[windows_chepstow]

From another topic:

but can you think
of any other semi skilled work that provides the same opportunity's that window cleaning does.

My brother is a skilled engineer; there's no doubt about that.  He's now the head guy in charge of maintenance for a large engineering company (Vickers in Newcastle) and manages a  team of fifteen-to-twenty guys. 

At Christmas he gets a posh box to watch Newcastle United play football from and umpteen bottles of whiskey from sub-contractors to keep him happy.

He's been with the same company for 30 years, served a four year apprenticeship as a 'turner' (what-ever-that-is), has an engineering HND and a degree in Engineering from the OU.

Yet, from what I can gather, (he won't tell me), he earns around 35,000 pounds per year.

He starts early, works late and often takes work home with him too.

We've always had a bit of sibling rivalry between us, and he calls me an unskilled labourer, and I now call him a 'company man', or 'someone's 'monkey''.

Yet, until I took up window cleaning I had a similar paying job (to what he had four years ago), similar (or more) responsibility; (at the time) more fun and a much better pension.

However, my profits are less than his wage now; but not that far from it; and not impossible to beat within a year or two.

We've other issues too; but that aside; what do you consider youself?

Are you skilled, semi-skilled, or a unskilled labourer; or maybe even a professional businessman?

Where do you place yourself and why?

[matt]

its funny, i allways class myself as skilled

BUT

only because im a time-served carpenter with a HNC in contruction

but from the point of window cleaning

i have my own business, thats all really

[simbag]

Director! 

[neil100]

I view myself has a skilled w/c.

Ok its only my opionion and proberly one that is not shared with the wider community.

Why do so many people pay to have someone clean their windows when they could do it themselves?

Answer. Because most people make a pigs ear out of cleaning windows. Simply put they cannot clean them correctly.

I can and my skill with any form of w/cleaning is shown at its best when I clean in and out of a house. I did a house today, a Fairly large house in and out. It cost the customer £230.00, She spent 10 mins looking through a run of patio doors I had just cleaned, both sides, They were pristine, I saw her keep shaking her head. "Everything ok" I asked?

I cant beleive it, How do you clean them and not leave a single mark or spot? It looks like the Glass is not there, an optical illussion I know.

My reply. I am a very Skilled w/c.

My cleaning results  do the talking for me.

Nel.

[craig jwc]

I've never really thought about it.

I'm the same as Matt except i was in Engineering and Ijection Moulding.

I run my own business and that does for me.

I know i do a good job because people tell me and i have even had "Thank You" cards sent to me just for cleaning their windows

I just look at it that i take a pride in what i do and give good results.

Craig

[EasyClean]

I  was a 'skilled metalsmith', but now I run my own business doing a 'semi-skilled' window cleaning job which is full of variety that keeps me enticed in this career.

[chris@c.m.s]

I dont think any customers would class window cleaning as a skilled trade so I guess its a learnt profession as are most of the trades that I have been in, except plumbing which I wasnt too skilled in but got the paperwork  

[JM123]

does it matter?  For the record I reckon its semi-skilled.

[craig jwc]

I dont think any customers would class window cleaning as a skilled trade so I guess its a learnt profession as are most of the trades that I have been in, except plumbing which I wasnt too skilled in but got the paperwork  

I picked up a new job today and was talking to their neighbour.
He was really putting his w/c down and said that he can't see how anyone could charge the amount he was just for cleaning windows.
He said a monkey could do the job as it wasn't a skilled trade.
He used to be a plumber and wasn't happy that a Monkey cleaning windows could earn more than what he did.

He told me he timed his w/c the last time he was there and he only took 8 minutes to clean his windows and charges him £5.
I told him if the guy does the job properly it doesn't matter how long it takes.
He said for the time he was there he should only be paying about £2.
I just laughed

I left him, telling him that he had a good deal there as i would charge him double that and as i use wfp and his w/c doesn't would probably take less time.

Craig

[dai]

All occupations have skill levels, some are better at it than others.
The real skill in window cleaning is to get the customer to pay a whacking great price for your work. On this basis I am an uneducated navvy. Dai

[Ian_Giles]

Oh, good post Tosh.........

Mmm, skilled or semi skilled (unskilled doesn't come into it)......

As far as window cleaning itself goes I would say semi skilled without a doubt, within 3 to 6 months you can be an accomplished window cleaner, though in fairness it takes a few years before you become a 'seasoned' window cleaner.

We are always learning aren't we? But I would say it takes several months at least before you become  that 'average' window cleaner I'm always banging on about

As a decorator I'm 'skilled' I served an apprenticeship of 5 years, and looking at the decorators that are unnder 30 years old it makes me weep (well, almost) for the lack of ability and skill that is being displayed.

Compare the two trades (window cleaning and decorating) most think its easy to clean windows, ditto decorating, whats hard about dipping a paintbrush in a pot of paint and daubing it on a bit of skirting or painting a wall...childs pay.

Without going into it in detail, decorating is a highly skilled job that takes years to master, and there are many complex issues involved.
With our trade it is much more straight forward.

It is skilled, but I would class it as semi skilled. you watch a seasoned window cleaner in action and it looks so effortless, he will make it look so easy that anyone would think they can do it, but it takes a couple of years to reach that level....

Mmm, lets think....Newbie>>>>Novice>>>>>Acolyte>>>>disciple>>>>>master!

Well after 22 and a half years I think I'm a master! (but I'm still learning grasshopper!)

............its still semi skilled though

Ian

[highwash]

I regard my business in window cleaning as an aquired skill as opposed to a trade skill. I am a qualified carpet weaver and like many of the previous contributors I served a lengthy apprenticeship and continued to improve my skills as new technology was  introduced to the trade. Happy to be fit and well enough to earn a living window cleaning.
Terry  - Highwash

[windows_chepstow]

does it matter? 

Probably not, I was just interested in seeing how others view themselves.

Have any of you read any of these 'class division' studies where bankers will declare themselves as 'working class' and builders will state that they're 'middle class'?

Anyway, I'd say we were semi-skilled.

[pylofm]

I for one am happy whatever people think of window cleaning...I am happy knowing that I am building something for myself and family....whilst making resonable money for it and not being in a corporate enviroment.

Cheers Dave.

[jeff1]

Its not all about window cleaning, Its running a business, something a lot of people can't even think of doing.

But most of all when your out at work it involves risk Assessment , health and safety, setting up your equipment (no matter if your wfp or traditional), before you even start to clean windows.

after gaining city & Guilds in electronics, I became a security engineer, the first six months involved learning the trade (about the same as wc) and then many years after honing my knowlage and skills (same as wc) just didn't need to go to collage for wc.

[Sir Squeaky]

Semi-skilled sounds about right.

But then are we any more skilled than anyone else?
Builders, plumbers, chippys, sparkys, they all have to know a lot more than us.

A mate of mine repairs £2m robots for a factory.
3 or 4 years college, and he's still learning.
That's skilled!

Window cleaning? Nah.

[D woods]

Hi Guys
I think window cleaners are semi skilled because it takes 4-12 months
to learn how to clean windows properly (in my opinion)

But does anyone know of any other semi skilled work that can provide the
same opportunities?

[Moderator David@stives]

I am skilled 100%

[Ladders]

I think it,s semi skilled, but to me it,s a job i enjoy, it,s also a job i am in control of.

No one tells me what i can or cannot do no boss hanging over my shoulder. i enjoy the freedom to do what i want when i want.

Jeff

[Ladders]

I am skilled 100% (What at  )

Hi dave are you rained off or just having a lazy one.