Solar Panel Cleaning Training Course To Be Held 11th July 2015

[cheapncheerful]

go on kick it off again posh../emoticons/biggrin.png

it was quite hot last night...but all quiet again now...

hi back posh...

 

[joe90i]

What a read this is ha.

Ok so I'll just pop this up as I think it has been mist.

So I pay £200 odd for this corse and get this certificate sola Steve prints off at home for me witch as far as I can see accounts for not a lot if any thing and at the same time Steve is working with people to get the cleaning of solar panels to be regulated so let's just say that this goes through an what now. a certificate that I payed over £200 for witch is already not wort a penny but now I will have to pay £££ to be certified. And am just wondering humm who could run a school so I could get certified oh yes solar Steve I mean he's already got the background and has worked to get this part of the industry regulated. So will you end up paying twice I think so.

 

[cheapncheerful]

that is a good point joe90i er yep hmmm makes you think ...

yep me going to wait now.....

actually steve says...he will just replace your first certificate with the second when he becomes accredited as he knows you did the course...

I think I should be your pa steve.../emoticons/biggrin.png

but good point all the same joe90i me used to love joe 90...and stingray and thunderbirds are go...marina....

 

[Natty1972]

So if you pay for the course , will there be refreshers in the future to keep your cert.

is it like a subscription,, keep paying and I'll give you work ???

Like some have said why haven't the workers in the vids got rubber gauntlets on ?????

Is there a clause if you give your cert back ???

Ive got a good business start up .... /emoticons/wink.png build solar panels with self cleaning glass /emoticons/wink.png

 

[joe90i]

Thunderbirds are the best loved them and a few weeks a go got the whole box set on DVDs for £10 so got me lad in to them now and he loves them so now get to watch them all over again

 

[Solar Steve]

I think there are three key points you are missing here Steve.
1 = Accreditation. - If you are such a big *** in the Solar Panel game in the UK why have you not approached the manufactures and learned their requirements as individual manufactures for cleaning their product and promised to make sure that you teach that their panels only be cleaned in that fashion? Then surely after having learned that specific manufactures requirements and demonstrated competence I would be 'approved / accredited' to clean panels made by them.

2 = Branding. If I don't wear your t-shirt or have your stickers on my van and use your marketing materials I can't say I have been trained by you? That's a bit 'taking your toys out of the sand box' as the Americans would say.

3 = Subcontractor. If I am subbing for you I do not expect to have to go out and get customers, I expect you to call me up and say 'here's this job, here's that job'

What it boils down to Steve is you have come at this with an attitude that says 'give me your money, do as i say, if you can't then f**k you'

There is the saying 'Carrot & Stick' (Or salary Vs my size 11 boots as I tell my crew) your pitch seems plenty of stick with very little carrot mate.

Mate, this is bonkers. You think I'm going at this half-baked still.

1. We only clean panels according to the manufacturers instructions.

2. It is about training guys who want to subcontract for us (and there are plenty out there) to make sure they are a hitting our standards while they are on our jobs. So yes, branding is essential.

3. Us ringing with jobs is exactly how it will work. You think I wanted you to canvass on our behalf? That would be nice, but not what we are looking to do. This way, you get our jobs that we forward to you, plus you get to use our brand to help you win others of your own locally.

 

[Solar Steve]

If im not mistaken im sure iv seen guys working for you in your promo vids dont seem to be wearing rubber gloves or naff all protective. Is it the £238 and the word of god that protects them from certain death or is it that cleaning solar pannels is not such a certain deathly experiance as one would make out.

Hi Andy.

You are completely correct. Some of our videos were of the very first jobs we did 3 years ago. We have learned a lot since then and our H&S has improved as a result.

 

[Solar Steve]

Good read.I think what steve offers shouldn't be taken as a course, but opportunity for more business. If the figures are correct he gave about the guy making £900 in a week, your initial 240 quid is not a massive investment. You know i've been offered to be advertised for much more than that in areas where there is competition, whereas steve apparently won't give work to anyone else in your area. Also think how much people pay for adwords etc

If i needed work desperately i think i would pay for this 'course', but i am happy with what i have atm, also subcontracting seems like pain in the ****

Good luck @Solar Steve

Heyho, you have understood the concept and summed it up perfectly.

 

[Solar Steve]

Yes your intentions our good about highlighting the risks involved @Solar Steve I would agree to that. As like I said before you have a duty of care & legal responsibility when employing subcontractor cleaners to make sure they are aware of the risks involved and follow your rams for each site they work on. However just curious that the information you have gleamed from others to write your risk assessment and method statement did you actually pay for that information?

