[Sunshine/Cleaning]

With the floods in Cockermouth I was wondering how the local window cleaners would be getting on. It must be the last thing on customers mind when their home or business is in ruins.

So what would you do if something similar happened in your area and you were unable to service any of your work?

[South Coast Cleaning Services]

I was thinking the same, this weather could really break some companys, im quite lucky as I got a good family support, mums 10k bonus this month has really helped  but without help id be finding it tough and I really feel for the guys up there.

[stephen s]

nothing you can do mate if it happens it happens,     in floods of the past people havent been able to move back into their homes for over 3 years

but its not just window cleaners the whole community suffers

[Sunshine/Cleaning]

I guess I'm asking if anyone has a Plan B? Apart from asking CMCleaning's mum for a loan. :

[Alistair@AWC]

I'd quickly move into flood restoration!

[paulben]

could go around your best custys and ask if there was anything you could do for them might get a few quid helping to clear up if not it still beats doing nothing all day and you will feel better for yourself . but you can bet when things are sorted you got a custy for life

[Murdie window cleaning]

I feel for the people of Cumbria as I know what there going through. 4 years ago my parents home got flooded after the river that they live beside came over. Earlier this year I moved into a property just around the corner from them and on Thursday we could only look on as the river came within a few inches of coming over again.

I know they were lucky in a sence the last time, they moved into the upstairs of there house as the whole ground floor was gutted, all the floor boards had to be replaced, all the furniture had to go as the water that flooded the house was contaminated, it upset my mum as although the were insured some of the pieces that had to go had sentimental value to her.

But as was said in the op, many many people will be hugely affected in many other ways even if there homes weren't affected. But I think going round your custies and offering any help or services that may be needed would be a good move.

One of the first things I done when the river was coming up on Thursday was get all my window cleaning gear into my car and move the car to high ground so even if I did get flooded I could still work, second thing I done was get the flood gate up and the sand bags in place.

[martinsadie]

even in Cockermouth only a small amount are flooded you would just have to drop them for a while and clean what you have left

[pingu]

This is a bit of a wake up call for all really....if you do not have emergency money then plan to get some...

Plan not to be able to work for say 3 months and have that money in your account as 'untouchable'...

So sorry to see on the tv those who have be so affected by the flooding you have in the UK.

Cheers
Dave.

[RO-Sheen]

It happened to me two years ago. I live in Witney Oxfordshire and we got badly flooded. Luckily not as bad as Cockermouth but pretty bad all the same. We got alot of publicity but I think the fact that David Cameron is our MP might have something to do with it. Luckily (for me) Witney is a valley shapped town with the town centre running through the pit of the valley and the majority of the residential areas on higher ground. Unfortunately the homes and business' in the town centre got destroyed.

Some customers did postpone especially in surronding villages but most were ok.
As for plan B...............I didnt have one but I have customers all over Oxfordshire and would have canvassed like mad in the dryer areas.

[Ta-ra]

What would I do?

I'd research (very quickly!) what was needed locally and canvass like heck:

Drying services
Carpet cleaning
Rendering
Toilet cleaning
Plastering
Fabric conditioning
Mud clearing
Window cleaning
Vaccuming sludge
Remedial works
Coffee stall
Food supply

[Blue Frog Systems]

This is a bit of a wake up call for all really....if you do not have emergency money then plan to get some...

Plan not to be able to work for say 3 months and have that money in your account as 'untouchable'...

So sorry to see on the tv those who have be so affected by the flooding you have in the UK.

Cheers
Dave.

Pingu has hit the nail on the head there.

Im lucky not to live near a flood zone (though a couple of streets down the road get flooded once in a blue moon due to a brook )

I havent got a clue how it feels to loose not just your home, but business at the same time.

From this day forward im going to save for that rainy day fund incase something happens

[Murdie window cleaning]

Not much fun at the moment, I'm once again on flood watch acording to SEPA.

I like to be in control of most situations I find myself in, but you can't control nature 

[eclipse]

Im also a Qualified Fire and food restoration technician (BDMA & IICRC) 12 years experience
HOWEVER all insurance companys are interested in is saving money they dont give a toss about us the customers
A few years ago the insurance companys decided to pass on work to companys that knew hardly anything about restoration work but knew that the cheaper they went in the better for the insurance companys then most of the small  INDEPENDENT  qualified guys lost out on the work

we had big floods over this area and in went the unqualified inexperienced cowboys and did what they thought was a good job drying places out 6 month after people had moved back in problems starting coming out of the woodwork so to speak (damp mould paper coming away)  policy holders had to move out yet again

ALL IN ALL it costs the insurance companys twice the amount of cash to put it right

September 24th this year we had a bathfull of water thru our lounge ceiling  with all the waiting for the insurance company  to get into gear and appoint a restorer which took 2 weeks i actually dried my affected rooms out myself and im still waiting for the go ahead to be re-decorated

INSURANCE COMPANYS ARE A JOKE

Back on topic we also do

carpet and upholstery cleaning
builders cleans
fire and flodd restoration sub work

[dai]

I lived in a house that got flooded in Llandudno, there were small fortunes made by opportunists.
As soon as the loss adjusters had been, there were vans and trucks all over the place offering to remove all the domestic appliances that had been condemned.
People were glad to get rid of them. Many of these appliances were washed down, left to dry, and if working were sold on to unsuspecting people living miles away.
As said above, some of the tradesmen were a joke, everyone wanted their house fixing A.S.P.
Anyone that could pick up a trowel was suddenly a plasterer, the skim that they put on out walls was so thin that the plaster board nail heads were visible, and the plaster fell off them after a couple of weeks.
Getting flooded is a nightmare, but dealing with all the different tradesmen was the real horror story. The buggers took on so much work that they were only spending an hour here and there on each job.