new starter

[bigkenny]

Hi,

I’m thinking of jumping on board the window cleaning game. Should I lease the equipment or buy. I have no van/vehicle at the moment. I was thinking of buying a 2nd hand van and maybe lease the window cleaning equipment. I’m looking at a Di system to start of with (would that be best).

I will be just one man, so any advice. Total money really for van/equipment I suppose is a less as possible but I suppose I’m looking at between £2,000 and £3,000.

There seem to be so many systems I’m not to sure. Could I just start of with a cheap trolley system (if possible) if I bought one?

Any tips or advice on what would be best equipment to start of with. I live in an area (North Wales) so water should be softer here. I’ve sent of for a TDS Meter.

What sort of van should I start of with (make/model) any tips?

Could I just buy say second hand (for Di equipment) of eBay.

Thanks

 

[harunh]

Hello Kenny welcome to the forum, you remind me of myself when i was getting in to the window cleaning trade ! /emoticons/biggrin.png

I think a van mount would be much better as getting the trolley in and out of your vehicle would be a right headache ! i was planning on going 100% trolley, on this forum a lot of people told me i will regret it and want to go to a van mount...... and they were abseloutely right ! !

I got a 350ltr baffled tank in my van which is powered by my trolley. so i can sometimes take my trolley out when i do awkward houses. But when am parked on someones driveway whats the point in taking my trolley out ? I just get my hosereel out and off i go clean them windows and move on to the next job. MUCH EASIER /emoticons/smile.png

Some people build their own trolleys.... they get a good battery and a powerful psi pump. I am to lazy to do that.... so i bought a pure freedom trolley ( Costs around £500 ) but you can get a decent trolley for around 200 pound.... from Omnipole.

You do not need to get a van with a specific make/model, all you need is a good runner that will not let you down. You dont want to be having trouble with your van when your driving to your next window cleaning job. so just make sure you get a good van that is a good runner.

But because you got around 3,000 pound to start up with,,,, you can use ladders and then invest into a wfp system, but if you want to be 100% ladderless like me then you can buy a window cleaning van that already has all the equipment you need in it installed.

If you go on ebay and search for window cleaning van... their is a few vans on their for sale, and ive seen a good few for around 2,000-3,000 that always get sold.

NOTE: WHEN YOU SEARCH ON EBAY ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE CLICK COMPLETED LISTINGS AND THIS WILL SHOW YOU ALL THE VANS THAT HAVE BEEN SOLD IN THE PAST 30 DAYS OR SO.

I will inbox you a few links of vans that are going for under 3,000 pound

If you want to know more about window cleaning then do the following:

1. Click on my name and go to my profile

2. Click on find all threads by this user

3. You will see a good few pages of me asking good questions that you might want to ask others. this will help you a lot as you are starting out.

I suggest that you have a good read through all my threads. an you will get a really good idea of what to do.

Good Luck Kenny

 

[Dodger]

Hia Kenny some of what Big H says is right but going through all his posts might be a bit like reading war and peace lol.

Theres no right or wrong way and I'm certainly no expert so just prowl the forum for a while and you'll pick up stuff, most of all don't be afraid to ask questions because there are lots of friendly, experienced lads around even though the information is already there in the appropriate forum.

First tip though, test your water so the lads can advise which system ro/di is best for you.

Second, keep some money back for Trad tools and a ladder, learn both methods.

 

[kev mcguinness]

Hi mate, welcome!

I done the same as you are thinking. Bought a second hand vauxhall combo. Then shipped around for the best deals on everything (there's no need for everything to be brand new). Got a 400ltr baffled tank for £50 for example. Ordinary garden hose to connect everything. You can always replaced things as you go along. Try eBay, Gumtree and free ads etc. I live in south Wales and my water is very soft so DI resin lasts a lot longer.

Hope everything works out

 

[bigkenny]

Hello Kenny welcome to the forum, you remind me of myself when i was getting in to the window cleaning trade ! /emoticons/smile.png

I think a van mount would be much better as getting the trolley in and out of your vehicle would be a right headache ! i was planning on going 100% trolley, on this forum a lot of people told me i will regret it and want to go to a van mount...... and they were abseloutely right ! !

(SNIP)

I suggest that you have a good read through all my threads. an you will get a really good idea of what to do.

Good Luck Kenny

Thanks for this I will do as you say and read up on it. I need to start ASAP as June in a few days and I don't want to wait to long and miss summer. But I don't want to just throw money away and get the wrong stuff. I would sooner start with a ladder-less system and the cheaper the better 3k is my max around 2k is what I would sooner pay for all system and van.

What do you think of buy a good van and lease equipment?? or maybe lease van and equipment??

thanks again

 

[windyman]

I wouldn't lease a system (not sure where you'd lease it from anyway??).

I built my own van system for less than £500, which would leave you the remainder to spend on a van.

