Starting up?

[EasySqueeg]

Hi guys!

I’m completely new to this and am interested in starting up. I’ll be moving to Swansea in around 4 weeks and really want my business to take off. I have future plans, but I’m going to be starting out small.

Any advice for a guy like Me? I know there’s competition and I’m just hoping to launch and make a living without stepping on anyones toes and making enemies.

Any advice would be much appreciated l! ?

 

[Jaygti]

It’s a tough time to start. Be prepared for a long hard slog.
It’s still possible, but another income stream while you get going would help.
Start with Wfp if at all possible. You’ll earn more and do a better job. ??

 

[DS WC west midlands]

Oh man, welcome to the club i guess, my Ex Partners old man was a windy in wales, i am from wales, I live in the midlands now..

I would tell you to start real cheap like £10 cheap, most people in wales are so broke it's not even funny.

Really think about this before you step in, because once you are in You will do it for life and it's not for everyone you will be just as poor as the customers you work for.. for a time ...

how long? that is depends on you and how hard you grind to get work, welsh cleaners are born to the grind they know they have to work twice as hard as other cleaners....

Swansea may well be full of cleaners so check out their prices and fall in line with them.

The first five years will be a test to you, it rains all the time in wales and you will be out in it if you want to make anything remotely like a living.. so get some really good wet weather gear...

Good luck

 

[ched999uk]

Welcome, the search box, top right should have the answer to most of your questions. As others have said starting a business takes time and you will need savings behind you till you get going. Do your research on prices and don't be the cheapest even though you are just starting, otherwise you will have difficulty raising prices when you have a decent amount of customers.

 

[EasySqueeg]

It’s a tough time to start. Be prepared for a long hard slog.
It’s still possible, but another income stream while you get going would help.
Start with Wfp if at all possible. You’ll earn more and do a better job. ??

Thanks Jayhti. I’m planning on it being so I know it’s not gonna be a walk in the park. I would like to set out trad as I’m not in a position to start WFP but as soon as funds allow I’m planning to go that way. Thanks for your advice very much appreciated

 

[EasySqueeg]

Oh man, welcome to the club i guess, my Ex Partners old man was a windy in wales, i am from wales, I live in the midlands now..

I would tell you to start real cheap like £10 cheap, most people in wales are so broke it's not even funny.

Really think about this before you step in, because once you are in You will do it for life and it's not for everyone you will be just as poor as the customers you work for.. for a time ...

how long? that is depends on you and how hard you grind to get work, welsh cleaners are born to the grind they know they have to work twice as hard as other cleaners....

Swansea may well be full of cleaners so check out their prices and fall in line with them.

The first five years will be a test to you, it rains all the time in wales and you will be out in it if you want to make anything remotely like a living.. so get some really good wet weather gear...

Good luck

Hi there DS WC. I’m planning on starting as cheap as I can afford to go really around that price margin. I’m happy to graft it’s the first thing I’m researching and looking into the moment I wake to moment I go to sleep. I’m hoping putting in the research and asking advice is going to pay off.

I like to work. I’m happy to get dirty, wet and sweat for a living. I’m passionate about it oddly ? I’ve done some market research, asked for quotes on our new house and have a rough idea where my prices need to be to compete with the best. I think I’ll do some more, get some more quotes to see where I really need to be to fully understand what price margin I need to be in.

Excellent advice though so thank you very much! I wish you and your company all the best although I’m sure your killing it ?

 

[P4dstar]

Welcome, the search box, top right should have the answer to most of your questions. As others have said starting a business takes time and you will need savings behind you till you get going. Do your research on prices and don't be the cheapest even though you are just starting, otherwise you will have difficulty raising prices when you have a decent amount of customers.

 

[JohnDoeWindows]

The beauty of this game is you get out what you put in, through and through. I started out in winter when everyone told me it would be hard to gather customers, maybe I was an anamoly (and not to blow on my own trumpet) but I found it easy gathering customers through door canvassing. I could've been lucky, but recently I'm trying to combat imposter syndrome and a part of that is realising that it probably wasn't luck, I put in a lot of work to get those customers.

