Cheap window cleaners

[Chris34]

Yesterday I went into a local shop, as I was going in, there were two window cleaners doing the front windows, both in sign written shirts and I recognise the name as they're in sign written vans around the area. I went to the counter and as I was about to be served the guy behind the counter excused himself to get the window cleaner his money. He said 'how much is it?' the window cleaner hands over a slip of paper and says '£3.60'.

I know everyone has their own businesses to run and people are expensive, average and cheap but this just baffles me to the point that I thought I'd share it on here. I'm not telling anyone how to earn their money, but two people working, sign written uniforms, sign written vans, an invoice.... for £3.60? Why bother? Just baffles me the logic behind it. If you did 10 shops in a row it would still be no more than £36. You would have to do 50 shops to get to £180.

For reference this is an extremely affluent area. But you get a reputable window cleaning company cleaning windows for £3.60.

I'm just baffled at how stupid someone can be. I would never have believed someone with the image they have would charge so cheap. There comes a point where there is cheap and too cheap. They must be running around like blue arsed flies all day.

 

[ks789]

Yesterday I went into a local shop, as I was going in, there were two window cleaners doing the front windows, both in sign written shirts and I recognise the name as they're in sign written vans around the area. I went to the counter and as I was about to be served the guy behind the counter excused himself to get the window cleaner his money. He said 'how much is it?' the window cleaner hands over a slip of paper and says '£3.60'.

I know everyone has their own businesses to run and people are expensive, average and cheap but this just baffles me to the point that I thought I'd share it on here. I'm not telling anyone how to earn their money, but two people working, sign written uniforms, sign written vans, an invoice.... for £3.60? Why bother? Just baffles me the logic behind it. If you did 10 shops in a row it would still be no more than £36. You would have to do 50 shops to get to £180.

For reference this is an extremely affluent area. But you get a reputable window cleaning company cleaning windows for £3.60.

I'm just baffled at how stupid someone can be. I would never have believed someone with the image they have would charge so cheap. There comes a point where there is cheap and too cheap. They must be running around like blue arsed flies all day.

Beggars belief dont it? Could maybe understand if was some foreigner or junky on benefits.

 

[Iron Giant]

Shopping front prices were run into the ground years ago by bigger companies typically nationals but also some crackpot locals it's no different in my neck of the woods.

 

[Yogi1872]

I do a shop that has 2 windows and 1 door. Outsides only £21.

It was part of a run I bought and thought the guy made a mistake. He texy back saying no mistake its £21. When collecting the money the first few times I always had a feeling they might say something but they never did.

The other guy cleans alot in the highstreet and he gets buttons for it so it's never something I've really looked at trying to get

 

[Part Timer]

Yesterday I went into a local shop, as I was going in, there were two window cleaners doing the front windows, both in sign written shirts and I recognise the name as they're in sign written vans around the area. I went to the counter and as I was about to be served the guy behind the counter excused himself to get the window cleaner his money. He said 'how much is it?' the window cleaner hands over a slip of paper and says '£3.60'.

I know everyone has their own businesses to run and people are expensive, average and cheap but this just baffles me to the point that I thought I'd share it on here. I'm not telling anyone how to earn their money, but two people working, sign written uniforms, sign written vans, an invoice.... for £3.60? Why bother? Just baffles me the logic behind it. If you did 10 shops in a row it would still be no more than £36. You would have to do 50 shops to get to £180.

For reference this is an extremely affluent area. But you get a reputable window cleaning company cleaning windows for £3.60.

I'm just baffled at how stupid someone can be. I would never have believed someone with the image they have would charge so cheap. There comes a point where there is cheap and too cheap. They must be running around like blue arsed flies all day.

