[Fieldsy]

Could anyone advise please. Having only just started we have been canvassing with flyers, passing the word around etc... and have picked up a few customers. I might add I'm thoroughly enjoying it, even in this cold spell and hopefully try to get a decent round going.

We have been told of w/c's who haven't turned up for months and a few retired, so we are picking up a few that way.


Anyway!!, to the point.

A lot of the houses in our area are chalets, so there is a pitched roof leading down from the dormer, and of course guttering running along the edge of the pitched roof. Its obviously hard to try and lean a ladder as it will hit the guttering and also be too far away from the window unless laid at an acute angle (in which case it will still hit the guttering). We have a pole, and had success with it reaching plain windows either from a step ladder or ground, but is there a method/tool/item/apparatus which would enable us to get to the window close up??? and in effect missing the guttering. This is especially necessary with leaded/ decorative windows to do each individual pane and dry with scrim/microfibre etc....

I hope that makes sense. We have had interest from customers when we have been able to clean plain windows with the pole as they state "other cleaners couldn't reach them/do them", but we would like to get closer if poss.

At the moment, we have been working off a step ladder to reach the dormers, but for a leaded window we feel we need/would like to be closer.

We are starting as trad so WFP isn't an option at the moment 


thanks for any input/advice

Fieldsy

[Fieldsy]

thanks Stan, I've seen those and thought that might be the option. Do they actually get you closer to the window?. I was thinking, as they are a standoff they take you more away from the window at an angle. Would you lean it on the wall below the gutter, or on the tiles of the pitched roof??

thanks for your imput m8, every little bit helps at this stage, starting off I mean...lol

[Fieldsy]

much appreciated Stan, thanks very much for the advice    time to source a stand off 

Fieldsy

[SherwoodCleaningSe]

Sometimes you can go above the window so the ladder is at less of an angle and lean in, maybe even putting one foot on the roof .

[Tosh]

I've parked my car and put my ladders at a silly angle with the car tyre 'footing' the ladder before.

It's probably not safe though.

 

[Fieldsy]

Thanks so much for the input ppl. We did our first chalet style today, and although reasonably steep, I was able to walk on the roof, and cleaned our first leads properly. I was well chuffed !!...lol

I'm sure there will be others more difficult but its a start. It obviously seems you have to adjust accordingly for the angle of the roof. Some you can walk on, some you can put the ladder above, and some with a stand off.

Having come from a bloody stressful job, I can only say at the moment I am enjoying it immensely. Now just to build up the round. 

thanks again

Fieldsy

[Fieldsy]

I'll try and tread carefully. We priced a chalet/bungalow today, which had thin grey slate tiles.....................something tells me I won't be walking on them !!!  ...lol

[Ian Lancaster]

You should only walk on a pitched roof (no matter what sort) if you have a handhold firm enough to support your weight in the event of your feet slipping from under you.

You then maintain your hold ALL THE TIME YOU ARE ON THE ROOF and clean the window with the other hand.

There's a simple word to describe those who don't do this:







DEAD