Introduction - new to cleaning

[tommywilliams88]

Down hear you will struggle to find a cleaner who will do trad , I know of only 2 . Personally I wouldn’t want to build a round with trad work it’s ok for shop fronts but that’s all we do trad apart from commercial contracts ware we have to do internal windows . Each to there own your area might be different to mine we haven’t done trad since 2004 . As for safety no one goes out intending to have an accident but each year hundreds are injured using them especially professional people as they can get overly confident and take risks , I have been in in the fire service 35 years and seen numerous falls from ladders by builders , painters , etc over the years , if both feet are on the ground you are a lot safer especially when you look at our job doing xx amount of houses everyday of the week , also if employing it would be very difficult to justify to the HSE why they are cleaning windows using them , there was a big court case a few years ago involving a big multi national one of there guys fell off a ladder and was killed working on I believe st jameses palace owned by the royal family it made headline news at the time and resulted in huge fines for the company.

I only trad residential and ground floor for commercial contracts. A lot of commercial don’t allow ladders or want to see ladders being used, which is not a problem and we do WFP for almost all commercial work.

Didn’t know about that St. James palace incident, will look it up.

My original point was purely advice for Liam to differentiate himself whilst starting out

 

[Jaygti]

It’s sort ofok to trad when you start out, for financial reasons. It’s cheaper than wfp.
But apart from that why use a system that’s more dangerous, takes longer, generally doesn’t do as good a job , and will eventually go the way of the Dodo.
I’d advise to start as you mean to go on.

 

[scottish cleaning service]

All the Trad guys up here don't clean the pvc doors. I get asked just to just clean their pvc doors now. I would say a white pvc door is the most important clean because its the first thing the customer notices. When one sees a wfp clean and then next door you have a Trad clean then you notice a big difference. Doors, frames and especially above window vents are dirty with black dust. Look over to the wfp job and its clean with no cobwebs. Its a no brainer to be honest.

 

[Joshhills]

Little update, had a productive weekend some work picked up which I’m super happy about, 3x 3 bed semi’s, 1x 3 bed terrace in & out, 1x bungalow for gfs clean and windows, 1 3bed semi for gfs, windows & conservatory and finally a shop front for a weekly clean.
Over the moon with my first day out knocking and fingers crossed it will continue, also had a bungalow enquiry for a roof clean which I’m not currently offering.

 

[tommywilliams88]

All the Trad guys up here don't clean the pvc doors. I get asked just to just clean their pvc doors now. I would say a white pvc door is the most important clean because its the first thing the customer notices. When one sees a wfp clean and then next door you have a Trad clean then you notice a big difference. Doors, frames and especially above window vents are dirty with black dust. Look over to the wfp job and its clean with no cobwebs. Its a no brainer to be honest.

Sound like just bad cleaners. If you’re cleaning trad and don’t at least wipe a frame and get rid of cobwebs then you can’t call yourself a window cleaner in my books ?

 

[AndyD]

Also I wasn’t knocking WFP as a concept or method. It was more the case that EVERYONE uses it, so as a way to differentiate yourself maybe look at offering trad as there will be customers who have WFP currently and want to switch back to trad.

I also think a lot of customers, regardless of the benefits using WFP and safety aspects, like to know their glazing frames sills etc have been cleaned by hand.

I offer trad as an option but no one ever asks about it. And even though I do WFP I always wipe down frames and cills (ground floor only though for obvious reasons).

 

[AndyD]

Cleaning the gap out can sometimes take longer than cleaning and rinsing the window.
We use a claw brush. We got a couple from Halfords bicycle section, but they do come up on eBay and Amazon every now and again.
They are £4.00 at Halfords ATM.

Might get one, I’m using the old finger over the one jet to blast out but sometimes it just doesn’t stop coming out and being as I’m using barrels I’m quite conscious of water usage.