My brother also started out recently (a few months back) and has had similar success, so it can definitely be done.

I am probably going against the grain here, but i would advise going in and giving it your all. Set out your stall as you mean to go on, gathering experience is one thing - but don't burden yourself with cheap work for a long time because experience will come and you will pick it up quick, you dont want to be lumbered with poorly priced work. If you wish to go down the WFP route, maybe save up and invest BEFORE starting as then you'll have some skin in the game and when/if times get hard, itll be a lot harder to call it a day and you'll be motivated through hard times.

Good luck ?

 

[Pjj]

The beauty of this game is you get out what you put in, through and through. I started out in winter when everyone told me it would be hard to gather customers, maybe I was an anamoly (and not to blow on my own trumpet) but I found it easy gathering customers through door canvassing. I could've been lucky, but recently I'm trying to combat imposter syndrome and a part of that is realising that it probably wasn't luck, I put in a lot of work to get those customers.

My brother also started out recently (a few months back) and has had similar success, so it can definitely be done.

I am probably going against the grain here, but i would advise going in and giving it your all. Set out your stall as you mean to go on, gathering experience is one thing - but don't burden yourself with cheap work for a long time because experience will come and you will pick it up quick, you dont want to be lumbered with poorly priced work. If you wish to go down the WFP route, maybe save up and invest BEFORE starting as then you'll have some skin in the game and when/if times get hard, itll be a lot harder to call it a day and you'll be motivated through hard times.

Good luck ?

Very well said , no point in taking on poorly paid work just to get work , otherwise you will get a reputation for being cheap , better to build slowly with good priced quality work ?

 

[EasySqueeg]

The beauty of this game is you get out what you put in, through and through. I started out in winter when everyone told me it would be hard to gather customers, maybe I was an anamoly (and not to blow on my own trumpet) but I found it easy gathering customers through door canvassing. I could've been lucky, but recently I'm trying to combat imposter syndrome and a part of that is realising that it probably wasn't luck, I put in a lot of work to get those customers.

My brother also started out recently (a few months back) and has had similar success, so it can definitely be done.

I am probably going against the grain here, but i would advise going in and giving it your all. Set out your stall as you mean to go on, gathering experience is one thing - but don't burden yourself with cheap work for a long time because experience will come and you will pick it up quick, you dont want to be lumbered with poorly priced work. If you wish to go down the WFP route, maybe save up and invest BEFORE starting as then you'll have some skin in the game and when/if times get hard, itll be a lot harder to call it a day and you'll be motivated through hard times.

Good luck ?

Many thanks John Doe! Excellent advice and boosting my motivation. I have to say it’s so nice to have a lot of positive optimistic individuals who are really supportive of newbies . I’m prepared to give it my all as I have 2 kids and a family to support but not only that, my own dream to achieve. There’s plenty to spur me on and keep me grinding. I really appreciate all the advice. Best wishes and keep up the good work ?

 

[EasySqueeg]

Very well said , no point in taking on poorly paid work just to get work , otherwise you will get a reputation for being cheap , better to build slowly with good priced quality work ?

Thanks pJJ. Excellent advice. I’m going to be honest, my price margins are around £5 a bungalow, £15 3bed semi and around £18 for a four bed. These seem to fall in line pretty close to what I have been quoted from guys already in the game. I think this is the right way to go? Any opinions?

 

[Part Timer]

Thanks pJJ. Excellent advice. I’m going to be honest, my price margins are around £5 a bungalow, £15 3bed semi and around £18 for a four bed. These seem to fall in line pretty close to what I have been quoted from guys already in the game. I think this is the right way to go? Any opinions?

My advice would be don't do many bungalows. It takes just as lo g to get there and set up as it does for a 3 bed semi

 

[Jaygti]

Thanks pJJ. Excellent advice. I’m going to be honest, my price margins are around £5 a bungalow, £15 3bed semi and around £18 for a four bed. These seem to fall in line pretty close to what I have been quoted from guys already in the game. I think this is the right way to go? Any opinions?

