TAPs WFP transition thread.

[TolishAPurd]

My changeover went surprisingly well but I'd only been tradding for a year before I switched.
I just cracked on and explained what I was doing if the customer was home. I was really positive about it to the customers too and told them to let me know if there was any problems. A lot of customers commented on how extra clean and shiny the windows looked once they'd dried.

About three or four months after changing to wfp I went to one house that I'd been cleaning for months. It was the first time the lady was home since I'd made the change. I was immediately met with negativity and she told me she wasn't sure she wanted them cleaned "that way". I pointed out to her that I'd cleaned them "that way" for the last three or four months and she soon backed down.

I've just cracked on and waited for a complaint too. No point in asking before hand or I reckon I'll be met with an ultimatum that neither of us can back down from. Now coming from a trad background I know the downfalls of watered pole even though I'm new to it. But I also know the downfalls of trad, and it is all just a big trade off between the two. Instead of the odd accidental smear, you get the odd spots. With trad you can't get your fingers into every nook and cranny, not without a lot of time and effort anyway, whereas the bristles and the water spraying into it pulls it out nicely. So all I do is up sell the positives of the new method and hope for the best. But what it boils down to is what's best for me. I got home earlier today, and still had lots of energy for training, and that's why I do it. Once I have got all the first cleans out the way I will focus on getting through my round quicker....= more money....so I can pay all this :turd: off.

 

[steve garwood]

I've just cracked on and waited for a complaint too. No point in asking before hand or I reckon I'll be met with an ultimatum that neither of us can back down from. Now coming from a trad background I know the downfalls of watered pole even though I'm new to it. But I also know the downfalls of trad, and it is all just a big trade off between the two. Instead of the odd accidental smear, you get the odd spots. With trad you can't get your fingers into every nook and cranny, not without a lot of time and effort anyway, whereas the bristles and the water spraying into it pulls it out nicely. So all I do is up sell the positives of the new method and hope for the best. But what it boils down to is what's best for me. I got home earlier today, and still had lots of energy for training, and that's why I do it. Once I have got all the first cleans out the way I will focus on getting through my round quicker....= more money....so I can pay all this :turd: off.

Nicely put. There are windies who will say trad is better, or I can trad as quick as wfp, its complete nonsense. A fast wfp guy will always earn more than a fast trad guy, its just obvious. I did trad for 14 years and will go against any windie sqeegy to sqeegy (lol) because I know I'm fast. But even so, after switching to wfp, I noticed my earnings wallop up. Persevere mate, and good luck.

Wemberley, wemberley, were the famous Millwall and were going wemberley. Sorry, couldn't resist /emoticons/smile.png

 

[Dave B]

Nicely put. There are windies who will say trad is better, or I can trad as quick as wfp, its complete nonsense. A fast wfp guy will always earn more than a fast trad guy, its just obvious. I did trad for 14 years and will go against any windie sqeegy to sqeegy (lol) because I know I'm fast. But even so, after switching to wfp, I noticed my earnings wallop up. Persevere mate, and good luck.Wemberley, wemberley, were the famous Millwall and were going wemberley. Sorry, couldn't resist /emoticons/smile.png

I'll give you a trad race mate

Tops too

:rofl:

I agree wfp is quicker on tops..i would still be moving ladder etc while you were scrubbing the next window

Tradding maintenance cleans bottoms though is just the same speed as it is just

Wipe rag round

Soap up

Blade off

Run squeegee across sill to remove water

Job done

That literally only takes seconds

Unless you splash n dash you still have to scrub frame..glass..rinse..scrub sill

No quicker

 

[steve garwood]

I'll give you a trad race mateTops too

:rofl:

I agree wfp is quicker on tops..i would still be moving ladder etc while you were scrubbing the next window

Tradding maintenance cleans bottoms though is just the same speed as it is just

Wipe rag round

Soap up

Blade off

Run squeegee across sill to remove water

Job done

That literally only takes seconds

Unless you splash n dash you still have to scrub frame..glass..rinse..scrub sill

No quicker

Sorry davieboy, just don't agree. A fast wfp will always be quicker than a fast tradder I.m.o. Each to their own etc etc.

Wembley, Wembley..... /emoticons/biggrin.png

 

[Marko067]

A broad mix really. Got a minor complaint today where she said 'it doesn't clean as well.... it's even left my kids sun tan lotion hand prints on the double doors. She was right, so I just went back and tradded that. That was my own fault though as I should have looked at the glass before cleaning.

Watch for fingerprints on any glass near door handles. I find this to be quite common. Doesn't come off as quick and can be left behind easily.

 

[spruce]

Watch for fingerprints on any glass near door handles. I find this to be quite common. Doesn't come off as quick and can be left behind easily.

......and if they have dogs the bottom section of the glass needs special attention as your main focus is usually at eye level.

