Any other jobs like window cleaning?

[Chris33]

Tango I would probably get an ro system for the van to be honest. Max out what I could with add ons and just start getting a better customer base for windows.. 

 

[Joshyouare]

Hi Tango, sorry to hear this.

What would stop you from the following?

1) Fully traditional with ladders.

2) Traditional bottom windows - this is actually very quick and you will use half the water at most.

3) Set up your own water system. Even with a high TDS surely double DI is better than giving up window cleaning.

I remember responding to a few things from you a fair few months ago now though, so without offence, is there a reason why you haven't got enough customers by now? I can go out and get 5 customers a day very easily from leafleting and that's something that everyone can do surely?

You seem to spend a lot of time on here, I think the bottom line is, window cleaning is a business that anyone can do and succeed in (more or less), and it seems that you're just creating excuses for yourself to not get out there and do it.

If you take 8 barrels with you (although you could probably squeeze a few more in) that's 200l of water. 200l of water for me is over 100 pounds of work easily. And that would be with a fairly high flow rate too. Surely for 80-90 pounds profit it's worth it? Especially if you trad bottoms, might take a bit longer but it's still over 200 pounds of work.

 

[Dave B]

If I trad bottoms i can do about £100 on 60-80l of pure for tops.

Imo it's all about hunger.. if you are hungry enough for it ( got to pay bills etc) you will make it work.

Stop concentrating on the cons and think of the pros. 

Any time you're not Cleaning windows you should be leafleting potential customers. 

What is the reason you can't make your own pure anyway?

What's your tds?

 

[Suhrly]

If I trad bottoms i can do about £100 on 60-80l of pure for tops.

Imo it's all about hunger.. if you are hungry enough for it ( got to pay bills etc) you will make it work.

Stop concentrating on the cons and think of the pros. 

Any time you're not Cleaning windows you should be leafleting potential customers. 

What is the reason you can't make your own pure anyway?

What's your tds?

Dave is onto something there. Trad the bottoms and save a lot of pure.

 

[Wind o kleen]

Same customer originally asked me to attend on Christmas Day..

? my response would been , yeah see you then , are you paying on the day? Just obviously with it being high amount of £250 probably be good idea todo bank transfer !!

i would of sacked them off if they asked me come xmas day cheeky &£@&£
 

regarding your original post ,

dog it out mate! Couple month and start getting warm again new customers will be ther for you 

 

[P4dstar]

If I trad bottoms i can do about £100 on 60-80l of pure for tops.

Imo it's all about hunger.. if you are hungry enough for it ( got to pay bills etc) you will make it work.

Stop concentrating on the cons and think of the pros. 

Any time you're not Cleaning windows you should be leafleting potential customers. 

What is the reason you can't make your own pure anyway?

What's your tds?

You've cracked it Dave. I'm sure I've quoted him before but Mike Tyson once said "Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth". Ultimately it's a decision everyone needs to make, either sit and wallow in self pity or learn from a situation and get better.

Being self employed isn't for everyone. I am inclined to agree with @Pjj that this is the easiest self employed option. The thing with window cleaning is it can be whatever you like. You can build a business with multiple vans and make thousands each week or you can build a stress free small round and make a few hundred quid a week very flexibly part time... And anywhere in between that of course.

I'm not 100% sure the response you were expecting on here Tango but, respectfully, you have always been really negative. Every set back gets you down. Theres always something in your way. The lads have given you advice and your only response is to justify turning up on New Years day. I think you've already made your mind up personally. No one with such a defeatist attitude will be successful, not just in window cleaning but in any job. Those people aren't suited to get beyond the bottom rung of the ladder, checkouts at Tesco, Bar staff etc. I hope you can give yourself a shake and wake up. It doesn't matter if window cleaning is or isn't for you I hope you sort yourself out and do well!

 

[wezza13]

First of all, put your prices up. You've found out what happens when you're not charging enough. This is happening to you now, like it's happened to thousands of other people that get into the game and then realise that they're not earning enough from it. We all know that you can make good money from this industry and it's there to be earned.

Secondly, if you're going to continue (which I really hope that you are), then I can't emphasise enough that you need to be making your own pure water. Didn't you buy an RO system on ebay a while back? If not, you can get a great RO from Pure Freedom for £150 exc vat : https://purefreedom.co.uk/product/300-gpd-compact-reverse-osmosis-system-592/#di-filter

I still use this one and it's been going for about 5 years. Would do you a treat.

