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Not using ladders

Ian Docksey

Well-known member
Messages
487
Location
West Sussex
So, I turned up to quote a job today, first thing said by customer, where's your ladders?  My reply I dont use ladders! I use water fed pole,  customer says so did last guy!  I said oh really!   Customer then says yes he used to hop over the flat roof n clean everything, to which I reply , sorry I dont do that. I say I have a portable unit for cleaning the rear of properly.  Oh says customer! That's good.  So I quote the job. Customer then says that's a bit expensive! But in next breath says they think the last guy wasnt even going over the flat roof to clean the rear.  But would prefer someone who will go over the flat roof to clean the rear, than arrange a time suitable to be home and let me go through.  It just dont make sense to me! Needless to say 1 I didnt get the job, 2 I didnt really want it ,as its gonna be agg.

 
So, I turned up to quote a job today, first thing said by customer, where's your ladders?  My reply I dont use ladders! I use water fed pole,  customer says so did last guy!  I said oh really!   Customer then says yes he used to hop over the flat roof n clean everything, to which I reply , sorry I dont do that. I say I have a portable unit for cleaning the rear of properly.  Oh says customer! That's good.  So I quote the job. Customer then says that's a bit expensive! But in next breath says they think the last guy wasnt even going over the flat roof to clean the rear.  But would prefer someone who will go over the flat roof to clean the rear, than arrange a time suitable to be home and let me go through.  It just dont make sense to me! Needless to say 1 I didnt get the job, 2 I didnt really want it ,as its gonna be agg.
My point being. I'm a newbie!  Even though starting up ,we really could do with every job we quote. Some just are going to be too much agg, we can still cherry pick our work ! Dont just take a job for the sake of it!!

 
So, I turned up to quote a job today, first thing said by customer, where's your ladders?  My reply I dont use ladders! I use water fed pole,  customer says so did last guy!  I said oh really!   Customer then says yes he used to hop over the flat roof n clean everything, to which I reply , sorry I dont do that. I say I have a portable unit for cleaning the rear of properly.  Oh says customer! That's good.  So I quote the job. Customer then says that's a bit expensive! But in next breath says they think the last guy wasnt even going over the flat roof to clean the rear.  But would prefer someone who will go over the flat roof to clean the rear, than arrange a time suitable to be home and let me go through.  It just dont make sense to me! Needless to say 1 I didnt get the job, 2 I didnt really want it ,as its gonna be agg.
Wave them goodbye ?

 
So, I turned up to quote a job today, first thing said by customer, where's your ladders?  My reply I dont use ladders! I use water fed pole,  customer says so did last guy!  I said oh really!   Customer then says yes he used to hop over the flat roof n clean everything, to which I reply , sorry I dont do that. I say I have a portable unit for cleaning the rear of properly.  Oh says customer! That's good.  So I quote the job. Customer then says that's a bit expensive! But in next breath says they think the last guy wasnt even going over the flat roof to clean the rear.  But would prefer someone who will go over the flat roof to clean the rear, than arrange a time suitable to be home and let me go through.  It just dont make sense to me! Needless to say 1 I didnt get the job, 2 I didnt really want it ,as its gonna be agg.
Unfortunately when starting out it’s difficult to turn work down but in the long run it’s worth it , build slowly but with good customers nice priced jobs and jobs that you will want to do there is nothing worse than thinking I have to do xxx next week ??? and not wanting to do it , sometimes the job is ok but the customer is more trouble than they are worth so it’s best to say no and walk away , I do that all the time now , I priced a job this week at £40 right on a main road so gets filthy difficult parking unless you run out 80 meters of hose and park off road , he said my last cleaner charged £20 , I will have a think about it , Evan if he phones back we won’t be taking the job on as I just have this gut feeling that he’s going to be a pain . Walk away and don’t look back better work is just around the corner ??