-

 

[Eviestevie]

I

Sorry davieboy, just don't agree. A fast wfp will always be quicker than a fast tradder I.m.o. Each to their own etc etc.Wembley, Wembley..... /emoticons/biggrin.png

I'm with daveyboy in this I'm both but sometimes specially with liquidator blading is just as quick

I've got shops and bungalows as well that I wouldn't even think about getting the hose out etc

No way can you be quicker on them I've done it in time get hose out and put away

 

[TolishAPurd]

With my limited wfp experience I still think I could trad bottom windows quicker than a wfp, assuming both parties are leaving a good job behind. That's why I'm still tradding bungalows and the like. But on a normal house if the gear is already out for the upstairs then I will just crack on with the downs.

This has just led me to my next question. Do any of you guys have a pouch or belt setup strictly for wfp work? I was thinking of a belt and a couple of pouches for a sill cloth, and a small spray of ubik or similar, to use on the greasy bits.

 

[Tuffers]

With my limited wfp experience I still think I could trad bottom windows quicker than a wfp, assuming both parties are leaving a good job behind. That's why I'm still tradding bungalows and the like. But on a normal house if the gear is already out for the upstairs then I will just crack on with the downs.
This has just led me to my next question. Do any of you guys have a pouch or belt setup strictly for wfp work? I was thinking of a belt and a couple of pouches for a sill cloth, and a small spray of ubik or similar, to use on the greasy bits.

I always wear my pouches, a sill cloth, dry microfibre, a pen knife and my van keys go in them. I can't wear a BOAB and WFP at the same time as it gets in the way.

 

[steve garwood]

II'm with daveyboy in this

I'm both but sometimes specially with liquidator blading is just as quick

I've got shops and bungalows as well that I wouldn't even think about getting the hose out etc

No way can you be quicker on them I've done it in time get hose out and put away

I don't get my hoses out. Just turn on the controller, grab the end of the hose ( my reels are on the sides of the tank), walk to the window and I'm away.

Anyway, its an open forum and were all entitled to our opinions.

But mines right /emoticons/wink.png/emoticons/smile.png

 

[Dave B]

With my limited wfp experience I still think I could trad bottom windows quicker than a wfp, assuming both parties are leaving a good job behind. That's why I'm still tradding bungalows and the like. But on a normal house if the gear is already out for the upstairs then I will just crack on with the downs.
This has just led me to my next question. Do any of you guys have a pouch or belt setup strictly for wfp work? I was thinking of a belt and a couple of pouches for a sill cloth, and a small spray of ubik or similar, to use on the greasy bits.

I use a backpack and have my trad belt in the boot too

Do tops

Chuck backpack in there

Clip belt on

Trad bottoms

Takes seconds to swap over

If doing 100% trad i will keep a microfibre or midget squeegee in my pocket just for sills

 

[TolishAPurd]

Trolleys are a bit of a pain really, especially having to fill a backpack, might look into getting a proper trolley for this reason. Looking forward to getting a proper van mount and having the backpack just as a backup and for awkward jobs.

 

[Dave B]

Trolleys are a bit of a pain really, especially having to fill a backpack, might look into getting a proper trolley for this reason. Looking forward to getting a proper van mount and having the backpack just as a backup and for awkward jobs.

I did a couple of days working from a van with just a tank with bilge pump fitted

Put the trolley on the deck and fill the backpack in about 4 seconds

 

[TolishAPurd]

I did a couple of days working from a van with just a tank with bilge pump fittedPut the trolley on the deck and fill the backpack in about 4 seconds

Cool. Was it hard wired to the van or did it have it's own battery? I was looking into hand siphons but nothing seemed to fit the bill.

 

[Dave B]

As far as i know it is seperate battery

 

[TolishAPurd]

Got myself a nice full ibc tank, 6 full 25L containers, and a full back pack. Raring to go this week.:thumbsup:

 

[TolishAPurd]

Never thought I would ask this, but has anyone got a link for pole lube?

 

[jimmyboots]

Never thought I would ask this, but has anyone got a link for pole lube?

I use this

PTFE Dry Film Spray 400 ml - Super-Lite® Modular Sections & Parts - Pole Spares & Sections - Water-Fed Poles - All Products Gardiner Pole Systems

 

[steve garwood]

Never thought I would ask this, but has anyone got a link for pole lube?

Emmm, got company tonight have you? /emoticons/wink.png

 

[TolishAPurd]

I use thisPTFE Dry Film Spray 400 ml - Super-Lite® Modular Sections & Parts - Pole Spares & Sections - Water-Fed Poles - All Products Gardiner Pole Systems

Thanks mate, should have looked there really. I need to buy a load of spares and bit soon, so I'll add that to the list.:thumbsup:

 

[TolishAPurd]

Got myself a much needed boost today. While I was cleaning a house, the neighbour walked up and wanted a quote. As we got chatting about the pole system, he told me he had seen someone cleaning the windows next door with a bucket and squeegee and he wasn't interested in that. "That was me" I chuckled. Turns out he is very knowledgeable on health and safety and the like, and started telling me about a window cleaner that came crashing off a ladder on a friend of his property. The windy is currently sueing the homeowner. I knew this was a possibility, but never heard of it actually happening. Anyway, it's a good story to have in the bank for the next whinge I get. Nice little 50 quid job that I wouldn't have got off the ladder.