[mr D]

is there much call for window cleaning in france do you know?

[geefree]

you really want to get out of here dont you.

[mr D]

i think its as much needing a new start. new life for my family.

[niceandclean]

Where ever in the world you go, all countries have their own problems!

[geefree]

A friend of mine opened a small bar in a remote village in southern spain... he and his wife cook good old english food, and they are thriving...

lots of small villages nearby, and word has got around and its one success story... he has been there less than two years.

Its a bit like... a nice french restaraunt tucked away in our own villages.... if its nice... builds a good reputation with the food and service.... its unique. and will take off.

anyway... that dont help really does it.... sorry.

but he made the move. and has done well.

[Oakley Windows]

Someone was thinking of emigrating to Oz the other day, perhaps you should ask him for advice about setting up abroad 

[Alex Gardiner]

is there much call for window cleaning in france do you know?

I have a friend who runs a busy window cleaning business in France.

The market is very different though in France. The average French housewife, would no sooner pay for a window cleaner than drink English wine! It really is not the done thing, most French house windows open inwards to allow for cleaning from inside, also they have shutters on the out side so makes for very difficult access.

Where there is a market is in the Cities. The work is predominantly commercial (offices & shops). Very few apartment blocks will want the service as once again they open inwards and all have shutters.

To get the commercial contracts you would probably need to be able to speak French.

[seandyer2003]

germany is good for wc my mate spent 5 years out there.....seems to be a similar mentality to ours, and pays well too from what ive heard if you can get in doing the big mansions,

also usa, or canada....again not bad area for wc!

Cant you diversify too, chewing gum removal, contract cleaning, powerwashing etc

[Tosh]

is there much call for window cleaning in france do you know?

Mr D,

I think the question you should be asking is, is emigrating for us?  I've two good friends who both left the UK after leaving the army; both of them are married with kids.  One is is New Zealand and the other is in Canada.

Both live in houses that you would dream to live in and both sound like they have a decent standard of living.  My mate in New Zealand is a Fireman and the one in Canada does security work (he's an ex-army close-protection expert (body-guard) who used to look after the 'top brass' and MPs when they went on visits to war zones).

Anyway, they're not all happy with living abroad, for example the fire-fighter's Missis is desperate to return to the UK because she misses her family and British stuff in general; and both these guys lived abroad for years in the army; so they weren't that naive. 

Personally, I reckon all countries have their problems, and the idylic perception of living abroad is better than the reality; especially once the daily grind kicks in.

But if I was going to emigrate, it would have to be to an English speaking country.

[paulscotney]

Saw a bloke tradding a low 3 storey office building in Nantes about a month ago, he was using a cherry picker.

I used to spend about 4 months a year in Brittany for 6 years and the only window cleaners I ever saw were doing shops and then that wasn't very often.

Alex is right, you need to speak French or else get a French partner.

[NWH]

Someone was thinking of emigrating to Oz the other day, perhaps you should ask him for advice about setting up abroad 

Yeah lol it`s the same bloke only he want to go to france now.

[Oakley Windows]

Round-The-World Window Cleaning Tour 

[Polewash]

is there much call for window cleaning in france do you know?

Mr D,

I think the question you should be asking is, is emigrating for us?  I've two good friends who both left the UK after leaving the army; both of them are married with kids.  One is is New Zealand and the other is in Canada.

Both live in houses that you would dream to live in and both sound like they have a decent standard of living.  My mate in New Zealand is a Fireman and the one in Canada does security work (he's an ex-army close-protection expert (body-guard) who used to look after the 'top brass' and MPs when they went on visits to war zones).

Anyway, they're not all happy with living abroad, for example the fire-fighter's Missis is desperate to return to the UK because she misses her family and British stuff in general; and both these guys lived abroad for years in the army; so they weren't that naive. 

Personally, I reckon all countries have their problems, and the idylic perception of living abroad is better than the reality; especially once the daily grind kicks in.

But if I was going to emigrate, it would have to be to an English speaking country.

