Best vehicle type

[cooperman]

Currently in the process of starting up, but only part time for starters while I drum up business. Still keeping my main job throughout the week, and plan to use my evening and weekends to drum up business to clean windows on a weekend, with the potential to perhaps ditch the main weekday job in favour of window cleaning if business goes well.

My question is, does anyone have any preference on vehicle, or can anyone offer any info on pros and cons of different vehicles for window cleaning.

I currently drive a citroen berlingo "company van" so obviously can't use that as it's not my own. My wife drives a Ford Kuga, but wouldn't want me chucking a set of ladders on the roof and a load of wet rags in the back - so... I need my own vehicle.

Long term I think I'll go for a van, but short term I was thinking about getting a dual purpose vehicle such as a large car.

My question is, would an estate car be sufficient for basic trad cleaning, or would I need something a little larger?

I was quite liking the idea of a people carrier such as a Ford Galaxy / VW Sharan.

Also, has anyone had experience using a 4x4 such as a Nissan Terrano, or Pickups such as Mitsi L200?

Any info or opinions would be greatly appreciated

Cheers

Dan

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[Gazz]

You can use anything long as it gets the job done. I know of someone who uses a Citroën c1 and I use a vauxhall Corsa. 

You can store most of your gear in your boot or back seats. Ladders on the roof and your on your way.

 

[Green Pro Clean Ltd]

A very busy your man near me uses his Fiesta ST.  

You aren't carrying much for trad. 

Ladders on roof. Bucket.  Couple of 5l bottles of water. Some dish soap. Scrims  and microfibers. A scraper blade. That's it.  You don't need a Merc G wagon for that lot. 

When I came back to window cleaning just a few years back I was skint and didn't have a car to start but within a couple of weeks bought a battered VW Bora for £300 that lasted well over a year till upgraded to van. 

 

[cooperman]

Cheers guys. That's interesting to know. I thought I'd at least need a large estate. Never would have thought about a micro car like a C1!
Would you just need a van if you upgraded to WFP then?
Speaking of which, I'm parked at Leicester Services watching a guy use a WFP on the service station... Not entirely sure how he's gonna do the widows that stretch across the motorway though...

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[Clisty1989]

Cheers guys. That's interesting to know. I thought I'd at least need a large estate. Never would have thought about a micro car like a C1!
Would you just need a van if you upgraded to WFP then?
Speaking of which, I'm parked at Leicester Services watching a guy use a WFP on the service station... Not entirely sure how he's gonna do the widows that stretch across the motorway though...

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im wfp and use a car, just trolley backpack and 6 barrels. Keep di in car too so if need refill I've arranged with few custys that I can top up at there's. Only done it twice as still do a bit of trad, and my busiest area is about 1/2 mile from house so pop home and grab a quick brew while I wait. Also have all my trad gear in it too, progutter, spare bucket for gutter crud, 5 & 7l sprayers, and spare rubber, fuses for backpack etc. Tight squeeze but still got space for 2nd worker

 

[cooperman]

Wow, got some stuff on there mate! What car you using Clisty?

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[Clisty1989]

Wow, got some stuff on there mate! What car you using Clisty?

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v reg Mazda 323, once I finish work ill take a pic or 2

 

[Clisty1989]

only thing not in there atm is di vessel as in garden ready to refill water later

 

[cooperman]

Nice!! That's an impressive amount in there!
How do you go about advertising as there's no sign written van? Just Word of mouth and Facebook??

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[Clisty1989]

Nice!! That's an impressive amount in there!
How do you go about advertising as there's no sign written van? Just Word of mouth and Facebook??

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no Facebook, just old skool knocking, walk ups and referrals. Could have grown a lot quicker with advertising, but you also get a lot of messers contacting you. Also get leads of a few windys who don't cover areas I do, and I bung them the leads that aren't in my area. My view is why spend hard earned ££ on getting customers when you can do it yourself by knocking doors and using customers to tell neighbours, friends, family etc. All free apart from time. As I get to the point where im too busy ill thin the round out and replace with better work, and then maybe start advertising. Knocking has a higher success rate than any other type of advertising.

 

[cooperman]

Oh yeah, I'm totally with you on the door knocking and word of mouth, but would "free" advertising like stickers on the car/van and a Facebook page not help? But then again if you're already stocked out just from door knocking I guess the extra advertising isn't needed?

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[Clisty1989]

im only about 75% full, but I just prefer doing it that way. Also means I can wind down canvassing this time of year with shorter days and bad weather, and still have plenty of time to do add ons without falling behind. Also means I get to build rapport with potential custys and weed out Messer's before I even start

 

[paulben]

Have used all sorts of vehicles from Skoda Favrit estate to rough Transit but now brought a Combo gets everything I need for trad and WFP .Found the bigger the van more junk it collects in back .For back up have got my 4.0 Discovery but running that wrecks the profits .Son used to use his Corsa .

Years ago windys used bikes and carried ladder on shoulder so any thing is possible .