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Looking to get into WFP. No idea where to start.

ECLM
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I have monthly,8 weekly and 12 weekly customers,they all seem happy how it's cleaned traditionally.
Obviously the 12 weekly ones are more dirty than the monthly ones,but that's going to be the case,more bird ****,insect ****,dust etc,but customers are fine with that.
If they're happy,then all is good. [emoji846]

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Julian Noddy Dean said:
good for you  until  you  come off you ladders and snap your back and end up a cabbage

then the rest of us have too clean more windows to pay more vat/tax  so i can pay for your care and disability benefits sounds great to me that plan  not !!!   harsh but true 

you need to wake up and spend a week in a wheel chair and see how your life will turn too poop very quickly , ive seen to many people lives turn to dust once hurt at work (army) you cant put a price on the small things , like walking your daughter down the ile , playing football with your grand kids , some jobs are just not worth it and ladder work is one off them for us 
Click to expand...
Correct you can break your neck  or have a accident using  a ladder..... can same riding a motorbike....can same putting up xmas decorations....can same standing in line waiting for a takeaway....can same lifting your toddler...can same serving in the forces...can same doing sport... can same...can same.

Small minority have accidents sure, but small minority....ban everything that can cause a injury.........we will not exist.........conkers are banned in school playgrounds on H&S grounds, playing tag on concrete playgrounds are being banned for same.

USING COMMONSENSE is what matters!!!!!

 
The problem with that rationale is that loads of people have fallen down their stairs in their houses,and died from broken necks etc,so why risk the dangers of stairs,when the safe alternative is living in a bungalow?

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Bungalows are cheaper are they not?
And if everybody lived in a bungalow,there would be no stairs to fall down,and no need for me to use ladders,or for you to use wfp. Then we just need to get rid of steps leading up to the house,so have to write legislation to make sure that it's a path.
Super safe then! [emoji3]

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monkeyman12 said:
Bungalows are cheaper are they not?
And if everybody lived in a bungalow,there would be no stairs to fall down,and no need for me to use ladders,or for you to use wfp. Then we just need to get rid of steps leading up to the house,so have to write legislation to make sure that it's a path.
Super safe then!
emoji3.png


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Click to expand...
There wouldn't be enough land to build just bungalows, they are actually more expensive where I live as they don't build them anymore. We all understand that you are a trader and good luck to you. All most people are trying to say is it is without doubt far more dangerous using ladders then wagging a pole in the air. 

 
Part Timer said:
There wouldn't be enough land to build just bungalows, they are actually more expensive where I live as they don't build them anymore. We all understand that you are a trader and good luck to you. All most people are trying to say is it is without doubt far more dangerous using ladders then wagging a pole in the air. 
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Far are more expensive here also. For the same size property you need double the footprint of the house and when land comes at a premium it’s just not feasible.

im a traditional cleaner but planning on going wfp, just lazy getting round to it, slowly doing the research etc and it’s on the cards for early next ye hopefully.

personally it’s a no brainier - if it’s all about limiting risk then why wouldn’t you want to do away with the risk altogether!!! What’s the worst that can happen - drop a pole on someone’s car? That’s what’s insurance is for....

worst that can happen on ladders - busted bones which will repair but they will limit you physically doing your job in the long run, I know only too well from experience.

good luck buddy - hope it works well for you.

 
Spartan said:
Far are more expensive here also. For the same size property you need double the footprint of the house and when land comes at a premium it’s just not feasible.

im a traditional cleaner but planning on going wfp, just lazy getting round to it, slowly doing the research etc and it’s on the cards for early next ye hopefully.

personally it’s a no brainier - if it’s all about limiting risk then why wouldn’t you want to do away with the risk altogether!!! What’s the worst that can happen - drop a pole on someone’s car? That’s what’s insurance is for....

worst that can happen on ladders - busted bones which will repair but they will limit you physically doing your job in the long run, I know only too well from experience.

good luck buddy - hope it works well for you.
Click to expand...
Not just about risk, also you’ll earn a lot more per day ?

 
Wfp is certainly the way to go. You can always collect rainwater instead of having an RO system, or just use RO when you run short of rainwater.You can do a simple experiment on your own house with a couple of litres of rainwater:

Choose a medium sized window. Spray rainwater onto a window and frame (from any old cleaned-out spray bottle) and then agitate well with a hand brush into the corners and along the seals. Spray more water, if you like. Then, when you've agitated enough, spray well to rinse everything. Wait for a while to let it dry and you'll see that the window shines like never before! That basically what wfp window cleaning is: soak/agitate/soak/agitate etc and then rinse. You don't need to have the water flowing all the time unless it's a maintenance clean when stopping the water to agitate is unnecessary. Then it's: soak and agitate at the same time and then rinse.

 
There's really no point in trying to persuade the tradders in this thread. I've been there myself as have others. But at some point their round will get too big and they will get fed up of climbing ladders. It's at that point they will look for efficiency, and turn to water fed pole. Not trying to sound patronising here, just saying it as it is, and has been for most on here. If anything I think they are doing it the right way.... building up a round with limited outlay, learning how to use a ladder safely, and most importantly learning how to use a squeegee, trad pole, cloths, chems, etc, and all the other things that make you a proper window cleaner IMHO.

Crack on with the ladders chaps, and let us know when you need help with a wfp setup in a year or two.

