Ladder climbs i don't think about

[Exchef93]

 ExCher I hope you have a long career...but you stacking the odds against yourself... I have picked up at least 10-20 custy's (from all over my area, i.e it's not just one bloke) who so say..'yeah my guy stop calling because he broke his arm/leg/had fall etc and is packing it in'...you are playing Russian roulette with your unsafe ladder use...I hope you don't have reason to regret it...join us...come over to on the dark side..


View attachment 18897

Its not a career i actually ment to head down, i just started doing it temporarily until i found what i wanted to do... oops...

Its going to happen at some point, the guy i work with is within a couple of years of retiring and then i wont being going out laddering like this on my own, i will eventually have to go over to wfp, but the only problem that comes from that is working out how to fill it.

 

[NoName]

ExChef  :Welcome:

Google 'Spotless water' they have covered the uk in a network small shipping containers (mainly in cities) which generate pure water and sell it like a petrol pump...you could start buying it...(google local window cleaning suppliers who also do this) or you build you own static system at home...in a garden shed etc. Or get a system fitted to a van. (lot's of guys offer coming to you to supply and fit what you need or the big boys do it all at their premises. For a van system you'll need access to a tap near your van. 

Have a good read of the relevant threads, lot's of great pointers/advice

After you've done it while you won't look back (I don't know any who have reverted to manual, queue 1000's of posts now saying just this ? )

 

[Exchef93]

ExChef  :Welcome:

Google 'Spotless water' they have covered the uk in a network small shipping containers (mainly in cities) which generate pure water and sell it like a petrol pump...you could start buying it...(google local window cleaning suppliers who also do this) or you build you own static system at home...in a garden shed etc. Or get a system fitted to a van. (lot's of guys offer coming to you to supply and fit what you need or the big boys do it all at their premises. For a van system you'll need access to a tap near your van. 

Have a good read of the relevant threads, lot's of great pointers/advice

After you've done it while you won't look back (I don't know any who have reverted to manual, queue 1000's of posts now saying just this ? )

The closest spotless water "coming soon" is 40 minutes drive away from where i live so unfortunatly that's not a possibility even if they did have a site set up. I dont live anywhere near a city.

And unfortunatly we only have one window cleaning suppliers where we buy everything from, they supply systems for wfp but not a "filling service"

My house isnt on a road and has no vehicular access to it, i have to park my car and walk to my house. If i was to run a hose to my car, it would cross shared pathways, a pavement, and depending on where there was a space on my street, accross the road. Somehwere between 30-60m from garden to car.

And failing all of that, im only an employee.

We've looked at potentially changing for years, but there just isnt a feasible way to do it at this point in time

 

[NoName]

Hmm...odds are stacked against you pal...

Ok so you could contact all local windies (google) ask them if they generate water...some may be prepared to sell you some, most will generate straight into van but some will do it at home into a static tank (but it will be sized to serve them but you could see if you can buy another/bigger tank and ask them to fill it / add it into their system (long shot I know), bigger boys with a couple of vans or more will more likely to have a large static tank they keep filled and draw from it.

Could you rent a lockup/unit/garage or get a static tank fitted somewhere else (corner of some else unit etc) and then fill it up from there...I guess they'll be a few people who'll take a few quid to house it for you... (you could even start selling yourself - but you live in middle of nowhere so unlikely high demand)

Could you advertise that you need space to generate water and see if someone will 'host' the system...a friend/neighbour etc?

That's all the obvious thoughts...but post a separate post on here and ask if anyone has had a similar issue and if/how they overcame it? All the best

 

[NoName]

Get tank at home..then get sack tuck (or powered muck truck ?/donkey/etc) and ferry the water to a tank in van...or get a tank at home filled and then each morning run out  30/60m hose and pump it into a tank in the back of the van...I know you can shift 1000l in 10/15mins so doable especially if you get a high flow pump. Just pop up a few signs and let ever know what you're doing so as to avoid trips...yeah that would totally work...and stop be an employee and work for your self!

