CHANGE OF CAREER

[George14]

Hi there, I apologies if this question has been asked many times. So I'm basically wanting to change career and start up my own window cleaning business. I've worked in another industry for over 30 years and just want a change, more time with my family and for me to be able to work this new career around my family and life. I've have been out quite a few times with a friend of a friend who runs his own window cleaning to try the job to see if i like it, which I found it very enjoyable. I did do this in the winter also as I thought if I enjoyed it, then I would do in the warmer days. Now my biggest worry about taking this leap is getting customers to be able to guarantee an income to provide for my family. I've worked for 30 years as a PAYE with a guaranteed monthly salary so i'm worried about not getting enough customers to cover bills. How many of you have changed to this career later in life and can confirm it was the best/worst thing you've done and what is the best way to get customers ?? Also any other advice to help me would be much appreciated. Many thanks

 

[Pjj]

Hi George
What area are you in ? It’s the best thing I have ever done work wise but some areas it does seam hard to get work due to there being a lot of window cleaners or prices are very low , it’s difficult advise you on this .

 

[Jaygti]

The easiest way to get lots of customers quickly, is to buy a round.
Obviously you need to be careful, but in many areas now it’s the only way to pick up compact work, otherwise you’ll end up with scraps here and there.

 

[ched999uk]

Can you start canvassing in the evening and doing the work on a Saturday? If that goes ok then maybe you could ask work to reduce your hours a bit and increase customers that way.
I'm sure someone else on here did that, was he a baker? Maybe someone else can remember and find the thread?

It was @HWCS :https://windowcleaningforums.co.uk/threads/upto-50-customers.29052/

 

[Yogi1872]

If you find window cleaning enjoyable it's sectioned your needing.

 

[P4dstar]

The easiest way to get lots of customers quickly, is to buy a round.
Obviously you need to be careful, but in many areas now it’s the only way to pick up compact work, otherwise you’ll end up with scraps here and there.

The problem is new people buy rounds and they’re not as well equipped as the previous guy. You miss velux windows or don’t clean one the way they used to. Perhaps they used to dry off the sills and you don’t… etc etc etc. Half of the customers cancel and you end up stressed to your eyeballs running around trying to fix problems.

Buying work is buying goodwill. In theory it’s not even declarable as a taxable expense as a result, everyone would put the cost through but the tax man wouldn’t allow it if they ever audited your books.

Either way it’s much better to grow organically. You have a chance to get to know your customers and build a working relationship that will last.

 

[P4dstar]

Can you start canvassing in the evening and doing the work on a Saturday? If that goes ok then maybe you could ask work to reduce your hours a bit and increase customers that way.
I'm sure someone else on here did that, was he a baker? Maybe someone else can remember and find the thread?

It was @HWCS :https://windowcleaningforums.co.uk/threads/upto-50-customers.29052/

Good old Green pro kicking off about prices on that thread. They were the days

 

[George14]

Hi George
What area are you in ? It’s the best thing I have ever done work wise but some areas it does seam hard to get work due to there being a lot of window cleaners or prices are very low , it’s difficult advise you on this .

Hi there, I'm in Kent but I guess like all areas, there are always other cleanings looking for work. This is the only thing that is holding me back, the possibility of not getting enough work.

 

[Iron Giant]

You need to know if there is enough viability in your area, on Facebook you will see plenty of people on local pages asking for a window cleaner, but typically there are quite a number of these people asking that for some reason a cleaner won't touch them because of an area or street in some cases and they might just want one-offs and not regular, I have seen people wanting a cleaner and I have been recommended as have other lads and weeks later they are asking for a window cleaner again,

You don't want to spend £1,000's of your savings and for you not to make it, you can end up travelling miles across different towns and villages for work and doing 1-2 jobs here and there and end up making less than minimum wage, typically these there are a lot of cleaners and getting work isn't easy as some think it might be.

 

[Mattymarske]

Good old Green pro kicking off about prices on that thread. They were the days

Miss good old Darren in here and his YouTube channel. Not backwards in coming forward lol

 

[mattybondi]

you need to start in tomorro morning.Why? well youll get cold feet otherwise and doubts creep in.First day i started id never cleaned a window in my life and had the crappiest BnQ squeegee .That squeegee last 2 months i did not know you need to change the rubbers! i had a bit of luck when i started a local guy had recently given up,well he was jailed as a paedo id previously been quite jealous of the Escort van he had when id seen it parked not far from mine.Thinking back on it was parked a lot prob was white a little signwriting ,possibly he was awaiting trial? anyhoo i picked up all his round and you might do that once you get started windys often quit iv known lots who give up .