[Jon-scwindows]

HI
   my name is Jon, i have recently decided to start window cleaning.

i was hoping you can help me with ideas, what i might need etc and how to do things, so
 I am 17 and live in suffolk. I am hoping to start driving, i have a test booked hopefully il pass so i can use my escort estate for window cleaning. I have bought a round with 60 customers, paying total of £590 per 4 weeks.
also i have advertised and got my first customer, paying £20 8 weekly.
Anyway im not really experienced, but have learnt allot through the forums and websites.
i have purchased lots of equipment as follows, and intend to use mainly wfp's but with ladders aswell.
i am making a custom trolley made from a sack truck with big wheels pictures to come soon- with a custom 50ltr tank/shurflow 100psi pump/variflow controller/2x 40ah 12v sla batteries for the trolley(1 spare). so i am making the trolley and welding, etc to get it how i want it.
other gear i have bought.

45ft aluminium wfp with 18'' brush (i think il mainly have a few sections removed for this as the round i bought is residential.
18ft fiberglass pole with 12'' brush
100 m 6mm microbore hose
lots of 6mm quick connect metal fittings
microbore flow valve
belt and pouches holders
a couple different squeegees
bucket with lid
t bar and applicator
8 meter double ladder
big grip ladder stabiliser
8 25ltr water tanks
300gpd RO unit
i hope to get a 1000 ltr tank soon
im in the process of getting, liability insurance and personal injury/ilness cover

in the mean time i can do the round- provisionally driving my car,
or my mother can drive me around the different customers.
i hope to just use the trolley, wheeling it around and using water fed poles.
but ladders for the first time round to get rid of all the dirt.
i have most of the equipment i need, just need to get it all setup,
as i am new to this window cleaning business i would like to know
do i need to register my window cleaning name? how much does it cost
i am making a website for online paypal payments and for viewing getting quotes etc.
i have lots of areas surrounding me in suffolk and cambridgeshire
i have bought enough supplies to make 2500 flyers
but will distribute them 200 at a time and canvass a few days later to get work.
so ive got it mostly all sorted, is there any advice to give me?
and for the trolleys, which is better i was going to just use 25 ltr containers but i can get a custom one for my sack truck that is not too big and fits just right at 50 ltrs, i think this will be better.
Do you know if a shurflow 100 psi pump can suck water ? i know it can pump but if i used a 25ltr container the hose would have to go in the top and suck water up...
any pictures of custom trolleys would be appreciated.
also as it is getting to winter, and some mornings its pretty cold outside, i dont want my water in the hoses to freeze up.... any solutions ?
also has anyone had anyproblems with the shurflo 100psi pump burning out or going quickly because of increased pressure using 6mm microbore hosing??
i was going to go with 8mm minibore,  but decided on 6mm, and my poles have 6mm hosing .
Also what is the use of a DI vessel, deionization vessel? i have a RO unit so do i need a DI vessel aswell for my water or can i just use the RO unit on its own for the pure water...  i think we live in a hard water area, but its not that bad as some other areas ive been.
i dont like the idea of having to get resin all the time, so what is its purpose, surely a RO unit purifies the water enough to do a good job and i wouldnt need a DI vessel aswell?

i have enough gear for either traditional methods and wfp methods of cleaning windows and hope to expand my business, to give me a good income. I hope it all turns out ok but would appreciate any advice.
thanks

[need a cleaner]

Hi jonrob, im not very experient on this side yet but i would advise you to get a DI vessel as that is what brings the water down to 000.

[supernova77]

Hi mate,

Welcome to the forum!

Have you checked how much weight your escort estate is able to carry?

Andy

[williamx]

I agree, a estate car will not have a large payload, and with all the equipment you have got, you might not be able to carry much water.

You don't need a trolley, you can use your hose instead to get to the back of propertys, this is also faster.

You will need a tds water meter, it is very important that your water reading should be 000 so a di tank is very important to polish off the ro water.

Remember on 1st 2nd and 3rd cleans, you need to really scrub the windows and frames down, you also need to rinse compleatly, after this then its more of a maintance clean and should be a doodle to do.

[Captain Scarlet]

I was in a similar situation to you Jon, I'm nearly 18 but I had my dad with me. You sound like you are doing realy well mate. One thing you might want to consider is using standard sized containers with handles, that way you can fill them all up before work and just switch them easily when you run out. If you have to pour 25ltr containers into a 50ltr one it will waste time and energy. You could copyright your company name but there probably wont be any need. Freezing - stay out of the shade and maybe experiment with Isopropyl alcohol alcohol ( doesnt affect water purity but raises water freezing level ). If possible make a little hose reel on the trolley. 8mm id hose is better than 6mm id hose, sometimes 6mm can cause flow problems, you might be alright though. Yes the pump works by sucking and pumping on the other side. Apart from that well done, Luke

PS USE WFP FROM THE START - ALL THOSE TRAD 1ST CLEANS ARE FRESH IN MY MIND!!, WFP WILL BE LOADS QUICKER BUT TAKE ALOT OF WATER.

