Help...thinking of starting up.

[spruce]

Personally the biggest issue I've encountered is the transition from employed to self employed.

Not all have the self discipline to be self employed. When you work for a boss or a company you have to turn up at 9.00, have a lunch break and finish at 5. You have holiday pay and most companies do have sickness benefits. You also have a pension provision. If the computer breaks at work, it isn't your problem etc.

But being self employed doesn't come with many benefits. It can be very hard getting up and going out when the weather is freezing cold, especially if you have been working in a warm office previously.

The tone of your post doesn't come across as very positive. Its not a criticism, rather an observation. My answer when you asked "Is it worth it?" would be No. To be a self employed window cleaner you have to be fully committed. You have to eat, sleep and breathe window cleaning. You have to be on the look out for business opportunities. Are you a person who can canvass for business - go out and door knock? If you are a shy person, then this becomes more difficult.

You shouldn't need to ask the question "Is it worth it?" on a forum of window cleaners. To each of us the answer is Yes, it is worth it. Anyone with a different answer isn't on this forum and isn't a window cleaner any longer.

My son in law works along with us as a window cleaner, but his heart isn't in it. He hasn't the self discipline to be self employed. He is looking for a proper job at the moment. So I see first hand someone who is doing something he hasn't got the commitment to do. Logical reasoning doesn't refocus his mind. When he gets his butt going he gets through an amazing amount of work. He earns as much in 3 days as what he was earning doing a 5 day week, and he starts late and finishes early so never works a full day. But he can't see the positives. His head is in a different place.

If the foundation isn't sure, then everything that you try to build on it will eventually crack and crumble.

 

[ma7589]

Personally the biggest issue I've encountered is the transition from employed to self employed.
Not all have the self discipline to be self employed. When you work for a boss or a company you have to turn up at 9.00, have a lunch break and finish at 5. You have holiday pay and most companies do have sickness benefits. You also have a pension provision. If the computer breaks at work, it isn't your problem etc.

But being self employed doesn't come with many benefits. It can be very hard getting up and going out when the weather is freezing cold, especially if you have been working in a warm office previously.

The tone of your post doesn't come across as very positive. Its not a criticism, rather an observation. My answer when you asked "Is it worth it?" would be No. To be a self employed window cleaner you have to be fully committed. You have to eat, sleep and breathe window cleaning. You have to be on the look out for business opportunities. Are you a person who can canvass for business - go out and door knock? If you are a shy person, then this becomes more difficult.

You shouldn't need to ask the question "Is it worth it?" on a forum of window cleaners. To each of us the answer is Yes, it is worth it. Anyone with a different answer isn't on this forum and isn't a window cleaner any longer.

My son in law works along with us as a window cleaner, but his heart isn't in it. He hasn't the self discipline to be self employed. He is looking for a proper job at the moment. So I see first hand someone who is doing something he hasn't got the commitment to do. Logical reasoning doesn't refocus his mind. When he gets his butt going he gets through an amazing amount of work. He earns as much in 3 days as what he was earning doing a 5 day week, and he starts late and finishes early so never works a full day. But he can't see the positives. His head is in a different place.

Thanks for your advice. I didn't mean for it to b negative. ..Iv jus read a few treads on here about people moaning bout price wars and competitions so didn't wanna get into something that really really difficult for newbies. Granted I no it will b hard work anyway.

 

[Green Pro Clean Ltd]

Price wars are toss, I am (probably) the most expensive window cleaner in my area, but my customers don't just just pay me for cleaning windows.

They choose me as I do an excellent job on the windows, I am reliable, I am there on the same day every month without fail, I am polite and courteous and even when I had enough it is always 'Of course I can do the inside patio doors luv' when all I want to do is go home and crack open a cider.

The low cost £4 / £5 window cleaners come and go you will lose a very small percentage to the 'undercutters' but the percentage you will gain when they pack in for the winter or cause they are back in jail or rehab from cheap smack far outweighs the losses.

Go to the WFP forum and take a read of my thread 'To buy or not to buy' the first post will tell you how hard it was when I started out the second time with zero capital.