 

[AndyD]

Yeah I do agree with you to a degree, but I was more suggesting that there’s little to no difference, in an already saturated profession, between the 10-20+ Window cleaners all offering WFP in any given area. Other than the actual person doing it. It’s all the same service, same tools.

I don’t do anything above 2 storeys off a ladder because like you say, not worth the risk at that height. But, 2 storeys on a ladder isn’t unsafe if you’re careful, aware and confident (not overconfident) on a ladder.

Injuries can happen from anything. Even WFP if you do it for long enough your neck, shoulders and arms will suffer longterm.

Pros and cons to everything but there are plenty of customers out there who prefer trad and very few window cleaners want to do it anymore. To stand out, you need to offer something different, whatever that may be.

It’s not all necessarily ‘same service’ with WFP. It’s like any other profession, there are good, and there are bad. I went to do a quote last week and the windows looked like they hadn’t been cleaned in a while (filthy cills, bird **** etc). I always ask when did they last have them cleaned before I tell them about the first clean price and when I asked I couldn’t believe when she said ‘the other day’. Apparently they guy left leaving bird **** still on the windows and he also never asked he to close the windows and sprayed water all in the bedroom, he obviously didn’t do cills either!. I’m a newbie and I wouldn’t dream of doing what he did, hence why I’m her new window cleaner. If he’s like this with her then I imagine what he’s like this with the rest of his customers, I’ve actually considered asking his other customers if they’re happy with his service and whether or not they’d like to try me instead, don’t think it’s the right thing to do though tbh.

 

[steve garwood]

I offer trad as an option but no one ever asks about it. And even though I do WFP I always wipe down frames and cills (ground floor only though for obvious reasons).

What is the point of spending loads on WFP gear, but then offering a slower method of cleaning? ?

 

[AndyD]

What is the point of spending loads on WFP gear, but then offering a slower method of cleaning? ?

Some people don’t like WFP as they think it’s the work of the devil and only want trad. I don’t necessarily want to do it, it just an option I provide (thankfully no takers as yet!). I’ve had a couple of enquiries asking about internals which I’ve said no to straight away as I’ve only heard negative things about internals.

 

[steve garwood]

Some people don’t like WFP as they think it’s the work of the devil and only want trad. I don’t necessarily want to do it, it just an option I provide (thankfully no takers as yet!). I’ve had a couple of enquiries asking about internals which I’ve said no to straight away as I’ve only heard negative things about internals.

If a potential customer only wants trad cleaning, only one word required. ‘Goodbye’

 

[Jaygti]

Some people don’t like WFP as they think it’s the work of the devil and only want trad. I don’t necessarily want to do it, it just an option I provide (thankfully no takers as yet!). I’ve had a couple of enquiries asking about internals which I’ve said no to straight away as I’ve only heard negative things about internals.

I realise a lot on here don’t do internals, which is fair enough.
I’m more than happy to do them, as I was trad for years.
Now I know that most don’t offer it , I charge it out at gutter cleaning/fsg rates and do very nicely out of it.
I wouldn’t do it in this weather though.

I certainly wouldn’t trad outsides though.
I’m with Steve G on that one.

 

[tommywilliams88]

What is the point of spending loads on WFP gear, but then offering a slower method of cleaning? ?

It’s not that much slower unless you have Georgian lead windows. If you’re slower, charge more.

 

[tommywilliams88]

If a potential customer only wants trad cleaning, only one word required. ‘Goodbye’

Beauty of being your own boss is that you can pick and choose the work.

As my original point, I said Liam should offer trad to differentiate himself, in an already saturated profession, by offering something others don’t… this entire thread is proving to be a very good business case for him to do so, given that 3 or 4 have said similar to you.

