gutter cleaning vs window cleaning

[albatross]

There are 2 of us, my son and I, cleaning windows. I do gutters with someone else though. In my area you would struggle to get a price that I think is fair.

Most of my work is in the Cambridge area for a Property Management company. If you do decide to do gutters only I'd target them as more and more are doing regular maintenance cleans due to Insurance claims.

how long did it take you to learn wfp?

Am I right in saying that one some days you gross 1k? 

 

[Pjj]

how long did it take you to learn wfp?

Am I right in saying that one some days you gross 1k? 

I was trad before going over to wfp but to learn all the skills required I would say took me a good year but that was when wfp was only just starting out if you could go out with someone fir a few days you would learn a lot quicker , we have had several from this forum come out with us to see how to clean different types of windows , it’s not rocket science but there are different techniques needed for different window types . 1 k per day on commercial is easy , but don’t think that as a new window cleaner you will be earning that as you won’t , big commercial jobs are not easy to get you need to be well established, again depending where you are in the country it should be possible to earn on your own a minimum of £250-600 maximum per day on domestic the top figure you won’t achieve every  day but I was doing those sort of figures on my own 15 + years ago , that’s not boasting but showing what can be achieved by   hard work and decent pricing , and compact work. Again you arnt going to be earning £250 per day when you start but after a few months it isnt  hard to earn that starting at 8:30 and finishing by 14:00  , I have friends ware I am that do that easily day in day out and know ones in a number of places that earn that figure per day   . Not all however are motivated or have the speed to do that but Ime sure if you have both you will be able to do it . 

 

[albatross]

I was trad before going over to wfp but to learn all the skills required I would say took me a good year but that was when wfp was only just starting out if you could go out with someone fir a few days you would learn a lot quicker , we have had several from this forum come out with us to see how to clean different types of windows , it’s not rocket science but there are different techniques needed for different window types . 1 k per day on commercial is easy , but don’t think that as a new window cleaner you will be earning that as you won’t , big commercial jobs are not easy to get you need to be well established, again depending where you are in the country it should be possible to earn on your own a minimum of £250-600 maximum per day on domestic the top figure you won’t achieve every  day but I was doing those sort of figures on my own 15 + years ago , that’s not boasting but showing what can be achieved by   hard work and decent pricing , and compact work. Again you arnt going to be earning £250 per day when you start but after a few months it isnt  hard to earn that starting at 8:30 and finishing by 14:00  , I have friends ware I am that do that easily day in day out and know ones in a number of places that earn that figure per day   . Not all however are motivated or have the speed to do that but Ime sure if you have both you will be able to do it . 

very interesting thanks.

I suspect that with Covid the market will become saturated with new window cleaners including myself.

I would like to join a team somewhere in Greater Manchester to have a look at how things are done. For this purpose is there anywhere on forums and or social media where I could search for  this opportunity? Obviously happy to go well beyond my area as it would be counterproductive for someone in my area to show me the ropes....

 

[scottish cleaning service]

A lot more commercial are heading over to domestic now.

 

[Part Timer]

how long did it take you to learn wfp?

Am I right in saying that one some days you gross 1k? 

Still learning, but to do basic cleaning a few days. As for earnings, yes on some of my well paid commercial window cleaning, and gutter cleaning, 2 of us can gross £1k+ a day. However the day to day stuff is circa £400 a day for the 2 of us.

 

[albatross]

However the day to day stuff is circa £400 a day for the 2 of us.

is that before or after tax?

 

[AW Services]

Many thanks to all for taking their time to respond.

I see your point about window cleaning but my assumption was that it would take someone new quite a while to learn window cleaning properly whilst clearing gutter contents I would be more comfortable with at the start. The last thing I would want in my start-up would be to make my first customers unhappy as my standard would be less than that of a time served window cleaner.

My plan was to buy a vac and start from there in terms of guttering work.

However I do see the point of establishing a window round pretty early in the process. If I were to take up window cleaning it would be a wfp outfit not traditional. How quickly did you pick up learning how to use the wfp competently?

I live in a fairly affluent area of Greater Manchester so who  maybe a more  local advertisement strategy at the start would be more suitable at first?

With respect, Gutter clearing isn't a learn in a day trade.

You'll need to learn and adapt methods and techniques of clearing debris from dildos to pine needles, large growing moss snakes aren't the easiest to remove along with lose or cracked slates & tiles fowling access etc

Take the advice from all of us who have accomplished services and really consider your next move.

You will not financially survive with just gutter clearing in your business plan 

 

[Part Timer]

is that before or after tax?

That's before anything, but we don't kill ourselves when working local.

 

[Davy G]

Hello,

I am considering entering the world of window and or gutter cleaning.

I have a lot to read on this forum but I have some preliminary questions for those on this forum who do both window cleaning and gutter cleaning.

Is gutter cleaning a viable full time alternative to window cleaning or is mostly accounted for as an add on to the window cleaning side of the business?

Assuming one would be interested in doing either, do both strands have the same chance of being equally profitable?

Are both markets saturated in your areas?

Many thanks

Hello Albatross, and welcome.

In my experience, I personally would have no chance of making a living from gutter clearing alone. We do probably about 50~60 a year, at a guess. £50 ~ £120 or so a time. Most would be at the lower end of that price.

