Franchise? employed? opinions welcomed

[paul alan]

Hi @GenieGroup, did you make any progress with this idea?  It sounded really interesting. 

absolutely not!

if this guy is doing 12 first cleans a day then his standards are terrible.

me and my wife have done loads of first cleans and l can tell you if your doing them properly its hard work.

this year we have done around 100 first cleans and we were on the brink of exhaustion at some points.

This guys focusing on quantity and not quality, his retention rate is poor IMO...!!

 

[CM Cleaning Services]

Have to disagree with you guys I started 4 months ago and my first cleans did 14 in 1 day standard 2/3 bed custys front and back some real bad needed some work but 10am - 5pm and my day was done all custys happy and still custys now

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[CM Cleaning Services]

My typical day now I average 20 cleans a day

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[paul alan]

Have to disagree with you guys I started 4 months ago and my first cleans did 14 in 1 day standard 2/3 bed custys front and back some real bad needed some work but 10am - 5pm and my day was done all custys happy and still custys now

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Hi CM,

Can you tell how you do your first cleans? And be specific.

Do you use chemicals? 

We smash our first cleans until you could eat your dinner off them, they usualy end up with refferals! In my 7 years l have found you just cant quickly do a first clean, it jsut doesnt come up fully clean unless you spend a good amount of time on it.

We are not slow at cleaning in general, the opposite actualy, we average 30 houses in 4-5 hours which isnt plodding along.

I see a first clean as a "first impression" , there is no room for mistakes.

 

[CM Cleaning Services]

Hi Paul

So I would pre wet top frames with normal water , apply some degreaser and leave a few minutes to work in , using my old valeting brush to scrub over all frames thoroughly attention to vents , corners , edges , pre wash glass , once I have achieved my satisfaction standard I wash off again normal water , while this is dripping off I start to work on the lower frames same process ,

Once top and bottom done the pure water finishes off frames and glass to finish the job

Repeat process front and back

I too can gain referrals after some my first cleans or even get requested add ons custys that happy with the windows.

I think the answer is more how compact the round of first cleans are.

14 in a day was no more than 3 streets apart with 3-4 on the same street only few doors apart so drive time or setup time was greatly reduce as I could work from one spot once parked up.

Average first clean time 30-40minutes per house
average of 7-8 windows 2 doors
2 first cleans an hour
Drive time mere 2-3 minutes
Admittedly some weren't that bad either but I still applied the same process just won't have taken so long.



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[CM Cleaning Services]

Hi Paul

So I would pre wet top frames with normal water , apply some degreaser and leave a few minutes to work in , using my old valeting brush to scrub over all frames thoroughly attention to vents , corners , edges , pre wash glass , once I have achieved my satisfaction standard I wash off again normal water , while this is dripping off I start to work on the lower frames same process ,

Once top and bottom done the pure water finishes off frames and glass to finish the job

Repeat process front and back

I too can gain referrals after some my first cleans or even get requested add ons custys that happy with the windows.

I think the answer is more how compact the round of first cleans are.

14 in a day was no more than 3 streets apart with 3-4 on the same street only few doors apart so drive time or setup time was greatly reduce as I could work from one spot once parked up.

Average first clean time 30-40minutes per house
average of 7-8 windows 2 doors
2 first cleans an hour
Drive time mere 2-3 minutes
Admittedly some weren't that bad either but I still applied the same process just won't have taken so long.



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[CM Cleaning Services]

Im sure we all have different process for first cleans and we could all achieve a different standard or get through a different number per day ,

No right or wrong answer really

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[paul alan]

Im sure we all have different process for first cleans and we could all achieve a different standard or get through a different number per day ,

No right or wrong answer really

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To be fair, that sounds good enough.

If you are getting referrals from them it says something.

Pics look good but doesn't show much, and l agree we all have different ways- no right or wrong way-just super clean.

 

[Dave B]

Spray my chem mix on the bottoms (frames and glass)

Spray on brush and rub over top frames and sills etc

Turn water on and clean like a normal clean making sure to do the top frame properly

Thorough rinse and then second rinse after

Job done

Happy customer 

Takes a couple minutes longer than a normal clean

You're not getting it any cleaner than that no matter how much you scrub

 

[steve garwood]

I just charge the customer double for first clean and I clean them twice. No chemicals. I just tell them that on the first clean they might have a spot or two.

The customers are always totally fine with that,never had a problem with this method in over 20 years.

 

[paul alan]

Hi Dave,

Whats your chem mix please?

Spray my chem mix on the bottoms (frames and glass)

Spray on brush and rub over top frames and sills etc

Turn water on and clean like a normal clean making sure to do the top frame properly

Thorough rinse and then second rinse after

Job done

Happy customer 

Takes a couple minutes longer than a normal clean

You're not getting it any cleaner than that no matter how much you scrub

View attachment 11153

 

[Dave B]

I use hypo which is controversial as some on here are dead against it

Each to their own but i use it anyway for conny roofs and fascias etc anyway so always have some made up in the van so keep a spray bottle of it handy

 

[paul alan]

I use hypo which is controversial as some on here are dead against it

Each to their own but i use it anyway for conny roofs and fascias etc anyway so always have some made up in the van so keep a spray bottle of it handy

Cheers Dave,

Have heard people talk about this stuff, what exactly is it?

Cheers

 

[adamangler]

When I get a batch of canvassed work I aim to do about 6 - 10 in a day.

Some are of course easier than others but generally they take ages and are exhausting. I hate first cleans especially when you are only charging your normal rate for them. You need to do a perfect job so that means essentially cleaning the house twice. 

 

[Dave B]

Cheers Dave,

Have heard people talk about this stuff, what exactly is it?

Cheers

It is sodium hypoclorite 

Basically liquid concentrated bleach used for treating swimming pools

Not nice stuff to work with and will ruin fittings etc but very effective at cleaning patios and render walls etc

It is great on upvc at the right low dosage and great for taking the muck off glass although some on here have said it is overkill

You do need the right equipment if using it though

 

[paul alan]

It is sodium hypoclorite 

Basically liquid concentrated bleach used for treating swimming pools

Not nice stuff to work with and will ruin fittings etc but very effective at cleaning patios and render walls etc

It is great on upvc at the right low dosage and great for taking the muck off glass although some on here have said it is overkill

You do need the right equipment if using it though

Cheers!

May just swerve that though, think ill stick to me virosol.

 

[Dave B]

I only use it as i have it already on the van and have the right strength already made up

Does do a great job though

 

[paul alan]

When I get a batch of canvassed work I aim to do about 6 - 10 in a day.

Some are of course easier than others but generally they take ages and are exhausting. I hate first cleans especially when you are only charging your normal rate for them. You need to do a perfect job so that means essentially cleaning the house twice. 

Hi adam (thompson??)

6-10 good going, be knackered after afew days like that though l reckon.

 

[paul alan]

I only use it as i have it already on the van and have the right strength already made up

Does do a great job though

I do like the sound of it and would love something to make days easier.

But l dont like working with strong chems, many moons ago l worked in a zinc plating factory in warrington. I fell in an efluent tank which was "unpleasent" and burnt my arm with sodium hydrochloride which meant 2 hours at the local a&e.

Strongest l use now is virosol.

 

[Dave B]

Ouch

You would understand more than most on here about correct ppe then

I use it at such a dilution on windows that i can spray it on my hand and have no ill effects although i would wash it off

On patios etc however i would be wearing ppe to keep myself safe and in some instances a respirator too due to the strength of chems