[AuRavelling79]

1. Mrs D. - Never turned me away in 15 years, comes out with rubber gloves on and tells me she's cleaning out the fishpond, there's mud everywhere and she doesn't want them done this time please.

2. Mrs C. - I want my gutters and soffits cleaning and sucked out and conny roof done. I tell Dan the Man the job is his - he must quote it; I won't help him but will take £25 for "costs" - he quotes and gets the job at £150! (3 bed semi) books it in for 3 weeks and she says "you might as well leave it today if it's all being done then!"

3. Mr T. Old boy - losing it. "You were here on the 15th of June, that's only a bit over 3 weeks - I don't want them doing til next week. He shows me his calendar marked "windows 15th June" I explain that the 15th June was a Sunday  and that I cleaned them on the 12th June (showed him "George" to prove it.)

He says he wants them doing every 6 weeks/ I don't do six weeks, you can go 8 weeks. Ok he says. But it'll be £12 not £10 I say. Why? Because there will be twice as much dirt on them. Oh I don't know he says. Take it or leave it Mr T, I've got a lot of work to get through. OK he says.

In true CIU fashion of course I got an extra bit of commercial which I did on the spot as my existing customer had taken over the adjoining unit, which compensated for my losses.

And of course DtM is happy because he'll get £125 for about 5 hours work 3 weeks on Friday.

I'm too soft!   

[Tom White]

And of course DtM is happy because he'll get £125 for about 5 hours work 3 weeks on Friday.

You'll spoil him.

It shouldn't take him 5 hours to clean the gutters either; not on a 3 bed semi.  Even if he uses ladders to scrape them out and then wash them down with a pole.

About half that time; maybe not even.

[AuRavelling79]

And of course DtM is happy because he'll get £125 for about 5 hours work 3 weeks on Friday.

You'll spoil him.

It shouldn't take him 5 hours to clean the gutters either; not on a 3 bed semi.  Even if he uses ladders to scrape them out and then wash them down with a pole.

About half that time; maybe not even.

It gets worse, Tosh! He gets to use my guttervac!

[Roy Harding]

The danger I have found in the past is, when you start letting workers do jobs with nearly all the money. They start to think I could do this and have all the money all the time.

Hope it does not turn out like that.

Roy

[LT carpet cleaning]

The danger I have found in the past is, when you start letting workers do jobs with nearly all the money. They start to think I could do this and have all the money all the time.

Hope it does not turn out like that.

Roy

Pay them properly then.

[davids3511]

The danger I have found in the past is, when you start letting workers do jobs with nearly all the money. They start to think I could do this and have all the money all the time.

Hope it does not turn out like that.

Roy

Pay them properly then.

Yes, but whatever you pay them it isn't as rewarding as doing it for yourself. DtM is being taught how to be self employed.

[Window Lickers]

DtMs family. It's hardly surprising.

[Roy Harding]

The danger I have found in the past is, when you start letting workers do jobs with nearly all the money. They start to think I could do this and have all the money all the time.

Hope it does not turn out like that.

Roy

Pay them properly then.

In this instance The job is £125 for 5 hours work that's £25 per hour not many employers pay that rate in window cleaning business. As Tosh said it will take more like 3 hours work that's £41.66 per hour.

If you pay that rate per hour your a better bloke than me, but I have been only trading 30yrs and are still learning.

Roy

[LT carpet cleaning]

The danger I have found in the past is, when you start letting workers do jobs with nearly all the money. They start to think I could do this and have all the money all the time.

Hope it does not turn out like that.

Roy

Pay them properly then.

In this instance The job is £125 for 5 hours work that's £25 per hour not many employers pay that rate in window cleaning business. As Tosh said it will take more like 3 hours work that's £41.66 per hour.

If you pay that rate per hour your a better bloke than me, but I have been only trading 30yrs and are still learning.

Roy

Well done, you've been trading 30 years. The medal is on the way. If you read my original comment I wasn't talking about the private job that Gold gave his employee. I was talking about your comment suggesting employees get ideas above their station.

Your scenario is akin to the old doffing the hat and saying thank you guvnor is the way it should be.

[Roy Harding]

I appreciate what your saying. But in the past I have paid very good money, and still employees will moonlight. But I think you will agree its human nature to always want more. And I have personally experienced this.