 

[ksp]

I was targeted by advertising for a franchise company that did exclusively gutter cleaning/clearance last year. 
 

Could be something useful for you to research. 

 

[albatross]

do you think there is a potential for selling a package to customers that would include guttering and or oven cleaning? this could be extended to include upvc fascia cleaning.

just an idea that is all.

 

[scottish cleaning service]

do you think there is a potential for selling a package to customers that would include guttering and or oven cleaning? this could be extended to include upvc fascia cleaning.

just an idea that is all.

Just set yourself up as a cleaning company, that's what I do. I do window, gutters, pvc, roofs, patios, driveways, walls and softwashing. Keep it simple and the work will come in and its up to you if you accept the job. ?

 

[albatross]

Just set yourself up as a cleaning company, that's what I do. I do window, gutters, pvc, roofs, patios, driveways, walls and softwashing. Keep it simple and the work will come in and its up to you if you accept the job. ?

do you have a company or are you solde trader?

 

[Cookie]

do you have a company or are you solde trader?

Best to set up as sole trader to start off with. Makes the accounting much easier.

 

[Part Timer]

do you think there is a potential for selling a package to customers that would include guttering and or oven cleaning? this could be extended to include upvc fascia cleaning.

just an idea that is all.

I think you're trying to run before you've learned to walk. Personally I'd find out what the window cleaning market is like in your area and go from there. It's ok hearing established people with very good work talking about making £300+ easily in a day. It will take you months before you are hitting a £100 a day, every day of the week. I'm not trying to put you off, just trying to make you realise this aint as easy as just setting up and watch the money flow in.

 

[albatross]

can using the wfp be picked on my own or do I need to be trained by a time served windi?

 

[Pjj]

I think you're trying to run before you've learned to walk. Personally I'd find out what the window cleaning market is like in your area and go from there. It's ok hearing established people with very good work talking about making £300+ easily in a day. It will take you months before you are hitting a £100 a day, every day of the week. I'm not trying to put you off, just trying to make you realise this aint as easy as just setting up and watch the money flow in.

I know we live in totally different parts  of the country but £100 per day is only 10 £10 houses Ime sure you should be able to get that in most parts ?.. that’s only a typical estate type house , I think the op said he was planing on working in the more affluent areas of Manchester @dazmonddoes very well in that area I know he’s been going 27 years but Ime sure he earns £45-55 per hour without too much trouble , whilst a newby is going to be slower and needs to learn over 20+ years ago I was earning £125 per day trad so don’t think it should be to hard to earn £100 with wfp in a couple of hours or so ?.. Ime not being critical of what you are saying but cannot believe earnings could be that low . 

 

[Part Timer]

I know we live in totally different parts  of the country but £100 per day is only 10 £10 houses Ime sure you should be able to get that in most parts ?.. that’s only a typical estate type house , I think the op said he was planing on working in the more affluent areas of Manchester @dazmonddoes very well in that area I know he’s been going 27 years but Ime sure he earns £45-55 per hour without too much trouble , whilst a newby is going to be slower and needs to learn over 20+ years ago I was earning £125 per day trad so don’t think it should be to hard to earn £100 with wfp in a couple of hours or so ?.. Ime not being critical of what you are saying but cannot believe earnings could be that low . 

all I said was it would be months before he's earning it every day. @dazmond has got many years of experience but I think it's only in the last 10 years or so where he is earning these types of numbers. You constantly say you can earn xyz in your area but admit you have very little competition. I somehow doubt Salford will be as easy as the South West tip of England. 

 

[Davy G]

A lot of people go out and spend big money on equipment to cover a vast range of jobs. Be careful, it's one thing to have the tools to target all sorts of jobs. The most important thing is to know that you have an excellent chance of finding the market you need to get the work and income you need to justify the expense and to gain enough work to thrive. Its the same in sales, you can have an excellent product but too small a market. Dyson vacuum cleaners in a camping field.

You can spend huge amounts on window, carpet or oven cleaning equipment, gutter vacs. Plus mowers, strimmers, pressure washers, to provide other services. The list is endless. All can be lucrative but you must have a regular enough market to justify the outlay. If you're not careful, after all that expense you can be classed as my man in the village who does all sorts of jobs. They may well expect to pay odd-job prices and you having spent out a small fortune. Totally defeating your objective of being a professional specialist.

Choose your speciality concentrate on specialising in a very small number of services, at least in the early days, or too much of your income will go on equipment you may rarely use.

As you go on if you feel there are viable opportunities in other services, that would be the time to consider those avenues.

 

[scottish cleaning service]

do you have a company or are you solde trader?

Sole trader but running out of space for equipment and time to complete jobs and that's working nearly 7 days a week. I usually get a rest in winter but work is still coming in every second day through Checkatrade. Good for bank balance so I can't complain.

 

[albatross]

thanks guys for all the advice.

to be honest I would rather have slow growth but learn properly than canvass 100k houses and then **** of a fair few customets because I am still learning.

I am in the fortunate position where my mortgage is paid off and I have passive income of around 10k a year. Also I am not a big spender so what I am not in a massive rush to earn £££ but would like to build my competency and earnings at the same rate.

Sole trader but running out of space for equipment and time to complete jobs and that's working nearly 7 days a week. I usually get a rest in winter but work is still coming in every second day through Checkatrade. Good for bank balance so I can't complain.

what is the checkatrade fee?