Beginner Help

[JackKinder]

Hello all,

As you can guess from the title I am a complete beginner requesting a little help.

Now I've recently decided to start my own window cleaning business, I'm coming into this blind and have been reading this forum/youtube videos/articles for a couple of months now and I want to start piecing things together ready to launch in the year.

Initially I was going to start using a backpack system and producing pure water in the garage ( after reading the tutorial post). I also intend to traditionally clean bottom window as I want to perfect the whole trade

I've since came into a small amount of money and want to put it to good use. So I thought of investing in a van system? I've came across this.

250L WATERFED POLE WINDOW CLEANING VAN SYSTEM 18FT POLE HOSE REEL SHURFLO | eBay

Now the reasoning behind the backpack system was because my knowledge of the pure water process isn't brilliant, and coming into this blind I didn't want to over complicate things.

Does the above set-up look worthy of investing in? How difficult are these things to get working? I'm hoping instructions and youtube are going to see me through.

Once my equipment is up and running I'm very confident in my ability to get the business rolling, it's just this initial stage I can't quite piece together.

Any help appreciated, you all seem a nice bunch!!!

jack

 

[Clisty1989]

Hello all,
As you can guess from the title I am a complete beginner requesting a little help.

Now I've recently decided to start my own window cleaning business, I'm coming into this blind and have been reading this forum/youtube videos/articles for a couple of months now and I want to start piecing things together ready to launch in the year.

Initially I was going to start using a backpack system and producing pure water in the garage ( after reading the tutorial post). I also intend to traditionally clean bottom window as I want to perfect the whole trade

I've since came into a small amount of money and want to put it to good use. So I thought of investing in a van system? I've came across this.

250L WATERFED POLE WINDOW CLEANING VAN SYSTEM 18FT POLE HOSE REEL SHURFLO | eBay

Now the reasoning behind the backpack system was because my knowledge of the pure water process isn't brilliant, and coming into this blind I didn't want to over complicate things.

Does the above set-up look worthy of investing in? How difficult are these things to get working? I'm hoping instructions and youtube are going to see me through.

Once my equipment is up and running I'm very confident in my ability to get the business rolling, it's just this initial stage I can't quite piece together.

Any help appreciated, you all seem a nice bunch!!!

jack

I'd still recommend the backpack/trolley route as that way you an save the money to live off of as the first few months will be a real struggle while you build your customer base. Apart from that just go for it, starting this time of year will be hard, but you'll have the advantage as the "fair weather brigade" have started going into hiding

 

[Adams0211]

Welcome to the forum. Two years ago I was a newbie like you and got some great advice from the guys on here. You could look back through my post history and see some of the questions I asked and help I was offered.

I started off trad (mop and squeegee) and then went wfp about a year later. I began with a backpack and then progressed to a van mount. One thing I will say, if you've got a van mount, you need a backpack too. You can't always get parked close enough to use the van mount, sometimes you'll have access problems where you'll need the backpack, etc.

One thing I noticed with the package on the link you provided is the pole. That pole will be a fibre glass pole. Fibre glass poles are heavy and less rigid than carbon fibre poles. If you're using it all day every day you're going to want a carbon fibre pole. Another thing worth considering is that it is an 18 foot pole. You won't reach anything above the first floor with that so that rules out three storey houses and other jobs such as cleaning fascias and gutters.

My advice to you, having been in a similar situation, is to buy yourself a gardiner slx pole (longer than 18 foot), a gardiner backpack, some 25l water containers and a couple of different pole brushes. Get your van sign written and start off with the backpack. Spend a few months getting used to it and building your round and then spend some money on a van mount. You'll still need your backpack and you'll have a decent pole so the money you spend now won't be wasted.

 

[Clisty1989]

To add on to @Adams0211 if a carbon fibre pole is too expensive then go for a hybrid pole like a Gardiner's clx or water genie barracuda, they're a bit less rigid and a little heavier but not as bad as a fibreglass pole, and around 40% cheaper. You'll best off going for at least a 22ft but a 25/27ft would be better.

 

[laddergarder]

As said above, keep your investment small to begin with, then go from there. You will need a bigger pole, also as mentioned. I started with £30 of trad gear from a local hardware store. Some flyers made up on a microsoft word document and away I went. If I could go back and start again with £1000 to kick start things off. I would buy:-

Some embroidered t-shirts/ jumper/ jacket

20,000 Flyers (1% take-up)

"We cleaned your windows" slips

Insurance, public liability

The minimum of gear

trad

- 14" squeegee, 4" squeegee, 12" applicator, pouches, bucket with lid, pack of scrims, microfiber sill cloths, glass scrapper, shoe covers, fairy liquid/unger soap, long wooden wedges for levelling ladders, 20ft ladder, ladder clamps, padlocks, small extension pole for shop windows.