I was getting my hair cut about five years ago when an old boy turned up with a small ladder and started to clean the window. Width of the shop with the glass door and apart from the 1st 3 feet is floor to ceiling. When he couldn't reach the corners I said to the hairdresser, who knew I cleaned windows, he's missing the top corners he replied wait till you see what he charges.
5 minutes later he walked in and said £2 please

 

[Dave B]

I do 10 of these in 1 row and another 3 in the next
15 quid each in and out
Takes 5 minutes including talking
£3.60 is a joke

 

[Part Timer]

I do 10 of these in 1 row and another 3 in the next
15 quid each in and out
Takes 5 minutes including talking
£3.60 is a joke

That's roughly the size of the barbers window

 

[THL4KEL]

Some people would be better off not running a business and just get a job...

 

[Cghwindowcleaning]

I do 10 of these in 1 row and another 3 in the next
15 quid each in and out
Takes 5 minutes including talking
£3.60 is a joke

No wonder I struggle down there with you and the old boy.I better not tell you what I get for the jobs opposite?

 

[Cghwindowcleaning]

You will be surprised how cheap even some of the so called bigger firms are a lot of commercial is going backwards in price.

 

[Chris34]

Beggars belief dont it? Could maybe understand if was some foreigner or junky on benefits.

That's exactly it. I could understand if it was an old guy that hasn't put up his prices in 30 years, still not right but I could understand it. I could understand it if it was say a new starter to the industry. I could understand it if it was just some drunk trying to get a few quid for some beers. But a well established cleaning business with multiple vans all sign written with sign written t-shirts? ?

To make matters worse, it was a double door entrance and they are wooden doors with georgian windows from waste high so maybe 6 or even 8 of those to do on each door as well as the large shop windows.

One of the two guys was probably mid to late 50's, the other I'd say late 20's and didn't look like they had just arrived off a boat or anything like that, looked like your average white English blokes. If they're both employed then I just can't see where the profit is in it for the business, they would struggle to cover the costs at that price.

Like I say, I can understand it from a solo operator, but a multi van established business? Really shocked to be honest ?

 

[Cghwindowcleaning]

That's exactly it. I could understand if it was an old guy that hasn't put up his prices in 30 years, still not right but I could understand it. I could understand it if it was say a new starter to the industry. I could understand it if it was just some drunk trying to get a few quid for some beers. But a well established cleaning business with multiple vans all sign written with sign written t-shirts? ?

To make matters worse, it was a double door entrance and they are wooden doors with georgian windows from waste high so maybe 6 or even 8 of those to do on each door as well as the large shop windows.

One of the two guys was probably mid to late 50's, the other I'd say late 20's and didn't look like they had just arrived off a boat or anything like that, looked like your average white English blokes. If they're both employed then I just can't see where the profit is in it for the business, they would struggle to cover the costs at that price.

Like I say, I can understand it from a solo operator, but a multi van established business? Really shocked to be honest ?

They probably are employed working for someone on say £90 a day and have picked up some cheap non declared cash jobs on the side.
Nationwide are probably the largest firm in the uk I see thier lads do jobs next to legit ones for coffee money.

 

[scottish cleaning service]

You will be surprised how cheap even some of the so called bigger firms are a lot of commercial is going backwards in price.

Doing commercial is swimming against the tide now because they are all looking to cut costs. Domestic seems stable because the house prices are really high. Folk see their house as an asset and want to take care of that asset. I had one commercial and got dropped and they never even told me, God knows who is doing it now, probably themselves. Can count on one hand how many I have lost this year but must have gained 20 because of momentum. I'm trying to be the best window cleaner up here in my town. That's the reason I clean extra stuff for my customers and talk to them but it takes alot more time.

 

[RickyG]

Yesterday I went into a local shop, as I was going in, there were two window cleaners doing the front windows, both in sign written shirts and I recognise the name as they're in sign written vans around the area. I went to the counter and as I was about to be served the guy behind the counter excused himself to get the window cleaner his money. He said 'how much is it?' the window cleaner hands over a slip of paper and says '£3.60'.