OH AND PUT THAT 45FT POLE TO GOOD USE AND GO AND GET SOME HIGH WORK!

[colley614]

Lol, I've been trading 12 months and I don't have the amount of gear you have.

[Captain Scarlet]

colley, how are you getting on with the trailer? luke

[Jon-scwindows]

Thanks for all your comments so far.

I have got a TDS meter on the way, i want to see what the reading is with the RO unit before i get a DI vessel, but if thats what i need i guess il need to get one.


Im not too sure about how much the escort will carry, its a great car and its in good condition- and its pretty powerful, at first i was going to get a 250 litre tank and weld a frame around it into the back, with a hose on reel, but i would prefer to do that in a van later on, where i can have the tank and a trolley system, and with the 25ltr tanks i can spread them about in the car
i have 8 25 ltr tanks, so thats 200 litres, im sure the car will be able to handle the weight.
my main problem is fixing a ladder on the roof, i managed to get a free ladder because of a screw up at the depo, its about 8.5 meters double section, but theres no way of fixing a roof rack on my car. I have ideas of doing it anyway.

i thought that was the general way for wfp, give a really good clean the first few times, then it is easier as you carry on next time.

Luke, i was thinking whether to get a custom 50 litre tank or not, its just i have a nice compact trolley almost finished, and a 25 litre container looks small on there, i know its lighter but if i had a decent sized container, it wont be too heavy and will last for around 1 hour, like the omnitrolleys they are 50 or 125 litre.
My design is with the tank on a small platform about 15cm higher than the floor of the trolley, with a small box with my pump in, and an outlet at the back of the tank, so gravity will help the flow of water to the pump rather than sucking it from the top. My trolley is almost finished, im just playing with some aluminium welding to finish it off. I thought if i done that, later on when i get a van, i can have a large tank in the van with a hose and fill up the trolley in a few seconds...
i think i will have a small hose reel on the trolley with about 30 meters.

Il have to see how it goes with the 6mm microbore, i dont think i will have long lengths of hose, hopefully the pump wont burn out in the middle of something, and the varistream 2 looks pretty good for the pump.

[Captain Scarlet]

dont worry about the pump!

[colley614]

Luke,

I have made a few phone calls and spoke to a few people but haven't come to a decision over the whole thing yet. I priced a big business park up the other week and also a few massive office blocks but yet I haven't heard anything. I have had the go ahead from about 10 average size office buildings but am still waiting for any of the mega bucks ones to say yes. If any did say yes I'd be over the moon. Plus I've just bought some more 25ltr containers for my back pack so I have enough water to last all day at the moment.

[Jon-scwindows]

ok,
     i was also wondering about how to let the customers of the round know theres someone else doing it, as i havent started it off again yet, its a bit weird, i dont think i should just turn up and clean there windows. The guy i bought the round off has sent me all the information of addresses and how much each pay.
I was thinking should i send them all a letter, and the guy who i bought the round off used to use traditional methods, ladder and scrim etc- and i will be using wfp, does anyone have any templates for letters introducing wfps, or ideas what i should do... or do i knock round and introduce myself before doing there windows rather than them seeing me in the 1st floor window.
thanks

[mark dew]

ok,
 i was also wondering about how to let the customers of the round know theres someone else doing it, as i havent started it off again yet, its a bit weird, i dont think i should just turn up and clean there windows. The guy i bought the round off has sent me all the information of addresses and how much each pay.
I was thinking should i send them all a letter, and the guy who i bought the round off used to use traditional methods, ladder and scrim etc- and i will be using wfp, does anyone have any templates for letters introducing wfps, or ideas what i should do... or do i knock round and introduce myself before doing there windows rather than them seeing me in the 1st floor window.
thanks

you really need to get that guy to come round with you and make the introductions. People are suspicious enough of strangers coming to their door anyway. You will probably get some wary people if you turn up alone.
As for the letter, it depends who you ask as to what answer you will get. There are good points for and against.
I personally wouldn't bother with a letter and just clean them wfp. No point drawing attention to a new way of cleaning.
I would recommend not collecting money until the end of the day when all the windows are checked by you to be clean and spot free. Give them contact details of yourself, landline and mobile number and address, to breed trust.
And guarantee your work for 48 hours or so.
Good luck!!

[Jon-scwindows]

ok.
can anyone suggest a suitable DI vessel with resin for around or under £100? im not sure how often your supposed to replace the resin, do you refill the vessel or empty out the old resin or does the resin get used up in the water....?
also at what stage do you pump the purified water from the RO through the di vessel or doesnt it matter?
i think i saw someone with a DI vessel on the back of there trolley, as the water pumps out of the trolley through the DI.
how do most of you do it? i guess its at any stage after going through the Ro unit? does the water need a pump or a decent pressure to go through