[Stoots]

I want to earn enough money to re invest into the business to earn more money and eventually get to the point where i can buy a few properties.

I would like to be able to have a home both here and abroad and be free enough to travel etc so i suppose less hands on and more managerial eventually.

But in the short term turnover as much as poss as a one man band without killing myself, mon-fri 9-5 with the odd day off sounds about right, probaably take me about 3 years to get to that limit then i will think about whats next, maybe go intodifferent areas of cleaning or another business entirely as long as theres continual growth and a life balance along the way.


I think the key is to not work more hours as whats the point in earning money you cant enjoy? the key is to invest your money into something that pays when you arent doing anything.

[dazmond]

Im content with my life....my aim is to stay that way. Anything else personally is irrelevant

i understand where your coming from gary.im content with my life and work in general.i reckon ive reached a very comfortable position BUT there is always a bit of me that wants to push on a bit and make the most of my working life now.to save and invest for the future.

ive spent many years in this game but to be honest i hardly made any money for the first 17 years!enough to get by on(just!)but its only the last few years im making a half decent living out of window cleaning.

[richywilts]

Richy,

I get a lot come in through the website. Also I had 45,000 leaflets distributed in January, just before the first 2 came on board. Number 3 is starting this month so I'll have another leaflet drop to speed things up a bit. I needed £12.5k worth of annual growth to break even on the cost of the leaflets. Didn't quite get that in repeat custom, but we surpassed this, taking into account big one off cleans.


nice one im starting to pay attention to my business again been renovating a house for last four months so let the business sort of just plod along my year end is september tho and really want to begin pushing it again may consider mass leaflet drops myself ive been doing a bit but the weather is killing me to warm

Cheers

[sunshine windows]

Cost of leaflets was £2.5k printed and delivered. I get 20% on any work the franchisee's do hence £12.5k return needed to break even.

I also gained some new customers off the back of this too though

[Ian101]

Cost of leaflets was £2.5k printed and delivered. I get 20% on any work the franchisee's do hence £12.5k return needed to break even.

I also gained some new customers off the back of this too though

its a numbers game 

[Matt.]

Dazmond, I dont get up in the morning an think right .............. Am going for it today, an there nothin guna stop me 

I have some big customers and I have came home earlier than I expected tonight coz I had enough, just got out the shower now.

Sometimes on a night shift 10pm - 4am I can earn £300 - £400 easy pressure washing or I have jobs were we have to go onto site and clean kitchen ceiling and walls which can pay me £500 for the same time.

Even doin window cleaning through the night on commercial properties can pay £350, it's just a killer when you have to do a day - night - day shift but sometimes there's nothin ya can do.

I have a job I been delaying in Manchester when it starts in next few weeks come along an do a day or so for me........ It's always nice to put a pic to a name tag.

And you seem like a nice guy..............  even tho you from Manchester 

[Rich Wilts]

Carry on as you are Matty and you'll be Matty Long-Gong not Matty Logan.

[Matt.]

Carry on as you are Matty and you'll be Matty Long-Gong not Matty Logan.

Haha funny mate I like it but I hate to disappoint you............ Am feeling on top of the world since I had kidney stones removed a few years ago ....... They was holding me back 


In 10 years time I be 48 and matty on the beach in Spain who's running the bar over there 

[Rich Wilts]

In 10 years time I be 48 and matty on the beach in Spain who's running the bar over there 

Good luck on that. Sounds like something to strive for.

[deeege]

Im content with my life....my aim is to stay that way. Anything else personally is irrelevant

i understand where your coming from gary.im content with my life and work in general.i reckon ive reached a very comfortable position BUT there is always a bit of me that wants to push on a bit and make the most of my working life now.to save and invest for the future.

ive spent many years in this game but to be honest i hardly made any money for the first 17 years!enough to get by on(just!)but its only the last few years im making a half decent living out of window cleaning.

Feel free to ignore if you want Daz, but what do you do for setting up for the future? All these 5* hotels must be great but who will be paying your rent when your 65 and don't own your own property? Not having a dig, just curious.

[chris turner]

I was at one of my commercials yesterday and got chatting to the works engineer he is 66 and going to retire next year when his youngest finishes Uni. So he is working (I guess 50K a year plus his state pension) past current retirement age.

He said to me "I wish I could go part time" and "You've got it sussed you can just drop a day, then another then just do one day a week. Saves on Gym membership too!" he said.

I didn't let on I only do 13/15 days a month at 36K a year turnover which is probably a similar hourly rate to him - but no works pension like him of course.

I could do more but it's enough to be honest. In fact I'm looking to ease back to about 33K from 12 days now. I might see if Dan wants a bit more and/or drop the irritant custies by putting prices up.

