[rich fraser]

I hate seein the cowboys going round my area in there clapped out old fiestas and other piles of poo. Usually have a buckled set of knackered ladders on top and a round bucket in the foot well.
I grew up on a council eatate with next to nothing and still managed at 17 to buy a 2 year old astra  van and start my own window cleaning round. This was with no help from anyone, while still providing for my son and my girlfriend. I have never claimed on the dole or even set foot in a job centre. If i managed this i just dont understand why any other so called shiner cant!

[martinsadie]

If they stop using you for a group of dodgy looking blokes, in baseball caps,

i wear a baseball cap,start off every easter with a new dark blue one and by september it is bleached nearly white,as im thinning on top and dont want sunstroke what do you suggest i wear on my head ,a hankie or perhaps a top hat 

[rich fraser]

If they stop using you for a group of dodgy looking blokes, in baseball caps,

i wear a baseball cap,start off every easter with a new dark blue one and by september it is bleached nearly white,as im thinning on top and dont want sunstroke what do you suggest i wear on my head ,a hankie or perhaps a top hat 

Do you find you get any funny comments from custies about wearing a cap? Im currently recovering from a fractured skull and have found the sun makes my head hurt along the fracture line. just dont want to put any potential new custys off

[martinsadie]

no comments at all ,wollie bob in winter and giants baseball in summer,if i dont cover up the sun makes me ill

[martinsadie]

If they stop using you for a group of dodgy looking blokes, in baseball caps,

i wear a baseball cap,start off every easter with a new dark blue one and by september it is bleached nearly white,as im thinning on top and dont want sunstroke what do you suggest i wear on my head ,a hankie or perhaps a top hat 

Do you find you get any funny comments from custies about wearing a cap? Im currently recovering from a fractured skull and have found the sun makes my head hurt along the fracture line. just dont want to put any potential new custys off

if you think its a problem take it off when you speak to the customer

[daz1977]

i can understand why wearing a hat whilst canversing might look dodgy, but whilst working, as long as ur not in ur footy top, ie clean pants and a t shirt or coat, i think u can look proffessional,   i always where a black wooly hat and no one as every said any thing to me

[dai]

Sign written van, uniforms, logo's excellent
100% trust from your customers, priceless.

One of my old dears gave me a shawl and hat for our new baby yesterday, crocheted by her own fair hand. Bless her.
Another one gave my Mrs £20 for the baby, and a guy gave me a fiver to stick in the babies hand for luck.
I just wish someone could give me a good nights sleep at the moment.

[sparklebright]

If they stop using you for a group of dodgy looking blokes, in baseball caps,

i wear a baseball cap,start off every easter with a new dark blue one and by september it is bleached nearly white,as im thinning on top and dont want sunstroke what do you suggest i wear on my head ,a hankie or perhaps a top hat 

You're right, I'm wrong. Nothing wrong with baseball caps.
You know the type of look I mean though don't you. Caps and hoodies, lots of burberry, stubbing out their fAgs on the customers drive, usually there is a gang of them.

Though the idea of a top hat could be an interesting gimmick, would keep falling off tho. 

[Johnny B]

I hate seein the cowboys going round my area in there clapped out old fiestas and other piles of poo. Usually have a buckled set of knackered ladders on top and a round bucket in the foot well.
I grew up on a council eatate with next to nothing and still managed at 17 to buy a 2 year old astra  van and start my own window cleaning round. This was with no help from anyone, while still providing for my son and my girlfriend. I have never claimed on the dole or even set foot in a job centre. If i managed this i just dont understand why any other so called shiner cant!

I commend you for your success. However, is it fair to judge others as a cowboy simply because their chosen mode of transport differs from yours? I drive an old Fiesta van, but I have an excellent clientele who employ me to do a good job for them, not to drive a shiny new van.
For the record I don't hate to see others in either old cars or shiny new vans. I welcome it, and if you aren't insecure about your business, you would as well.
Best wishes,
John.

[prestige cleaners]

im a balder, and i dont wear a cap., i like to have a bronzed bonce in summer, detracts from my baldness. 
i do wear hivis year round though, for h&s and it looks a bit more pro.

