[Sir Squeaky]

Not for work no, but I had my own car obviously.

[Ian_Giles]

hardly raking it in!
With the kind of work ~I was doing (along with Roger) 50% was fair, regardless of what he may have thought!
Though even at that time the work being done was probably under priced in many instances.
When you employ people you also become more of an overhead yourself, and the more you employ, the less time you have yourself to go out and 'earn' money.

Roger for instance rarely started before 9am, had breaks and was finished by 3.30pm.
In fact Roger was ALWAYS, and I mean ALWAYS 5 or 6 minutes late, and even then, he'd drive off, park up, get out his paper and have a cuppa from his flask, and yes sunshine, I know you did because I WATCHED you on more than one occasion!!
So his £250 a week, cash in hand was a good return for his labour,  (that was 6 years or more ago remember) and yes, I stretched the employment laws, but that was long ago enough that I can't be had for it now.
Take a look at your average garage mechanic, he'll be on £6 or £7 an hour, his boss will be charging as much as £50 an hour for his labour...go figure.

JD is under paying his guys, particularly in view of the fact they are working for 7ish until 5ish, but were he employing the pair of them legally - and I'll bet he is employing them in the same way I was employing Roger - they would need to be turning over £200+ each per day, and no way would 50% be sensible either, by the time realistic overheads and running costs are taken into consideration JD wouldn't be making much money.

What a business turns over has nothing to do with the employee, providing he or she is well paid for the work they do that is the main thing.

There are ways and means of offering incentives to employees, and if your work is commercial rather than residential you are more likely to retain your employees as regardless of how much they turn over, getting that type of work is a very different ball game to slowly building up your own domestic round.

I don't personally believe JD's story, I don't think the figures add up...brand new employee working directly alongside existing (and not very experienced) employee and still knocking out £500+ in a single day, and both working on same properties together...uhhuh...
But it is a good post nonetheless, and shows the ignorance of many with regards to running a business and having employees.

Oh, and if I was raking it in, why didn't I continue to employ? It has many drawbacks and costs as well as many benefits, and I would also have needed Roger's replacement to turn over a lot more than the £500 Roger was doing (those are ballpark figures too by the way, wasn't often he did £100 per day, rarely in fact unless he was doing commercial)

Oh,

So you would give them 50% each? So you make...  ...nothing?

you would pay them 50% of what each individual turns over, not each one 50% of the combined turnover!!

Ian

[windowwashers]

Not for work no, but I had my own car obviously.

The IMO you got a very good deal £250 for £500 working is an easy wage to earn, and reading if that was 6 years ago, it was top money, after emplyer expensive he may of made £120 maybe £150 a week, then had to wait for the money to come in, pay fuel, bank charges, tax ect ect ect ect ect many people that do not have a clue about emplying someone come up with answers like this I make him money blah blah blah, I had a wolly work for me once I paid him 50% I piad his fuel and insurance, he did the first 2 houses per day to cover the expenses, then got 50% there after, he left and went out on his own, saw him the other day hes now earning £350 a week on his own I just laughed and said was not to bad working for me was it! he now earns less

[Sir Squeaky]

hardly raking it in!
With the kind of work ~I was doing (along with Roger) 50% was fair, regardless of what he may have thought!
Though even at that time the work being done was probably under priced in many instances.
When you employ people you also become more of an overhead yourself, and the more you employ, the less time you have yourself to go out and 'earn' money.

Roger for instance rarely started before 9am, had breaks and was finished by 3.30pm.
In fact Roger was ALWAYS, and I mean ALWAYS 5 or 6 minutes late, and even then, he'd drive off, park up, get out his paper and have a cuppa from his flask, and yes sunshine, I know you did because I WATCHED you on more than one occasion!!
So his £250 a week, cash in hand was a good return for his labour,  (that was 6 years or more ago remember) and yes, I stretched the employment laws, but that was long ago enough that I can't be had for it now.
Take a look at your average garage mechanic, he'll be on £6 or £7 an hour, his boss will be charging as much as £50 an hour for his labour...go figure.

JD is under paying his guys, particularly in view of the fact they are working for 7ish until 5ish, but were he employing the pair of them legally - and I'll bet he is employing them in the same way I was employing Roger - they would need to be turning over £200+ each per day, and no way would 50% be sensible either, by the time realistic overheads and running costs are taken into consideration JD wouldn't be making much money.

What a business turns over has nothing to do with the employee, providing he or she is well paid for the work they do that is the main thing.

