[wizard]

I think at the end of the day we duy what is important to us some what the biggest system to shine some are happy with home made I cannot believe this thread have gone on so long. This seam to get personal and devides us all so as far as I think is for me think and you to find out. I have read better threads on this forum, what awaste of time.The guy only wanted to sell his van.

[R W C™]

I think at the end of the day we duy what is important to us some what the biggest system to shine some are happy with home made I cannot believe this thread have gone on so long. This seam to get personal and devides us all so as far as I think is for me think and you to find out. I have read better threads on this forum, what awaste of time.The guy only wanted to sell his van.

Do what I do then, dont open the threads your not interested in, once ive read all i need to know just mark as read.

[edit]

Sorry forgot the smiley 

[Clive McDonald]

Matt, i spend a fortune trying to achieve what you describe, i also put a great deal of thought and effort into it and read books on business and marketing- and yes i arrive at exactly the same place you are, known, liked, and trusted.

Remember Alex? I have no problems buying all his expensive stuff but when he showed pics he was working out of cars, used  plastic hoselock reels(he used drip trays because his reels always leaked), and didn't even have a round management programme (He used cards).He said if it ain't broke why fix it.

So i spend money in the vanity that my theories are right (and they often aren't) and the likes of you and Alex who are very tight fisted and short sighted, like to save money in the vanity to prove your skinflint theories are correct.

[Steve_c]

Each to their own I'm very comfortable with the amount of money i have spent, no were near the amounts that have been bantered about 30000 GRAND, The thing is i have seen some right old crap that is home made and I'm sure if you turned up on a commercial job looking like selwyn froggitt  i don't think the facilities manager would be to impressed. Just today on a commercial job the governor of the facility came out and started asking about the system the poles, heath & safety and who i deal with in his organisation. No offence to any who make their own equipment but would it stand up in a court of law if there was an accident or damage due to equipment breaking? Hard to imagine but didn't it all get personal when a guy put pictures on here with his 80 foot pole. In a court of law a 50 quid home made pole that broke causing damage i think you are toast. And i will shortly be buying Ionics E3 70 foot pole as I'm getting more high commercial work and the cost is around £2000.

[sparklebright]

Are you seriously suggesting that if someone had an accident with a bought pole the consequences would be less than with home-made?
If the equipment is safe then there would be no difference in the results.

[Steve_c]

Yes mate that is exactly what I'm saying. You check it out, who says it safe to use on a public building you who made it or a factory made item that meets all manufacturing requirements. Your pubic liability  probably would be void to.

[matt]

Yes mate that is exactly what I'm saying. You check it out, who says it safe to use on a public building you who made it or a factory made item that meets all manufacturing requirements. Your pubic liability  probably would be void to.

i can see your arguement, though as in the past i think most would argue " fit for purpose " if you say you have used it for the past 2 years then it must be fit for purpose

BUT the same argument cannot be used for a system  ( a tank and hose ) ? ? ?  can it ? ? ? ? , thus why are they charging ALOT more money than you can buy the parts off the shelf and pay someone to fit it / ? ?

[Steve_c]

 Well Matt, the way i see it is the system fitted in the van is approved by thatcham so affects  insurance as its a modification. So its goes on and on. We live in a blame society I'm not arguing i just say how i see it. I love this game and i love going to work knowing that the ton and half sitting behind me is not going to move in an accident. I know of a window cleaner who is wfp and trad, has a home made system a 1000 lt system on a pallet tide down with cargo straps  i have seen it, he said to me he is not picking up any commercial only shops? 

[Steve_c]

Read the post again ..

[Steve_c]

ok mate carry on

[matt]

I did read it again and the only thing I can see that you are saying is “your public liability probably would be void”

Like wise you could have said “your public liability won’t be void”

Fact is if a manufacturer has sold similar poles without incident you will have to prove the pole itself is not fit for purpose, which is unlikely to happen because they are being used everyday, likewise if you made a pole it’s unique so it cancels itself out, you cant prove either way.

