ace3 - Starting from scratch - WFP Blog

[Chris33]

Hi @ace3 do not stress my man it is only april...your gona be busy soon if keep this up

Glad ppm sorted I think id read ya had issues with it?

What you do is google right move sold properly list or recently sold right move...thrn fire in street post code or town you target.

I said this would be good for that compact area of yours cos ya can be very specific with street etc you look at on it..also can set by default price descending (think mansions) or most recent sold first (good for where you want to chap now)

And he says he read the blog /emoticons/tongue.png

Anything I can do to help ya lift off hit me up mate :thumbsup:

 

[ace3]

Hi @ace3 do not stress my man it is only april...your gona be busy soon if keep this up
Glad ppm sorted I think id read ya had issues with it?

What you do is google right move sold properly list or recently sold right move...thrn fire in street post code or town you target.

I said this would be good for that compact area of yours cos ya can be very specific with street etc you look at on it..also can set by default price descending (think mansions) or most recent sold first (good for where you want to chap now)

And he says he read the blog /emoticons/tongue.png

Anything I can do to help ya lift off hit me up mate :thumbsup:

haha i did read i promise! I remember another guy adam tried it but didnt think it had worked out?! ill give that a go now cheers.....i sorted the water purification fine, i just didnt have a tds meter so couldnt confirm whether or not i had set it up correctly.

Yeah its just gone from what i thought was a really easy fix to becoming a really odd problem that no garages seem to be able to fix. I rang up a ford dealership and they said the problem of the fixing was that it isnt a seperate part and is instead a part of the chassis which would cost £300 to replace and 3+ weeks between ordering it and getting it all done which obviously i cant do as i told my customers that id have their windows done in the next 2 weeks max.

Hopefully ill have it sorted on tuesday and i can crack on!

 

[Lukas87]

Update,
Set up the ro + di system today and have managed so far to create a staggering 25l of pure water*

*pf didn't send me the tds meter so I don't know if I've managed 000ppm yet. I'm going to bring the container into work as a guy from my watch has one.

I was going to begin on Wednesday and do a few houses but unfortunately a strut on my car boot pinged off and I need to get it replaced.....currently my car boot won't stay open unless I hold it with one hand, I've tried and it was near impossible to get the trolley in and out the way it is so I'll have to go to a dealer before my first night shift and get the fitting and then a separate shop who fit gas struts.....not a great start but never mind.

Managed to get my first £40 house on Saturday and drove past an area where I will canvass methodically and quote £50 all around.....will see how I get on.

I'd prefer a lower quantity personally and bigger houses, especially when I realised how heavy the trolley was even without the containers.....I'm under no illusions that these nice areas will probably have a windy already but hopefully there are little gaps here and there.

Hi Ace I've just read your thread and sounds like your off to a flying start I got a 45ltr trolley last year and its a bit of a pig to lu

haha i did read i promise! I remember another guy adam tried it but didnt think it had worked out?! ill give that a go now cheers.....i sorted the water purification fine, i just didnt have a tds meter so couldnt confirm whether or not i had set it up correctly.
Yeah its just gone from what i thought was a really easy fix to becoming a really odd problem that no garages seem to be able to fix. I rang up a ford dealership and they said the problem of the fixing was that it isnt a seperate part and is instead a part of the chassis which would cost £300 to replace and 3+ weeks between ordering it and getting it all done which obviously i cant do as i told my customers that id have their windows done in the next 2 weeks max.

Hopefully ill have it sorted on tuesday and i can crack on!

Hi ace good thread enjoying the read! having started with wfp a year ago i had the same trials with what to get etc but as you go you'll get to know what suits your needs i got a 45ltr trolley which is useful but decided to get a backpack as well which was a good investment as lifting the trolley on and off the van multiple times a day was becoming an ache! i cheated and bought a round with the idea that if i'm out and seen it'll bring the work in and it worked i pick up new customers every week and never knocked a door i've now upgraded to a 950gpd RO to produce water quicker and taking on light commercial work what started as a spare time pocket money job in my spare time is quickly becoming a good little earner so fairplay to you it sounds like you done your research and pratice will get you perfect!! best of luck!

 

[ace3]

Hi Ace I've just read your thread and sounds like your off to a flying start I got a 45ltr trolley last year and its a bit of a pig to lu
Hi ace good thread enjoying the read! having started with wfp a year ago i had the same trials with what to get etc but as you go you'll get to know what suits your needs i got a 45ltr trolley which is useful but decided to get a backpack as well which was a good investment as lifting the trolley on and off the van multiple times a day was becoming an ache! i cheated and bought a round with the idea that if i'm out and seen it'll bring the work in and it worked i pick up new customers every week and never knocked a door i've now upgraded to a 950gpd RO to produce water quicker and taking on light commercial work what started as a spare time pocket money job in my spare time is quickly becoming a good little earner so fairplay to you it sounds like you done your research and pratice will get you perfect!! best of luck!

cheers mate, good luck to you too!