I know everyone has their own businesses to run and people are expensive, average and cheap but this just baffles me to the point that I thought I'd share it on here. I'm not telling anyone how to earn their money, but two people working, sign written uniforms, sign written vans, an invoice.... for £3.60? Why bother? Just baffles me the logic behind it. If you did 10 shops in a row it would still be no more than £36. You would have to do 50 shops to get to £180.

For reference this is an extremely affluent area. But you get a reputable window cleaning company cleaning windows for £3.60.

I'm just baffled at how stupid someone can be. I would never have believed someone with the image they have would charge so cheap. There comes a point where there is cheap and too cheap. They must be running around like blue arsed flies all day.

3.60 ?? Who’s cleaning the windows Charles dickens? That is absolute madness ?

 

[RickyG]

Beggars belief dont it? Could maybe understand if was some foreigner or junky on benefits.

Yer but £3.60 ain’t gonna pay for drugs surely, I remember the cheapest bit of puff you could buy was £7.50 & that was back in 1987 ?

 

[Part Timer]

You will be surprised how cheap even some of the so called bigger firms are a lot of commercial is going backwards in price.

We don't get any big commercial jobs up here. We quoted for Aviva headquarters in Sunderland at what we thought was a "competitive" price of £400.. We calculated 10 man hours, non stop, with some windows 45' and an area where you had to climb 4 flights of stairs with a backpack and a 25l drum.
They were currently paying £200.
2 employed men, with breaks, would be all day

 

[Chris34]

They probably are employed working for someone on say £90 a day and have picked up some cheap non declared cash jobs on the side.
Nationwide are probably the largest firm in the uk I see thier lads do jobs next to legit ones for coffee money.

That could be the case elsewhere but I think it was all legit here, he handed over a thin slip, if it was on the side then I don't think they'd get away with handing over a slip.
The other thing, the bill was £3.60, this sounds like a business decision setting that price. On the side it would be like £3 or £4. They wouldn't be dealing to the nearest 20p. So based on that and what I saw it all seemed like a business decision.

Also, they are a big outfit but they are still local, so any jobs on the side would be hard to get away with long term as I presume the boss will be watching them. For a big national company I could see how they could get away with it, even the area managers would probably be in on it.

 

[Part Timer]

That could be the case elsewhere but I think it was all legit here, he handed over a thin slip, if it was on the side then I don't think they'd get away with handing over a slip.
The other thing, the bill was £3.60, this sounds like a business decision setting that price. On the side it would be like £3 or £4. They wouldn't be dealing to the nearest 20p. So based on that and what I saw it all seemed like a business decision.

Also, they are a big outfit but they are still local, so any jobs on the side would be hard to get away with long term as I presume the boss will be watching them. For a big national company I could see how they could get away with it, even the area managers would probably be in on it.

Sounds like £3 + VAT if it's an established 2 man set up

 

[Dave B]

No wonder I struggle down there with you and the old boy.I better not tell you what I get for the jobs opposite?

That one in the pic is a friend of mine
She told her mates about me and they gradually came out and approached me over the last year or so
Didn’t have to look for the work
It is hard round there though and parking is sheite
I park in her back yard usually and do them all
You’ve been down there a long time though I know

 

[Chris34]

Sounds like £3 + VAT if it's an established 2 man set up

Yeah could be, they'll definitely be VAT registered as they've got at least 4 vans and 8+ staff, probably double that. That's why I'm shocked, it's not a small operation, it's more a medium size one.

 

[Iron Giant]

3.60 ?? Who’s cleaning the windows Charles dickens? That is absolute madness ?

About 8 years ago in another town not far from me when it was thriving before out-of-town shopping came and destroyed the high street a cleaner I know had almost every shop in the town center and he was charging £10 for a Greggs shop front he must have had that job for around 20 years then he lost it, he saw a lad cleaning it one day and started chatting to him the lad asked if he wanted to do it and told he was getting £6 a shop and had another 5 or so to do spread across the county the fella I know told him to pish off as he'd been charging £10, it would have taken that lad around 4hrs or so to travel to all those shops and clean them.