going solo want some advice

[slipknot]

Hey guys so ive recently been doing some adding up and realizeing i can make more money if i go out on my own and since my partner is wanting to start at 11am and finish at 1pm im earning next to nothing, i have my own built WFP trolley my own pure water system. so i am gonna start out as some sort of hybrid half wfp and half trad.

i have my first custy and he wants me to do it every 2 weeks and now since im starting out with no customers and i know of 3 windys in my area should i start off doing windows every forknight but charge less so customers think they are getting a better deal when really im earning a bit more month so instead of charging £10 a month and the customers going crazy i would say charge £5 every 2 weeks so it seems fair the windows stay cleaner longer but are also done at a faster rate then once ive built my round up charge to once a month.

i would like some of you guys input ?

 

[jgw226]

Hey guys so ive recently been doing some adding up and realizeing i can make more money if i go out on my own and since my partner is wanting to start at 11am and finish at 1pm im earning next to nothing, i have my own built WFP trolley my own pure water system. so i am gonna start out as some sort of hybrid half wfp and half trad.
i have my first custy and he wants me to do it every 2 weeks and now since im starting out with no customers and i know of 3 windys in my area should i start off doing windows every forknight but charge less so customers think they are getting a better deal when really im earning a bit more month so instead of charging £10 a month and the customers going crazy i would say charge £5 every 2 weeks so it seems fair the windows stay cleaner longer but are also done at a faster rate then once ive built my round up charge to once a month.

i would like some of you guys input ?

Good luck with your new venture mate!

In my opinion I'd try and get most people on 4 weekly! That way if you loose one customer it isn't as big a hit! Also don't price yourself too cheap, I made that mistake and I couldn't wait to get rid of them!

Just knock knock and then knock some more doors!

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[slipknot]

thanks mate its gonna be odd going from working with a family member to doing it myself its just a little different with me doing it by myself

 

[ECS Windows]

Hey slipknot. I've recently started out and was charging half the 4 weekly price for a fortnightly clean. Realised my mistake immediately after looking at travel/set up time. Now I've been quoting fortnightly cleans at 75% of the 4-weekly price and haven't been told to **** off yet

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[Cristian]

You will be fine, the Worlds your oyster :thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

[Chris33]

@slipknot I don't know what size these houses are but for the love of God don't do them at a fiver. This reminds me of eh me when I started. Under pricing stuff.

If I were you I'd start as you mean to continue and set a minimum price of say ten quid, regardless of two weekly or not.

That five quid house will only end up being a hiderence when you have better priced work and have to rock up there twice a month for a fiver. If anyone local wants done too you'll be inclined to price similar..so if you price well INSTEAD you can say to walk ups Mr Smith at no ten pays a tenner for example, sets the tone for getting them on the round at same pricing.

Your right to make the most of your days why anyone want to work 11 to 1. In winter as well, where I'm personally out 8.30 to 3pm minimum to make the most of these short says

 

[ECS Windows]

@slipknot I don't know what size these houses are but for the love of God don't do them at a fiver. This reminds me of eh me when I started. Under pricing stuff.
If I were you I'd start as you mean to continue and set a minimum price of say ten quid, regardless of two weekly or not.

That five quid house will only end up being a hiderence when you have better priced work and have to rock up there twice a month for a fiver. If anyone local wants done too you'll be inclined to price similar..so if you price well INSTEAD you can say to walk ups Mr Smith at no ten pays a tenner for example, sets the tone for getting them on the round at same pricing.

Your right to make the most of your days why anyone want to work 11 to 1. In winter as well, where I'm personally out 8.30 to 3pm minimum to make the most of these short says

I dream of such prices! Haha. I'm in North Belfast and do a semi-detached at £8 4-weekly just to get work in. Then found out the local lads are all £7 or under. Thankfully the phone still rings!

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[Adams0211]

start at 11am and finish at 1pm

Bloody hell. I thought I was bad)

 

[Spartan]

Hey guys so ive recently been doing some adding up and realizeing i can make more money if i go out on my own and since my partner is wanting to start at 11am and finish at 1pm im earning next to nothing,

If you're a partner in this enterprise, can't you take half of the work?

