Welcome to the UK Window Cleaning Forums

Starting or own a window cleaning business? We're a network of window cleaners sharing advice, tips & experience. Rounds for sale & more. Join us today!

Help...thinking of starting up.

ma7589

New member
Messages
13
Location
East
Hi

I'm new to all this so people have probably asked this loads of times.

I'm thinking of starting up a window cleaning business as my current job is coming to an end. This will b a complete career change. Just got a couple of questions...

Is it worth it? ..... Basically I will be starting from scratch building a round and reputation. I understand it will be hardwork. But is is it a viable option. I'm around northampton.

Wot size tank is most suitable for a days work by one person. With the option of 2 people working all day if work goes well. Iv looked at a 650L tank.

Cheers

 
tbh mate look throught the forum and theres loads of help this been covered already

do you have ££ to start up

wouldnt worry about 2 man system till u learn how to

do the windies trad and use a ladder then get the system and also u will get out of it wat u put in

 
Thought there mite b. Just trawling through looking.

Yeah I got £££. Can comfortably afford to set up wfp van system. Researching it all at mo.

Cheers

 
Viable is different for everyone, but you can get out of it what you put in, how much do you want to earn? its all possible really, you could go national and earn millions if you really wanted to and had the drive, I'm lazy so do enough to provide what my family needs, I have no ambition to be the next Richard Branson, but you can go that route if you wanted its entirely up to you.

 
youre gonna be solo at the very least your first year.

probably 3 yrs being realistic put it out of your mind that a helper will be sharing the load.

 
Best advice I can give yer mate is dont run before you can walk. There's many things to think about before tank size. I'm trad but sure if yer going the wfp route the lads & lassies will be on soon to give you advice.

 
In a word that's the key part, the canvassing (and other job gaining) its not the technical side that's make or break, it's cash flow, customers, marketing.

I'd have thought 250l is enough for a normal start up first year enough for ten 3 bed houses in a row, unlikely to have more than ten or five first cleans in a day for some time

 
There's a man just been arrested outside the Shard, pointing a rolled up Unger brochure Heavenward and demanding answers !....It's good to think big, aspirations are healthy. When you're starting out you just worry. Have i got the right gear, have i got ENOUGH gear. But indeed Jimroot, think PRACTICAL. Without knowing the instigator of this threads full circumstances it's a hard call.

 
I have a 650L tank and have never used it all in 1 day, come close a couple of times on full house clean ups but not on just regular window cleans and I do like a good flow /emoticons/smile.png

 
I used 420 litres on ONE property a couple of years ago. A new build in Surrey and ALL windows, no cladding etc. Just for a change the building firm paid out with no quibble.......and only after two months of waiting too ! Hip Hip Hooyatakingtocourt?????

 
Thank you for your comments and advice.

I'm not silly enough to think I will b earning mega bucks to begin with but I would hav ambition's if I built a good round.

I'm just unsure of how much water is used daily etc. I'm totally new to this all due to having to change career

 
250 would be plenty to start with I would imagine, I am upgrading shortly from trolley/barrels and I will be getting a 350l

 
ma7589, welcome to the mad house.

You will find loads of key advice here that will help you get started but in the mean time here's my tips for the day, and remember this is just my opinion for what it is worth.

For many of us on here there is no other considerable job in the world outside of window cleaning and it's associated sidelines. Once you get rolling your rounds will be hard, but easy work if that makes sense.

You need to decide on the route you are going to go, are you going to buy an established round so you are earning right away or are you going to get out door knocking and build it from the ground up? (I personally am a ground up type)

Now I know the world of equipment is overwhelming and if you have funds to go WFP no reason not to but bear in mind if you want to call yourself a window cleaner you will need to learn traditional methods also so you can call on them when needed. For example I have a large shopping center where I do internal cleaning and you can't use WFP indoors, you cant WFP the inside of Granny Smiths kitchen windows when she asks. There is loads of how to videos on YouTube that will help or find a local window cleaner and ask nicely for a lesson or two.