Fill up when it's quiet could be when you get back at end of day then is best time to fill up (it would have generated during the day) or when you first wake up etc...or nuclear option move ? 

 

[P4dstar]

“When planning and organising window cleaning you must avoid work at height where it is reasonably practicable to do so, for example by using telescopic water fed poles or cleaning windows from the inside.” https://www.hse.gov.uk/cleaning/topics/window-cleaning.htm

Thats what I was trying to quote earlier in this thread. I think the bit I was looking for was "The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HSW Act) requires employers to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of their employees and to ensure that those affected by their activities are not exposed to risk".

I think @Exchef93 took my banter how it was meant but I there is a serious point. As an employee your boss shouldn't be expecting you to climb ladders anymore. If people don't want wfp then **** em, the ones that can't be converted are few and far between.

With regards to filling up its really something that the company you work for should be sorting. If the other vans are filling up the chances are you could go to them and do the same. If not there are a plethora of other avenues to explore.

 

[Part Timer]

You said you're in a very soft water area. If this is correct then all you need is a tap, DI, can explain this later, a water butt and water pump. This really isn't  rocket sceince, even for a dinosaur like me.

 

[Danfire]

Backpack and long pole hose so there's no hose on any pavements. I had a few resistant to wfp, I just do the upstairs wfp along the road, put the kit away and trad the bottoms. By the time they get the bill the upstairs are dry and they're none the wiser. 

 

[Incheck]

Ive been thinking of sacking off gutter clearances on those two storey town houses now unless its an easy VAC job. Won’t take them on for less than a ton but I wake up in my sleep with the jumps about ladder falls, no kidding. even though i have my brother to help set up and foot the ladder i just think the days of being able to stomach going up that high are coming to an end. Normal two storey houses ive got no fears at all and only requires two sections of the ladder. The three sections are a hell of weight on the set up and if i fall from that height its fatal or a wheelchair

 

[Teddington Window Cleaners]

Its quite funny the debate of trad v WFP, I worked trad 20 years ago and they were being used a little. My boss hated them.

I guess if you are not confident on a ladder and scared of heights WFP is the only way. 

That being said I was chatting to a lady yesterday and said she had two previous WFP guys before and she wanted a trad guy as the WFP: 

1. left streaks and dirt on the windows
   
2. left the sills dirty 
   
3. bashed up her nice sash windows 
   

don't get me wrong I think WFP are good for things like factories ect where the customers don't really care that much about the above. 

 

[Pjj]

Its quite funny the debate of trad v WFP, I worked trad 20 years ago and they were being used a little. My boss hated them.

I guess if you are not confident on a ladder and scared of heights WFP is the only way. 

That being said I was chatting to a lady yesterday and said she had two previous WFP guys before and she wanted a trad guy as the WFP: 

1. left streaks and dirt on the windows
   
2. left the sills dirty 
   
3. bashed up her nice sash windows 
   

don't get me wrong I think WFP are good for things like factories ect where the customers don't really care that much about the above. 

All the points you have mentioned are down to user error we don’t have any of those problems, due to staff training and taking a pride in how we work. 

 

[Part Timer]

Its quite funny the debate of trad v WFP, I worked trad 20 years ago and they were being used a little. My boss hated them.

I guess if you are not confident on a ladder and scared of heights WFP is the only way. 

That being said I was chatting to a lady yesterday and said she had two previous WFP guys before and she wanted a trad guy as the WFP: 

1. left streaks and dirt on the windows
   
2. left the sills dirty 
   
3. bashed up her nice sash windows 
   

don't get me wrong I think WFP are good for things like factories ect where the customers don't really care that much about the above. 

I have quite a few customers that wouldn't go back to traditional methods. In their words their windows look cleaner and stay cleaner longer. This debate has being going on far to long now, traditional above ground floor will one day be banned on H&S reasons.

More and more houses are being built with 3 floors, do you do the top floors by ladder or just don't do them?

 

[NoName]

Teddington...

Odd streaky window Vs hospitalised windies - I personally know two - one airlifted to hospital...is the risk worth it ?

