[lance holt]

hi everyone,
    after doing some research, im thinking of starting a professional window cleaning business, but i need help! is it viable in this current climate, can i make money etc. i want to do this full time, please help. buy the way i am employed and not a chav, i just want a lucrative career change.

[ftp]

lucrative? Don't believe all the hype.

It can be done but it's not easy and unless you buy a round can take years to get in a lucrative position.

Start part time and see how things develop.

[East coast window cleaning Services]

Dont do it

Yes it great from March till Dec

But you have to be Ready for the 3 Months from hell Dec Jan Feb, At some points i went 3 to 4 days without working due to frozen systems of extreme weather conditions.

Good luck Though

[landy2]

its hard work and you get out of it what you put in

[NWH]

And i put plenty in lol,how ya doing mate.

[tomy jackson]

most are gon in 6 muths as thay carnt mack a liveing out of it with to fuw custys iv bin ther and stuk with it , now hears a qestion how many drop out in the fust 6 muths / if you put £200 in a week dont xpet to have it payed on friday

[Window Washers]

hi everyone,
    after doing some research, im thinking of starting a professional window cleaning business, but i need help! is it viable in this current climate, can i make money etc. i want to do this full time, please help. buy the way i am employed and not a chav, i just want a lucrative career change.

I would not take as word what some people say they earn on here, maybe one-off jobs, it is very hard at the moment even for established window cleaners to get more work.

Impossible no, but alot harder than some would have you believe.
Anyone can make money if they work at it, Where are you getting/going for your research as I would hate to see you jump in with ill informed info there is plenty on here and other places online, struggle then be in debt only to go back to a job that paid your bills before?


I am not in anyway trying to put you off, I just say it the way I think it is.
What experience do you have in window cleaning, what sort of window cleaning do you want to do these questions can go on for hours, but start with these first.


Ian

[cozy]

Hi mate, try this part of this forum, save you alot of time.

http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/index.php?board=15.0

[sparklebright]

I would agree with all the above.
I started 6 years ago, it has gone well for me, but that's because I have worked very very hard at it. I knew several window cleaners so went in with my eyes open. So here are some things I did or would do if I had my time over...

1. Try and build up some work b4 you go full time window cleaning (maybe weekends?) that way you will see if you like it, and it will help soften the loss of earnings at the start.
2. Have some savings, this is gonna take some time to build up, I did a lot of canvassing and built up some work, but it's all paying out when you are setting up, and had to use thousands of my savings, and I mean thousands.
3. Get an accountant.
4. Realise that all the things your boss does for you, you will have to do. Sick pay, holiday pay etc etc etc. Right down to your pens and paper! and remember: No worky no money
5. If you do decide to do this, it will be diffcult/impossible to go back to your old career and be taken seriously.
6. Take note that all figures quoted on this site should be subject to a BS filter. If someone says they made £40 an hour from a job that may well be true, but it is usually one job once a month, and that figure takes no account of the costs of running a business. If you at present earn £15 an hour you cost your boss twice as much, trust me, you do!
7. It gets very very cold, so cold you hands hurt like hell, but after a couple of years you don't notice as much.
7. And as someone said earlier you will only get out what put in.
8. I love it and wouldn't go back to any other job.
Sorry it's a long post, I'll shut up now

[simon knight]

Hi Lance,

If you're in paid employment count yourself lucky and stick with it...oh and by the way any vacancies in your gaff? :

Seriously mate window cleaning is one of the first back-stops for loads of people...I mean buy a bucket, set of ladders and....well anybody can do it can't they?

And yes they can....except that....

OK... This is 2009 and we have a depression and those who are out of work are thinking along the same lines (here see various posts about newcomers/undercutting) and those still in work are cutting back on non-essential things (window cleaning being head of the list).

Lance seriously mate you're trying to get into an over-broked market and  I would say this:

Were you unemployed then yes bung a set of ladders over yer shoulders and knock on doors at £5 a throw.

But if you're in work and earning money you need to pay mortgage and bills then stick with it...perhaps do a little shining on weekends.

This was a good earner 4 or 5 years ago but now it's swamped with newcomers willing to work for silly dough and this is who you're gonna be competing against.

[sparklebright]

A point I forgot to make is that I have lost £700 of work since December, which is gutting. All due to people/business cutting back.
Luckily I bought a guy's w/c round who was retiring, but it wasn't very good, so I am having to work much harder for about the same money as last year.

Without that work I would £8400 a year down, OUCH.

And I am sure I haven't lost my last job either... :

[ronnie paton]

iv had 4 od calls from lads who have run there own window cleaning business but need a full time job.
thats in 6 weeks so i would say it obviuosly isnt has easy has some think.

it can be profitable but its not has easy has some might say.

[simbo]

any tom dick or harry can buy a set of ladders get a few customers and call themselves a shiner, but building a biz that takes a whole lot of time and effort. I have been going now 4 years and only now am i doing ok. This is not the best time to start as all those people losing jobs are the ones you need to work for and the windows don't matter enough to most people, so they go without or hey presto they buy a set of ladders and try to become window cleaners. Example, a year ago i could get new customers easy but now a totally different story, i am glad i am established or i would be in poo!!!
paul

Even for all those afraid of heights, its not as easy as you think.

[lance holt]

thanx very much for all the 12 replies ive had so far, theve all been very helpfull, thanx a lot,  lance.

[cozy]

This will really help

http://www.windowcleaningcoach.com/KeepingtrackofRound.html

You get all the answers you need, when you need them, so it's quicker for you.

Good luck mate