[Murdie window cleaning]

I know that it's a bit like asking how longs a piece of string, but I'm trying to get a rough idea how long it may take to build up a round big enough to make it my only job. I'm going to be going in out in the next week or two and start trying to get enough to do one full day per week, but I've set myself a target of 200 custies(50 per week) before I could quit my f/t job and go my own way and only answer to myself.

Advice from old hands and newbies would be welcome 

[leapstallbuildings]

I know that it's a bit like asking how longs a piece of string, but I'm trying to get a rough idea how long it may take to build up a round big enough to make it my only job. I'm going to be going in out in the next week or two and start trying to get enough to do one full day per week, but I've set myself a target of 200 custies(50 per week) before I could quit my f/t job and go my own way and only answer to myself.

Advice from old hands and newbies would be welcome 

Depends how much income you need really.
If you have some capital behind you, you could buy work and/or pay canvassers and build it up quite quickly.  If you do it all yourself it might take anything from a few months to a couple of years depending how motivated you are and what quality of work you want.  The reality is that when you first start, you pick up quite a few customers who you know you will drop when you no longer need them.  If you want a really well refined round, it's an ongoing process really.
I canvassed three evenings most weeks for a year before I felt I no longer wanted to canvass.  I could have stopped sooner really as I had low outgoings and no family to support.  After a time, the work starts coming in more from referrals and from people seeing you working.

[Murdie window cleaning]

I know that it's a bit like asking how longs a piece of string, but I'm trying to get a rough idea how long it may take to build up a round big enough to make it my only job. I'm going to be going in out in the next week or two and start trying to get enough to do one full day per week, but I've set myself a target of 200 custies(50 per week) before I could quit my f/t job and go my own way and only answer to myself.

Advice from old hands and newbies would be welcome 

Depends how much income you need really.
If you have some capital behind you, you could buy work and/or pay canvassers and build it up quite quickly.  If you do it all yourself it might take anything from a few months to a couple of years depending how motivated you are and what quality of work you want.  The reality is that when you first start, you pick up quite a few customers who you know you will drop when you no longer need them.  If you want a really well refined round, it's an ongoing process really.
I canvassed three evenings most weeks for a year before I felt I no longer wanted to canvass.  I could have stopped sooner really as I had low outgoings and no family to support.  After a time, the work starts coming in more from referrals and from people seeing you working.

If I make it my full time job then I would need to be motivated as I'm like most got bills to pay and an ex wife to pay every month as well for our kids.

I suppose once I've actualy been out and canvesed a few times I'll have a clearer idea. In an ideal scenario I would love to be a full time self employed window cleaner by the end of the year.

[Platinum NW]

go for it, stay committed and dont look back
Good luck

[leapstallbuildings]

I know that it's a bit like asking how longs a piece of string, but I'm trying to get a rough idea how long it may take to build up a round big enough to make it my only job. I'm going to be going in out in the next week or two and start trying to get enough to do one full day per week, but I've set myself a target of 200 custies(50 per week) before I could quit my f/t job and go my own way and only answer to myself.

Advice from old hands and newbies would be welcome 

Depends how much income you need really.
If you have some capital behind you, you could buy work and/or pay canvassers and build it up quite quickly.  If you do it all yourself it might take anything from a few months to a couple of years depending how motivated you are and what quality of work you want.  The reality is that when you first start, you pick up quite a few customers who you know you will drop when you no longer need them.  If you want a really well refined round, it's an ongoing process really.
I canvassed three evenings most weeks for a year before I felt I no longer wanted to canvass.  I could have stopped sooner really as I had low outgoings and no family to support.  After a time, the work starts coming in more from referrals and from people seeing you working.

If I make it my full time job then I would need to be motivated as I'm like most got bills to pay and an ex wife to pay every month as well for our kids.

I suppose once I've actualy been out and canvesed a few times I'll have a clearer idea. In an ideal scenario I would love to be a full time self employed window cleaner by the end of the year.

