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!

THOUGHTS ON USING A CAR

bhj1

Member
Messages
39
Location
northants
what is everybody's thoughts on using a car for window cleaning with a backpack on a sack barrow.

i am just setting up and realistically will not be able to invest in a van and van set up for couple of years.

been using my little car with seats down at the moment but what is the general thoughts on this.

any ideas how i can look more professional

 
what is everybody's thoughts on using a car for window cleaning with a backpack on a sack barrow.
i am just setting up and realistically will not be able to invest in a van and van set up for couple of years.

been using my little car with seats down at the moment but what is the general thoughts on this.

any ideas how i can look more professional
Loads on here do it. As long as your doing a good job who cares?? You will probs outgrow a car but by then you should have the money to get a van

 
iv purchased 30m of pole hose to use with my backpack to save having to lift it out of car if there is no need to. whats the difference between pole hose and the microbore that people use with a van set up?

 
It can work very well if you're organized. I've worked wfp form a 1.6 Nissan Primera saloon for nine and half years. When it breaks down I might get a small van, but the car has worked very well for me. Especially in view of the difficulty in parking around where I work.

A fellow windie pulled up near me today in a van, blocked off the entire end of the street while he cleaned one of his customers. This is one example of why for me a car or small van is best. I appreciate it's not the same for all, probably even most.

There are only a couple of houses on my round where it's not worth getting the trolley out so I just connect up a short hose and work straight out of the back of the car, but for most it really is no big deal to get the trolley out, sling on a barrel and off I go. Car stays put and I just come back for more water every half hour.

 
Seen a coupke of different windie drive by with wfp in their car never seen one actually at work, also there is another towing a wfp trailer once again never seen him using it though.

 
I started in a ford focus. Brought a ladder rack from ford dealer and had all trad stuff in the boot. Nowerdays I've got a transit connect. The thing about using a car is that you are limited in what you can carry, and the longer you do window cleaning, the more equip you buy. Save up for a while, then sell your car and buy a small van. Get it sign written and start promoting yourself - thats when it all takes off

 
It can definately be done. When I started I did WFP from a 3 door corsa. Backpack and water barrels. Ladder on the roof for gutters. You will outgrow It but as someone said by then your earning enough for a van. If you wanna do it enough you make it work. I saw a guy on internet doing wfp from a bike with trailer. If its a compact round it could be done!

 
IMG_20170119_215440.jpg

I use a v reg Mazda 323, 6 barrels, chems, spares bucket and all my trad gear all in back, with seats up, backpack on back seat, pole going from back foot well to between headrests so I can whip it out from boot, a cheap telescopic car cleaning brush I can attach a garden hose too and a £10 b&q trad pole. On roof I have a triple, double and single pointer, and a 5m Harris pole with a progutter tool on in a soil pipe with a fire extinguisher bracket screwed into it. Works great as spend half of my day working with my father in law as a 2 man trad team, then wfp doing all my work. Will be getting a van soon as im gonna start converting all his work to wfp in coming months

 
View attachment 13340I use a v reg Mazda 323, 6 barrels, chems, spares bucket and all my trad gear all in back, with seats up, backpack on back seat, pole going from back foot well to between headrests so I can whip it out from boot, a cheap telescopic car cleaning brush I can attach a garden hose too and a £10 b&q trad pole. On roof I have a triple, double and single pointer, and a 5m Harris pole with a progutter tool on in a soil pipe with a fire extinguisher bracket screwed into it. Works great as spend half of my day working with my father in law as a 2 man trad team, then wfp doing all my work. Will be getting a van soon as im gonna start converting all his work to wfp in coming months
out of interest, what do you use a car cleaing brush for???

 
Personally wouldn't fancy wfp from a car probably because I haven't done it but I did trad from 1 for long enough

 
Much of it has to depend on your round I recon.

If my car broke down now I still wouldn't need a van. As long as I could get 8x barrels maximum (6 would do) and a trolley safely in it and a few hand tools a car would still suit my work.

 
I've done WFP from a car since march 2016. Works fine enough, but there a few things that makes me save up for a van.

  • Lack of space generally, and especially for poles.
  • Water everywhere in the car. (Though a boot liner, and towels under the floor mats helped with this).
  • It's not very fun to use the car privately when it smells of old rags and is full of moisture.

Still, it's absolutely doable. If I could do it differently, I would've bought a old cheap car and use that solely for work, as it wears a lot on the car. I use a toyota avensis sedan.

 
my work horse

cbf6fc769c77faae9e77c3521e0c17ae.jpg


 
I have been wfp/trad out of an astra since june 2015

Had vans and cars over the years trad but since going wfp/trad hybrid I am really feeling the need for a van now

So much so i am van hunting this weekend

Already got everything except a tank to go in it so might as well do it

 
Back
Top