[deeege]

I love it when people band about big figures,

11k of work ! Cool unless it takes 1000 hours to earn that amount 

Darran

I thought the same.

In one sentence he's throwing figures around of 250,000 panels per year and the next sentence he's saying they have elite subbies doing £6k turnover like that's a big number. (It's not, it's literally nothing) Doesn't really make sense to me.

[telfordwindowclnr]

Quick question!

If your course and certificate are in house training only regulated by yourselves at the minute, what's to stop any other cleaning company from certifying themselves and claiming they are fully trained themselves, promoting this certificate to gain work?

Not having a pop, just curious.

Nothing I suppose. But if challenged or if an accident were to happen, they would probably want to quiz you about your knowledge or look into your 'training course'.  Would be found to be hollow and your course have no substance?

Also, we are well respected and well known throughout the solar industry and not just in the UK anymore. I have articles published in trade magazines and speak at national seminars. Clean Solar Solutions is a recognised brand within the industry. That's why our course and certificate carries weight as opposed to the window cleaner who prints off his own certificate on his desktop PC.

[telfordwindowclnr]

Steve, do you have trained sub contractors in the northwest? Deeege said you already have them in the area? If you do why aren't these interested in the work stated?

Danny

We don't yet have trained subcontractors in the north west, though since this thread has been running, a company from Penrith is coming on the next course, so that area is now covered.

I've said many times that we will only train one company in an area. If I had trained subcontractors in the north west, I would not be asking for more subcontractors there.

[telfordwindowclnr]

Am i missing something here?

I have just read that it will be against the law/h and s legislation or whatever to clean a solar panel commercially unless i have been trained by some lad called Steve whose company only just recently turned over enough money to register for VAT?

WTF!!

LOL

No, you didn't. You need to read it again.

[telfordwindowclnr]

Why wouldnt Steve want trained competent guys subbing from him??
Any one can clean a solar panel yes, but if something did go wrong im guessing without training and a certificate then insurance wouldnt pay out a dime and Stev would be in serious trouble letting a chancer onto a site who kills himself or does thiusands of pounds in damage!
I only take on subbys who have insurance! Only a fool wouldnt. Fair play i say for running in a professional maner. And if the training does cost and Steve earns from it then fair play to have got to that level where he can do that. Maybe learn from him instead of trying to run him down for offering work out to certified subbys.

+1.

Thank you very much Mr Kent! Someone gets it. Hallelujah!

[telfordwindowclnr]

good luck to the guy he's probably put a lot of effort into things so fair play and if people want to pay for it, its their money (I would take it off them), in regards for paying for his course I personally wouldn't pay for a certificate that has as much recognition as my 5 year olds level 2 ducklings swimming cert (also sponsored by Kellogg's )   however you could waste your money even more by spending at Brodex.

That's great P1W1!

But I'd like to emphasise again, it's not about the money, it's about education. 

[telfordwindowclnr]

I've sent THREE messages via the website and ain't heard now't back.
I would like to find out more about training and availability of contracts before the hecklers shut the post down.

Hi Alan.

I have emailed you back already. I will email again later from a different email address in case there's issues. I think IOS9 has messed up the email on my iPad. My apologies.

[telfordwindowclnr]

There's now much discussion about price. Here's the crack on that one.

Will I get ANYONE to clean a residential array for 15p - 25p per panel? No way! That's between £2.40 - £4.00 for a 16 panel system! I'd love to get people working for that because my profit margin would go through the roof!

Prices vary from site to site, depending on what's involved.  Is that a deliberately vague answer? Absolutely it is!

But does the fact that we have trained over 55 people, all of whom now do work for us and are happy to continue to do so, show that we are paying decent money? Absolutely it does!

[8weekly]

There's now much discussion about price. Here's the crack on that one.

Will I get ANYONE to clean a residential array for 15p - 25p per panel? No way! That's between £2.40 - £4.00 for a 16 panel system! I'd love to get people working for that because my profit margin would go through the roof!

Prices vary from site to site, depending on what's involved.  Is that a deliberately vague answer? Absolutely it is!

But does the fact that we have trained over 55 people, all of whom now do work for us and are happy to continue to do so, show that we are paying decent money? Absolutely it does!

If you are giving a deliberately vague answer I personally wouldn't be able to work with someone like that. And the fact that you have 55 subbies may only prove that they are short of work and need to fill hours.

[telfordwindowclnr]

There's now much discussion about price. Here's the crack on that one.

