Getting the hang of it (I think)

[WombatPool]

Not that I’ll be using them much but probably a good idea to get some anyway

 

[ched999uk]

I don’t own any ladders yet so maybe I’ll start there first ?

Seriously don't buy ladders, the risks are not worth it. There is enough work out there so you don't need ladders. A lot of windys started trad so had to use ladders but you take your life in your hands when climbing ladders.

 

[K in Kent]

Used WFP on this one. Apparently the customer already had a window cleaner who she said isn’t very reliable and hardly turns up she’s been asking him for ages to clean the facias but the he always makes excuses why he can’t do it?? Plus I managed to clean that window you can see above the conservatory which hasn’t been cleaned since she’s lived there. She was happy I came along and done all the bits she’s wanted doing for a long time. I’m not out to step on anyone’s toes but I guess if people want things doing, they want it doing one way or another..

You're not stepping on anyone's toes mate. You're in business and providing services - it's up to the customers if they want to hire you. And if you keep doing jobs as well as you did this one you'll be all right.
Don't worry about other people cos they're not worrying about you.

 

[Iron Giant]

@scottish cleaning service
I’m sure I’ll have to buy one of those gutter vacs soon

It all depends on what prices are like in your local area in my neck of the woods you still get ladder monkeys charging £20 a side and some of the vac boys charging not much more so I have never bothered investing in a vac,

I just pass all my add on's to @THL4KEL his prices are higher than the rest but I can rest assured any jobs he does for my customers will be 100% and they always give positive feedback to me.

 

[WombatPool]

It all depends on what prices are like in your local area in my neck of the woods you still get ladder monkeys charging £20 a side and some of the vac boys charging not much more so I have never bothered investing in a vac,

I just pass all my add on's to @THL4KEL his prices are higher than the rest but I can rest assured any jobs he does for my customers will be 100% and they always give positive feedback to me.

That’s definitely handy if you know a few others in the trade who you can pass work onto if necessary.. When canvassing doors the other day I got chatting to someone who turned out to be a maintenance man who does odd jobs around my local area.. a few doors up from him I sighed up a couple for regular window cleaning. They had a broken garden gate and they asked me if I would be able to fix it for them I said it’s not a job for me but I know someone who might be able to help with it which was music to their ears as they had wanted it fixed for a long time. So I passed on their details to the maintenance guy a few doors down and I later found out when I returned to clean the windows they had arranged for it to be fixed with the neighbour this week. I guess I just connected the dots but my customers were very pleased both with their clean windows and the fact their gate is being repaired… plus the guy who I passed on the job took my business card and said he would pass any window cleaning jobs he comes across my way…. You never know I might pick up the odd job through that which would be handy.

 

[WombatPool]

@K in Kent
Thanks mate I appreciate the kind words and advice!

 

[JEM]

I have been considering a gutter vac quite a few times and as I don't use ladders (I'm not prepared to take the risk but each to their own) I think I would come across some blocked down pipes that probably wouldn't get cleared with a vac well not the smaller vacs anyway. Plus it's quite an outlay, even a single motor with ali poles is £700. So that's quite a few domestic gutters cleared to gain your money back before any profit plus it's quite seasonal.

I think concentrating on gaining window cleaning customers first as it's regular income is the best way for me.

Yes, that's also my approach, any job I can do with my wfp I will consider/do and once the round is fully built I will look into other areas. it's easy to keep spending on equipment thinking it will be the golden ticket when window cleaning is the core of what we do

WombatPool that's a great job you've done and to be only one of your first jobs, anything else you do now will feel like a breeze

 

[Iron Giant]

That’s definitely handy if you know a few others in the trade who you can pass work onto if necessary.. When canvassing doors the other day I got chatting to someone who turned out to be a maintenance man who does odd jobs around my local area.. a few doors up from him I sighed up a couple for regular window cleaning. They had a broken garden gate and they asked me if I would be able to fix it for them I said it’s not a job for me but I know someone who might be able to help with it which was music to their ears as they had wanted it fixed for a long time. So I passed on their details to the maintenance guy a few doors down and I later found out when I returned to clean the windows they had arranged for it to be fixed with the neighbour this week. I guess I just connected the dots but my customers were very pleased both with their clean windows and the fact their gate is being repaired… plus the guy who I passed on the job took my business card and said he would pass any window cleaning jobs he comes across my way…. You never know I might pick up the odd job through that which would be handy.