[simbo]

so much wfp snobbery on here as usual! ladders car van "high vis" always makes me laugh on domestics, its all just cleaning windows whatever method you choose. Don't get me wrong i have the van the wf the uniform but i have a mate has estate  car laders scrufbag still does over £200  a day because he grafts unlike me who hates to clean windows for more than 6 hours 3 days a week max, now am i better than him? in some ways yes and some no but its only "cleaning windows" any dippoop can do it and wfp is creating even more. Lately i have seen tons of new shiny vans and some of the work is diabolical. Big shiny van does not mean you are better just like driving a merc instead of a mini.
there is a post about facebook on here today and most of the crap spouted on here would be better of on there, this forum is getting like eastenders, miss it for months and when you watch again its the same poop.
window cleaning is just windowcleaning       simple
forum for help,advise, suppor,t problem solving,  not we are better than you cos we got shiny toys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[stay white n bright window cleaning service]

I work out of a car/estate ,but sign written+ i wear company printed t shirts
Im no cowboy ,but they do make you laugh,last year a ford fiesta with ladders on pulled up along
side of me ,ladders bigger than the car ,but today a suzuki jeep ,a piece of foam for a roof rack ,round
bucket tied to the end of the ladders followed it 3 of them got out to clean a shop window

[Tim82]

I don't see anything wrong with someone using a presentable car for window cleaning...

But I spotted this (red Mondeo) on the motorway this morning:



 :

wow what grubby looking window wipers and dash board... oh the car in the background?? 

[Tim82]

I personally use wfp as my method as that's my preference yes have a sign written van.but a trad guy wit his ladders and car can and a lot are just as good and probably are better in some instances.what looks bad is when you have 3 or 4 hooded top young lads desending on a customers house to clean the windows.and I think a lot of guys who use wfp would love to see a ban on using ladders just because there would b a lot of people having to pack in.however if you look on ebay or even sites like this the equipment is cheap as chips under a grand and you got yourself set up so shouldn't that tell us not to look down on trad shiners just strive to b the best you can in your own little world.and also don't get to big headed cause you got a 500 pound pole and the other guy is using a 5 quid scrim.some might even say the trad guy has his head screwed on better as his business earns same as yours but cost and continues to cost him less to run than any wfp .

NO guy working Trad will be just as quick as WFP!
one of the reasons I went to WFP is the fact I can earn more per day than using ladders.
I am not slow with a mop and blade either. its just a fact as you havent got to move ladders around and run up them every other window.
The only way we can stop the cowboys and benefit cheats in this industry is if we had a license scheme run nationally NOT BY LOCAL COUNCILS.
I feel the fee should be around £300 per year for the licence too.
CORGI registered engineers pay a damn sight more than that.
If Window cleaners moan about the fee then they are tight as a ducks backside!



Sorry for the waffle but this is my view on the subject of cowboys and benefit cheats!



Matt

why should it be £300, exactly? Is it the same in scotland?

[Sapphire Window Cleaning]

Tim maybe it could be £500 per year.
I feel it needs to be an amount that will deter dole cheats.
Who would pay £300-£500 per year just to make some beer money?





Matt

[prestige cleaners]

mb are you crazy? you would be happy to pay another tax? dont you know these guys will be the 1st to avoid it! who will be able to police it?

[Sapphire Window Cleaning]

That is something that needs work on, maybe the federation or the FSB can look into it more indepth.




Matt

[matt]

Tim maybe it could be £500 per year.
I feel it needs to be an amount that will deter dole cheats.
Who would pay £300-£500 per year just to make some beer money?





Matt

the fact of it is though

if they are dole cheats, they cheat the system, they will not think twice about cheating the "licence"

how can you compare the corgi registered trademen to window cleaners ? ? ?  a mistake in gas fitting and you have killed someone, a mistake in window cleaning and they have a bit of bird crap left on the window till next time

[daz1977]

even if they bring out licenses, will they police it  or just take ur money,  as a lot of the scotish say that they dont do any thing north of the border

[matt]

Another one gave my Mrs £20 for the baby,

bargain, dont tell angelina and brad that your selling them that cheap