I just can't be arsed

[Dave B]

On the flip side you need to get more work to pay an employee

 

[Diwrnach]

burnout is a real risk when you are a lone worker . dont wanna be a doom merchant but longer you slog on alone more you risk it
i was close to burnout at year 2 and my family kept saying " sir you look worn out- downsize,then chug on for the next 20 yrs you likely will be ok"

you look worn out.chug on,,, that was lovely to hear ,,,not / and they never called me sir

i then bit the bullet an took on a helper

family now started saying "youre a lazy sod" jus cos i had a parttime helper!

took me a while to get a handle on employing , basically i learned to take no sh/t and now at year 7 iv 3 proper ass kickin fulltimers work for me and altho im still on the ladders i choose what i want to do ,

iv never felt better and love the job

Lazy sod!

 

[Dave B]

Green it is common sense

If you earn a certain amount then take on a worker you need to get more work to pay him or you lose money

 

[Smurf]

I have no plans to take anyone on as is far too much hassle

 

[Dave B]

Smurf you can take an apprentice to the darkside

Master and padwan

 

[Smurf]

I could start up an online master class in bullshite for cleaners and charge a fortune I suppose /emoticons/biggrin.png

 

[Andy cherry]

Green it is common senseIf you earn a certain amount then take on a worker you need to get more work to pay him or you lose money

And then be careful that they don't...start taking libertys,

I did think of that same route when I started and watched a mate of mine have 4 helpers come and go in a year....he let so many cuties down he said it weren't worth hassle.....so that's where it started and finished for me.....small and manageable.

 

[Green Pro Clean Ltd]

Green it is common senseIf you earn a certain amount then take on a worker you need to get more work to pay him or you lose money

Davey, if sense were common everybody would have some.

Going the route of employees creates a number of issues. More paperwork, assuming you are the honest type and not just wanting to pay some kid cash in hand. By the way all those employees working 'off the books' probably aren't covered by your insurances in case of disaster.

You have to take on enough new customers to pay their wages for a start. For example typical terraces around here we charge £8 for so assuming you are paying them a decent wage of £8ph that's 8 customers per day just to cover his wages, not including the costs involved, fuel to get him to those jobs, tools and so on and whilst he's on those jobs to cover his wages he isn't earning you a penny. Based on a 20 day 4 week month that's 160 customers just to pay his salary.

The weather turns bad and we get a serious freeze in for a month - six weeks - you helper has a wife and kids to feed.. are you going to pay him for down time whilst no windows are being cleaned? Think he will stick around if you don't?

Now, when he want's a day off who's going to cover his workload? It's fine if you have a team of at least 3 employees (but at that point you will be needing the kind of turnover that will have you registering for VAT, another entirely separate hassle in it's own right) as you can spread the load on holiday times and sick days but when just you and only 1 'helper' who's going to carry the can? Or are you just going to miss 80 customers for the month because he had a 2 week holiday?

No you spent your time training up your man to be a top notch window cleaner, he's saved up a bit of money whilst working for you so goes and get's some tools and starts up his own round in your back yard.

Don't wast time going the 'trainee' route, it will take you at least a month to get them half efficient and at least 4 months for them to learn your rounds and methods. Better to pay a couple of pound per hour extra and hire an already experienced window cleaner, you haven't got to train them, just show them the round.

Do not for a minute assume this is my first rodeo Davey, been round the block more than once on this scenario. I am just at a more fortunate stage in life where money is not the only thing so I can downsize. As you will see I have put £2k of work up for sale already on this forum. I have also decided to give another £1.5k of work to my right hand man so he can start up on his own as he has been a loyal and trusted employee and friend for a long time and now I can go back to shorter hours and concentrate on what's important to me.

To anyone considering a 'helper' be sure to weigh the true values of such an endeavor first.

I have no plans to take anyone on as is far too much hassle

When I used to work solo and start to feel the need for a break I would simply drop a not in to my customers saying 'No window cleaning next month as we are away for our annual holiday, business will resume as normal in March, we appreciate your business and understanding.'

Never lost a customer for telling them I was having a vacation.

 

[cheapncheerful]

life is all about balance......especially when your at the top of the ladder..

I dont work weekends for that reason...and of course ...the fact that there are too many people about at the weekend..../emoticons/biggrin.png

 

[Dave B]

I will be ok as the only person i am taking on is my son and he will get stuck in

He is already planning the 6 week summer holidays around working with me

 

[cheapncheerful]

I remember the summer hols working with daddy he would only let me clean the farms as he thought they wouldnt notice how young I was...ahhh the good old days..