Will I get ANYONE to clean a residential array for 15p - 25p per panel? No way! That's between £2.40 - £4.00 for a 16 panel system! I'd love to get people working for that because my profit margin would go through the roof!

Prices vary from site to site, depending on what's involved.  Is that a deliberately vague answer? Absolutely it is!

But does the fact that we have trained over 55 people, all of whom now do work for us and are happy to continue to do so, show that we are paying decent money? Absolutely it does!

If you are giving a deliberately vague answer I personally wouldn't be able to work with someone like that. And the fact that you have 55 subbies may only prove that they are short of work and need to fill hours.

Do you think I'm going to come on here and publish my pricing matrix?  No.  I won't because I don't need to.
Having over 55 Approved Contractors could also show that they recognise the potential in the market and want to work alongside us.  We have some companies attend who are 30 years+ in the business.  They are not short of work. They are experienced, seasoned businessmen who know a good opportunity when they see it. 

[Rich Wilts]

Steve when you say 'Approved' you mean someone who has paid YOU to go on YOUR course of YOUR design overseen by YOU? Right? Which doesn't stand for much really does it.

I'd like to ask a question. When you start flogging 'courses' (I put it in brackets because approved courses are overseen, they subscribe to a standard that has to be achieved or surpassed and that doesn't happen with your 'courses') who overseas that what you're selling and how you are operating are done in a legal and competent manner? That the service you supply and information you teach is correct. Also if it was proven that an operative was either seriously injured or killed as a direct result of mis-information supplied by yourself or your company where would the victims family stand in a compensation point of view. Where would your business stand. And where would you personally stand knowing that in a given situation that person had been killed because of a poorly managed setup that was your conception?

[Plankton]

Where has this poorly managed setup came from!

I used ti drive hgv's carrying dangerous gases such as acetylene, have you ever seen the damage an acetylene cylinder can cause!

Health and safety is about managing risks, how many on here have completed a manual handling course recently?
Lifting 20-25 kg containers in and out of vehicles and onto trolleys. Filling your backpack from a 25l container could cause serious damage to your back. If you or your employees don't have manual handling training then you are in danger of breaching health and safety, you will be liable in the event your employees back gives up!

How many are taking risks every day without knowing due to having a poorly managed setup??

[Mike #1]

Whether you're short of work or just looking to boost income  over some spare days in the month .

Some are willing to give it a go and some aren't  everyone is different .

Depends on your perception of things more money could possibly made window cleaning in a day in some cases that might be the case or it might not be .

Now that's a vague answer 

[Og]

I've done the training day and it paid for itself quite quickly. Price per panel will very from ground to roof arrays and size of array.

Don't know what all the fuss is about?

[Rich Wilts]

What did you learn Og in the training day that you didn't know previously?

[Og]

I discovered there were a few things that I hadn't considered or come across, with regards to the cleaning of panels.
I shan't bore you with details and besides, I'd like to maintain a good relationship with clean solar solutions.

[Smudger]

Matt - love the post, but sure you'll get an answer, much like myself I'm interested in the broader topic of the training and its merits alas Steve seems unwilling to discuss either here or via email

As a note - all my staff have manual handling and working at height certs. They are also crb checked all these are required for clients, the difference is they are all official.

A few years back I was told on here that you couldn't get any commercial work unless you were safe contractor approved you also needed to be a member of the FWC - thus far in 6 years I've never needed either to get the work I was after, I'm sure when the time comes and actively approach solar farms the same will apply...

Og - and you are ??

Darran

[Bungle]

I love it when people band about big figures,

11k of work ! Cool unless it takes 1000 hours to earn that amount 

Darran

Some mugs about 

[8weekly]

I love it when people band about big figures,

11k of work ! Cool unless it takes 1000 hours to earn that amount 

Darran

Some mugs about 

Solar Steve's counting on it. 

[Nick Day]

Very strange business model. An intelligent guy spends three years studying and acquires a huge amount  of knowledge about a subject. Rather than employ or franchise, decides to sell his intellectual property, all he has learnt for approx £250.00 .
We now have at least 55 sub-contractors...tomorrows contractors, available to sell on or use all that has been  taught.I can see websites being made now with "fully certified and approved" in their headings.
Ironically Steve cannot do this...the HSE frown upon self certification.
I am waiting for the first of them to put the information in writing and selling it. It could be a nice Christmas bonus for some one.
The certified can now be teachers!!
To get this info for that money, seems like a bargain to me.
With franchising and employment, the franchisees and employed are desperate for the franchisor or employer to succeed, with this model the sub contractors are hoping for the demise of the contractor, to step in his boots.
Like I said...strange business model.