My situation is identical to yours Granville.
I work 4 days a week, keeping a day free for any add ons or to cover for extreme weather, or simply for a day off.
I turnover around 35k on my own doing around 8-10 jobs a day.
I start around 9am and finish around 2-3pm, apart from 1day a week where I have shop work and start earlier.

I'm happy as I am, I like an easy life. I would rather be at the park with my little ones at 4pm then working my butt off still.
Me and the missis pull in close to 50k take home a year between us which is more then enough to pay the bills, go out for a meal and cinema most weekends, take the kids out a few times a month, enjoy the odd holiday.
I could go much further if I wanted and I know that. I turn away a lot of new jobs now, why would I want to work harder?
Iv found my comfort level and I'm happy to remain there, for now at least.

Of course some on here are very ambitious, want or have multiple employees/vans, large turnover and want the finer things in life. Kudos to them.
Its nothing to be jealous or envious of and I don't have any more respect for them as I do for the one man band earning 20-30k a year. As long as there happy with what there doing/earning then that's all that matters.

[Matt.]

I agree with what you say Chris,

 am not a massive company am just very ambitious, I have 1 window cleaner as well as myself and I have 8 part time cleaners working on commercial sites for me.

I don't need the extra work for financial reasons and I don't received any more money per week in my pocket, wether I work 1 hour or 100 hours it all goes direct to the company, I am simply on a salary that am happy with.

Long hours arnt the best but I like to challenge myself, it's to late now for me to be thinking about family time as mine are now 17 an 21, and am on the back end of my mortgage so see it out and then al sell up me business and swap it for a bar in the sun

[Leeds]

My plan is to work 3 days a week, have three part time workers also doing 3 days a week.

Turnover £100k, and take home for myself £60k. I think its possible, and on part time, it's not too shabby.

[deeege]

My plan is to work 3 days a week, have three part time workers also doing 3 days a week.

Turnover £100k, and take home for myself £60k. I think its possible, and on part time, it's not too shabby.

£40k per year to pay for 3 x part timers wages + expenses? Good luck with that. You must be all trad and use bicycles as transport.

[KS Cleaning]

45k on domestics turnover would still give you round about 35k plus take home if not slightly more, there isn't much running cost once you bought the equipment

I think the figure that a 1 man band so to speak should be targeting is 1k per week if you have the custom, it may be hard some weeks but others will pull up the short ones, this would give u 5 days to sort it out and Saturday if ya running late

Take home 35k from 45k turnover Have you forgot about the dreaded tax and NI?

[dazmond]

Im content with my life....my aim is to stay that way. Anything else personally is irrelevant

i understand where your coming from gary.im content with my life and work in general.i reckon ive reached a very comfortable position BUT there is always a bit of me that wants to push on a bit and make the most of my working life now.to save and invest for the future.

ive spent many years in this game but to be honest i hardly made any money for the first 17 years!enough to get by on(just!)but its only the last few years im making a half decent living out of window cleaning.

Feel free to ignore if you want Daz, but what do you do for setting up for the future? All these 5* hotels must be great but who will be paying your rent when your 65 and don't own your own property? Not having a dig, just curious.

i think ill be moving in with my girlfriend then and give up my "man cave"!

to be honest danny i dont really think/worry about it.ive never been bothered about owning my own house.im happy paying a peppercorn rent.easy life!

no kids and none planned.

its good to hear from all you other cleaners.were all at different stages of life with different needs/wants/ideas.

[Frankybadboy]

The way I am going I be working 0 days and just have one long weekend

Who needs money

[Dave Willis]

I rekon you'll be paying about the same tax as Dazmond then Franky 


I'm thinking of aiming for 45k a year too - about time I took my foot off the pedal.

[Mick Kent]

I rekon you'll be paying about the same tax as Dazmond then Franky 


I'm thinking of aiming for 45k a year too - about time I took my foot off the pedal.

 

[gary999]

Im content with my life....my aim is to stay that way. Anything else personally is irrelevant

i understand where your coming from gary.im content with my life and work in general.i reckon ive reached a very comfortable position BUT there is always a bit of me that wants to push on a bit and make the most of my working life now.to save and invest for the future.

ive spent many years in this game but to be honest i hardly made any money for the first 17 years!enough to get by on(just!)but its only the last few years im making a half decent living out of window cleaning.

Feel free to ignore if you want Daz, but what do you do for setting up for the future? All these 5* hotels must be great but who will be paying your rent when your 65 and don't own your own property? Not having a dig, just curious.

He will be fine...with no property to sell to pay for his care in old age...the government or more precisely you will be picking up the tab