There are ways and means of offering incentives to employees, and if your work is commercial rather than residential you are more likely to retain your employees as regardless of how much they turn over, getting that type of work is a very different ball game to slowly building up your own domestic round.

I don't personally believe JD's story, I don't think the figures add up...brand new employee working directly alongside existing (and not very experienced) employee and still knocking out £500+ in a single day, and both working on same properties together...uhhuh...
But it is a good post nonetheless, and shows the ignorance of many with regards to running a business and having employees.

Oh, and if I was raking it in, why didn't I continue to employ? It has many drawbacks and costs as well as many benefits, and I would also have needed Roger's replacement to turn over a lot more than the £500 Roger was doing (those are ballpark figures too by the way, wasn't often he did £100 per day, rarely in fact unless he was doing commercial)

Oh,

So you would give them 50% each? So you make...  ...nothing?

you would pay them 50% of what each individual turns over, not each one 50% of the combined turnover!!

Ian

Good post Ian (generally )
5 or 6 minutes late...?
At the most!

Usually 3 or 4 minutes.
Never exactly on time though.

Funny thing is, he was sat there on the computer usually, and we'd talk for a bit.
Sometimes I'd leave at 8.15, sometimes 8.35.
Those 5 mins made so much difference.

...and he'd bloody scream too!

[windowwashers]

if you was meant to be there at a certain time he had every right to scream at you if you was as you say3 or 4 mins late.
if you worked for any other company and was late all the time you would get sacked, I ask my staff to be he 5 mins before work so they can chat if they want to in there time not mine.

[ronnie paton]

i agree ian when i employ they will get a bonus for timekeeping paid say if they have good timekeeping for a month(wiy=th two exceptions on being slightly late.

so if you was 4 or 5 min lates evert day you would lose about 20% of income, then see if you would want to be late!

[Ian_Giles]

Oooohhhh...he drove me round the bloody twist! And just like Reggie Perrin, there was always a good excuse; stuck behind a tractor, it was foggy, couldn't pull out on main road cos of the traffic...and he's wrong too!  3 or 4 minutes indeed...pah! as my Missus will attest to...was always at least 5 or 6 minutes and often more than that! I've just read out his post to her and it's left her sputtering incoherently!!
If he'd got there on time he'd have had the offer of a coffee too, instead we'd discuss the days work, I'd give him his work lists and off he'd go....to park up and have a cup of his own coffee!
But he did his work, and I didn't mind what time he finished either...that's part of the incentive when someone works for a percentage, without that incentive he would probably have just plodded along if he was on a set wage, but that incentive made him a quick and efficient window cleaner.
And Roger always knew that I would on occasions check his work quality.
I never assumed my employees would do a perfect job all the time, Roger was good, but others would try and cut corners, and I was always lurking around checking on what was going on...

Ian

[Sir Squeaky]

if you was meant to be there at a certain time he had every right to scream at you if you was as you say3 or 4 mins late.
if you worked for any other company and was late all the time you would get sacked, I ask my staff to be he 5 mins before work so they can chat if they want to in there time not mine.

Yeah if you started work at a set time.
It was when Ian had finished talking, which could be any time!

Funny looking back though.
It's just no fun having no workmates now.

[windowwashers]

Oooohhhh...he drove me round the bloody twist! And just like Reggie Perrin, there was always a good excuse; stuck behind a tractor, it was foggy, couldn't pull out on main road cos of the traffic...and he's wrong too!  3 or 4 minutes indeed...pah! as my Missus will attest to...was always at least 5 or 6 minutes and often more than that! I've just read out his post to her and it's left her sputtering incoherently!!
If he'd got there on time he'd have had the offer of a coffee too, instead we'd discuss the days work, I'd give him his work lists and off he'd go....to park up and have a cup of his own coffee!
But he did his work, and I didn't mind what time he finished either...that's part of the incentive when someone works for a percentage, without that incentive he would probably have just plodded along if he was on a set wage, but that incentive made him a quick and efficient window cleaner.
And Roger always knew that I would on occasions check his work quality.
I never assumed my employees would do a perfect job all the time, Roger was good, but others would try and cut corners, and I was always lurking around checking on what was going on...

Ian

the way to insure good work is to take any complains, give the customer a free clean and take the amount out of wages, works well for me, I do not get complaints

[twt]

jdemarco what sort of houses did these lads earn this money on (what size and how many) also how do you price your work up to attain such a good income do you price per window (if so how much per window) or some other method.

[Billy H]

I`ve read through this thread with interest.

