Buying Business

[steve1570j]

Hi All,

I've been looking at buying some work to get me started in the WC game and I'm considering the advert I came across below.I know some of you you pro's frown upon this route, but the flyers, door knocking etc is not going to generate enough readies in the short term to pay for the roof/food in my gut anytime some.

Posted on 15/05/12

Region: South East England

Location: Brighton

Type: Domestic

Monthly Avg Value : £1,530

Established For: 8 years

Comments: My Brighton round for sale. Above is the round overall value. Cleans are mostly 5 weekly but some are every 8. Traditional and WFP work. Mostly residential. Pay via pre-adressed envelope; if not, home on day of clean. Compact,lucrative, close to sea front. Berlingo van with smart k-system 500l,2 man WFP also available, subject to negotiation,if interested.

Asking Price : £6,000

I then emailed the guy the following message:

I see you have a WC round for sale in the Brighton area.Could you tell me why your selling the round and what % is trad/wfp and to what heights your working to?

Would you introduce new cleaner to all the clients and could you work the 1st month or part of it.

The reply I received is as follows:

I've a very large round in Horsham area and the Brighton round is compromising things there.Its probably 95% wfp but only to 1st floor, 2/3 windows to second floor on whole round.I've not the time to do the round, but I can introduce you or issue an introduction letter introducing whoever takes over the round.

So what do you think, is it a SCAM!!!

Sorry for the length of this. but would like feedback, especially from guys' that have bought work before./emoticons/wacko.png

 

[mark m]

Established 8 Years nice bit of kit price sounds v good and if he is willing to go around with you for a bit i would say get in there

 

[koopmaster]

its looks good, I am about to buy a round which is the same size and price. (Different location) the seller also had a large round and split it up, I offered to pay him the money from 3 cleans and £1000 at the end of the 3rd month.

this way I guarantee hes not selling me the **** customers but a good round and at the end of 3 months the round is mine.

and my round is tripled /emoticons/smile.png

 

[Belfastcleaning]

Some people may be genuine. I would just fear that paying £6k and the customers could tell you they didn't want you.. It can happen.. If he won't work with you for a while or take you round the route and introduce you I would just leave it... £6k is alot of money.. Maybe ask him to take monthly installments?

There is a business on here whizz-bizz... Not 100% sure but I'd you pay him £6k you will get alot more than £1500 worth of work that will be yours from the start.

 

[laddergarder]

If its just 6k for the work I would be a little unsure, sounds like he has been unreliable for them. If the customers are used to that then they may not be happy with a monthly service. IMO, a round worth 1500 of 8 weekly's should be worth half that of a round of £1500 4 weekly's, as it will take half the annual income.

I would offer 4k and take a punt at it, on the basis that they are not 4 weekly cleans, and try to change them to that once acquired.

 

[A.K WINDOWS]

ive been looking into buy a small amount too but something always seems just not rite.im no fan of 8 weeklys but if it gets you going then fair play.

 

[simon]

thats not right mate, people stick with windys they like is very true but when they sell up as happens a lot 99% of those people are more than happy with the new windy as long as he does a good job, i've always mixed knocking & buying & even when buying & changing trad work to wfp i've never lost much & 3 mths later i've made my money back & more if i've put the prices up. obviously knocking is best as it costs nowt, but if you buy then you've money coming in from day 1

 

[A.K WINDOWS]

simon do you think that by door knocking most people say yes as they are on the spot then end up been messers?

this is why i dont knock as i think most people dont know how to say NO??

 

[laddergarder]

I used to have the same opinion mate, but in truth I find that you get messed around by the odd one from referrals, flyers and door knocking.

I think the reason door knocking tends to do better for me, is purely down to human nature. People are busy, and they don't want hassle. They wont chase you, you have to chase them. When you are at there door, its convenient, all they have to do is say yes. When it is a flyer, they have to call you, you have to go out and quote it, then you have to get in touch with them, to make sure they are happy with the price, etc.

I agree that knocking can lead to a better round, as you have priced the work and you have weeded out the time wasters, and at the end of day if someone is selling, its because its not worth there while. Like that guy that is selling the round in question, he obviously makes more money on the other rounds he has, if he is always leaving it. But the work could be a great start and give you an income when you have none, you could safe yourself, days and days of knocking. In my experience, you may loss one or two, but most are fine with you if you have bought the round. As long as they have been made aware of it, before you show up and clean them.

 

[A.K WINDOWS]

i here your words ladder and see your point mate

i may and just may knock but then again i mite not lol just ordered another 3k cards

 

[simon]

lmao a.k. i do know what you mean but a hell of a lot of people seem to find it easy to say NO to me & i get very few jobs from flyers

i hate knocking coz i get lots of no's but when i stick at it i do get good work

i'd always consider buying work but i'm in a small area & couldn't really get ripped off

 

[A.K WINDOWS]

fair play mate.thing is i look like a gypo so everyone says no when i knock lol.

 

[cuzza]

Meet up with him and c what you think.ask him to show u around.R you from the brighton area?

 

[harunh]

simon if u need customrs badly go carding for 6hours and then door knocking for 3 hours.u wil defo get new customery every day.buying a round is a risk unless you know the person huz selling it.

 

[willywindows]

Just a thought, but you could just get a canvasser in to cover the area you want.Say, spend £1500 and see how much work you get for that-Just PM Posh as I believe he knows a good canvasser that might cover the area you want.It might be a better bet than just forking out 6k and finding out its a round made up of custies from Hell !!

Best of luck mate.

 

[Ryan]

buying work is fine if u go around the round with the guy 1 evening to talk to the customers

iv seen a small round come up about 8 miles from me but its well under priced so id rather spend my 1500 on flyers and look at getting a proper canvassing team

 

[simon]

haruhn thats what i meant about a small area, if someone round here is selling, if i dont know him i will know someone who does, so its not really risky. i dont need work but if a good round came up i'd consider it, i mean 3/4 months & you got your money back

but i always get an introduction letter for people that i've not met

 

[willywindows]

buying work is fine if u go around the round with the guy 1 evening to talk to the customers

iv seen a small round come up about 8 miles from me but its well under priced so id rather spend my 1500 on flyers and look at getting a proper canvassing team

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought the seller was too busy to go around but would issue a so called introduction letter to new cleaner for what its worth.I think the flyers and posh's guy might be a better bet, especially if you look like a Gypo - as A.K.Windows says or you don't have that selling face!

Even the God nuts leave when I open the door - /emoticons/wink.png/emoticons/biggrin.png

 

[laddergarder]

A don't know about not having a selling face, I have seen some pretty scruffy looking windies in my time, with wellies and trackie bottoms /emoticons/tongue.png (just kidding harunh).

I did see one guy who always had a *** in his mouth while cleaning, and he looked pretty scruffy. I wouldn't hire him to take away my rubbish, but I met him one day while working and we started talking, he was actually quite a pleasant guy.

 

[daniel87]

How have you got on with this Steve?