Did I quote wrongly?

[slippy]

I think you priced it right. It just took you longer than it would have done a more experienced wfper.
That will come in time.

We would have needed to do each window twice. We give the whole window and upper frames a good scrub and rinse and then move to the next one. By the time you have done the inside clean those outside windows will be dry. Then reclean doing glass only. and of course frames (transome bars) between windows. Inspect after for any windows that need additional attention.

(One tip - look at the spots of water on the glass a short time after they have started to dry. If the spots are all over the glass then you are pretty sure that the window will dry fine provided you have washed and rinsed it properly. If the water droplets are in straight lines down from the top, then you will probably finish up with those streaks of white spots on your photo with the small window.)

The next clean will be a doddle and very much quicker. But the old addage applies; "Rome wasn't built in a day."

So yesterday you took longer - so what. What you did is invest time in your reputation and added to your experience.

If you are starting to have negative thoughts, ie., did I price that right? then replace them with positive thoughts. It takes time to get a successful business up and running. You need to time to develope your business and hone your skills.

So you clean the outside glass twice? You go around the outside glass again? Is this because it's a first clean?

my technique is slide the brush left to right across the top of frames and glass together then up and down then if I can be bothered bring the brush left to right slowly down the glass then rinse. Sound ok?

I have an Ionics grafter pole with original brush- it couldn't be the brush, could it? should I change it for a different brush? Also, it has pencil jets are fan jets better for hydrophobic glass? This guy took me out when I started and told me because I was learning to stay with pencil jets, not sure why he said that mind.

 

[spruce]

So you clean the outside glass twice? You go around the outside glass again? Is this because it's a first clean?
my technique is slide the brush left to right across the top of frames and glass together then up and down then if I can be bothered bring the brush left to right slowly down the glass then rinse. Sound ok?

I have an Ionics grafter pole with original brush- it couldn't be the brush, could it? should I change it for a different brush? Also, it has pencil jets are fan jets better for hydrophobic glass? This guy took me out when I started and told me because I was learning to stay with pencil jets, not sure why he said that mind.

Yes, this is how we generally do a first clean. We scrub frames and glass and rinse well. Once the frames have dried off then we clean the glass only the second time around.

Once that first clean is done properly, then from the second clean we do frames and glass once. 2 passes over the glass will usually be sufficient but only 1 visit to each window.

We will usually check back later to make sure everything is good. Once it passes that inspection you can be assured that it will be OK to clean and go the third time and from then on. If there are problems they will generally be south facing windows. In the warmth of summer you may have to spent a bit more time on the south side to cool the glass and the gap in between so the window doesn't dry too quickly.

Technique seems fine. At this height I would rinse off the glass, holding the brush a few inches away.

We always clean the top frame of the window with each visit - some don't. Once that's clean I don't usually rinse the top frame as a couple of passes with the brush should do that as well.

I then concentrate on the whole window, frames and sill. Then rinse from slightly below the top of the window. 99% of the time that's fine. If you get spots coming from the very top of the window then you need to pay attention to that top frame. (We had a couple of blocks of flats that we never got to grips with regarding spotting from the top frames. The work around was only to do all the top frames first on all 3 floors and then start and clean the windows. BTW they were newly built flats all with quality UPVC windows.)

I hate using fan jets as they spray water all over the place. I have a brush with fan jets in them but its a good 5 years old and has hardly ever been used. Pencil jets are more accurate, although accuracy comes with being able to hold your pole steady at height. In time that will come right as well.

Rinsing on Hydrophobic glass is never a big problem with pencil jets.

[media]

[/media]What this video doesn't show is what the water is doing from the fan jets at that angle at the top of the window.

What you need is to build up enough water to run down the glass before it 'breaks up.' It might mean you have to divide a window up into smaller sections and rinse each section rather than the whole window at once. We have to do this with a motor dealership we clean. The glass is horrible, but we have never had any spotting issues with any of the glass panes.

You have to use more water on a first clean, and this a disadvantage with using a trolley or backpack as it means carting more water. I use a reasonably high flow with van mount so I have less of an issue with trying to build up a 'reserve' of water on the glass when rinsing.

My son works along with me and he prefers his backpack to using a hose reel - although he does when it justified. I hate the dribble of water he uses, but generally he never has an issue with spotting, so it is possible to wash and rinse effectively with a slow water flow. ( He takes at least 3 times longer to rinse a window than I do, but his setup time is less which balances it all out.)

I like the narrower brushes that Gardiners do. The Supreme and now the Ultimate. I have never used an Ionics brush so can't comment. But I haven't heard any bad reports so I would just carry on using it. The trouble is that brushes are a very personal thing. What one cleaner will like another won't. My son loves a stiff bristled brush, I don't.

 

[tlwcs]

Your price is your business and you will learn from them.

I have learnt never do a first clean for the same price as a regular clean and I always charge double for insides.

Most first cleans, not that I do many now are minging. People accept when their told it will cost a little more for the first one. I normally text them the quote so we both have a record. (I used to use a quote pad)

1 off clean £30 or

1st clean £30 and then

monthly £15 or

bimonthly £20

Inside windows cleaned twice the monthly price. Then I add on the monthly or bimonthly cost.

Yes, I clean each window twice on first cleans and use a little ecover directly onto the brush, first time round. This takes longer so thats why I little more.

Insides, they've got you! its too hot so layers and boots off, yak yak yak while you carefully go round each window shuffling their possessions from side to side, So they pay double.

I only ever do insides if they're at home, I tell them I'm not insured without them being there.

How you going to feel if next time that house is due they knock you back as the windows are still clean?

When quoting I try to find out what happened to their old guy, if they didn't have one, minging windows and want in and out done alarm bells ring for me.

Everyday we learn!

 

[adamangler]

I think your price was fine for a maintenance clean. Where you slipped up was not allowing the extra time for a first clean.

It doesn't really matter though it's all a learning curve. Once you know how much you want to earn per hour then you can price accordingly from experience but when you haven't any more work on 50 quid is 50 quid.

 

[windowsurfer]

After doing a first clean the other day I got same result on window as yourself, throws your confidence especially when you have tried hard and scrubbed and rinsed more than normal. For first cleans I think we need to use ecover/ ubik just to help get old stains off, so it has to be priced right for first clean, wear and tear on your body and time and water and oxygen, I got £40 for in/outs that took 2hours, should have been £60 anyway for the extra effort.

 

[David K]

My insides is 1,5 higher than the outside price .

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