I know for a fact that three workers (backpack only) can get through £1500 of domestic work per week. I`ve worked the run myself.
That is with an outdated van comprising a 600 litre tank,knackered backpacks,worn out poles and brush heads and of course a don`t give a feck attitude. Add to that no insurance whatsoever and various 16/17 year old workers who  eventually give up.
Despite all of that he rakes it in covering only one medium sized town in South Ayrshire,Scotland.
What chance do we have?

Two points here.
1. Yes that turnover is achievable.
2.It can only be and is illegal.

ps. I`ve 12  years window cleaning experience both trad and WFP,the wrong side of 40 and welcome any pm`s on this subject.

[jdemarco]

jdemarco what sort of houses did these lads earn this money on (what size and how many) also how do you price your work up to attain such a good income do you price per window (if so how much per window) or some other method.

They cleaned 60 houses of variouse sizes ranging from the smallest being a bungalow at 3,50 and a large detached house at 55 pound. After reading squeakys post when he says that he can earn 32 pound an hour thats not far off my hourly rate working on my own. So if he had a lad work with him he can easily earn 500+ pounds a day, i dont know what the big fuss is about. It sounds to me like not many of you work full days. Which leaves me to ask why the hell not?!
Unless you havnt got enough work, the work you have got cram as much as you can into a FULL day, if your out then you might aswell stay out.
Some of my prices are very very good most are average and some are poor so its not down to my price strategy its just the way i organise my work and drive myself forward to do as much as poss. I dont have coffee breaks at the most ill have 10 mins for lunch. when i have had long breaks for lunch and coffe breaks but it doesnt invigorate me it only slows me down. Im very much intouch with my body and know what makes it tick so to speak. So when im full of energy and ready to rock i can keep that going all day.  And i dont need hour breaks to do this. Dont get me wrong i eat alot and i know the importance of food and rest. I try and eat every 2-3 hrs but i do this on the go. Not every one can work like this, people that work with me think im a machine cos i just keep going and dont stop im very much driven.

[Davew]

Just wondering do your employees wear night vision goggles?

[xxmattyxx]

It sounds to me like not many of you work full days. Which leaves me to ask why the hell not?!

You' answered that yourself

Not every one can work like this,

Id prefer to look at it as some simply choose not to, there quite simply is more to life than money. For me I scuba dive in Egypt regularly.

I own my own house, with no mortgage, I have a beautiful cottage in a rural location, my partner and I have a great life together, we go out regularly together, I pay my taxes, I work the hours I WISH to, I take time off when I want, I  charge what I want, I certainly dont feel the need to mouth-off about my earnings, and money is not my master, I have no desire, urge, wish or motivation to work the hours you claim; thankyou very much.

However, when I was a wee nipper-snapper of a young, dumb and full of cum wee laddie I also felt the need at that age to try being the loudest in the play-ground 

[jdemarco]

Well tommorrows another day with my new lads. If any ones interested how we get on then just post me tommorrow eve if not ill keep it shtum!
                             Regards and goodnight
                                                 j demarco

[Moderator David@stives]

j demarco

Cant wait for the update, keep at it

Dave

[stevekennedy]

GO for £1000!

It's acheivable...




...all you have to do is delete the 5, replace it with a 1 and add a zero  :

 

[twt]

I`ve read through this thread with interest.

I know for a fact that three workers (backpack only) can get through £1500 of domestic work per week. I`ve worked the run myself.
That is with an outdated van comprising a 600 litre tank,knackered backpacks,worn out poles and brush heads and of course a don`t give a feck attitude. Add to that no insurance whatsoever and various 16/17 year old workers who  eventually give up.
Despite all of that he rakes it in covering only one medium sized town in South Ayrshire,Scotland.
What chance do we have?

Two points here.
1. Yes that turnover is achievable.
2.It can only be and is illegal.

ps. I`ve 12  years window cleaning experience both trad and WFP,the wrong side of 40 and welcome any pm`s on this subject.

500 per week for one man is normal (doing a thorough job not with a bad attitude) so why would 1500 for three men be anything special i dont understand the point you are trying to make

[twt]

jedmarco how did you manage to get two fairly new lads to achieve the same hourly rate as you ive been cleaning for 5 years now im pretty quick no record breaker but
 could give most people a run for their money. thes lad who works for me is not as quick as your lads i probably clean 4 windows in the time it takes him to do one window ive tried all sorts to get him to go quicker occasionally it works but most of the time he just plods at his own pace. i think part of the problem he is not interested in having lots of money but if he was i could see the problem of him seeing how much he could earn on his own and going self employed.
so how did you get these lads to achieve so much for what you pay them

[NWH]

There probobly polish and need to keep him happy cos they live in his house LOL.