 
Unfortunately when starting out it’s difficult to turn work down but in the long run it’s worth it , build slowly but with good customers nice priced jobs and jobs that you will want to do there is nothing worse than thinking I have to do xxx next week ??? and not wanting to do it , sometimes the job is ok but the customer is more trouble than they are worth so it’s best to say no and walk away , I do that all the time now , I priced a job this week at £40 right on a main road so gets filthy difficult parking unless you run out 80 meters of hose and park off road , he said my last cleaner charged £20 , I will have a think about it , Evan if he phones back we won’t be taking the job on as I just have this gut feeling that he’s going to be a pain . Walk away and don’t look back better work is just around the corner ??
Exactly, half hour later I quoted a nice job , easy access,  £48 6 wkly and customer agreed  and a 1st clean price also.  So even when starting up, I've already found ,stick to your pricing n stick to your guns!!

 
Exactly, half hour later I quoted a nice job , easy access,  £48 6 wkly and customer agreed  and a 1st clean price also.  So even when starting up, I've already found ,stick to your pricing n stick to your guns!!
The biggest mistake I made when starting out was I was to cheap and took on everything I lived to regret that but learned a valuable lesson from it and try to pass this on to new guys starting out . I had a lot of dross to get rid of and spent far to much time doing awkward jobs for no extra money now if the job is awkward I will either say not interested full stop or will charge very expensive prices so if they say yes then at least it’s worth while financially. 

 
I use ladders on a handful of jobs but only if I deem it to be safe and I charge a premium because I know others won't do it. I normally add on an extra tenner just for getting the ladder out. 

 
I use ladders on a handful of jobs but only if I deem it to be safe and I charge a premium because I know others won't do it. I normally add on an extra tenner just for getting the ladder out. 
Good on you you are learning fast ??????

This time next year Rodney we will be millionaires ???

 
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I use ladders on a handful of jobs but only if I deem it to be safe and I charge a premium because I know others won't do it. I normally add on an extra tenner just for getting the ladder out. 
I'll only use a ladder when it's being footed by someone.  To which customer has to cover the cost. Safety first etc

 
I have Austin,  no loss to me! Funny thing being ,they wanted insides cleaned every now n then. Which I dont do! But still couldn't commit to being home for me to go through and do the rear. Couldnt make it up really, 
There are many odd balls around

 
I wont use a ladder by myself,  unless footed , not as the customer wanted,  someone to just hop over a flat roof. !!
I used to trad high street windows purched on the top rungs of large triples when I was a teenager

Never again. I have one set or multi function ladders for personal use at home and that’s it

 
I cut up my large triple ladder with a grinder this week, too dangerous. Cut up a few youngman boards aswell, no need for them with my scaffold. I have a 7.2m one left at a customers home when fixing above their conny. I need the space now so I'm having a big clear-out again.

 
I cut up my large triple ladder with a grinder this week, too dangerous. Cut up a few youngman boards aswell, no need for them with my scaffold. I have a 7.2m one left at a customers home when fixing above their conny. I need the space now so I'm having a big clear-out again.
I cut mine up years ago and sold them as camper van step ladders for rear doors. Nice profit

 
I cut mine up years ago and sold them as camper van step ladders for rear doors. Nice profit
Handy, folk told me to sell them on ebay or gumtree but I don't have the time. It would take me a day to do it and alot of hassle. I can make the same money doing a small PW job without the hassle. That's where I'm at now, got all the equipment and streamlining my business now. Even thinking about going down the direct debit route for window cleaning because it takes out the stress and time retexting customers. Would never have gave it a thought but too busy now to tolerate it. Now I know why well established companies do so well, they know before hand that they will get paid. I need to link up with Zero or Quick Books in the future. Wasted alot of time last week doing a first clean in an area I don't even cover and the warning signs were there. Putting it down to experience and hopefully will nip it in the bud in future. That's the reason I try anything just to gain the experience and learn from it.

 

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