 

[tommywilliams88]

It’s not all necessarily ‘same service’ with WFP. It’s like any other profession, there are good, and there are bad. I went to do a quote last week and the windows looked like they hadn’t been cleaned in a while (filthy cills, bird **** etc). I always ask when did they last have them cleaned before I tell them about the first clean price and when I asked I couldn’t believe when she said ‘the other day’. Apparently they guy left leaving bird **** still on the windows and he also never asked he to close the windows and sprayed water all in the bedroom, he obviously didn’t do cills either!. I’m a newbie and I wouldn’t dream of doing what he did, hence why I’m her new window cleaner. If he’s like this with her then I imagine what he’s like this with the rest of his customers, I’ve actually considered asking his other customers if they’re happy with his service and whether or not they’d like to try me instead, don’t think it’s the right thing to do though tbh.

Yea

It’s not all necessarily ‘same service’ with WFP. It’s like any other profession, there are good, and there are bad. I went to do a quote last week and the windows looked like they hadn’t been cleaned in a while (filthy cills, bird **** etc). I always ask when did they last have them cleaned before I tell them about the first clean price and when I asked I couldn’t believe when she said ‘the other day’. Apparently they guy left leaving bird **** still on the windows and he also never asked he to close the windows and sprayed water all in the bedroom, he obviously didn’t do cills either!. I’m a newbie and I wouldn’t dream of doing what he did, hence why I’m her new window cleaner. If he’s like this with her then I imagine what he’s like this with the rest of his customers, I’ve actually considered asking his other customers if they’re happy with his service and whether or not they’d like to try me instead, don’t think it’s the right thing to do though tbh.

It is the same.

Yes, agreed that you get good and bad cleaners, but that’s not a different service - that’s just different quality of service.

100% go knock the areas he’s works in if you’re still building your round.

 

[Pjj]

Beauty of being your own boss is that you can pick and choose the work.

As my original point, I said Liam should offer trad to differentiate himself, in an already saturated profession, by offering something others don’t… this entire thread is proving to be a very good business case for him to do so, given that 3 or 4 have said similar to you.

But wfp is quicker safer and does a better job , would you rather drive a model T ford or a modern more reliable car , I don’t think differentiating himself by offering trad is a good move at all , trad does have its place but not for the vast majority of domestic work , shop fronts maybe

 

[Jaygti]

But wfp is quicker safer and does a better job , would you rather drive a model T ford or a modern more reliable car , I don’t think differentiating himself by offering trad is a good move at all , trad does have its place but not for the vast majority of domestic work , shop fronts maybe

Maybe he could differentiate himself by telling his potential customers that he’s Slower, does a Worse job , and in a less safe manner than all the others out there. ??

 

[steve garwood]

It’s not that much slower unless you have Georgian lead windows. If you’re slower, charge more.

If you’re finding trad ‘isn’t much slower’, then sorry, you must be very slow on the pole.
Did trad for 14 years and am very fast with a squeegee, however, going to the pole was an absolute game changer

 

[Pjj]

If you’re finding trad ‘isn’t much slower’, then sorry, you must be very slow on the pole.
Did trad for 14 years and am very fast with a squeegee, however, going to the pole was an absolute game changer

Totally agree with this when I was trad for 7 years I was always busy but the business only really took of once I went WFP best decision I ever made .

 

[scottish cleaning service]

Another thing I have picked up with quotes. I quote for everything bar veluxes and then I give them another quote including the veluxes. Sometime they can clean the veluxes from the inside but they all seem to want the windy to clean them. To be honest I'm getting fed up cleaning veluxes if I need the ladder so I can use the 18 foot pole.

 

[tommywilliams88]

If you’re finding trad ‘isn’t much slower’, then sorry, you must be very slow on the pole.
Did trad for 14 years and am very fast with a squeegee, however, going to the pole was an absolute game changer

Lol behave yourself. I’m quick with a blade and have worked with enough window cleaners both domestic and commercial to know that there isn’t much difference in time. Perhaps you weren’t as quick on a blade as you thought, or you’re now just knocking work to get through as many houses as you can in a day. 14 years doesn’t mean anything - I know cleaners who’ve been on the tools for 25+ years and they’re dogs^*t.