I don't just recommend any other tradesmen I have to know them and be confident they will do their absolute best,


I have a mate who started off a landscaping business about 12 years ago he wasn't a mate back then but as we used him over the years he has become a mate a few years ago he expanded into the building trade and employs his brother who has been a joiner for over 20 years and another lad the quality of their work is 100% every time and they have renovated most of our house I can recommend him knowing he will deliver every time I don't recommend him because he is a mate and it's exactly the same with @THL4KEL I don't recommend just because he is a mate and wouldn't recommend anyone just because I know they are a certain tradesperson

 

[WombatPool]

I don't just recommend any other tradesmen I have to know them and be confident they will do their absolute best,


I have a mate who started off a landscaping business about 12 years ago he wasn't a mate back then but as we used him over the years he has become a mate a few years ago he expanded into the building trade and employs his brother who has been a joiner for over 20 years and another lad the quality of their work is 100% every time and they have renovated most of our house I can recommend him knowing he will deliver every time I don't recommend him because he is a mate and it's exactly the same with @THL4KEL I don't recommend just because he is a mate and wouldn't recommend anyone just because I know they are a certain tradesperson

That definitely fair enough. The guy showed me what he’d built in his garden when I first called and it all looked spot on so I was pretty sure he’d sort the gate ok. I’ll find out when I go back to my customer in a months time but I’m pretty sure it should be alright.


He says ?

 

[WombatPool]

The thing I learnt fast from canvassing was definitely asking if customers have conservatories or not because my first two bungalows last week both had them which I was unaware of until I actually got on the job. I just said to the customer once I realised I would usually charge a little more to clean them plus all the bungalow windows and doors, both customers agreed luckily. That worked out ok for me this time but In future I’d prefer to stick to the price I originally quoted, so I’ll definitely find out what I’m up against first! Just starting from the bottom and learning from my mistakes!

Although in some ways it worked out handy having conservatories at the properties because it also puts the monthly price up too. All 3 bungalows I done last week were in the same cul-de-sac, and took me 6 hours to get them spotless, but I’m thinking in a months time on maintenance cleans I should do them a lot quicker and the hourly rate should work out nice - although, that wasn’t bad last week!

 

[ched999uk]

The thing I learnt fast from canvassing was definitely asking if customers have conservatories or not because my first two bungalows last week both had them which I was unaware of until I actually got on the job. I just said to the customer once I realised I would usually charge a little more to clean them plus all the bungalow windows and doors, both customers agreed luckily. That worked out ok for me this time but In future I’d prefer to stick to the price I originally quoted, so I’ll definitely find out what I’m up against first! Just starting from the bottom and learning from my mistakes!

Although in some ways it worked out handy having conservatories at the properties because it also puts the monthly price up too. All 3 bungalows I done last week were in the same cul-de-sac, and took me 6 hours to get them spotless, but I’m thinking in a months time on maintenance cleans I should do them a lot quicker and the hourly rate should work out nice.

I know everyone works differently but I would never give a price based on just seeing the front of a property. I have quite a few that have extensions on the rear or massive bifold doors, not to mention access issues, dog mess, lots of flower pots, some small connys some massive ones, I've even got some brand new bungalows and some of them have already had garages converted and conservatories fitted before they have even moved in!
I think I have only ever quoted 2 houses without seeing them and they where both next to ones I was doing at the time and I thought they where the same - actually turned out 1 was different as it had an extra window!

Asking if you can have a look around their property and then providing a quote is safest. You need to know what work you will be doing to know how much to charge.

Don't worry about speed as it will come with time. Things like what order to do the windows in, doing the front door before the window above as the porch drips on you if you clean the door after the upper window, where to route your hose avoiding wheelie bin wheels, so many little things you can tweak over time to improve your speed, plus you will get better at judging the height to extend your pole too and what angle the brush needs to be.

 

[Crystalalan]

Some good photos there to if you wanted to set up an website. They would make excellent before and after shots.

 

[Crystalalan]

I have been considering a gutter vac quite a few times and as I don't use ladders (I'm not prepared to take the risk but each to their own) I think I would come across some blocked down pipes that probably wouldn't get cleared with a vac well not the smaller vacs anyway. Plus it's quite an outlay, even a single motor with ali poles is £700. So that's quite a few domestic gutters cleared to gain your money back before any profit plus it's quite seasonal.

I think concentrating on gaining window cleaning customers first as it's regular income is the best way for me.

