Do you plan to save or make money?

[Richard]

Been reading a number of comments from new people coming into window cleaning overly concerning themselves with saving money right at the start of setting up a new business – it doesn’t work this way –

It’s much better to consider where you want to be in the future and then plan from that point.

For example: if you want to window clean part time and want £1,000 per month and you only want to do this for the next 5 years, then you have a plan to turn over £60,000 during this 5 year period. Now you can tackle the expense and plan the setting up of the business

The question is then – what is the approximated investment needed for the return of £60,000?

I will start off by saying - during the five year period you can do this by buying 1 pole and 3 brushes, aprox cost £500

What other equipment is needed and how much?

Richard

 

[harunh]

Im in the process of starting a business within the next fort***ht /emoticons/smile.png .... Im spending around £6500-7000 on start up... i want to do this a career.... Window cleaners out their start with a few hundred pound by getting ladders and a bucket and squeege... and walk their round.... but i am lucky to have a starting capital of that much at the age of 21 years old.

You can invest a few hundred pound.... and work you way along.... save money then upgrade to a wfp system... this will help you to clean houses quicker and at the same time get more work in the same day.

If you want 1,000 work a month then you got to canvass and work hard..... and that is hard to do when you are part time /emoticons/sad.png Cos....... window cleaning can be a headache its just like any other business... you will always get that moaning customer... you will always get one that ring you and complains ect.... one will cancel and let you down.... its all ups and downs.... but i suggest you start full time and geta a compact round... then when you got enough work their.... put it all in the same day.... you can clear 1,000 within 2 weeks... or even 1 week /emoticons/smile.png some people work 10 days a month and earn like 1800 pound because all their work is on the same day.... so its 10 days hard work and after that their free till next month.

I will be going full time.... and work at it everyday... i will always be concentrating on improving my business My aim is to get 100 customers within 3 months.... its achieveable if you stick to it

 

[Richard]

Good luck with that harunh

As you point out the investment money, no matter how small or large is only one side of the coin – you must have a plan; otherwise you think more about trying to save money.

Richard

 

[harunh]

Yeah... But most people who start a window cleaning business if they have the money to go staright to wfp they dont hesitate !

WHY DONT THEY HESITATE ?

Because... 99% of window cleaning businesses do not fail...

If you got a business mind and think business and are 100% commited .... and know how to treat your clients then you got a good career ahead of u mate thats the way i see it

 

[Paul]

Where did you get the 99% pal I think that's wrong I think more than 1% fail

 

[simon]

lol a lot more than 1% fail or give up

thing is you cant just GET a compact round it takes time to build & not just months & mebbe buying a bit & taking any jobs that you can untill your earning enough to ditch em

 

[mrtaytay]

Very true Paul. I suspect many more than 1 percent fail and for all kinds of reasons. I can imagine that lots dont get through those first few months when a full book of customers seems a very long time away. It comes though. You reach a point where, without even trying, you start getting a steady flow of new customers. As soon as people trust you and like you and get to see that you are doing a good job then you are sorted. I would also say that traditional is a good way to start. Its suited me. Low set up costs and lots of people still like their windows doing in the traditional way. I have been at it for 6 months and the books are just about full.

 

[Belfastcleaning]

I started off with £60 ladders from b&q, bought a pouch and bucket on a belt, was givin a mop blade and scrims.. And got a roof rack too lol

 

[harunh]

well not 99% lol i mean most suceed..... but yeah i agree its all about dedication

 

[Richard]

Putting figures on failure might not be relevant to some and is a bit harsh, if you set out to earn £45k a year and only ever manage £40k, you can say you have failed or you can say I have not been as successful as I have planned for (or wished for).

I think its better to measure your level of success, and progress from that point – there are always 20% of window cleaners who are top end of the earning scale and likewise there are the 20% who are at the bottom end of the scale, and the rest in-between. So there is plenty of scope to move.

Other things have to be considered, the main one’s being time and cost; I know two window cleaners who turnover a similar amount of money, the biggest difference between the two is one works 70 hours per week the other works no more than 35 hours.

Dedication or commitment is great, but all you need is a plan to work with. Acts of god or similar may cause fatal problems, but otherwise success is guaranteed with a detailed plan that is seen through to the end - the level of success depends on the plan you make.

Richard

 

[laddergarder]

Do you want to save or make money?

Well personally I want to first make money, then save a little.

I don't think that's what you were asking though, I think you mean, should you really wait until you have X amount of money before starting a business, or like I did when I started, bought £40 worth of gear from Homebase and went from there.

I think it depends, if you have it, then yes invest it, put yourself a little further down the line, with advertising, better gear, a more professional image, and go for some bigger contract etc. But if you don't then keep it simple, and you will get there. Having some money does help. So really it comes down to your circumstances, if you have a job and want to quit, yes save money a for bit, and put yourself in a stronger position for when you take a plunge. But if you have no income and what to start, keep it simple, work hard and you will get there.

In saying that, I would not say that every business is the same, we have just started a carpet cleaning business to run along side our window cleaning business, and I definitely needed to have money in the bank before doing anything. It just couldn't be done for under 4/5k.

 

[Richard]

I’m saying its better to have a plan; then you will also have a better idea to how much you need.

Richard

 

[nearlyclean]

I think what richard is saying do you have a business plan. How much you want to earn, how much do you want to invest time and money all needs to be planed out. Reviewing a business plan can show you where need to improve your business so you make more money from the time you invest.

 

[GMcleaning]

definitely, if your just setting up trad for a few hundred quid then a business plan isnt really needed at all, however if i were investing a few thousand in any business, then i would definitely expect a detailled business plan!

 

[Richard]

I know trad cleaners who earn over £45k and don’t work more than a 37 hour week in total over a 4 day week; this has happened because they planned to do this.

Similarly I know wfp cleaners who don’t earn that much and work longer hours over a 5 day week. No plan

Trad cleaners should still be viewed as running a professional business, even if the initial outlay is less, planning involves much more than buying either trad or wfp equipment. Although today, I think it’s a mistake to start out trad or continue to provide a service based only on trad.

Richard