[Johnny B]

After all the high winds and rain, and all they threw at the windows these last 2-3 weeks, I finally returned to doing my residentials this week.

I am trad, and near OCD with it. I have nearly driven myself insane this week in trying to get the windows perfect. I've had no problems with the main glass, but when detailing the edges, they have been a royal nightmare to get right! The squeegee blade was new, and the cloths were clean, yet there has been a greasy line around the edges which I was finding almost impossible to completely eradicate by wiping.

I always take my time, but this week has been ridiculous. It's been taking at least twice as long, and even then I have not been happy with the results. I have not had a single complaint, but I do take extreme pride in doing a good job, and so I am very anxious that it stays that way. I am not too far from the sea (Atlantic Ocean) so it's likely to be the salt getting into the beading, as I don't have this problem under normal weather conditions.

I spent some time this weekend re-training myself on my own windows, and have been telling myself over and over to not touch what looks clean, and only to spot-detail where it is needed!

I'm now looking forward to tomorrow with renewed energy and enthusiasm!

Best wishes all,
John.
 





 

[martin hulstone]

Best of luck to you, i admire you for still being traditional, its almost a dying trade now, i loved it but gout and tendanites in my feet stopped me( nothing in last three years since climbing ladders) so obviously i enjoy wfp now.

[jk999]

Would  never go back to trad cleaning, if that was the only way to do it I would rather do something  else

[NWH]

I have a freind who is traditional 100% still works from his car etc and about 4/5 years ago gave up trying to convince him to ditch the ladders and go WFP but there's no convincing him ,he has some really good work that should only be done WFP and I don't know how he gets away with doing it trad by law TBH. If you are a really fussy or  ocd window cleaner IMO your in the wrong job,I've been doing the job long enough  to know people's expectations and it's not 100% perfection it's clean windows frames and sills yes but it's not like they have just been fitted every clean. Around 10-12 years ago the pole was laugh at and people used to say it won't last the ladder and bucket window cleaner is here forever but when you look to the future in say another 10-12 years what would you say now. The reality IMO is that if your not WFP in years to come you'll struggle coz people these days don't want they expect roof  velux and other  Windows to be cleaned everytime,don't forget as time moves on you'll be cleaning windows of mostly a new generation and turning up and doing half the Windows won't be good enough. In truth when I speak to customers who have had me over the trad cleaner always say they only kept him on coz they felt sorry for him and thought he was a nice bloke we didn't used to mind him missing the 3rd story stuff but the house over the road always got all the Windows cleaned on there house so we thought we'd have a change.

[Smurf]

After all the high winds and rain, and all they threw at the windows these last 2-3 weeks, I finally returned to doing my residentials this week.

I am trad, and near OCD with it. I have nearly driven myself insane this week in trying to get the windows perfect. I've had no problems with the main glass, but when detailing the edges, they have been a royal nightmare to get right! The squeegee blade was new, and the cloths were clean, yet there has been a greasy line around the edges which I was finding almost impossible to completely eradicate by wiping.

I always take my time, but this week has been ridiculous. It's been taking at least twice as long, and even then I have not been happy with the results. I have not had a single complaint, but I do take extreme pride in doing a good job, and so I am very anxious that it stays that way. I am not too far from the sea (Atlantic Ocean) so it's likely to be the salt getting into the beading, as I don't have this problem under normal weather conditions.

I spent some time this weekend re-training myself on my own windows, and have been telling myself over and over to not touch what looks clean, and only to spot-detail where it is needed!

I'm now looking forward to tomorrow with renewed energy and enthusiasm!

Best wishes all,
John.

Don't wish to put downer on your renewed energy and enthusiasm for tomorrow but the weather will only get worse over the next 4 months. Being trad only and near OCD is a bad combination if you ask me.

[windowswashed]

Would  never go back to trad cleaning, if that was the only way to do it I would rather do something  else

I feel the same way, only trad internal office windows now. Would prefer to get away from outdoor related work all together and work PAYE in a trade again.

[martin hulstone]

I have a freind who is traditional 100% still works from his car etc and about 4/5 years ago gave up trying to convince him to ditch the ladders and go WFP but there's no convincing him ,he has some really good work that should only be done WFP and I don't know how he gets away with doing it trad by law TBH. If you are a really fussy or  ocd window cleaner IMO your in the wrong job,I've been doing the job long enough  to know people's expectations and it's not 100% perfection it's clean windows frames and sills yes but it's not like they have just been fitted every clean. Around 10-12 years ago the pole was laugh at and people used to say it won't last the ladder and bucket window cleaner is here forever but when you look to the future in say another 10-12 years what would you say now. The reality IMO is that if your not WFP in years to come you'll struggle coz people these days don't want they expect roof  velux and other  Windows to be cleaned everytime,don't forget as time moves on you'll be cleaning windows of mostly a new generation and turning up and doing half the Windows won't be good enough. In truth when I speak to customers who have had me over the trad cleaner always say they only kept him on coz they felt sorry for him and thought he was a nice bloke we didn't used to mind him missing the 3rd story stuff but the house over the road always got all the Windows cleaned on there house so we thought we'd have a change.