Tosh

The problem is they forget why they left in the first place. I reckon if they went back to the UK  there would be a 50-50 chance that the might not stay and would head back to where they came from. The standard of life in these places is a lot better than in the UK or Ireland, but its only when you get back you realise it.  But I agree family is a big reason why people head back.  If you migrate anywhere you really have to give it 2 years to give it a fair go.

John

[AJ]

If you want commercial work in france, your going to need a decent french letter.
Sorry.

[karlosdaze]

I see window cleaners come & go in Mallorca on a regular basis. Its an entirely different set-up to the English way of working. You don't realise how good you've got it in the UK. Australia was probably better for the response to working for window cleaning, but that was in the 90's when I was doing it there. Whatever you decide, good luck - you'll need it & a whole host of other skills as well.

[LWC Ltd]

I remember seeing a video on you tube of some french guy in a window cleaning competition. They have windows so somebody must clean them?

[mr D]

cheers for the feed back in ref to the peeps that said domestics wont want it i though that i was thinking of comersials. also i'm not planning on going anywhere foe 3 years. just fixed the morgage again.

mrs D and i have spoke about her going over with May-Rose and me moving in with the father-in-law and working a 4 day week traviling over on weekends. not sure how long that would last mind?

obversly i'd lean french. i find my self wanted to punch immergrants in this country that dont learn english in the snozzer so i'll be dammed if i'm gonna be rude enough to not learn there lang!!!

as 4 what kalidozwhateverhiscalleddoode said. thanks for your exsperanced advice i know you have made a sucess of it and you kinda inspired me in a way. i hear you when you say i'll need alot of other skills. i could always do some nude modling on the side for extra cash. or start my own rent-a-stud

[mr D]

oh and tosh.

if you know squads like i do you will know all to well that we never stop bloody ticking (moaning) the grass isn't greener on the other side, its diamond incrusted!!

if your mates had been given the keys to a shuttle to a planet where the rivers flowed beer and all the women looked like katie perry they would turn tea total and gay!

not there fault. the army dose that to you!

missing family wouldnt be an isshew as we never see much of them and france is only a short distance also we have next to no friends so we wont miss them either!

[Tosh]

Mr D, by a strange coincidence I've just received an email from a female friend of mine from years-ago whose now living in Hong Kong - earning big tax-free bucks - teaching Chinese kids how to swear in English with a Yorkshire accent...

Quote from e-mail:

Oh I moved flat a couple of weeks ago and now live out on an island off Hong Kong island - being a satellite of a satellite  does that mean I have to go round in circles all the time?
The flat is one of many blocks of purpose built flats - as in there is f*** all else on the island apart from a bit of beach, a few rocks and rolls of tumbleweed.  But it has been transformed into a holiday resort like place and after 2 weeks I'm beginning to hate it - I feel like Patrick McGoohan on 'The Prisoner' - I'm going to start ramblin round telling Chinese strangers 'I am not a number' and they'll nod inscrutably and mutter 'f****** English teacher' when they think I can't hear.
Anyway - away here - your 5 seconds should be up now,
You take care and stay in touch when you can xxxxxxxxx
 

So even living on a holiday resort in exotic Hong Kong isn't much fun.

I wouldn't want to live anywhere else apart from the UK.

[matt]

ive travelled a fair bit

where would i like to live

Australia : good education system, good family lifestyle ( outdoors type of stuff ) lower cost of living, immigration seemed to be under control, personally i would settle somewhere likes townsville, a fairly working class town ( not just a fake tourist town ) on the gold coast

Florida : good education system for those who can pay for it, nice weather, seems to be good for a family lifestyle, it really does seem like the whites get the better jobs ( the hispanics get the poorer jobs, is this due to education OR the whites not wanting to do the poor jobs ala the london underground back in the 60's )

Hong Kong : now this would be a short term stay ( 2 years max ) a experience for the family to see a different culture , money is very good, life style is very ex-pat, but i would like to think we would try and integrate with the locals

would we move, no, we honestly would be hard pushed to have a better life than we have, sure you can allways strive to earn a little more money, but it would only go in the bank, as we want for nothing

i know a guy who has moved to oz and NZ 5 times now, he sticks it out for about 2 years, comes back, stays home for 6 months and away he goes again, never really settling, which is sad