 

[Tony123]

Hi guys

This is a great thread. I'm in full time work and want to get back into Windows. I have always done Trad before (20 years ago) but looking at this forum WFP seems to be the way to go. Does anyone have a "startup list" that would help as it is quite a mine field nowadays. Rather than a bucket, some scrims etc lol. Was looking to buy a little van (transit connect or something similar) and want to do it properly. All help appreciated

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[Lukas87]

Hi guysThis is a great thread. I'm in full time work and want to get back into Windows. I have always done Trad before (20 years ago) but looking at this forum WFP seems to be the way to go. Does anyone have a "startup list" that would help as it is quite a mine field nowadays. Rather than a bucket, some scrims etc lol. Was looking to buy a little van (transit connect or something similar) and want to do it properly. All help appreciated

Sent from my iPhone using Window Cleaning Forums

Hi Tony I was the same i was trad for years took a break from it now its all WFP i still love a bit of trad but wfp takes away the need to risk trying to get the hard windows on the ladder as for a list i'd say how long is a piece of string! it depends on your budget really i started with a transit connect and it done me well but upgrading next week as i wanted something a bit longer for pole racks etc. I'd say personally get highest prodution RO you can afford and a good trolley the pure freedon lite looks good only 16kg as for poles it depends what height you want to go to and of course budget! best of luck to ya!

 

[Tony123]

Thanks again. Looking locally at the new estates that I will be targeting there are a lot of 3 storey townhouses. Not too fussed about budget as buy once and all that.

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[dmw]

Update,
Set up the ro + di system today and have managed so far to create a staggering 25l of pure water*

*pf didn't send me the tds meter so I don't know if I've managed 000ppm yet. I'm going to bring the container into work as a guy from my watch has one.

I was going to begin on Wednesday and do a few houses but unfortunately a strut on my car boot pinged off and I need to get it replaced.....currently my car boot won't stay open unless I hold it with one hand, I've tried and it was near impossible to get the trolley in and out the way it is so I'll have to go to a dealer before my first night shift and get the fitting and then a separate shop who fit gas struts.....not a great start but never mind.

Managed to get my first £40 house on Saturday and drove past an area where I will canvass methodically and quote £50 all around.....will see how I get on.

I'd prefer a lower quantity personally and bigger houses, especially when I realised how heavy the trolley was even without the containers.....I'm under no illusions that these nice areas will probably have a windy already but hopefully there are little gaps here and there.

hey mate how exactly do i go about doing that?
Ive had a nightmare week with my car, getting the part for the strut has been a real ball ache! I am back at work on tuesday and hoping that with all of the equipment we have at station i can make a diy fixing that will work! Hoping to get some houses done on thursday before night shift and then get back to knocking on doors.

Ive practised a few times on the windows at my house and things look good, ive also sorted out pure water production and am creating water at 000ppm so at least ive made progress in that sense.

Just a thought could you wedge a length of timber from the bumper to the tailgate I know all makes are different, but I had a strut go on an old Passat I used to have.

I got so used to it and never got around to replacing the strut!

 

[ace3]

Just a thought could you wedge a length of timber from the bumper to the tailgate I know all makes are different, but I had a strut go on an old Passat I used to have.I got so used to it and never got around to replacing the strut!

If all else fails i think ill do that dmw cheers.

 

[adamangler]

haha i did read i promise! I remember another guy adam tried it but didnt think it had worked out?! ill give that a go now cheers.....i sorted the water purification fine, i just didnt have a tds meter so couldnt confirm whether or not i had set it up correctly.
Yeah its just gone from what i thought was a really easy fix to becoming a really odd problem that no garages seem to be able to fix. I rang up a ford dealership and they said the problem of the fixing was that it isnt a seperate part and is instead a part of the chassis which would cost £300 to replace and 3+ weeks between ordering it and getting it all done which obviously i cant do as i told my customers that id have their windows done in the next 2 weeks max.

Hopefully ill have it sorted on tuesday and i can crack on!

I put out about 200 letters for 4 jobs

I also just got 8000 leaflets delivered (or chucked in a bush for 4 jobs)

Ive spent 1000s on canvassing

Nothing i do seems to come easy, maybe im unlucky to be in a reallly bad area so dont use my results as anything to go by, lots of guys on here seem to pick up work in in there sleep.

