to the local window cleaner for £80.  The chain store still saves money even though they have to deal with a few more invoices and the local window cleaner actually earns a decent wage.

The whole system is illogical

We only clean 2 stores for 1 national contractor, not high street.

National Chain > national window cleaning contractor > local cleaners (us).

This system works well as long as the following is true:

Prices are good for the local cleaner.
Payments are regular and on time.
The store management are kept happy by the local window cleaner.

[♠Winp®oClean♠]

I think that its fair to say that the chains have died their death after being driven price wise into the ground by companies who haven't got a clue.

We only clean one chain at the moment and that's not through a national company, I'd dread to think what the price would be if it were.

I agree in general Dean but there are one or two still out there with very good prices. As you know we clean just for one national firm, great to deal with and imo the prices are very good. We maybe lucky just to have these 2 particular stores at such prices because of their large size.

For all the 'national bashers' on here I'd bet there isn't many that would turn down the chance to clean the 2 stores that we clean, for the prices they pay.

Pretty much proves the point- you have "two" stores worth cleaning!

[deeege]

I think that its fair to say that the chains have died their death after being driven price wise into the ground by companies who haven't got a clue.

We only clean one chain at the moment and that's not through a national company, I'd dread to think what the price would be if it were.

I agree in general Dean but there are one or two still out there with very good prices. As you know we clean just for one national firm, great to deal with and imo the prices are very good. We maybe lucky just to have these 2 particular stores at such prices because of their large size.

For all the 'national bashers' on here I'd bet there isn't many that would turn down the chance to clean the 2 stores that we clean, for the prices they pay.

Pretty much proves the point- you have "two" stores worth cleaning!

Eh?

I ONLY clean 2 stores. Both are worth cleaning. I don't know the prices the chaps that clean high streets are getting, but to include all National work under the same umbrella is wrong Imo.

[AuRavelling79]

I do one sub contracting job - it's a quarterly commercial in Avonmouth for a guy who has the national contract. He approached me, came down from oop north, set up the paperwork introduced me to the manager and helped on the first clean.

Plusses -

I get paid within 24 hours of my invoice being emailed.

I can turn up approx every two months during daylight hours 6 am to 6pm and have clearance with security to go straight in on a pre-signed annual work permit.

I can work in light to middling rain if I want to so good for "off days".

Minusses.

Marginal on price. £90. I do the insides trad, Dan does the outside pole. It takes us about 1hr 45 on the glass, 2 hours (4 man hours) including signing in and driving (it is about ten minutes from my general area).

I have no control what happens next year other than to say yay or nay. I might say nay. I might not.