Note: I find it better, to cut a yard of scrim into 4, and re hem them. So a pack of 10(yard) scrims, will give you 40 cloths, plenty for the day.

wfp

20/30ft pole

backpack

£15 fold up trolley for homebase

bungees

11ltr di vessel

resin

8/10 25ltr containers

TDS Meter

I would start trad if it was me, but plenty would disagree on that, WFPs are a very useful tool, and I have backpacks in both my vans, but ladders is my primary method of choice. There is nothing wrong with sticking to WFP, its just not the way I would start.

 

[David K]

Welcome !

Theres def a learning curve , in the beginning a bit frustrating too ,but Keep on reading post and perfect your skills . Good to hear you wanna learn trad too , no one Can only do wfp. Wfp cant replace all cleans , insides will be quite Messy doing wfp . /emoticons/wink.png

 

[JackKinder]

Welcome to the forum. Two years ago I was a newbie like you and got some great advice from the guys on here. You could look back through my post history and see some of the questions I asked and help I was offered.
I started off trad (mop and squeegee) and then went wfp about a year later. I began with a backpack and then progressed to a van mount. One thing I will say, if you've got a van mount, you need a backpack too. You can't always get parked close enough to use the van mount, sometimes you'll have access problems where you'll need the backpack, etc.

One thing I noticed with the package on the link you provided is the pole. That pole will be a fibre glass pole. Fibre glass poles are heavy and less rigid than carbon fibre poles. If you're using it all day every day you're going to want a carbon fibre pole. Another thing worth considering is that it is an 18 foot pole. You won't reach anything above the first floor with that so that rules out three storey houses and other jobs such as cleaning fascias and gutters.

My advice to you, having been in a similar situation, is to buy yourself a gardiner slx pole (longer than 18 foot), a gardiner backpack, some 25l water containers and a couple of different pole brushes. Get your van sign written and start off with the backpack. Spend a few months getting used to it and building your round and then spend some money on a van mount. You'll still need your backpack and you'll have a decent pole so the money you spend now won't be wasted.

Thank you for your feedback/response really appreciate it. I think after the above comments I will revert back to the idea of starting with a backpack system, work with it then look to re-invest. I'l take a look at the Gardiner site and hopefully piece things together.

For what it's worth I was going to buy a new pole, i do intend to offer fascias and soffits in my work /emoticons/smile.png

Have you got any advice on RO systems, i'll list the one i've been looking at below?

Ultra Pure 4 Stage 150 Gallon Per Day RO DI Unit

 

[JackKinder]

I'd still recommend the backpack/trolley route as that way you an save the money to live off of as the first few months will be a real struggle while you build your customer base. Apart from that just go for it, starting this time of year will be hard, but you'll have the advantage as the "fair weather brigade" have started going into hiding

I'm thinking of launching in the new year, piecing together equipment and marketing materials at the moment. Really looking forward to starting! Following everyones advice I'm going to proceed with buying the backpack system and save my investment.

 

[Adams0211]

Thank you for your feedback/response really appreciate it. I think after the above comments I will revert back to the idea of starting with a backpack system, work with it then look to re-invest. I'l take a look at the Gardiner site and hopefully piece things together.
For what it's worth I was going to buy a new pole, i do intend to offer fascias and soffits in my work /emoticons/smile.png

Have you got any advice on RO systems, i'll list the one i've been looking at below?

Ultra Pure 4 Stage 150 Gallon Per Day RO DI Unit

I've actually just purchased an RO although, to be honest, I'm not the right person to offer advice on the subject as it's totally new to me.

 

[JackKinder]

I've actually just purchased an RO although, to be honest, I'm not the right person to offer advice on the subject as it's totally new to me.

Thanks for being honest /emoticons/smile.png I'm on the gardiner site now, I'm a bit van of their youtube videos, will be a big help. Going to for the backpack and CLX 22. All in with add ons just over £250.

 

[Adams0211]

Thanks for being honest /emoticons/smile.png I'm on the gardiner site now, I'm a bit van of their youtube videos, will be a big help. Going to for the backpack and CLX 22. All in with add ons just over £250.

If you've got the cash I'd strongly recommend spending a bit more and getting the SLX. Or, if you're not going to be starting work for a while, wait until you've got a bit more money and then get the SLX.

 

[Marko067]

If you've got the cash I'd strongly recommend spending a bit more and getting the SLX. Or, if you're not going to be starting work for a while, wait until you've got a bit more money and then get the SLX.

I second that. If you've not used a CLX before, you'll think it's a great pole. And, don't get me wrong, it is.

However, the SLX being fully carbon is noticeably lighter and easier to use when fully extended due to it stiffer nature. The SLX will be a better long term investment.