This is a hard game, starting and even more so maintaining, however it is also the most rewarding when you get home with all jobs checked off for the day.

It is hard but no other 'unskilled' self employed business I know of, outside of drug dealing, will allow you to have unlimited earning potential.

 

[ma7589]

Price wars are toss, I am (probably) the most expensive window cleaner in my area, but my customers don't just just pay me for cleaning windows.
They choose me as I do an excellent job on the windows, I am reliable, I am there on the same day every month without fail, I am polite and courteous and even when I had enough it is always 'Of course I can do the inside patio doors luv' when all I want to do is go home and crack open a cider.

The low cost £4 / £5 window cleaners come and go you will lose a very small percentage to the 'undercutters' but the percentage you will gain when they pack in for the winter or cause they are back in jail or rehab from cheap smack far outweighs the losses.

Go to the WFP forum and take a read of my thread 'To buy or not to buy' the first post will tell you how hard it was when I started out the second time with zero capital.

This is a hard game, starting and even more so maintaining, however it is also the most rewarding when you get home with all jobs checked off for the day.

It is hard but no other 'unskilled' self employed business I know of, outside of drug dealing, will allow you to have unlimited earning potential.

Again thank you for you advice and knowledge. I'm taking it all in and is helping. Winter won't put me off...I'm coming from a job that's outside a lot in any weather!

 

[Jimbo]

I will always remember these two gems of wisdom.

Don't run before you can walk.

If you can't afford to lose, don't gamble.

Did i say two ? Sorry

Never push your Granny when she's shaving. I KNEW there was three !

Start small .Buy wise.

And the best of luck matey !

 

[spruce]

Thanks for your advice. I didn't mean for it to b negative. ..Iv jus read a few treads on here about people moaning bout price wars and competitions so didn't wanna get into something that really really difficult for newbies. Granted I no it will b hard work anyway.

It is hard to get started. I'm watching a young husband and wife couple starting up. They are canvassing each house in the area they can clean traditionally. It's slow going but they have set themselves an achievable target. Once they achieved that they have set themselves a new achievable target.

Unfortunately they are also picking up the customers that we and others no longer do because we were messed around with payment, not this time, etc. The moto on another forum is the 3 C's. Canvass, clean, cull. It's best to cull the rubbish asap or else you end up with a round full of wasters. I for one hung onto these messers far too long.

Whilst I'm one to say buy right the first time, most successful businesses started small. Having a second cleaner working with you is a really big step to take.

Yes, they can be a motivation, but when you are both learning the ropes, it again is more difficult and conflict is common.

We picked up a whole lot of work from a partnership that went sour about 10 years ago. They were trad cleaners, one was overweight and the other thin. The thin lad always got to climb the ladder so he felt he was doing most of the work but sharing the takings.

So for them a partnership was one carrying the other which got to the thin lad. They split the round and went their various ways.

Sadly the overweight guy tried to carry on on his own but he couldn't manage and gave it up.

I forgot to mention - you need to ask @Green for some of his motivation and enthusiasm. He is just so fired up at the moment - its a pleasure to see and an inspiration to us all. What a big difference between his outlook and my son in law's outlook.

BTW. My son in law is a nice lad.

 

[Green Pro Clean Ltd]

Winter won't put me off...I'm coming from a job that's outside a lot in any weather!

It's not a matter of winter putting you off, it's a matter of winter stopping you. The worst winter I have had stopped me from being able to earn for 3 weeks due to it being so cold the water was freezing as soon as I put it on the glass.

There has only been one winter where I have taken a hit like that, but it is still time with no income when self employed.

 

[Green Pro Clean Ltd]

I forgot to mention - you need to ask @Green for some of his motivation and enthusiasm. He is just so fired up at the moment - its a pleasure to see and an inspiration to us all.