Again, I think it's all down to your pricing. Whilst you think that you're building your customer base by giving them low prices, you're already finding out that they're too low and that you don't want to clean them once they start messing about. Get your prices right from the start and the rest will come smoothly. You'll be more determined to crack on with it because you'll know that you can make a decent wage from window cleaning which, with your low prices, makes it seem like it's not worth the hassle.

Up your prices (don't be scared to), buy that RO system, good luck and let us know how you're getting on ?

 

[Chris33]

First of all, put your prices up. You've found out what happens when you're not charging enough. This is happening to you now, like it's happened to thousands of other people that get into the game and then realise that they're not earning enough from it. We all know that you can make good money from this industry and it's there to be earned.

Secondly, if you're going to continue (which I really hope that you are), then I can't emphasise enough that you need to be making your own pure water. Didn't you buy an RO system on ebay a while back? If not, you can get a great RO from Pure Freedom for £150 exc vat : https://purefreedom.co.uk/product/300-gpd-compact-reverse-osmosis-system-592/#di-filter

I still use this one and it's been going for about 5 years. Would do you a treat.

Again, I think it's all down to your pricing. Whilst you think that you're building your customer base by giving them low prices, you're already finding out that they're too low and that you don't want to clean them once they start messing about. Get your prices right from the start and the rest will come smoothly. You'll be more determined to crack on with it because you'll know that you can make a decent wage from window cleaning which, with your low prices, makes it seem like it's not worth the hassle.

Up your prices (don't be scared to), buy that RO system, good luck and let us know how you're getting on ?

Tango if you under priced a full run. So did I haha. Dont be disheartened in building it all over again if you have to. Evolution

 

[THL4KEL]

Tango you could offer a handy man service, building flat pack furniture, basic repair work around the home, setting up appliances i.e TVs ect or anything else you are capable of doing..

 

[adamangler]

The thing is why do you think you can succeed in something else If you cant make window cleaning work? 

If you have lost all motivation for cleaning windows and just hate it then fair enough try something else. 

But if not then buckle down and make the window cleaning work. 

Any business will requite patience and persistence there is no easy way to success. 

Increase your marketing, invest time and money, take some risks increase your prices, dump all the **** and go for it. 

Why can't you purify your own water? 

 

[Tango]

If you have lost all motivation for cleaning windows and just hate it then fair enough try something else. 

I have to wonder why you and a few others here have this idea... No i've not lost motivation (but i am struggling with child care / time / health) and i certainly don't hate it! 

@Iron Giant I did your suggestion (had been mulling this over since realising the last fill was for 4.5 barrels out of 6)- got my 250L tank in the garage that i bought from another (ex) windy months ago - young lad, gave up, decided he wanted to work for royal mail instead - mad... Anyway it's been sat there months, 5 custys tomoz and i figured i'm gonna have to fill up anyway, still got 2.5 barrels left plus the back pack..  so got some breeze blocks in two piles, cut up an old desk (about an inch thick so solid), 3/4" bst tap in and it's now holding the start of my water buffer - about 70-85L at a guess. Fully topped up the 6 barrels and BP this evening (got back at 22:45 - still trying for the doubters) so now got 250ish L in total so at least i didn't travel to the filling station for something stupid like 4.5 barrels. Also drove late as less traffic meaning i could keep the speed down / less thirsty fuel wise which seemed to work well although i got back in agony.. urgh.. Anyway it's done so at least i've got more water efficiency so that's one issue sorted! Just been out there now to check it's holding water - no sign of any leaking! (was a bit unsure of the PTFE tape being done right)

 

[mike007]

Gardening seems to be a money spinner up here. Ageing population means labouring jobs will become something they will require

Why I am considering getting a petrol Lawnmower this year. Also means I can do it if weather is raining......might of just found a small flaw in my plan!!!

 

[mike007]

Brain Surgery. All the requirements are pretty much the same. Hand/eye co-ordination,intelligence etc.

 

[P4dstar]

I have to wonder why you and a few others here have this idea... No i've not lost motivation (but i am struggling with child care / time / health) and i certainly don't hate it! 

I don't have any idea about you mate, my comments (Above Adams) were purely me being honest. We all struggle, but there is a difference with how people respond to it. You're choosing to let it get you down. You're focusing on the wrong point in posts, the main point in what Adam was saying is "dump all the **** and go for it".

If I were you, in your exact situation. I would go to the clearscore website. Check your credit rating and then see if there are any 0% purchase credit cards available. Once you have what you can from there consider taking a loan too and sell anything around your house that you no longer use but is of value. eBay have an offer for the weekend where the maximum selling fee is £1 so its a good time to make some extra. Take what you get and buy a van, and RO, a van mounted system, some sign writing for the van and perhaps a uniform (just an embroidered T-Shirt). Sit down with the family and tell them straight that they need to work around you. Tell them you're going for this and they will reap the benefits later on. They won't necessarily give you a free run but I'm sure if you put your heads together they could take the pressure off you a lot more. It's difficult to imagine making good money when you're lugging 6 barrels in the back of a car and worrying where you will fill them up.