I was just making the comment that you tend to loose workers after a while, because they feel they can clean and have all the money. There is nothing wrong with people bettering them selves and having a better wage. But in my experience it is a mistake.

As for the medal thanks, I have been there done it, and still will be cleaning when many will have fallen by the way side.

Roy

[LT carpet cleaning]

I appreciate what your saying. But in the past I have paid very good money, and still employees will moonlight. But I think you will agree its human nature to always want more. And I have personally experienced this.

I was just making the comment that you tend to loose workers after a while, because they feel they can clean and have all the money. There is nothing wrong with people bettering them selves and having a better wage. But in my experience it is a mistake.

As for the medal thanks, I have been there done it, and still will be cleaning when many will have fallen by the way side.

Roy

Haha. I guess there is a class of worker that genuinely does just want to earn a wage and go home at the end of the day with no worries. If their happy, then fine. Surely anyone with a degree of self worth and a workers attitude would want to better themselves straight away and earn decent money.

Would be difficult hanging on to these people I should imagine.

[AuRavelling79]

Sigh ...

DtM is my son-in-law; I have way too much work and I hate doing conny roofs and gutter cleans. I don't look for them and they are a tiresome chore to me which I used to do to keep my custies happy. Often my daughter will work with him on these jobs. It is a nice bonus where instead of £10 an hour (plus bonuses) he/they can get some really good dosh for them.

He works 4 days a week for me - I have said he can do any gutter/conny roofs using the van and tools on a Friday. I just want my costs covered so I take about £25 for fuel + wear and tear. The jobs don't go towards the bonus turnover.

I have the highest respect for what Roy says, and if this was a normal boss/employee relationship I would agree. But it's not.

[AuRavelling79]

BTW> Tosh - DtM is a "steady worker" - he picked up the van at 8am and returned it at 2pm by the time he had cleaned out the guttervac and put it back it was about 2.30. So 5 and half hours of his time. Still good money mind.

[davids3511]

Sigh ...

DtM is my son-in-law; I have way too much work and I hate doing conny roofs and gutter cleans. I don't look for them and they are a tiresome chore to me which I used to do to keep my custies happy. Often my daughter will work with him on these jobs. It is a nice bonus where instead of £10 an hour (plus bonuses) he/they can get some really good dosh for them.

He works 4 days a week for me - I have said he can do any gutter/conny roofs using the van and tools on a Friday. I just want my costs covered so I take about £25 for fuel + wear and tear. The jobs don't go towards the bonus turnover.

I have the highest respect for what Roy says, and if this was a normal boss/employee relationship I would agree. But it's not.

Is the eventual plan for him to go it alone with him being family?

[Roy Harding]

I have the highest respect for what Roy says, and if this was a normal boss/employee relationship I would agree. But it's not.

I did not know Dan was your son in law, and I have family work, and it is different. So please except my apologies. If ever we catch up I will tell you how a employee that I trusted worked one on me.

regards Roy     

[AuRavelling79]

Is the eventual plan for him to go it alone with him being family?

I don't think he is the "self employed type" at the moment - I could see him being a van "leader" with an assistant and me using the smaller van for the easier cream jobs on a part time basis on the glass.

[davids3511]

Sigh ...

Dan is my son-in-law; I have way too much work and I hate doing conny roofs and gutter cleans. I don't look for them and they are a tiresome chore to me which I used to do to keep my custies happy. Often my daughter will work with him on these jobs. It is a nice bonus where instead of £10 an hour (plus bonuses) he/they can get some really good dosh for them.

Dan works 4 days a week for me - I have said he can do any gutter/conny roofs using the van and tools on a Friday. I just want my costs covered so I take about £25 for fuel + wear and tear. The jobs don't go towards the bonus turnover.

I have the highest respect for what Roy says, and if this was a normal boss/employee relationship I would agree. But it's not.

Is the eventual plan for him to go it alone with him being family?

I don't think he is the "self employed type" at the moment - I could see him being a van "leader" with an assistant and me using the smaller van for the easier cream jobs on a part time basis on the glass.

It's different with family. Whatever extra they earn feeds down to your daughter and (maybe?) grandchildren. Not that I wouldn't want staff to do well but I'd be rooting for family more.