Well Spruce they say flattery will get you every where but in this case I am sorry I have no positions available at present! /emoticons/tongue.png :rofl:

 

[peter rogers]

lol i use 500 -600 a day as i have a 650 tank but i bust me nuts to get my work done

ive eased off a bit since joshua was born

if u really want a fancy system pm me and i put u intouch with a better fabricator on facebook known as steven

i say mate if u going to spend money get a nice van aroun 5000 spend 3000 on system and poles and 200 on trad 1000 on advertising as uniforms flyers biz card an website then spend 1500 on good gutter vac sorted lad

 

[MrBump]

Never push your Granny when shes shaving.

Jimbo not heard this one before, what does it actually mean? :laugh:

 

[spruce]

Well Spruce they say flattery will get you every where but in this case I am sorry I have no positions available at present! /emoticons/tongue.png :rofl:

/emoticons/tongue.png

You wouldn't want me on your team; I'm old and worn-out. In motoring terms I would fail an MOT test and as the cost of repairs would be more than I'm worth, I would be scrapped.

I suppose I have to admit I'm a little envious of no longer having the energy and drive you have. I've been working for 45 years so well past my sell by date.

 

[ma7589]

would you say you see a big drop in customers during the winter months compared to the summer?

 

[spruce]

would you say you see a big drop in customers during the winter months compared to the summer?

No

 

[Njones]

would you say you see a big drop in customers during the winter months compared to the summer?

I always used to emphasise when I quoted a new job that we offered "All year round service" and wouldn't disappear in the winter & leave them hanging - - 99% of people appreciated this & I had a very low drop-off rate in winter.

The big winter challenge for me was motivation - I loved window cleaning in the summer, but when its freezing cold & miserable you really have to kick yourself to get out the door in the mornings sometimes!

 

[Green Pro Clean Ltd]

/emoticons/tongue.png
You wouldn't want me on your team; I'm old and worn-out. In motoring terms I would fail an MOT test and as the cost of repairs would be more than I'm worth, I would be scrapped.

I suppose I have to admit I'm a little envious of no longer having the energy and drive you have. I've been working for 45 years so well past my sell by date.

I'd take on old, steady, reliable over half these wannabee whippersnappers any day mate!

 

[Jimbo]

You can expect a couple in the first year.

You'll be amazed at the fickleness of a couple the following year...don't clean this month it's got an 'R' in it... pay you next month when i'm out etc.

The aim is to build up your work to cushion these er....human beings.

You've got to build TRUST ma7589 ( or can i call you Ma ).

It's your resilience, to this that averts the grief.

Your two main aids, in any avenue in the cleaning industry, is possessing a keen eye.....and a conscience....if there's a third then Granny never said.

All down to you, a wee bit o' fate too.

I don't really advocate canvassing this late in the year though, not to great effect, but the ones you do yield in the cold and wet months do tend to stay with you.

Some areas of the country that's 10 months of the year.

So Ma, how are things back home in Nova Scotia ?

 

[Jimbo]

Jimbo not heard this one before, what does it actually mean? :laugh:

The Psychiatrist never said.

 

[MrBump]

I'm not surprised you had to see a psychiatrist if you saw your granny having a shave! :rofl:

If you don't canvass in early september, do you just stick with what you've got all the way until next summer? That would be great but some of us don't have hundreds of custies booked in to see us through.. :gush:

 

[cheapncheerful]

ma7589 hi and welcome to the friendly windowcleaning forum





some good advice on here..





one thing ..before you take the plunge just have a look on ebay....and ask...why are so many trying to sell full setups?





and no its not because they are all off on retirement to spain...





so ...start small..but think big../emoticons/biggrin.png

 

[MrBump]

Well if you are a perfectionist forget window cleaning as you will end up doing one job a day. /emoticons/tongue.png

Ain't nothing wrong with doing 1 job a day /emoticons/biggrin.png Your doing one soon that's going to take 6 weeks.. :rofl:

 

[Jimbo]

I'm not surprised you had to see a psychiatrist if you saw your granny having a shave! :rofl:
If you don't canvass in early september, do you just stick with what you've got all the way until next summer? That would be great but some of us don't have hundreds of custies booked in to see us through.. :gush:

No Mr.B. ......my point being I, MYSELF, don't find it to be as productive as earlier in the year. BUT, as i also stated, the customers you gain at this time of year tend to be STAYERS. RESULT !