I didn't pay for the information, but not with cash, with time. I would not like to put a number on how much time I have put into the RAMS, but I know that for one complicated job recently, I spent a total of over 20 hours adjusting it to suit the needs of our client and their client. That was just adjustments to the original!!! It took literally days to plan, draft, re-draft and adjust to satisfy the needs of some of our higher end clients.

I didn't pay cash, but I put plenty of time and research into it...

 

[Solar Steve]

that is a good point joe90i er yep hmmm makes you think ...
yep me going to wait now.....

actually steve says...he will just replace your first certificate with the second when he becomes accredited as he knows you did the course...

I think I should be your pa steve.../emoticons/biggrin.png

but good point all the same joe90i me used to love joe 90...and stingray and thunderbirds are go...marina....

That's exactly what I would look to do long term or re-train with accredited for as close to free as we could. Literally just covering costs.

 

[peter rogers]

this is alll great talk an all but put it simple then.. after the training payment how much % are you taking of the jobs people do for you

 

[Smurf]

I have just one or two questions for you @Solar Steve regarding your business model.

Are you a subcontractor yourself? Meaning you gain work off a third party/s that has the installation & maintenance contract and they get a cut of whatever you do?

Are you insured to cover subcontractors working for you?

Are you vat registered?

How do you pay your subcontractors on a day rate or per panel?

Regarding the following job

Regarding the price, it's a bargain. One Derby-based subcontractor who is coming on the course earned £1,800.00 in a week only a fortnight ago, him and his employee. £900.00 per man subcontracting seems a fare wage to me. After he comes on the course, we are very close to securing another 2 sites in his catchment area. If we get them, and I'm pretty sure we will, it will mean about £22K to him. Why will I be confident he will do a good job and not be electrocuted in the process, because he will know EVERYTHING I know about cleaning safely and quickly from the day course. Ask him if £238.80 is a rip off. I doubt it.

So the two men cleaned how many panels in a week exactly working for you?

Where both men insured to clean solar panels?

Did you provide any ppe for your workers to use?

Did you provide your two workers with any induction training, instruction and rams for that job beforehand?

Did they use their own vehicle, tools & equipment?

Were they wearing ppe ?

What methods did they use to clean the panels?

Did they find and report any faulty panels?

How many panels did the clean?

How much pure water did they use?

Did they have to invoice you to get paid?

How long does it take to get paid?

Who is this chap in derby and is he willing to be contacted to find out more about the work he does for you?

 

[Tuffers]

^^^ talk about 20 questions :laugh:

 

[Smurf]

That's just one or two @Tuffers as I have loads more like

How often do your subcontractor get to play with your auto wash? /emoticons/biggrin.png

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[Andy]

Tuffers solar steve wont employ you, you cant count its 14 questions,

 

[Andy]

If im not mistaken im sure iv seen guys working for you in your promo vids dont seem to be wearing rubber gloves or naff all protective. Is it the £238 and the word of god that protects them from certain death or is it that cleaning solar pannels is not such a certain deathly experiance as one would make out.

Hi Andy.

You are completely correct. Some of our videos were of the very first jobs we did 3 years ago. We have learned a lot since then and our H&S has improved as a result.

Every one started someware surly we can all learn the same without people scarying people in to not cleaning solar pannels less we be truly blessed. Iv heard of windies falling from ladders not heard of any being fried.

 

[Solar Steve]

I suppose it depends if you want to spend YEARS learning the hard way, feeling your way in the dark, making mistakes and financial losses like I did, or if you want to spend £200 and learn all of this accumulated knowledge and experience and have a clear picture and direction in a DAY.

 

[cheapncheerful]

me thinks this post could go a while yet...

but its not as good as last nights channel five television at ten o'clock...you can catch it again on five 24 hours behind on freeview..everyone should watch it...

I am enjoying this post ...keep going steve your doing alright.../emoticons/biggrin.png

gav likes to keep plenty of posts going...

 

[norm]

I guess when ever there is questions on the forum about traditional window cleaning,water fed pole,gutter cleaning problems and ya are looking advice and help there is always friendly suggestions to help ya and sharing of tips

dont remember seeing any helps and tips about solar panel cleaning

 

[cheapncheerful]

oh there is loads...

if you got £240 ish:rofl:

 

[Smurf]

So now it seems what you are saying this course you are offering will teach anyone all you know so they will come away with enough knowledge to enable them to start up on their own then?

YES or NO

I suppose it depends if you want to spend YEARS learning the hard way, feeling your way in the dark, making mistakes and financial losses like I did, or if you want to spend £200 and learn all of this accumulated knowledge and experience and have a clear picture and direction in a DAY.