They will blame the operator; they can’t prosecute a pole, so it really doesn’t matter. Each incident or case will be judge on its own merits that’s the law and they wont just look at the pole!

its comes hard to agree with Ewan, but on this point i do agree

[Scrimble]

I mean what is it? A tank full of purified water being sucked on by a pump and fed to a brush? It's a glorified screen wash system built on heavy duty lines! That bit is easy to make reliable. How long to source and build from scratch - a week or two tops if I go canvassing in between. I don't need bits of shiny aluminium and a "crippled man" logo thank you.

If I am going to spend 30K it would be paying myself and adult family to canvass and get business - not on some gearbox failing "big" shiny van that can't get on some of my custies drives and park down village lanes without blocking them. And certainly not lining somebody elses's pocket big time so they can pontificate about how their logo will get me work and have custies fawning all over me to beat a path to my door.

And I know that some get it on finance - sorry if I want a second mortgage of a grand a month for three years then I'll put it towards property thanks.

haha this is so true

[Sapphire Window Cleaning]

Vans worth £6k at a push

eh??

15000 miles ? 2007

where you buying vans as ill have one at that price ??!!

Its only a traffic I can pick a 54-55 plate for less than £4000


Matt

[R W C™]

Vans worth £6k at a push

eh??

15000 miles ? 2007

where you buying vans as ill have one at that price ??!!

Its only a traffic I can pick a 54-55 plate for less than £4000


Matt

With seriously high milage.

Chris

[Sapphire Window Cleaning]

Vans worth £6k at a push

eh??

15000 miles ? 2007

where you buying vans as ill have one at that price ??!!

Chris can I ask if the van is 2 years old, why has it only done 15K?

In my personal opinion, that would send alarm bells ringing in my head. nothing against you, just 15,000 miles in 2 years isnt much at all, and I would be asking myself why.


Matt

Its only a traffic I can pick a 54-55 plate for less than £4000


Matt

With seriously high milage.

Chris

[Sapphire Window Cleaning]

Sorry, the vans is almost 3 years old, 5,000miles per year?
I have done 5,000 from last october.

[R W C™]

My post was aimed at getting a 54-55 plate trafic for under 4k
any at this price would have average 130,000 miles on the clock.
Alarm bells are he bought the van expecting work to roll in which obviously it didnt,

[Sapphire Window Cleaning]

I have seen several here in Essex for £3699-£3999 mileage was between 40K and 60K
I took 2 of them out for a test drive, I am going for a Citreon relay now.



Matt

[Sapphire Window Cleaning]

My post was aimed at getting a 54-55 plate trafic for under 4k
any at this price would have average 130,000 miles on the clock.
Alarm bells are he bought the van expecting work to roll in which obviously it didnt,

in any business Chris you have to build it up.
Buying a new van and system wont get the phone ringing, delivering flyers getting your name in the paper, writing letters to councils and schools etc, its a constant job most of us have to do week in week out.
I have started my business all over again in Essex, it is picking up. but I am still dropping flyers and having ads in the paper. you need to get your name and phone number in as many houses as posible.
I personally wouldn't give up. you just need to put a little more effort in, I had forgotten how hard it is to build a round until I started up down here.

Best of luck


Matt

[R W C™]

My post was aimed at getting a 54-55 plate trafic for under 4k
any at this price would have average 130,000 miles on the clock.
Alarm bells are he bought the van expecting work to roll in which obviously it didnt,

in any business Chris you have to build it up.
Buying a new van and system wont get the phone ringing, delivering flyers getting your name in the paper, writing letters to councils and schools etc, its a constant job most of us have to do week in week out.
I have started my business all over again in Essex, it is picking up. but I am still dropping flyers and having ads in the paper. you need to get your name and phone number in as many houses as posible.
I personally wouldn't give up. you just need to put a little more effort in, I had forgotten how hard it is to build a round until I started up down here.

Best of luck


Matt

Sounds like your telling me how to do it lol