I think your comment is very unfair, who are you to tell someone how to do there job which he says he does very well, its a personal choice for customers. The fact he has a business suggests to me his customers are happy with the service he provides.  I am wfp and would never go back but is so unfair on you to make judgements against this mans professionalism because he has stayed traditional!

[Smurf]

I have a freind who is traditional 100% still works from his car etc and about 4/5 years ago gave up trying to convince him to ditch the ladders and go WFP but there's no convincing him ,he has some really good work that should only be done WFP and I don't know how he gets away with doing it trad by law TBH. If you are a really fussy or  ocd window cleaner IMO your in the wrong job,I've been doing the job long enough  to know people's expectations and it's not 100% perfection it's clean windows frames and sills yes but it's not like they have just been fitted every clean. Around 10-12 years ago the pole was laugh at and people used to say it won't last the ladder and bucket window cleaner is here forever but when you look to the future in say another 10-12 years what would you say now. The reality IMO is that if your not WFP in years to come you'll struggle coz people these days don't want they expect roof  velux and other  Windows to be cleaned everytime,don't forget as time moves on you'll be cleaning windows of mostly a new generation and turning up and doing half the Windows won't be good enough. In truth when I speak to customers who have had me over the trad cleaner always say they only kept him on coz they felt sorry for him and thought he was a nice bloke we didn't used to mind him missing the 3rd story stuff but the house over the road always got all the Windows cleaned on there house so we thought we'd have a change.

I think your comment is very unfair, who are you to tell someone how to do there job which he says he does very well, its a personal choice for customers. The fact he has a business suggests to me his customers are happy with the service he provides.  I am wfp and would never go back but is so unfair on you to make judgements against this mans professionalism because he has stayed traditional!

I think NWH had some valid comments in his post myself.

[martin hulstone]

How? for a start i have to get ladders out to clean most velux as they are on too sharp an angle!

[martin hulstone]

On second thoughts after reading that it's mostly b.....C&S and drivel.

[martin hulstone]

H&s, how could he possibly know what he does ! For all we know he could clean bungalows or pontins chalets,  I still have public liability on ladders to 45 feet( not that I use it) but may for awkward gutter blockages.

[Smurf]

How? for a start i have to get ladders out to clean most velux as they are on too sharp an angle!

H&s, how could he possibly know what he does ! For all we know he could clean bungalows or pontins chalets,  I still have public liability on ladders to 45 feet( not that I use it) but may for awkward gutter blockages.

Like trad method be it by ladders or trad pole are just tools for the job. It's down to the individual how they want to work and what tools they use as we are responsible for our own safety formost. However at the end of the day having a ladder minimisation policy in place helps reduces the risk of a fall especially if you employe staff.

Most trad windy's also recognised adding wfp method can increase profitability and open up a whole new revenue stream. That’s why most would say they would never go back to trad method only.

As far as being ocd that’s not a bad thing up to a point as we all like to do the best job we can for the reward but when it starts making you ill or effecting how much you earn then you need to sit down and have a good think of your options. 

[Johnny B]

Hi guys, thanks for all your replies, I really do appreciate them all, and I would agree that they are positive and helpful.

My situation is this: I've been in this game nearly 19 years, I will be 54 next year and in excellent physical health. You could say I am set in my ways, as I have looked into going the waterfed pole route on numerous occasions, only to conclude that it's not for me as I would prefer to keep things very simple. It just looks too complicated to me and I still enjoy tradding. As I said in my initial post, I take my time, which means as well as taking time on the glass, I also take great care to ensure that I am safe on the ladders. I use a trad pole on velux windows where necessary, and only avoid windows that are inaccessible (I always inform and agree this with the customer before proceeding).

My ethos is that I expect my standards to exceed that of customers. This maybe puts some pressure on myself to perform above and beyond their expectations, but I would personally prefer this over doing a substandard job, and receiving complaints.  On the other hand, it's nice to get commendation, which often leads to recommendation!

I was beginning to worry that I was losing the ability to to an excellent job, and so decided to 're-train' myself, both in physically cleaning, and in my mental approach to it. I am confident that I have now sorted these issues, and look forward to being in top form tomorrow!

John

[Smurf]

Hi guys, thanks for all your replies, I really do appreciate them all, and I would agree that they are positive and helpful.