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TolishAPurd said:
There's really no point in trying to persuade the tradders in this thread. I've been there myself as have others. But at some point their round will get too big and they will get fed up of climbing ladders. It's at that point they will look for efficiency, and turn to water fed pole. Not trying to sound patronising here, just saying it as it is, and has been for most on here. If anything I think they are doing it the right way.... building up a round with limited outlay, learning how to use a ladder safely, and most importantly learning how to use a squeegee, trad pole, cloths, chems, etc, and all the other things that make you a proper window cleaner IMHO.

Crack on with the ladders chaps, and let us know when you need help with a wfp setup in a year or two.

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Click to expand...
i agree, i think all windys should do at least 6 months trad 1st, build a round, and confidence with ladders and tools, then switch. I tradded for about 12 months before buying a backpack, best thing i ever did, as if anything packs up i can still work quickly and confidently by cracking the ladders out

 
Last edited by a moderator:
TolishAPurd said:
There's really no point in trying to persuade the tradders in this thread. I've been there myself as have others. But at some point their round will get too big and they will get fed up of climbing ladders. It's at that point they will look for efficiency, and turn to water fed pole. Not trying to sound patronising here, just saying it as it is, and has been for most on here. If anything I think they are doing it the right way.... building up a round with limited outlay, learning how to use a ladder safely, and most importantly learning how to use a squeegee, trad pole, cloths, chems, etc, and all the other things that make you a proper window cleaner IMHO.

Crack on with the ladders chaps, and let us know when you need help with a wfp setup in a year or two.

Sent using the http://Window Cleaning Forums mobile app
 
Click to expand...
I am Trad and enjoy it, also do not go up ladder on jobs if I deem it unsafe...like most Trads, that is where  WFP pole guys get it wrong...thinking Trads are risk takers ...we/I am not. Ladders are part of our tool kit. Have purchased a backpack for times when such occurances just mentioned happens. Had new job other day where I would not use my ladder, so out came my Gardiner and 18ft phoenix pole...........was not long enough and also too flimsy at height on the day(due to high winds aswell as glassfibre construction). So have purchased a new 30ft pole that is more rigid. So having paid extra outlay....have another tool in the kit....so will make more use of it on other/new jobs.

Am I going over to the dark side?........or just being a window cleaner....using ladders if appropriate....or WFP if appropriate?. I would say I am just a window cleaner.

 
mike007 said:
I am Trad and enjoy it, also do not go up ladder on jobs if I deem it unsafe...like most Trads, that is where  WFP pole guys get it wrong...thinking Trads are risk takers ...we/I am not. Ladders are part of our tool kit. Have purchased a backpack for times when such occurances just mentioned happens. Had new job other day where I would not use my ladder, so out came my Gardiner and 18ft phoenix pole...........was not long enough and also too flimsy at height on the day(due to high winds aswell as glassfibre construction). So have purchased a new 30ft pole that is more rigid. So having paid extra outlay....have another tool in the kit....so will make more use of it on other/new jobs.

Am I going over to the dark side?........or just being a window cleaner....using ladders if appropriate....or WFP if appropriate?. I would say I am just a window cleaner.
Click to expand...
i still do a lot of trad work, i find it therapeutic, plus some jobs are quicker trad.

 
I never did trad.

Why would I ? It's daft..

do 6 months with ladders first, what on earth for ? 

Nothing wrong with learning to use a squeegee, I can use one sufficiently well enough to do the odd internal job.

But seriously, there is absolutely no need whatsoever to start using ladders, every one knows it's slower 9 times out of 10.

It's not even a cost issue because you could get a wfp setup for the same prices as some trad gear and a decent set of ladders, my initial wfp setup for under 200 quid.

Just my opinion, but you would have to be nuts to start off with ladders when there are better options out there. 

It bloody freezing out this morning, getting my hands on a cold pair of ladders with slippy rungs and unsure footings no thanks. 

 
adamangler said:
I never did trad.
 
Why would I ? It's daft..
 
do 6 months with ladders first, what on earth for ? 
 
Nothing wrong with learning to use a squeegee, I can use one sufficiently well enough to do the odd internal job.
 
But seriously, there is absolutely no need whatsoever to start using ladders, every one knows it's slower 9 times out of 10.
 
It's not even a cost issue because you could get a wfp setup for the same prices as some trad gear and a decent set of ladders, my initial wfp setup for under 200 quid.
 
Just my opinion, but you would have to be nuts to start off with ladders when there are better options out there. 
 
It bloody freezing out this morning, getting my hands on a cold pair of ladders with slippy rungs and unsure footings no thanks. 
 
 
Click to expand...
Under £200 for wfp setup? What kit did you use mate? Did you build most of it yourself? I've been looking at constructing a trolley system to get into WFP as cheap as I can.

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Spartan said:
 
 
Far are more expensive here also. For the same size property you need double the footprint of the house and when land comes at a premium it’s just not feasible.
 
im a traditional cleaner but planning on going wfp, just lazy getting round to it, slowly doing the research etc and it’s on the cards for early next ye hopefully.
 
personally it’s a no brainier - if it’s all about limiting risk then why wouldn’t you want to do away with the risk altogether!!! What’s the worst that can happen - drop a pole on someone’s car? That’s what’s insurance is for....
worst that can happen on ladders - busted bones which will repair but they will limit you physically doing your job in the long run, I know only too well from experience.
 
good luck buddy - hope it works well for you.
Click to expand...
worse? lightening strike (carbon fibre rod!) overhead power lines?
theres risk in everything, its all about common sense

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