You could certainly be getting a reasonable income from it by the end of the year if you push yourself pretty hard.  I suggest that it may be better to get through the winter before making the break from your employer.  Even the most enthusiastic starters can find winters a bit daunting.  Also, you will get a better idea of what you can earn in a day when daylight is shorter and/or you need to start later when the temperature gets above freezing point.  Better to get a more over all view in all kinds of conditions before deciding to make the break IMO.

[martinsadie]

round built up when i handed over the money,buy work and up and running stright away

[Platinum NW]

If you have the money to buy youll be going stright away - If not it could take 6months upto 12 months to canvass depending on technique and committment
I try and canvas upto 5 nights a week when im expanding which normally gets me around £100-£150 of work for 3-5 nights - Also depends on how good the window cleaner is on the estate and how much he charges

[ian1972]

all depends on how much effort you put into it

[Smudger]

Doing this now -  was part time w/c for the last 18 months as other job was a fri/sat/sun affair and got bored during the week.  thats now gone t!ts up so striking out full time.

Canvass every spare moment i have and so far working very well.

no estates my way ( Norfolk Broads ) so things spead out but by the same token poorly serviced.

Just give it your best shot with 100% commitment

Darran

[Platinum NW]

100% effort with the right techniques (sales and method) and youll have 4K a month like i did

[Murdie window cleaning]

100% effort with the right techniques (sales and method) and youll have 4K a month like i did

that would be nice 

some good advice, I'm not in the position to buy a round even if there was one for sale round my way. I will have to build from scratch, but I have no worries about going out canvesing as I currently work in retail as a store manager, so dealing with all kinds of customers I can deal with.

My motivation is I hate my job as I'm doing a minimum 60 hours per week and the particular company I work for are wanting to squeeze the life out of me and expect more and more without any more money. So hard work and putting in effort is not a problem.

I know there will be days when I hate being out in the freezing cold and then there's the days when the sun is shining and all is well, but if I'm doing it myself and not got some big corparation grinding me down I'll be fine 

[R W C]

its easy to say buy a round but there not always for sale, ive not any my way

[Platinum NW]

You have ro make do with whatever resources you have
Also use your iniciative and you will build a business

As a businessman youll have to react to changes and use your initiative more than you think - Youll will move forward more quickly by making decisions instead of thinking hard and doing nothing. Make decisions if you get them wrong learn from the mistake

Good Luck

[amayze]

TeriClean,

Best of luck to you mate. I started my round 2 weeks ago, after been given the idea by a friend one day over a cuppa.
 
I was made redundant in March, and after applying for 180+ jobs, before I stopped counting, decided to take the plunge. I've started it off with little more than £50 which paid for my basic materials and some flyers and practiced for amount two weeks before I felt confident about doing other peoples houses.

I started to offer a few mates rates, during which I had two neighbours come and ask me to do theirs !! So in at the deep end on day one !! So far, in two weeks I've got 25 customers in a village of 2,500 homes with 2 exisiting window cleaners.

Only downside, an established w/c who said he would take me out on his patch, has so-far done his best to avoid taking me out !!

Lovin' every minute, being my own boss and being active. Keep in touch and we'll compare notes in the future.

[Murdie window cleaning]

Thanks Amayze

sounds familier the constant practice, I even cleaned my ex's windows just to get a bit practice as well as my parents and my own and I'll probably do my own again and again untill I'm happy with my ability.

Should be ready to start canvesing in about 2 weeks, by then I'll have flyers made up. I've been looking to start my own bussiness for a while now and window cleaning looks to be the one that suits me best and the more I get into it the more I just want to tell my boss to stick his job and go full time, but I know it will take time to get to a level that will allow that.
 

[Gleaming windows]

FAO Amayze, in village of 2,500 house with only 2 other cleaners you need to get out there and canvass hard, that sounds like the place is begging for a window cleaner. Put an ad in the local shop, an ad in the parish mag, go knocking every night, you'll have work coming out of your ears in a place like that. Offer other services apart from window cleaning, like gutter emptying, gutter cleaning, uPVC cleaning, and you'll be wondering why you didnt do it before.

Oh yea get some smart flyers and cards made up too, get Public Liability insurance and sign write the van! Tidy well written vans are worth their weight in gold in a small community like you describe.

Matt

[amayze]

Cheers Playschool - appreciate the positive comments.