My situation is this: I've been in this game nearly 19 years, I will be 54 next year and in excellent physical health. You could say I am set in my ways, as I have looked into going the waterfed pole route on numerous occasions, only to conclude that it's not for me as I would prefer to keep things very simple. It just looks too complicated to me and I still enjoy tradding. As I said in my initial post, I take my time, which means as well as taking time on the glass, I also take great care to ensure that I am safe on the ladders. I use a trad pole on velux windows where necessary, and only avoid windows that are inaccessible (I always inform and agree this with the customer before proceeding).

My ethos is that I expect my standards to exceed that of customers. This maybe puts some pressure on myself to perform above and beyond their expectations, but I would personally prefer this over doing a substandard job, and receiving complaints.  On the other hand, it's nice to get commendation, which often leads to recommendation!

I was beginning to worry that I was losing the ability to to an excellent job, and so decided to 're-train' myself, both in physically cleaning, and in my mental approach to it. I am confident that I have now sorted these issues, and look forward to being in top form tomorrow!

John

Good for you bud as is easy to get a bit down once in a while in this game 

[G Griffin]

After all the high winds and rain, and all they threw at the windows these last 2-3 weeks, I finally returned to doing my residentials this week.

I am trad, and near OCD with it. I have nearly driven myself insane this week in trying to get the windows perfect. I've had no problems with the main glass, but when detailing the edges, they have been a royal nightmare to get right! The squeegee blade was new, and the cloths were clean, yet there has been a greasy line around the edges which I was finding almost impossible to completely eradicate by wiping.

I always take my time, but this week has been ridiculous. It's been taking at least twice as long, and even then I have not been happy with the results. I have not had a single complaint, but I do take extreme pride in doing a good job, and so I am very anxious that it stays that way. I am not too far from the sea (Atlantic Ocean) so it's likely to be the salt getting into the beading, as I don't have this problem under normal weather conditions.

I spent some time this weekend re-training myself on my own windows, and have been telling myself over and over to not touch what looks clean, and only to spot-detail where it is needed!

I'm now looking forward to tomorrow with renewed energy and enthusiasm!

Best wishes all,
John.

There's no easy way round it, Johnny; just hard work.
On jobs like that you have to break down what's on the glass, especially in the corners. Do them by hand, first, with a microfiber, then trad as normal.
But I prefer to use an old applicator sleeve (just the sleeve) folded up in half and blitz them with that before mopping and blading.  A wet 10" sleeve is best, I find. It can seem time consuming but it really does work.
Just putting a 14" applicator on a window doesn't do it on dirty windows. You need to give them a good scrub.

[paulben]

With you on ocd bit I would hate to leave a job knowing I didn't do my best and most of my recommendations come from the quality of my work . Do wfp mostly as knee's are knackered but still get ladder out for odd job nice to have a nose about from up high .

[Clever Forum Name]

As usual turns into a "Ditch trad go wfp"

OP what rubbers are you using? I have never been that good at trad, well good but slow!!!!! Off an on 15 years now. However! I since bought these.....

http://www.windowcleaningwarehouse.co.uk/facelift-razrblade-red-rubber.html

Pretty much turned me into a pro over night. Detailing is not existent for me now. Suits my style more.

Not saying it will help your issue, but manufactures change stuff. Chemicals,soaps,rubber etc. So maybe look at your setup

[Shane sharples]

As usual turns into a "Ditch trad go wfp"

OP what rubbers are you using? I have never been that good at trad, well good but slow!!!!! Off an on 15 years now. However! I since bought these.....

http://www.windowcleaningwarehouse.co.uk/facelift-razrblade-red-rubber.html

Pretty much turned me into a pro over night. Detailing is not existent for me now. Suits my style more.

Not saying it will help your issue, but manufactures change stuff. Chemicals,soaps,rubber etc. So maybe look at your setup

Think il try these as well, my unger rubbers are a bit used now

[Johnny B]

Some more good points guys. G. Griffin, I did start to wipe the edges first with a damp microfiber, and was dismayed that this didn't actually work in my case! I've no idea why, and it alone pushed my sanity level closer to the level!

Number 23, I have been using Pulex soft, which I actually find wear out very quickly, and went back to Unger hard.Thanks for posting the link for the razrblade red rubbers, I will order some of these and see how I get on.

I have also experimented with how much of the blade I left proud of the channel edge. At present I leave about a millimetre per side, and have changed my fanning technique slightly to minimise detailing, 

John

[NWH]

Instead of helping him what I could of said to him is get a WFP you mug what are you doing going out each day earning peanuts to what you could be,wake up and smell the coffee m8 do you think we are all using a pole for fun and spending sheds loads more to run a window cleaning business. Maybe I should have said that yeah,maybe he would appreciated it better,all the trad cleaners I know are lazy numptys home by 12-30 1-00 saying they've got to pick the kids up from school and all that poope,get a grip boys.