I left a full time job earning 36-40k in April 2018. At that time I had 45 customers making an average of £450 per month, by October 2018 I had 240 customers, making an average of £2500 per month. On top of that I had trimmed the fat, I could have been closer to 300 customers but I dumped people like the guy who turned you away on the door and didn't even think about it.

 

[mike007]

I don't have any idea about you mate, my comments (Above Adams) were purely me being honest. We all struggle, but there is a difference with how people respond to it. You're choosing to let it get you down. You're focusing on the wrong point in posts, the main point in what Adam was saying is "dump all the **** and go for it".

If I were you, in your exact situation. I would go to the clearscore website. Check your credit rating and then see if there are any 0% purchase credit cards available. Once you have what you can from there consider taking a loan too and sell anything around your house that you no longer use but is of value. eBay have an offer for the weekend where the maximum selling fee is £1 so its a good time to make some extra. Take what you get and buy a van, and RO, a van mounted system, some sign writing for the van and perhaps a uniform (just an embroidered T-Shirt). Sit down with the family and tell them straight that they need to work around you. Tell them you're going for this and they will reap the benefits later on. They won't necessarily give you a free run but I'm sure if you put your heads together they could take the pressure off you a lot more. It's difficult to imagine making good money when you're lugging 6 barrels in the back of a car and worrying where you will fill them up.

I left a full time job earning 36-40k in April 2018. At that time I had 45 customers making an average of £450 per month, by October 2018 I had 240 customers, making an average of £2500 per month. On top of that I had trimmed the fat, I could have been closer to 300 customers but I dumped people like the guy who turned you away on the door and didn't even think about it.

And if it doesn,t work out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[P4dstar]

And if it doesn,t work out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. Sounds to me like @Tango is having a tough time. What is the worst that could happen to you? If you can't pay it back you can get a debt relief order and move on with your life, people often take out credit with the intention of taking one of these so just knowing its there as a failsafe doesn't seem so bad to me.

I spent my life savings on window cleaning. I know about taking risks. I would spend them again tomorrow if it would better my life. This isn't gambling, it's investing in yourself. You don't sit back afterwards and wait to see who the winner is and if you've won, you get out and make it work.

 

[mike007]

You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. Sounds to me like @Tango is having a tough time. What is the worst that could happen to you? If you can't pay it back you can get a debt relief order and move on with your life, people often take out credit with the intention of taking one of these so just knowing its there as a failsafe doesn't seem so bad to me.

I spent my life savings on window cleaning. I know about taking risks. I would spend them again tomorrow if it would better my life. This isn't gambling, it's investing in yourself. You don't sit back afterwards and wait to see who the winner is and if you've won, you get out and make it work.

He has a issue maybe with motivation....spending thousands will not solve that.....a major issue for him is obtaining pure water. If he solves that...and of course getting more customers, he will be rocking.

 

[wezza13]

He has a issue maybe with motivation....spending thousands will not solve that.....a major issue for him is obtaining pure water. If he solves that...and of course getting more customers, he will be rocking.

Indeed, which is why I recommended that RO system a few posts back.

 

[Iron Giant]

I am with @adamangler & @P4dstar on this, unless you really push like mad, more so in this day and age with windy's everywhere, you won't break through the barriers, that are there everyday whatever they may be, some lads will mentally give up if they are getting by at times a lad I knew years ago would in effect make his own hurdles choose not to turn out or not get jobs sorted as he should and end up weeks behind he always seemed to have a hurdle or issues and never seemed fully invested in his business yet surprisingly he has been in business for over 10 years

@P4dstar isn't maybe much different from you @Tango he has kids and worked a job while building his business so working a lot of hour's whilst juggling family life and yet he is on his way to putting a second van on the road, I have to admit I am not the most driven person and never have been and my business has grown organically in a way at times, but I have invested a lot of time and money in my business in an effort to succeed and ensure a decent life.

 

[mike007]

Indeed, which is why I recommended that RO system a few posts back.

Could not find anywhere that he mentioned his tap tds. maybe he could get by with just di unit initially.

 

[Iron Giant]

Could not find anywhere that he mentioned his tap tds. maybe he could get by with just di unit initially.

He is based in the South East, so no doubt a hard water area of 2-300+ ppm