Post-construction window cleaning on building sites, CIS and insurance

[DannyB]

Hello everyone

I am a complete beginner in window cleaning, a sole trader without any employees.

Does anyone know if I need to have a CIS card and to be paid as a CIS subcontractor if I get hired for the post-construction cleaning of windows at some nearly finished new housing development?

And does anyone also know, what kind of insurance will the builders require me to have for such purposes?

Any advice will be most appreciated.

 

[Taxlossloz]

Hello everyone
I am a complete beginner in window cleaning, a sole trader without any employees.

Does anyone know if I need to have a CIS card and to be paid as a CIS subcontractor if I get hired for the post-construction cleaning of windows at some nearly finished new housing development?

And does anyone also know, what kind of insurance will the builders require me to have for such purposes?

Any advice will be most appreciated.

That's a good question- we have been subbing on a massive site for months- aslong as we had hi vis , steel cap boots and hard hats - they don't ask for anything else ! Oh and we have to listen to there **** jokes

 

[Taxlossloz]

Can't I say ******* - sorry

 

[Smurf]

You should really have a cscs card to work on-site but most building sites don't bother to ask to see it.

 

[cheapncheerful]

yes one of the site managers said...

have you had the site induction course?

of course cheapie just said oh yes...

got away with that one..

but trying to hide the trainers not so easy...

 

[DannyB]

My dear Taxlossloz, Smurf, cheapncheerful

Thanks a lot for your valuable advice. BTW, I've just noticed a CIS registration for a subcontractor is quite a straightforward process once you've got you UTR from HMRC.

 

[Simply Business]

Hi @DannyB, they may ask you to get public liability insurance. Not a legal requirement, but you'll often be asked to have it to fulfil certain contracts etc /emoticons/smile.png Hope that helps :thumbsup:

 

[DannyB]

Hi @DannyB, they may ask you to get public liability insurance. Not a legal requirement, but you'll often be asked to have it to fulfil certain contracts etc /emoticons/smile.png Hope that helps :thumbsup:

Of course it helps, thank you very much. If you are so pro-active, I will probably use your brokerage to get the insurance I need.

 

[Simply Business]

Great /emoticons/smile.png If you have any questions etc or would like any help just give me a shout @DannyB!

 

[mr shine]

another consideration on these builders cleans is pricing ,especially that your new to the game , price high or walk away because if not you will be caught as these are most windies nightmare of a job

 

[Smurf]

And get them to sign a scratch glass waver to cover your ****.

Things can and do go wrong as this is a good example on how important it is to have proper cover including property being worked upon.

http://www.gleaminginsurance.co.uk/claims-examples.html

Example 1

Type of claim: Damage to Property Worked On (Window Cleaner)


Outcome: Claim Paid

A window cleaning customer of GLEAMING INSURANCE contacted us to advise that he had recently completed a builders clean of a new commercial development and that his customer had now alleged that 62 of the window were showing evidence of minor scratches. This damage was holding up the opening of the new development and urgent attention was needed.

Our client was worried and didn’t know what to do, he was concerned at the possible cost of rectifying the problem and he was also concerned that his customer would hold back monies due to him for other works carried out.

A normal liability policy from many other insurers would have an endorsement with an exclusion for “damage to property worked upon” meaning that scratching or breaking glass would not be covered, but this is core cover on our policy and something that sets our cover apart, so we were firstly able to reassure him that this kind of damage was covered with GLEAMING INSURANCE.

We then immediately involved our insurers and their liability claims team and we were able to get a specialist repairer and loss adjuster to speak with the customer and his client and arrange prompt repairs to rectify matters. The insurers were able to ascertain that the scratches were not deep enough to warrant replacement, but that they could be repaired and polished out to exactly the same level as a brand new pane of glass – most other insurers would have simply paid for a replacement.

Our client not only kept his customer happy, but received his monies on time and more importantly for the future didn’t have an over-inflated claim on his record for years to come.

 

[Smurf]

here is a copy of a waiver

Window Cleaning Waiver template.docx

Window Cleaning Waiver template pdf format.pdf