[Ian101]

After another influx of new customers this month and now being only 8 new customers short of my target for this year I have dropped all the add ons - upvc, gutters, connies etc as now only really have the time to do the windows. ..... if a customer asks for a connie roof / upvc clean then fair enough I wont say no but wont go looking for them anymore and have taken all the add ons from the website.

Commercial window cleaning is the new focus for me now (not subby).

If the momentum carries on then will be employing again from early next year but will take a guy on with a driving license this time.

So far this year took on 74 new customers - some from leaflets but mostly from website and referals - not a massive number but been nice and steady allowing me to grow the rounds in a steady fashion.

[Smudger]

What again ?

So you dropping all your pressure washing plans as well ??

Darran

[Matt.]

I understand what your saying there Ian, I am trying to expand into pressure washing but find all my time tied up with window cleaning, similar to your self, if customers ask I will do it but I am not looking for that type of work at the minute, I am currently in the market for new staff but they have to be right person, and not just anyone.
Ideally I would like a young lad who never done this type of work but is keen to get working full time, this way I can train them myself.

[Ian101]

What again ?

So you dropping all your pressure washing plans as well ??

Darran

nope plan to get employee to do boring c@ap windows and im setting a dedicated van up for the pressure washing before spring that I will do ............ like u Darran 

[Ian101]

I understand what your saying there Ian, I am trying to expand into pressure washing but find all my time tied up with window cleaning, similar to your self, if customers ask I will do it but I am not looking for that type of work at the minute, I am currently in the market for new staff but they have to be right person, and not just anyone.
Ideally I would like a young lad who never done this type of work but is keen to get working full time, this way I can train them myself.

yup same here 

[Smudger]

I think you should keep an open mind, up selling the other services a great way to increase your daily income and brings in more revenue p/h than windows, tbh if your employee is doing windows only you'll find all the effort of van, man, wages, insurance not very worthwhile.

Darran

[Smurf]

I suppose the best way to  look at it is to focus on whatever makes you the most profit as you can only physically work so many hours on your own. A lot of the  jobs I do they already have a window cleaner... go figure so it's their loss not mine.

If you want to also offer profitable add-on work then you obviously need to allow the time do be able to offers those services. Having a large round to service regularly you will struggle as you have found out..

[samson]

I hate windows with a vengeance!
Doing really well at the moment with gutter and drive cleaning.  Only reason we kept windows going is to keep us going over the winter months 

[Smurf]

I hate windows with a vengeance!
Doing really well at the moment with gutter and drive cleaning.  Only reason we kept windows going is to keep us going over the winter months 

That is why I only have a small selective round too as if I had to do windows every day it would do my head in..
As they say variety is the spice of life and all that.

[Matt.]

I can make more money per hour doing pressure washing and other bits but a lot of the work is add ons from window cleaning contracts we have so ya can't really say al do that but am leaving ur windows 

I wouldn't be without my pressure washer in the van but if I don't use it from one week to the next that fine.

[Rob@Blast off]

I have now stopped the windows as i just haven't got time anymore due to p/w six days a week plus the money is alot better 
   

[supernova77]

Keep dropping all the window cleaning work guys... It's good for the rest of us 

Window cleaning might get a bit monotonous at times... But you can't beat it for regular repeat work - which means regular repeat £££

Andy

[Smurf]

I look at it this way would you rather do 1 job a day in less time than say 30 to make the same amount...
I know which I prefer how about you?

Many go on how much they can earn per hour which if that is the case window cleaning is probably the lowest paid out of all of the services that a cleaner could offer.

[supernova77]

I look at it this way would you rather do 1 job a day in less time than say 30 to make the same amount...
I know which I prefer how about you?

Many go on how much they can earn per hour which if that is the case window cleaning is probably the lowest paid out of all of the services that a cleaner could offer.

That's fair enough... But how much time (advertising, quoting etc..) do you have to put into getting a one-off pressure washing job?   A window cleaning job is repeat work.

Looking at Aworka my average window cleaning job price is £32.34 (most are 8 weekly cleans)... So obviously I don't have to do 30 jobs a day.

If I was going to get into pressure washing I would do 2 days a week pressure washing / 3 days a week window cleaning so that I always had a good solid basis of repeat work per week plus any money from pressure washing...

Andy

[robbo333]

+1

[Smudger]

Regular windows is the bread and butter of the business - (thankfully I no longer have to do them.)
But it's good solid repeating money.

The cream is the  conservatory, sfg, gutter clean and clears, pressure washing are really nice big hits, but could I survive on them alone, I doubt it,  the more strings to your bow the better

Darran

[dazmond]

each to their own but yes regular repeat window cleaning is more than my "bread and butter" work.its my main income by a mile compared to s/f/g,conny roofs and solar panel cleaning.i can earn  good money with minimal hassle just cleaning my regular round.

add on jobs are harder work and more hassle IME.yes i usually earn more money from them but i dont really push them as im happy with my current workload and see them as "bonus" jobs.

[Matt.]

Come on daz ...... Get in the spirit an take some more work on, am  just at me last job ........

Not to bad only 15 mules from home as well 

[Tom-01]

I hate windows with a vengeance!
Doing really well at the moment with gutter and drive cleaning.  Only reason we kept windows going is to keep us going over the winter months 

How do you get your work Samson? And how many weeks in advance are you generally booked up for?

Tom

[samson]

I hate windows with a vengeance!
Doing really well at the moment with gutter and drive cleaning.  Only reason we kept windows going is to keep us going over the winter months 

How do you get your work Samson? And how many weeks in advance are you generally booked up for?

Tom

To be honest we are behind with the window cleaning,  been really busy with the gutter and driveway pressure washing.    Hired a couple of leafleters and getting some good work from them.
Turning windows down at the moment, but only taking the bigger jobs on.