 

[ace3]

I put out about 200 letters for 4 jobs
I also just got 8000 leaflets delivered (or chucked in a bush for 4 jobs)

Ive spent 1000s on canvassing

Nothing i do seems to come easy, maybe im unlucky to be in a reallly bad area so dont use my results as anything to go by, lots of guys on here seem to pick up work in in there sleep.

Hi Adam, i remembered that you had struggled with getting work from newly sold houses in another thread, I hope you catch a break soon mate!

I have created an excel document to help with my canvassing as my plan is to get a perfect picture of each road that i canvass. Im Going to keep on knocking until i have an answer from each door on the street.

This will hopefully keep my round compact but also highlight any gaps in the market and possibly any issues with my pricing of jobs (if i get a lot of "no thanks" after giving a quote ill know my prices are possibly too high)

heres my template below, feel free to comment if you think ive missed anything

 

[Chris33]

@ace3 good idea there. I started something to keep on top of prices too where by per area I had spread sheets that worked out average house prices, how many I had per town etc. Helped with the shape of the ever evolving round.

I actual turned and went home today as work sheets (updated version) are not finished yet and it will only bother me until done.. not handy when new customers call and your unsure where to place them on the round...so guess what I'm doing today!

But yeah good plan to mess about with different formats and strategies until ya find what suits YOU

 

[ace3]

Hi all, update

I completed my first ever day of window cleaning today! £55 collected on the spot and £40 needing to be collected on sunday.

Really enjoyed it and managed to pick up 2 new customers whilst doing a few houses on one road.

One thing I found though was that no water went to the pole when the pure went down to a certain level in the container. I'd say there was probably 5 litres left in each container (I have a 50l trolley) but for some reason no water came out, I had to refill each container back to 25l and repeat a few times which was a little annoying.

Overall I think my technique got better as I went along and found some houses more difficult than others but all a good learning experience.

Half way through cleaning my first house the lady came out and said, "my son is going to do them from now on for Pocket money, I'll give a call if he doesn't do a good job" she then paid me my money.......great start I thought ha!

But then next 2 houses I got work from next door neighbours so lost 1 gained 2 from that road.

At the very end of the day I had placed all of my equipment back in my car (I deserve an award for being able to do it with no boot supports) and a lady came out and asked me to do her windows also. I told her no problem and gave her a price, £10 for fronts or £20 all around.......she began umming and arring and asked for £15 all around. I said I was fully booked (I have around 25 customers lol) and my prices are set (this is true).

She's adamant that I take a look at her back windows and when I get there she's got a conservatory aswell. she begins telling me there aren't many windows (whilst I'm looking at glass left right and centre) she'd accept £15.....so I told her it wouldn't be £20 it would be £25 all around and to give me a call if she wants them done at that price.

As I'm walking back to my car she said, "I'm a pensioner you know"

I smiled, told her to have a good day and left.

1st day in the job and I've heard,

"My son will do them from now on"

And

"I'm a pensioner"

Hopefully Monday I'll get

"You missed a bit"

Cheers everyone for your support, I'll update again on Monday when I do some of the £30 houses I canvassed.

 

[Chris33]

Day one and the man is sticking to his guns already...thats the result mate /emoticons/wink.png

 

[Iron Giant]

@ace3 good idea there. I started something to keep on top of prices too where by per area I had spread sheets that worked out average house prices, how many I had per town etc. Helped with the shape of the ever evolving round.
I actual turned and went home today as work sheets (updated version) are not finished yet and it will only bother me until done.. not handy when new customers call and your unsure where to place them on the round...so guess what I'm doing today!

But yeah good plan to mess about with different formats and strategies until ya find what suits YOU

Chris you need to get cleanerplanner.com it sorts it all with ease once all info is inputed and makes life so so much easier

 

[Iron Giant]

ace3 I love that I am a pensioner line :rofl:,Massive house in a nice area they must be really destitute I have only had it used on me twice but it never works

 

[Spartan]

ace3 I love that I am a pensioner line :rofl:,Massive house in a nice area they must be really destitute

I KNOW!/emoticons/biggrin.png

How does the fact that they're old make their windows easier or quicker to clean, lol.

They don't pitch up at Tescos or the petrol station and say "I'm a pensioner you know" and expect 25% off....

The minute those words are said you know they're going to be a nightmare of a customer even if they do accept your pricing.

They'll always be something they're not happy about.