 

[Smurf]

I can't see that lasting too long myself as he will be too busy with girls and needing his rest /emoticons/biggrin.png

I will be ok as the only person i am taking on is my son and he will get stuck inHe is already planning the 6 week summer holidays around working with me

 

[Dave B]

My son is 14 and already good with a squeegee

6ft2 and 14.5 stone so is plenty big enough

 

[mrtaytay]

Work life balance is important. I think a lot of us get to a point in our lives when we look ahead and realise that grafting aint what its all about and maybe a bit more play/leisure time is called for. Up until fairly recently, I was fairly obsessed with working 6 days a week, not particularly for the money (mortgage paid off etc), but just to keep up with the round. But then, a few months back, me and the kids decided to start going to the footy every other saturday and we have a fantastic day out.....train into derby, few beers before the match,, pie and a pint at half time. .....then back home to catch up on the footy forums/match of the day/football league show, plus more beer and wine, of course. The day out is worth so much more than any money I may have earned that particular day.

 

[Smurf]

Will be good a bottoms then while you do tops /emoticons/wink.png

My son is 14 and already good with a squeegee6ft2 and 14.5 stone so is plenty big enough

 

[boarcity]

Davey, if sense were common everybody would have some.
Going the route of employees creates a number of issues. More paperwork, assuming you are the honest type and not just wanting to pay some kid cash in hand. By the way all those employees working 'off the books' probably aren't covered by your insurances in case of disaster.

You have to take on enough new customers to pay their wages for a start. For example typical terraces around here we charge £8 for so assuming you are paying them a decent wage of £8ph that's 8 customers per day just to cover his wages, not including the costs involved, fuel to get him to those jobs, tools and so on and whilst he's on those jobs to cover his wages he isn't earning you a penny. Based on a 20 day 4 week month that's 160 customers just to pay his salary.

The weather turns bad and we get a serious freeze in for a month - six weeks - you helper has a wife and kids to feed.. are you going to pay him for down time whilst no windows are being cleaned? Think he will stick around if you don't?

it is a worry at first but not once youve a full workload .
as to working in bad weather i make it clear that we r going to work thru all bar a monsoon . anyone trying to start a mutiny over getting wet i make sure gets extra ladderwork for a while -to learn what loyalty is all about.

 

[kev]

burnout is a real risk when you are a lone worker . dont wanna be a doom merchant but longer you slog on alone more you risk it
i was close to burnout at year 2 and my family kept saying " sir you look worn out- downsize,then chug on for the next 20 yrs you likely will be ok"

you look worn out.chug on,,, that was lovely to hear ,,,not / and they never called me sir

i then bit the bullet an took on a helper

family now started saying "youre a lazy sod" jus cos i had a parttime helper!

took me a while to get a handle on employing , basically i learned to take no sh/t and now at year 7 iv 3 proper ass kickin fulltimers work for me and altho im still on the ladders i choose what i want to do ,

iv never felt better and love the job

I was the same on year 2 mate, felt ashamed to say i had burn out but it was true, now one of my workers is in jail for fighting, the other has arthritis in his knee at age 33 through a football injury, he gave me 3 years decent service though, back to the drawing board i.e working my ass off running up and down ladders, on the plus side i will feel fit again instead of slugging it out on the bottoms

 

[Dave B]

I am the other way..when my boy works with me i do the tops

Gonna wait till he's older before he does ladders

 

[boarcity]

I was the same on year 2 mate, felt ashamed to say i had burn out but it was true, now one of my workers is in jail for fighting, the other has arthritis in his knee at age 33 through a football injury, he gave me 3 years decent service though, back to the drawing board i.e working my ass off running up and down ladders, on the plus side i will feel fit again instead of slugging it out on the bottoms

thats a bummer, so whats your plan now ,cant you just replace them ? how did u find them?

my current line up are 3 lads of 19 who all went to school together . i also had a girl worker who faked a pregnancy on me to get time off [mostly mondays] while she built up a cosmetics biz on the side

i doubt i will ever employ a female again after the grief she caused .

 

[Smurf]

I was wondering what happened to your female employee.

As a matter of intrest since you started employing @boarcity how many so far have you got through as your turnover in staff seems quite high.

 

[Dave B]

He seems to be a hard taskmaster