If you ever decide to buy a gutter vac, then I can highly recommend the 1700watt GVS panther. I have one and its been superb and was one of the cheaper models. Its great with the ally poles. Probably better if you can afford carbon fibre though. Nice and light and very well engineered. Great for domestic gutter clearing.

 

[WombatPool]

Learning some good lessons @ched999uk always appreciate your advise mate…

 

[ched999uk]

If you ever decide to buy a gutter vac, then I can highly recommend the 1700watt GVS panther. I have one and its been superb and was one of the cheaper models. Its great with the ally poles. Probably better if you can afford carbon fibre though. Nice and light and very well engineered. Great for domestic gutter clearing.

I think if I were to buy a vac it would be the Panther 1700Watt possibly with the genny too especially with the threat of looming power cuts . Think it would have to be ali poles as each is shorter and would fit width wise between bulkhead and tank in my van, carbon are about 30cm longer, I think.

Good to know someone without a vested interest recommending the GVS Panther. Thanks.

 

[scottish cleaning service]

I have 2 commercial jobs at £300 a pop which take a day each. Only problem with gutter jobs is that they are like buses, none appear and then 3 come at once. £3K SkyVac will pay for itself in a year. I also use the customers electricity if they don't let me then i don't do the job, never had a refusal yet.

 

[scottish cleaning service]

I don’t own any ladders yet so maybe I’ll start there first ?

I have a few sets of Zarges triple ladders now.

ZARGES Triple 3.5m Professional Trade Ladder

Zarges superb Professional range of trade ladders have been developed specifically to comply with the latest European standard EN131 2018. This new standard for ladders sees the groundbreaking introduction of base stabiliser bars permanently fixed to the bottom of all ladders off

www.midlandladders.com

 

[AndyD]

Seriously don't buy ladders, the risks are not worth it. There is enough work out there so you don't need ladders. A lot of windys started trad so had to use ladders but you take your life in your hands when climbing ladders.

Only time I use ladders is to get onto a single storey extension to do rooflights etc, wouldn’t dream of climbing ladders to clean 1st floor windows. I was checking a Velux rooflight on a dorma bungalow i rent out and fell of the roof, I was very lucky as I didn’t have one bruise but it certainly shook me up. Hate to think how it would’ve been if I’d fell from 1st floor window height ?

 

[K in Kent]

I have 2 commercial jobs at £300 a pop which take a day each. Only problem with gutter jobs is that they are like buses, none appear and then 3 come at once. £3K SkyVac will pay for itself in a year. I also use the customers electricity if they don't let me then i don't do the job, never had a refusal yet.

I don't do 3 grands worth of gutters in a year and would need to spend alot more time on getting the work and doing it if I wanted to, which I don't. And I wouldn't want to have to wait a year or more before I was in profit for an add-on.
I agree that investing in the right kit is an investment that makes us money but the vast majority of residential gutter work is not worth £300 and 3k is unrealistic for relatively low paid work.
If I spent 3 grand on a pressure washing set-up I know I could make that back in spring or summer within a month or 2, or even quicker if the right jobs came in (which isn't unrealistic). I don't want to wait a year+ before I'm in profit for an add-on service.

 

[scottish cleaning service]

I don't do 3 grands worth of gutters in a year and would need to spend alot more time on getting the work and doing it if I wanted to, which I don't. And I wouldn't want to have to wait a year or more before I was in profit for an add-on.
I agree that investing in the right kit is an investment that makes us money but the vast majority of residential gutter work is not worth £300 and 3k is unrealistic for relatively low paid work.
If I spent 3 grand on a pressure washing set-up I know I could make that back in spring or summer within a month or 2, or even quicker if the right jobs came in (which isn't unrealistic). I don't want to wait a year+ before I'm in profit for an add-on service.

I.ve kinda lost faith in PW now. I much prefer clearing gutters than PW because it's easier and nowhere as dirty. All too their own but you don't loose much money with our gear because you can always sell it on. Reason I'm so busy with addons is because i spent my money on equipment and can do most of them now. You begin to find your feet and what's good wages and what's not.

 

[Part Timer]

I.ve kinda lost faith in PW now. I much prefer clearing gutters than PW because it's easier and nowhere as dirty. All too their own but you don't loose much money with our gear because you can always sell it on. Reason I'm so busy with addons is because i spent my money on equipment and can do most of them now. You begin to find your feet and what's good wages and what's not.

But is £300 a really good pay day for one offs.