Also a 11am start & 1pm finish is ludicrous! it could all be done in 1 day.

10 hours a week can't cover all your expenses and enough to live on!

Good luck striking out on your own, it'll be a hard graft but well worth it.

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[Cristian]

There's plenty of beer token £2.50 cleaners round me but allot of folk won't use them in the more affluent areas of town as their not legitimate businesses with insurance etc etc.

 

[slipknot]

thanks guys must have been having a daft moment, with it being a family i would rather let him keep his houses and go and do my own. but yea ill price properly instead of doing every it every 2 weeks. ill do it once a month and let it build up.

 

[adamangler]

Everyone who starts out should have a minimum price of a tenner by law imo

If everyone gets on the bandwagon of decent prices eventually we will flush out the fiver lads and we will all be much better off for it.

£200 9-3 is my target. I think thats a good amount for a decent days work without killing yourself.

 

[fathandz]

hi, new to the forum , i completely agree with everyone else if its a small house the min you be charging £10 every 4 weeks, some customers want to be cleaned every to weeks and thats fine and if your a good cleaner they will pay the same £10 each clean, i do a large bungerlow i charge £10 and he likes it cleaned every week . Just because they want it cleaned more frequently shouldnt mean they get it cheaper, its your time they are paying for and time is money .

 

[slipknot]

thanks Fathandz, my partner still lives in 1940s and thinks £90 a week is a good week hence why i want to go out on my own

 

[fathandz]

no problem, if you can drive then i would ditch the trolley get a small van with a tank , broaden your work area

 

[Chris33]

@ECS Windows where I stay pricing aint great and in my town I'm under a tenner too often. This is made better by fast houses and compact work.

But for all new work coming in out side my town I decided tenner minimum it is. Some say yes some say no, I'm full for one man so anything going on has to be well priced.

 

[Clisty1989]

thanks mate its gonna be odd going from working with a family member to doing it myself its just a little different with me doing it by myself

I have been doing the same since I started. Now I work until 12/1 with my father in law, then solo until 3. I now earn double on my own then I do with him. He may be going on long term sick so I'll be taking on his work as well.

One bit of advice, if he's turning down work then ask if you can have it. Same with add ons. I get all his Conny roof jobs, and any leads that are out if his way. Then I've canvassed the area to gain more work. That way your round will grow a lot quicker. If he's only working 2 hours, see if you can borrow/rent all his gear, as long as you replace fuel & water. Just remember to get your own insurance and sort it out with Mr taxman.

 

[slipknot]

no problem, if you can drive then i would ditch the trolley get a small van with a tank , broaden your work area

ive just got a volvo v70 estate /emoticons/smile.png

 

[slipknot]

I have been doing the same since I started. Now I work until 12/1 with my father in law, then solo until 3. I now earn double on my own then I do with him. He may be going on long term sick so I'll be taking on his work as well.One bit of advice, if he's turning down work then ask if you can have it. Same with add ons. I get all his Conny roof jobs, and any leads that are out if his way. Then I've canvassed the area to gain more work. That way your round will grow a lot quicker. If he's only working 2 hours, see if you can borrow/rent all his gear, as long as you replace fuel & water. Just remember to get your own insurance and sort it out with Mr taxman.

thanks for that Clisty im gonna be doing the same as you i already buy my own insurance due to normally using a ladder. but i have my own car and such i asked to borrow his stuff today to do a chip shop ive just picked up and he moaned so i have just spent £70 on all new gear for my self then i don't have to borrow

 

[Dave B]

Trad stuff ain't cheap nowadays either is it

I bought "a couple of bits" i needed a few months ago

That suddenly turned into £160 somehow lol

Easy done

 

[Clisty1989]

Trad stuff ain't cheap nowadays either is it
I bought "a couple of bits" i needed a few months ago

That suddenly turned into £160 somehow lol

Easy done

I did the same thing, Mrs wasn't amused