You carry the risk, the custy any arguable benefit 

No 1 killer of working men in uk - failing from heights - 2019 - 40 died 

Is it worth it?

 

[Teddington Window Cleaners]

Teddington...

Odd streaky window Vs hospitalised windies - I personally know two - one airlifted to hospital...is the risk worth it ?

You carry the risk, the custy any arguable benefit 

No 1 killer of working men in uk - failing from heights - 2019 - 40 died 

Is it worth it?

Not sure about the odds, I worked for years and never saw an injury. 

There is risk in every job, you have to mitigate the risks. 

Personally I enjoy climbing the ladder and find it quite exciting. Moreover I would never go up if I was not 100% it was safe. 

I may change my mind if I ever fall

horses for courses ?

 

[NoName]

? Sure mate - just don't come running to me if you fall...oh you won't be able... ? stay safe pal

 

[Teddington Window Cleaners]

? Sure mate - just don't come running to me if you fall...oh you won't be able... ? stay safe pal

For me, if I couldn’t use ladders I probably wouldn’t clean windows. 
 

Its being up a ladder that I love most about the job. You see the world from a view that no one else rarely see’s and you are the only one there. 
 And sometimes I do get a little voice telling me to jump. 

 

[Iron Giant]

With the amount of people at home these days I wouldn't want to be on a ladder whilst more people are working from home and have an office in the bedroom and so on, being on a ladder and doing a full and thorough clean of of all the glass frames sills and doors there is no way I would be able to clean over 400 jobs I have on my rounds.

Also @Teddington Window Cleaners you have formed an opinion about wfper's based on one persons experience and as you have just started up after not cleaning a window for 20 years with respect your knowledge and experience is limited after trading for just over 20 years wfp beats trad hands down. 

 

[Teddington Window Cleaners]

With the amount of people at home these days I wouldn't want to be on a ladder whilst more people are working from home and have an office in the bedroom and so on, being on a ladder and doing a full and thorough clean of of all the glass frames sills and doors there is no way I would be able to clean over 400 jobs I have on my rounds.

Also @Teddington Window Cleaners you have formed an opinion about wfper's based on one persons experience and as you have just started up after not cleaning a window for 20 years with respect your knowledge and experience is limited after trading for just over 20 years wfp beats trad hands down. 

I don’t have an opinion on WFP other than it looks boring.

you don’t need 20 years experience to see why WFP is a popular option for some business owners. That’s your choice and it’s a service that I don’t offer. 
 

 

[Iron Giant]

I don’t have an opinion on WFP other than it looks boring.

you don’t need 20 years experience to see why WFP is a popular option for some business owners. That’s your choice and it’s a service that I don’t offer. 
 

Far less risk involved speaking from experience, the bonus is a greater turnover of work thus more money within a similar working day, for a much lower financial outlay trad is a way to go to see if one can succeed and make a viable business, to many lads think in general terms think wfp is the easy way in spend £1,000's before cleaning a window then aren't able to make a go of it, I commend you for starting up and wish you all the best. 

 

[Jjamie]

I can honestly say half the time my ladder hasn't touch the wall before I'm up it 

I think as you get so use to doing it day in day out you trust your ladder, and don't think about falling of or what if 

If you buy a decent ladder you'll be fine don't go b&q or wickes or scerwfix 

Buy a window cleaning ladder a ladder that's made to last and then invest in some feet for your ladder and change them regularly ever 3 months cost £12 

 

[Part Timer]

I can honestly say half the time my ladder hasn't touch the wall before I'm up it 

I think as you get so use to doing it day in day out you trust your ladder, and don't think about falling of or what if 

If you buy a decent ladder you'll be fine don't go b&q or wickes or scerwfix 

Buy a window cleaning ladder a ladder that's made to last and then invest in some feet for your ladder and change them regularly ever 3 months cost £12 

@Dave Bwas exactly the same regarding ladders until his head landed in a flower pot. That might well have saved him from serious injury.

I appreciate you're set in your ways but there is a risk climbing and using ladders so personally don't see the point in taking that risk.

If you're established  as a window cleaner the cost in changing should be well within your financial means.