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Need Some Advice, Help !

Mike48

Member
Messages
77
Hi all,

need to start my own window cleaning business. Have to feed the kids and all that. Anyway I am very new to all this,infact I havent even started the business yet. I really need to know that as a newbie should I start with the trad method or wfp. Money is tight so I am restricted. If you could help,maybe a combination of the two methods might be good? what do you think.

Where would be the best place to get an economic mobile wfp from? What do you have to do to ensure the water is pure? Do you have to add chemicles and if so what?

So many questions so little time.

Cheers.Mike

 
hi mike, how much money do you have to spend first?? it all depends on how much you have to spend, i started wfp on just a little over 200 quid, i got a cheap backpack where you put the purewater in, you dont need special water filters like most. i harvest rain water which does the same job and a few guys on here use rainwater, its good if your on a water meter.

trad im sure you could start up for say 80 quid, get a set of ladders for 50 quid maybe off ebay, check them over tho for cracks etc on the joints. the rest of the gear you could pick up in homebase.

im sure the others will be along soon to comment

 
Cheers, JDMW. Ive got about 600 quid to invest. We live in a flat so cant harvest rainwater. Is there anything I can add to tap water to make it "clean".As to the ladders the missus wants me to have a good set, would a 2 or 3 set be best and what hieght should I be aiming at, 6 7or 8 meter. I will be only aiming at residentail property, so will only be upto 1st floor.

Cheers

 
i live in a flat but i also have a garden, i got a massive shed with perspex roofing, this keeps the tds down to about 4ppm. if you collect of the roof it can vary i found. you can get a ro unit for about 100 quid, depending on your water pressure you may need a booster pump aswell, like bluemonkey said, u need a tds meter to know what your water is. where abouts do you live?? if ur up north you might be safe to get just resin, if your in midlands or south its a ro unit.

 
Hi JDMW, can I ask what a ro unit,I live in Grimsby.Yes it does smell of fish and chips. I like it though /emoticons/biggrin.png

 
Hi Blue monkey , cheers. So this gardiner company could supply a ecomonic back pack wfp system, to get me going, Are they any good?

 
Cheers, JDMW. Ive got about 600 quid to invest. We live in a flat so cant harvest rainwater. Is there anything I can add to tap water to make it "clean".As to the ladders the missus wants me to have a good set, would a 2 or 3 set be best and what hieght should I be aiming at, 6 7or 8 meter. I will be only aiming at residentail property, so will only be upto 1st floor.
Cheers
Stick with trad if 600 is all you have just now mate. You can allways purchase it later down the line
 
Start trad mate. Do not buy 2nd hand ladders! Buy Unger gear, and practice on friends and neighbours windows before you charge money. You don't want to look unprofessional when charging money.

 
I think your being a bit blinded with science here mike. What the guys have said is true but if I was a newbie I'd be sitting there baffled. £600 is a good amount to start up. Get yerself a good set of ladders. Then yer bucket squeegee ect you can get off eBay but try for a good make like unger. Home base sell it but I find it expensive. If yer wanna also go part wfp a backpack which you put your pure water in is just like a crop sprayer. £99 off eBay. B&Q do a Harris pole for £15 & for £30 you can make this into a wfp which if you go on the DIY section it will show you how to do it. A DI for making you pure water (eBay bout £40) & to start 5kg of resin which is about £28. Window cleaning warehouse are very good to get these & yer prob talking roundabout £400-450 for all this. Look on Internet & YouTube to see what DI's, backpacks & ro's are. Some will disagree with me as prob forgot somet but then we all have different ideas.

 
posh is spot on, i used a harris pole when i started out, best startup pole till you get a steady wage in. i use my harris for conny roofs now. best to buy everything you need in one go. i bought cheap things and ended up buying more and it cost me in the end.

 
If you have a van already, then £600 should be enough to set up a DI WFP system (I dont know about RO.....) if your economical with what you buy. However I think you may struggle if the astra is a car and not a van. I have been setting it up myself over past few months, and I should be there or there abouts with money by the time im done. There are often packages going second hand on ebay, or I have been buying bits and bobs as I go, just picked up a 400ltr tank and 20ft FG pole for £150 last night.

Wont be a bad thing starting traditional though as the ladders and other kit will always be useful, if over time you move over to WFP you can always keep on some of the work your comfortable using ladders with as traditional if thats what the customers prefer.

I think Tuffers advice is great though, I will be handing in my notice in 2 months and am planning to use my holiday I have accrued for the year working for free on friends houses getting used to the work, nothing worse than turning up for a new job a bit dithery and unsure of yourself!

 
Cheers gents,

thanks for taking the time. I am realy lookng forward to starting up.I will practice a while before setting myself on the public.

many thanks

 
I think your being a bit blinded with science here mike. What the guys have said is true but if I was a newbie I'd be sitting there baffled. £600 is a good amount to start up. Get yerself a good set of ladders. Then yer bucket squeegee ect you can get off eBay but try for a good make like unger. Home base sell it but I find it expensive. If yer wanna also go part wfp a backpack which you put your pure water in is just like a crop sprayer. £99 off eBay. B&Q do a Harris pole for £15 & for £30 you can make this into a wfp which if you go on the DIY section it will show you how to do it. A DI for making you pure water (eBay bout £40) & to start 5kg of resin which is about £28. Window cleaning warehouse are very good to get these & yer prob talking roundabout £400-450 for all this. Look on Internet & YouTube to see what DI's, backpacks & ro's are. Some will disagree with me as prob forgot somet but then we all have different ideas.
Hi Posh, can I ask Re the wfp packpack, is that battery operated or manual. Also how can I turn tap water into pure water, what is the process. Cheers
 
Mike 48..

Lots of options.

Seriously. Traditional first.

Just knock on the doors build enough for the essential bills

You'll soon increase and make ur own judgement for wfp..you tube my videos..they r all under goldoak cleaning services. Goldoak window cleaning. Ect..this will give you an idea of setups and wfp only..

Good luck

 
Mike 48..

Lots of options.

Seriously. Traditional first.

Just knock on the doors build enough for the essential bills

You'll soon increase and make ur own judgement for wfp..you tube my videos..they r all under goldoak cleaning services. Goldoak window cleaning. Ect..this will give you an idea of setups and wfp only..

Good luck

 
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