New window cleaners...

[Damo]

Never seen so many new startups in such a short period of time. They are all 90-95% wfp.

I am lucky i am basically full and just trimming poop out of my rounds.

Seen another i dunno 5/6/7 new starters this week and this weekend.

I can see the whole "this is my patch" mentality coming back !

 

[Dodger]

Couldn't agree more, I've seen half a dozen in last few weeks round here as well

 

[peter rogers]

Lol. I been on one we estate 2 years since opened and do 47 from 50

This guy comes up says it his patch and he does most houses in here lol

There is wfp gus in my area doing any house for 2.50

 

[Cghwindowcleaning]

I have said this a couple of times on here.

I don't do a lot of residential and it's something I don't take on any more.

But the amount starting up is astounding in my area.

These days every one that's got a bit of redundancy or hates there job seems to want to get into it.

Years ago the window cleaners I knew that were doing well for themselves really played it down and it wasn't a job you choose to do you just fell in to it.

Now every one wants to do it because

It is fairly cheap to start up.

It is fairly easy skill to learn.

And the money is ok.

I meet window cleaners I don,t even know when out and about,they love to tell me how much work they have how much they earn it's bizarre no other trade is like it no wonder so many start up.

People need to realise Are industry is based on supply and demand to many window cleaners slows down growth and demand.

But one off the main is a lot of new starters or the ones that need the work can have habit of bringing the price down when there all competing for the same work.

But we all have to start sum where I suppose and I too was once new to this.

 

[monkeyman]

A lot of guys don't stick at it for long. People think it's an easy job. It's graft if you take it seriously. Getting a good round and a good name is hard work. Not taking days off when you can't be arsed, its to tempting for some it's to Cold it's to hot etc etc. Then there's all the guys that just want beer money. Look smart and have high standards your on a winner.

 

[Eviestevie]

They come and go

Window cleaning is a love/hate job and hard graft not to mention the winter killing most fair weather Windies off

There is so much work out there even if there was 1000 neebies it wouldn't make a difference

It takes years to build a good round with decent customers and clients reltionship

I never get worried when new windie starts up infact I helped one out on and he even came on here but he's long gone now!!!

 

[TolishAPurd]

They come and goWindow cleaning is a love/hate job and hard graft not to mention the winter killing most fair weather Windies off

There is so much work out there even if there was 1000 neebies it wouldn't make a difference

It takes years to build a good round with decent customers and clients reltionship

I never get worried when new windie starts up infact I helped one out on and he even came on here but he's long gone now!!!

I couldnt agree more. And the early days are rough with all the running about. I bet most dont last two months.

 

[Markyboy 50]

I rarely see any new ones about. I just do me jobs and get home ASAPASAP

 

[Damo]

These are all sign written vans,new Wfp setups and obviously researched the trade.

Well from what I have seen. They all seem to be up and running out of nowhere.

Time will tell /emoticons/smile.png

 

[TolishAPurd]

These are all sign written vans,new Wfp setups and obviously researched the trade.
Well from what I have seen. They all seem to be up and running out of nowhere.

Time will tell /emoticons/smile.png

Yep, as you know yourself, the easy (and fun) part is the buying the gear. The hard part is getting and keeping good customers.

 

[Dave B]

All the gear no idea springs to mind

You can have the best system or the best trad tools around but if you can't work at a decent pace and do a perfect job you won't last long

Either not earn enough to warrant all the grief or lose customers due to a splash n dash attitude

It takes years to get fast like us old school tradders and i have been wfp around 9 months and could still improve my speed and learning to spot problem windows etc

I doubt many of these new guys can really compete with us old hands even if we were starting again from scratch

 

[CHWS]

My opinion is wfp opened the doors to a lot of people, let's face it , it's an absolute gift walking along swinging a pole, probably guarantee half the people wouldn't have started up if they where walking along with a ladder on their shoulder. Probably because the majority would be scared of heights

 

[Damo]

Don't panic lol

Who's this?

 

[Hollie2021]

My opinion is wfp opened the doors to a lot of people, let's face it , it's an absolute gift walking along swinging a pole, probably guarantee half the people wouldn't have started up if they where walking along with a ladder on their shoulder. Probably because the majority would be scared of heights

I see odd ones here and there , but winter usually sees them off up our way , they tend to start in spring, usually when the old hands put work up for sale , and can get a better price than in the winter .

Talking about some of the new guys afraid of heights , a lady rang me asking if I would do her Windows (few years back) I said I know which house it is I'll do it the next time I'm in the area , she said she had a window cleaner , the same guy for years but he'd pack in , when I went to do them ( Georgian) the top windows were absolutely filthy , I knocked on the door after I'd finished and said I'm going to have to charge a bit extra this time as the tops took more time than I thought she said that's OK the other window cleaner never used to do them because he was afraid of heights !

You couldn't make it up, a widow cleaner that was afraid of going up a ladder !

Cheers guys .

Glenn.

 

[steve garwood]

Just posted on another thread how it seems every white collar worker wants to be a w.c at the moment

 

[monkeyman]

I'm still a newbie to be fair only 2 years in. But I had no doubt about the work involved. Cleaning and bookwork. But being a self employed ground worker and a pub manager for weatherspoons, and a few othere bits inbetween was really good schooling.

 

[davewindowcleaner]

There's loads about where I am, don't know why it is starting to bother me.

 

[aliyahle]

It is the same story everywhere. We all get into something that we think is perfect like a window cleaners job and then after a couple of weeks start hating it. Imagine the rigamarole of looking for a new job all over again. I must say though, a window cleaners job does pay well.

 

[peter rogers]

Ya think. Wait till ur owed money's an u run into bad customers

 

[chris clean]

I know its slightly off topic but To put a bit of a twist on this thread last week I saw 4 lads about 18 walking round the estate i live on with ladders buckets etc and my first thought was i wouldnt let em near my place even if I needed a windie. I saw em still knocking doors about 4 hours later. This week I was in the high street first thing in morning and saw about 10 guys the same age acting like tw#ts waiting for the job centre to open already drinking. Made me think actually fair play to the guys out trying to earn a bit at least they ain't sitting on there arses letting our taxes by the booze.

 

[David K]

Happy nothing has changed that ive noticed the last 2-3 years in my area .. Just a bunch of "old thinkers " tradding big houses . But im not gonna tell Them to go wfp ! ... Let Them die Out and ill eat their carcases .... /emoticons/biggrin.png