£5.00 for a bungalow is too low. It’s not worth getting out of the van for.
The other prices look ok though.

 

[DS WC west midlands]

My advice would be don't do many bungalows. It takes just as lo g to get there and set up as it does for a 3 bed semi

I take it you don't like bungalows, to be honest i am not to keen on gutter cleans with surprise Gutter hedgehogs, i'd take ten bungalows over one of them cleans any day...

 

[Part Timer]

I take it you don't like bungalows, to be honest i am not to keen on gutter cleans with surprise Gutter hedgehogs, i'd take ten bungalows over one of them cleans any day...

Don't mind any job if it pays well enough, £5 for a bungalow isn't.
We don’t do gutter cleans with hedgehogs in, we offer to remove them, for a fee, and then do them or turn the job down. The job is hard enough without unnecessary hassle.

 

[DS WC west midlands]

Don't mind any job if it pays well enough, £5 for a bungalow isn't.
We don’t do gutter cleans with hedgehogs in, we offer to remove them, for a fee, and then do them or turn the job down. The job is hard enough without unnecessary hassle.

The removal of such can be messy as hell, my rate per hour these days is £20, as i like to take my time & do the gutters windows and frames at my own speed.. The look on the customers face when they see the results is priceless, they always looking at me as if I just turned water into wine.. I'll remove them hedgehogs and clean up the mess but i charge a lot to do that tbf... I only turn them down if they are cable tied in, that's hassle tbf.. But bungalows i'll do for £20 per month and £35 of a first clean... they do get very mucky..

 

[Pjj]

Thanks pJJ. Excellent advice. I’m going to be honest, my price margins are around £5 a bungalow, £15 3bed semi and around £18 for a four bed. These seem to fall in line pretty close to what I have been quoted from guys already in the game. I think this is the right way to go? Any opinions?

Cannot advise on price as I don’t know your area but your bungalow prices seam way to cheap and out of scale with your other prices ? Surely they should be £8-10 ? But obviously it’s up to you and what you feel you can charge .

 

[EasySqueeg]

Cannot advise on price as I don’t know your area but your bungalow prices seam way to cheap and out of scale with your other prices ? Surely they should be £8-10 ? But obviously it’s up to you and what you feel you can charge .

Maybe I could review my prices and have a more detailed look Into what others are charging for that type of property? I’ve got 2 beds down for about £10 ( does that seem a little to cheap?) . I’m going to be based in Brynmill Swansea. 2 mins from uplands and the sand fields so I’m hoping to maybe get some work around there as it’s closer to home.

 

[Part Timer]

Maybe I could review my prices and have a more detailed look Into what others are charging for that type of property? I’ve got 2 beds down for about £10 ( does that seem a little to cheap?) . I’m going to be based in Brynmill Swansea. 2 mins from uplands and the sand fields so I’m hoping to maybe get some work around there as it’s closer to homhomeless

We have a minimum charge of £8, be it a small bungalow, front of house or 2 windows. However we're established so small jobs are only taken on if they pay well. Newbies like you need to make money when and where they can.

 

[DS WC west midlands]

We have a minimum charge of £8, be it a small bungalow, front of house or 2 windows. However we're established so small jobs are only taken on if they pay well. Newbies like you need to make money when and where they can.

i'd just like to know if there is a reason, but why do you do front's of houses only ? I have tried this twice and all it did was convert a lot of whole house customers into half house customers so i had to stop doing them, as it was too little money for the volume of work i was getting.. I was getting loads of them but tbh spending way too much time running around after them.. That being said it also did not fit well with my whole house round at all. So is there an access issue with those ?

 

[Iron Giant]

A minimum charge must apply, but you also need to consider what is fair in your work area also are you going to be going into multiple streets for single isolated jobs this can quickly impact even on that minimum charge I know of lads charging more than my £8 minimum but they can be driving around more than me, they might be making the same or less money than me but I'd sooner have very compact work, unfortunately for newbies, this is and will be a rarity for the foreseeable future too many windies about these days and they are driving down prices when they should be on the up...