Anyway, well done ACE on your first day and many more to come:thumbsup:

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[Iron Giant]

Totally agree with Spartan I had one years ago and I used to clean her daughters dance studio as well which she would pay for by cheque.

If she wasn't happy about something she would write me a letter no cheque though [emoji53], So I then had to ring her and wait even longer for payment, Needless to say after putting up with them for 2-3 years they got dropped

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[spruce]

Hi all, update
I completed my first ever day of window cleaning today! £55 collected on the spot and £40 needing to be collected on sunday.

Really enjoyed it and managed to pick up 2 new customers whilst doing a few houses on one road.

One thing I found though was that no water went to the pole when the pure went down to a certain level in the container. I'd say there was probably 5 litres left in each container (I have a 50l trolley) but for some reason no water came out, I had to refill each container back to 25l and repeat a few times which was a little annoying.

Overall I think my technique got better as I went along and found some houses more difficult than others but all a good learning experience.

Half way through cleaning my first house the lady came out and said, "my son is going to do them from now on for Pocket money, I'll give a call if he doesn't do a good job" she then paid me my money.......great start I thought ha!

But then next 2 houses I got work from next door neighbours so lost 1 gained 2 from that road.

At the very end of the day I had placed all of my equipment back in my car (I deserve an award for being able to do it with no boot supports) and a lady came out and asked me to do her windows also. I told her no problem and gave her a price, £10 for fronts or £20 all around.......she began umming and arring and asked for £15 all around. I said I was fully booked (I have around 25 customers lol) and my prices are set (this is true).

She's adamant that I take a look at her back windows and when I get there she's got a conservatory aswell. she begins telling me there aren't many windows (whilst I'm looking at glass left right and centre) she'd accept £15.....so I told her it wouldn't be £20 it would be £25 all around and to give me a call if she wants them done at that price.

As I'm walking back to my car she said, "I'm a pensioner you know"

I smiled, told her to have a good day and left.

1st day in the job and I've heard,

"My son will do them from now on"

And

"I'm a pensioner"

Hopefully Monday I'll get

"You missed a bit"

Cheers everyone for your support, I'll update again on Monday when I do some of the £30 houses I canvassed.

Unfortunately you will pick up a lot of messers that other windies have dropped. Canvass, clean and then cull is the window cleaner's motto to get a good round established. That could all happen in one day. But eventually you will have a good round of mainly loyal customers.

But this is an on going process as even good customers have a change in circumstances and becomes messers.

You do have to feel sorry for pensioners. I'm saying that as I'm knocking on the pension door myself. Come to think of it, we all are, its just that we at different places on life's road.

We took on a round that consisted of mainly pensioners living in 3 bedroom semi's they had been in all their lives. They had moved in when they got married, raised the family and now they were alone at the end of life's road. The prices were low but we got paid on the day and if a customer wasn't in the neighbours paid. (We still have the round but most of those old dears aren't around any longer. The houses were allocated to young families and single mothers who want windows cleaned but never have money as cigarettes, partying and phones are a greater priority.)

We had one old dear who was one of the nicest people you could ever meet. But she was always moaning about the amount of pension she got and how did they expect an old person to live on that etc etc? When she offered us a glass of orange juice on a hot day we wondered if she could afford it.

One day we arrived and the son was there clearing out the council house she lived in. I didn't know she had died. We got chatting and he was a little shell shocked as they had discovered she had £254,000.00 in her bank account. Apparently the family had been helping her to 'survive' for years. No one had any idea she had anything. I just cracked up with laughter; she had conned us all. Son started to laugh as well as he hadn't seen the funny side till then.

I often wonder if the old girl would try to negotiate the plumber's bill if she had cause to call one. We've had a couple of potential customers over the years who have tried to play 2 of us off against each other for the lowest price and we had one that arranged for 3 of 4 of us to unknowing meet her at the same time to quote her. She didn't get a price from any of us.

One of the things about window cleaning is that there are going to be customers who try to take us to the proverbial cleaners and some of those will succeed. But you must never take it personally, just smile and carry on. The key is to not let those few bad apples influence the way you treat potential new customers in the future.

.

 

[ace3]

Hi all, is there any way that I can remove the battery on my trolley and charge it so I don't have to lug the trolley in and out of my house each night?

I've taken a picture of the connections, any help is appreciated

 

[philb]

Hi ace3

Good to hear your progress. I am just looking at starting up so it's comforting to see your progress & success at canvassing. What is your average price & what size of houses you doing?

With regards charging your trolley a friend of mine has taken the board of his trolley (I think he said it unbolted) so it can be taken in to charge & also uses it with a tank system instead.