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Is This A Stupid Idea?

Kips

Active member
Messages
566
Hi guys

Im doing a bunch of residentials on a few terraced streets near my home - also a few shops - with the fact that i'll be walking to them all (really no point at all in taking the car, first job is about 30 secs from my house) I was thinking about an ultralight, ultraportable setup to get them all done quick and increase my hourly rate.

Here's what I've come up with -

Telescopic ladder - 3.8m, pops up and down in seconds, is ridiculously easy to carry around

camelbak style 'water backpack' thing - instead of drinking it I can use it instead of a bucket. Squirt a few drops of fairy onto the appi and then rub the water nozzle over it with the water running and it does a good job of soaking the appi - no need for a bucket. Also I can keep things like s-c-r-a-p-e-r-s, fairy liquid, invoice book, business cards, etc etc whatever I want in there. The 'bladder' in it is 1.5L but I can easily carry a 2.5 litre bottle of water around in it with me if i'm going to be out for a while. So I don't think I'll run out of water. If I do I can just fill the bottle up at a customers or from a random outside tap!

all my tools go in an ettori bucket on a belt holster - so I can just just take stuff in and out as needed.

The bonus with this is it's all lightweight and easy to move about with, everything is on me so I just have to run up a ladder, do the windows, do the bottom windows, move ladder over, do next house, repeat repeat etc. When it's time to stroll over to the next street or shop I can just click the ladder down and start walking and when I'm there i'm set up as soon as I arrive. And I don't have to carry a heavy bucket full of sloshing water about.

I've never heard of anyone using a camelback instead of a bucket tho - is there a reason why it's a bad idea? I've not tried it out and about yet but I gave my place a 'test clean' treating it as if it were a customers house and it came out well?

So anyway, there ya go, whatcha think?

Kips.

 
sounds like a good little plan mate .

i think dodger uses a spoab so he dont have to carry around a bucket .

the ladders hmmmm depends how big they extend to ? i dont like the look of them collapsible ladders myself .

 
Imagine while your working then they "collapse" /emoticons/tongue.png

I never liked the look of them either

 
I've been looking at these ladders but very wary of them as G^ said what if they collapse.

Sounds like a plan mate a camel pack would work fine it's still water

 
Well as it happens the ladder is the only bit I haven't got yet so I'll stick with my traditional ladder if they're known to be dodgy! I just liked the idea of the super compact/ultra mobile aspect of them. In theory I could cycle to jobs with the setup detailed above if I wanted to! Get in on that eco friendly marketing vibe! /emoticons/tongue.png

 
Small Telescopic ladders are handy, but I don't think I'd feel safe 20 odd foot up on one!

The wate in the back sounds good, 1.5 litre wouldn't be too heavy. You could just bring a bit of fairy out with ya incase you need a refill from an outside tap.. It wouldn't waste as much water as you do using a bucket..

 
sounds like a good little plan mate .

i think dodger uses a spoab so he dont have to carry around a bucket .

the ladders hmmmm depends how big they extend to ? i dont like the look of them collapsible ladders myself .
Gavs right I only use the unger sprayer on a belt and never carry a bucket and it works well. I dont like the look of those ladders either, not for working at height anyway.
 
iv got a set of telescopic ladders,( not for window cleaning), and they are good, but they take a while to set up and take down properly, you have to make sure the clips are fully locked on each rung, much better off with trad ladders.

 
I know a few trad windies that just walk there round with no car, they just stick there extra cloths in a rucksack and away they go for the day. I am sure it will work, but personally it sounds like your over complicating it a bit, and I also wouldn't use telescopic ladders for window cleaning. I am surprised that they are recommended for loads up to 150kg, I thought it would be a fair bit less than that /emoticons/smile.png .

 
they are suprisingly solid and safe, they just take ages to use and there not much lighter than trad ladders you can get anyway, so IMO not worth the hassle

just thought id add, the camelpack idea is a good one!lol

 
Saw one of those camel packs in wilkos I think holds 2 litres, my unger sprayer only holds a litre and easy do half dozen houses with that possibly up to ten. I carry a couple of gallons in car but never needed more than about 3-4 litres so one of those on your belt and the camel pack would sort you out for the day I reckon.

 
without a bucket how are you going to rinse you applicator out as it will pick up dirt and grit. Customers will let you top up at their house as they like the idea of clean water. also those telescopic ladders are a nightmare for window cleaner, we tried it and was heavier to carry that a normal ladder. have you thought of using a trad pole and wagtail could be easier than carrying ladders takes some getting use to but worth the time investment

 
without a bucket how are you going to rinse you applicator out as it will pick up dirt and grit. Customers will let you top up at their house as they like the idea of clean water.
I don't use a bucket and I also don't use tap water, I don't have a problem rinsing my applicator as I carry minimum 3 but I can just whip one off, pour some solution over it and put it back on. You might be surprised how many customers think it's great that I only use rainwater and I don't keep dipping my applicator in a bucket of dirty water.
 
thanks dodger. good idea changing the aplicator. i usually find a garden tap and rinse but dont do much trad now. i like the use of rain water aswell.

 
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