As for WFP equipment there is a myriad out there to choose from and many of the companies out there, Brodex / Pure Freeedom / X-line etc, have some massively inflated prices for 'packaged systems' where if you have some basic DIY skills, are able to connect garden hoses and wire a plug then you can assemble a system yourself, more tailored to your personal requirements and save a bundle into the bargain.

Where your money needs to be invested is firstly in water purification, a 40 inch RO (reverse osmosis) will give you quickest production and best filtration.

Next key item is the pole, I personally do 95% of my work with and 18ft, and the rest with a 25ft, I dont have much really high work and using just these two poles I can do any three story buildings out there.

I personally choose Gardiners Poles, the SLX range, great performance and the company has great customer service, in fact you find the head honcho Alex Gardiner on here from time to time to help people out.

The pump of choice seems to be Shurflo and then just a decent controller, water tanks are water tanks but make sure you get a baffled one as this keeps the water more stable and helps vehicle control.

That about covers my advice.

I would say go for a decent size, good condition van as this will be representing your company. I have a Renault Trafic SWB and this serves me fine. I also run a 500L system in my van which lasts me plenty well for the day and I have a pretty large round serving an average is 25 - 30 residential customers per day and I still have 100 - 200 liters left over each day. Remember it wont hurt to build a 1 operator system that can easily be modified to a two man set up once you are going strong.

The first two years are seriously hard if starting from ground up door knocking but you wont find many things more rewarding than sitting back and saying 'I built that'

I give the same to all newcomers, every single round on here started the same way, with just one customer.

Hope this helps. Good luck.

 
ma7589, welcome to the mad house.
You will find loads of key advice here that will help you get started but in the mean time here's my tips for the day, and remember this is just my opinion for what it is worth.

For many of us on here there is no other considerable job in the world outside of window cleaning and it's associated sidelines. Once you get rolling your rounds will be hard, but easy work if that makes sense.

You need to decide on the route you are going to go, are you going to buy an established round so you are earning right away or are you going to get out door knocking and build it from the ground up? (I personally am a ground up type)

Now I know the world of equipment is overwhelming and if you have funds to go WFP no reason not to but bear in mind if you want to call yourself a window cleaner you will need to learn traditional methods also so you can call on them when needed. For example I have a large shopping center where I do internal cleaning and you can't use WFP indoors, you cant WFP the inside of Granny Smiths kitchen windows when she asks. There is loads of how to videos on YouTube that will help or find a local window cleaner and ask nicely for a lesson or two.

As for WFP equipment there is a myriad out there to choose from and many of the companies out there, Brodex / Pure Freeedom / X-line etc, have some massively inflated prices for 'packaged systems' where if you have some basic DIY skills, are able to connect garden hoses and wire a plug then you can assemble a system yourself, more tailored to your personal requirements and save a bundle into the bargain.

Where your money needs to be invested is firstly in water purification, a 40 inch RO (reverse osmosis) will give you quickest production and best filtration.

Next key item is the pole, I personally do 95% of my work with and 18ft, and the rest with a 25ft, I dont have much really high work and using just these two poles I can do any three story buildings out there.

I personally choose Gardiners Poles, the SLX range, great performance and the company has great customer service, in fact you find the head honcho Alex Gardiner on here from time to time to help people out.

The pump of choice seems to be Shurflo and then just a decent controller, water tanks are water tanks but make sure you get a baffled one as this keeps the water more stable and helps vehicle control.

That about covers my advice.

I would say go for a decent size, good condition van as this will be representing your company. I have a Renault Trafic SWB and this serves me fine. I also run a 500L system in my van which lasts me plenty well for the day and I have a pretty large round serving an average is 25 - 30 residential customers per day and I still have 100 - 200 liters left over each day. Remember it wont hurt to build a 1 operator system that can easily be modified to a two man set up once you are going strong.

The first two years are seriously hard if starting from ground up door knocking but you wont find many things more rewarding than sitting back and saying 'I built that'

I give the same to all newcomers, every single round on here started the same way, with just one customer.

Hope this helps. Good luck.
Thank you for all your info. Iv got a lot to think about and plan. I plan to do mostly wfp but I was defo going to learn trad as well. I would want to b the best I could be. I'm a bit of a perfectionist like that! I was looking at a 650L grippatank. Wasn't sure weather to go down to a 500.