However, for someone starting up in WFP, I ALWAYS suggest starting with the Window cleaning warehouse backpack.

It's £150 (the orange one) and can be put on a small trolley/sack truck (£20) if you want to save your back.

It is so simple, a monkey could set it up. All you do is add your water (A DI filter with resin will cost you around £100 I think), buy a pole (Gardiners are the best, I'd go for a clx-22 or clx-27, costing £150ish), a few 25l barrels to carry pure water- and there you have your full set up- All for less than £500.

You can even use this in a car (I did for a while)- so don't even need to fork out for a van yet if you didn't want to.

If you do get a van, as you get more work, you can add a full van system as you get the work to justify it. It'll never be a waste as a backpack is always useful even when you have a van system.

This is pretty much how I started & would always do the same again. Minimum risk.

 

[Paul]

Hi mate welcome to the forums, I won't add anything to this thread as I think it's all been said, good luck.

What I will add speak to gav(admin) he might have a van and set up for sale

Hello Kenny welcome to the forum, you remind me of myself when i was getting in to the window cleaning trade ! /emoticons/smile.png

I think a van mount would be much better as getting the trolley in and out of your vehicle would be a right headache ! i was planning on going 100% trolley, on this forum a lot of people told me i will regret it and want to go to a van mount...... and they were abseloutely right ! !

I got a 350ltr baffled tank in my van which is powered by my trolley. so i can sometimes take my trolley out when i do awkward houses. But when am parked on someones driveway whats the point in taking my trolley out ? I just get my hosereel out and off i go clean them windows and move on to the next job. MUCH EASIER /emoticons/smile.png

Some people build their own trolleys.... they get a good battery and a powerful psi pump. I am to lazy to do that.... so i bought a pure freedom trolley ( Costs around £500 ) but you can get a decent trolley for around 200 pound.... from Omnipole.

You do not need to get a van with a specific make/model, all you need is a good runner that will not let you down. You dont want to be having trouble with your van when your driving to your next window cleaning job. so just make sure you get a good van that is a good runner.

But because you got around 3,000 pound to start up with,,,, you can use ladders and then invest into a wfp system, but if you want to be 100% ladderless like me then you can buy a window cleaning van that already has all the equipment you need in it installed.

If you go on ebay and search for window cleaning van... their is a few vans on their for sale, and ive seen a good few for around 2,000-3,000 that always get sold.

NOTE: WHEN YOU SEARCH ON EBAY ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE CLICK COMPLETED LISTINGS AND THIS WILL SHOW YOU ALL THE VANS THAT HAVE BEEN SOLD IN THE PAST 30 DAYS OR SO.

I will inbox you a few links of vans that are going for under 3,000 pound

If you want to know more about window cleaning then do the following:

1. Click on my name and go to my profile

2. Click on find all threads by this user

3. You will see a good few pages of me asking good questions that you might want to ask others. this will help you a lot as you are starting out.

I suggest that you have a good read through all my threads. an you will get a really good idea of what to do.

Good Luck Kenny

Jesus H that was some write up gave me a migraine reading it lol

 

[harunh]

^^^ LOL ^^^

Kenny u can pick up a decent small van for around 2,000 something like a Renault Kangoo or Peugeot Partner or Citroen Berlingo,

And then just build your own van system and that will cost you under £500.00 then get your pole for £150.00 like windyman said, the pole he suggested is a great pole for starting out /emoticons/smile.png cheap and 5 star quality

And dont lease the equipment... i dont think many people lease wfp equipment /emoticons/wacko.png but its not worth leasing equipment when you can get your own system for under £500.00

 

[Posh]

Tell you what big h you impressed me there with your to replies. I never saw any Zs or no mention of wellies. Some good advice mate. Love the bit on war and peace lol. Good advice big h.

 

[Paul]

+1 for the windy in wellies Big H

 

[1stopcleaning+maintenance]

good advice there both of paul and harunh wish i had of joined this forum earlier! i recently paid nearly 1400 for my set up off purefreedom , takes all nite to fill! and have to charge bat every nite, only small moans but for price compaired to the 500 as you stated im not all that impressed . Steve

 

[mark m]

Welcome to the forum mate

 

[adrian5139]

good luck to you mate sure the lads on here will all help you out as much as possible there a good bunch for windys lol

 

[Matty H]

Welcome to the forum Kenny - big H is a star on here he is new to the game and spends a lot of time posting as he has very few customers at the moment. Everybody likes him though lol

Some sound advice there in respect to starting out. I must admit I took a BIG risk when I started I splashed out on a fairly new expensive system and van - luckily the risk paid off and I have easily enough custies now.

P.S - keep the questions coming H will be waiting lol

 

[harunh]

^^^ LOLThank you ^^^

i spent a lot of money to start up and i got to make sure this works for me.

 

[Matty H]

^^^ LOLThank you ^^^

i spent a lot of money to start up and i got to make sure this works for me.

How much was your start up H?