 
My advice would be think less about the equipment & methods and more about your plan to build the business,.. get the customers coming in first & only then splash out big bucks on equipment. I've seen a few guys fail in this business who spent 15k or more on the van & equipment & just expected the work to fall into their laps. Building a round is hard work - actually cleaning the windows is the easy (and enjoyable) bit! That said, I do love WFP and would always recommend it - but do it on the cheap DIY style & save your cash for more important things.

Figure out your canvassing pitch & go try it out - some people are great at canvassing & some hate it,.. but even if you hate it you'll find no faster way to build a round. Get some flyers printed & pop them in all the not-homes too. Get work polo shirts printed up with your company logo and a BIG "Window Cleaner" on the back & your phone number underneath so you're your own walking billboard. If you get a van, get it signwritten - - this will ALWAYS pay for itself & it doesn't need to be anything expensive or fancy.

As far as tanks size (and van size) goes, my personal experience is that bigger is better. I wasted a few grand starting out because I bought a small van & had to replace it a few month later because I outgrew it so fast. There's no harm in driving a bigger van round half empty. The same applies to the tank - get one big enough for your longest day & just half fill it most of the time. I had a 650 litre tank and that did me for 99% of my work,.. I had one hotel where I needed to bring a few extra barrels but that place was HUGE!

Also - its worth giving up a day or two offering free labour to another windie & taking time to learn a bit - - it isn't rocket science but there are a few tricks of the trade that you have to see in person to appreciate...

 
Keep in mind that there are a lot of newbs that have bought full WFP setups, and given up before the bubble wrap has come off. Learn to trad while you build up your round is the best advice anyone can give you.

 
My advice would be think less about the equipment & methods and more about your plan to build the business,.. get the customers coming in first & only then splash out big bucks on equipment. I've seen a few guys fail in this business who spent 15k or more on the van & equipment & just expected the work to fall into their laps. Building a round is hard work - actually cleaning the windows is the easy (and enjoyable) bit! That said, I do love WFP and would always recommend it - but do it on the cheap DIY style & save your cash for more important things.
Figure out your canvassing pitch & go try it out - some people are great at canvassing & some hate it,.. but even if you hate it you'll find no faster way to build a round. Get some flyers printed & pop them in all the not-homes too. Get work polo shirts printed up with your company logo and a BIG "Window Cleaner" on the back & your phone number underneath so you're your own walking billboard. If you get a van, get it signwritten - - this will ALWAYS pay for itself & it doesn't need to be anything expensive or fancy.

As far as tanks size (and van size) goes, my personal experience is that bigger is better. I wasted a few grand starting out because I bought a small van & had to replace it a few month later because I outgrew it so fast. There's no harm in driving a bigger van round half empty. The same applies to the tank - get one big enough for your longest day & just half fill it most of the time. I had a 650 litre tank and that did me for 99% of my work,.. I had one hotel where I needed to bring a few extra barrels but that place was HUGE!

Also - its worth giving up a day or two offering free labour to another windie & taking time to learn a bit - - it isn't rocket science but there are a few tricks of the trade that you have to see in person to appreciate...
Some really good advise thank you.

 
Thank you for all your info. Iv got a lot to think about and plan. I plan to do mostly wfp but I was defo going to learn trad as well. I would want to b the best I could be. I'm a bit of a perfectionist like that! I was looking at a 650L grippatank. Wasn't sure weather to go down to a 500.
Well if you are a perfectionist forget window cleaning as you will end up doing one job a day. /emoticons/tongue.png

Grippa tanks are nice but loads of dough for somewhere to store water - Now if money is not currently an object you buy what you like but I am one that does not believe in paying more than I need to. There are many tanks out there a lot cheaper that do the same job.

However I will say ensure you get a tank with a retaining frame that you can secure to the chassis for safety.

I think 500 is perfect for a single operator as there is plenty to go all day and them some, I would say I think 650 may well suit you better as a single operator as it will suffice when you are ready to up to a two man system so you are not having to replace the tank unnecessarily.

 
Back
Top