hence why not to let old people do window cleaning

[slipknot]

Hey guys so my partner who is now 71 sadly won't be able to do trad window cleaning for the foreseeable future due to his now ill health i have a friend willing to give this a try out to see if he can cut it im curious whats the best way of starting someone out who is new would you start them with a few houses or throw them in at the deep end 

i have explained he will need insurance due to using ladders and such. 

 

[slipknot]

Hey guys so after going though all the books and me posting about the age of the person i was working with and him never upping the price in say 9 years at least i have gone though everything and honestly its worrying out of 198 houses we have when totalled up all the houses its come to and try not die laughing it come to £850 a month now split between two people thats £425 but thats not adding in fuel and washing up liquid or any other over head costs

i don't know how hes been doing this £425 a month that is cring worthy, there are some of you on here earning £250 a week. 

i think im gonna have to find alot of new customers and replace old ones with updated prices because at the current prices i may as well work warehouse work but who am i kidding i could never do that lol 

 

[Dave B]

£250 a week!!

I aim for £170-200 a day before i entertain going home

Hey guys so after going though all the books and me posting about the age of the person i was working with and him never upping the price in say 9 years at least i have gone though everything and honestly its worrying out of 198 houses we have when totalled up all the houses its come to and try not die laughing it come to £850 a month now split between two people thats £425 but thats not adding in fuel and washing up liquid or any other over head costs

i don't know how hes been doing this £425 a month that is cring worthy, there are some of you on here earning £250 a week. 

i think im gonna have to find alot of new customers and replace old ones with updated prices because at the current prices i may as well work warehouse work but who am i kidding i could never do that lol 

That is not a ridiculous daily rate either 

If i was still 100% trad i would still expect to do £150 a day

To be honest i was doing that regularly trad 8 years ago before my prices went up

That was all £7.50 - 8.00 houses back then

 

[slipknot]

so its not to bad then ? its something i can build on but i just explained to the new guy to expect about £110 a week at first

 

[Clisty1989]

Hey guys so my partner who is now 71 sadly won't be able to do trad window cleaning for the foreseeable future due to his now ill health i have a friend willing to give this a try out to see if he can cut it im curious whats the best way of starting someone out who is new would you start them with a few houses or throw them in at the deep end 

i have explained he will need insurance due to using ladders and such. 

i was taught by practising on my father in laws windows under supervision for 10 mins, then at mine rest of day, then out next day in the deep end, best way to be.

id check employment law ref insurance as its a very sticky subject, if he only working with you, and using your tools he cannot be self employed, so youll need the insurance, not him. @Green Pro Clean Ltd has covered this to death on previous threads. I know im barely on the self employed basis with my f.i.l, as i have my own tools, own work, AND work on a 4 month agreement basis, which gets redone every 4 months. It could trip u up.

 

[Green Pro Clean Ltd]

Please bear with me and dont take umbridge as I am a bit baffled at present by your statement. 

Are you working for someone or juat taken over a round from someone? 

At a quick calc your charging £4.50 per house?   

A letter to them all stating that the lrices havent changed in 10 years but now it's time to bring it in line and from now on £10 per month and welcome to 2018. 

Wouldnt matter if you lose half.... doing half the work for same money.  

If you're splitting £850 monthly 2 ways you're living in poverty mate.  

More importantly YOU CANT AFFORD A NEW GUY!  

If I had just done your books and seen e state you seem to be in I would take this as a key oportunity for a major overhaul and the beginning of a new era and an end to 1979 prices.  

Today I managed £260 and tomorrow will be similar. Many lads on here are comfortably making in  a week what you're taking in a month.  

See this as a light bulb moment and get moving in the right direction.  If you need pricing advice say where and add some pics..  sounds like the old boy was massively underpriced and at his prices you cant afford to clean their windows.  

Any where in the UK I would stand by a £12 minimum just for turning up.  

Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[Clisty1989]

198 houses we have when totalled up all the houses its come to and try not die laughing it come to £850 a month

one thing i missed until i re read, 198 houses on a 4 weekly cycle is 10 a day, whoch even when i was trad i could bang out in about 3 hours solo, no point taking anyone on yet, not until you cant keep up.

i charge £8 minimum, easily achievable everywhere, i appreciate its daunting but your runnng a business, not a charity.

 

[adamangler]

Even in the worst parts of the country you should be able to clear £120 a day. And I mean in the grimmest corners of the U.K

Even up north in I can do 150-200 a day, and I'm a lazy get that's only out for 5-6 hours a day.

I would sell the lot and start again.

What's the chances of getting those 4 quid houses up to 12?

You'll lose most of them for sure.

 

[Tuffers]

Please bear with me and dont take umbridge as I am a bit baffled at present by your statement. 

Are you working for someone or juat taken over a round from someone? 

At a quick calc your charging £4.50 per house?   

A letter to them all stating that the lrices havent changed in 10 years but now it's time to bring it in line and from now on £10 per month and welcome to 2018. 

Wouldnt matter if you lose half.... doing half the work for same money.  

If you're splitting £850 monthly 2 ways you're living in poverty mate.  

More importantly YOU CANT AFFORD A NEW GUY!  

If I had just done your books and seen e state you seem to be in I would take this as a key oportunity for a major overhaul and the beginning of a new era and an end to 1979 prices.  

Today I managed £260 and tomorrow will be similar. Many lads on here are comfortably making in  a week what you're taking in a month.  

See this as a light bulb moment and get moving in the right direction.  If you need pricing advice say where and add some pics..  sounds like the old boy was massively underpriced and at his prices you cant afford to clean their windows.  

Any where in the UK I would stand by a £12 minimum just for turning up.  

Good luck and keep us posted.

Totally agree! When I read £850 a month I nearly spat my tea out.

 

[Deleted member 257]

How many hours are you working each day to complete the round? 

 

[slipknot]

thanks for the replies guys im gonna get some leaflets printed up today i was working with a family member but due to him taking seriously ill and not being able to work anymore he told me to carry on, i have business insurance and public liability insurance but truth is this last year was shocking he only wanted to work 3 or 4 hours and i personally felt like it was really lacking in so many places he missed alot of houses and work off and truth is i feel as if i will lose a lot of the houses due to not doing them for a little while.

but will get leaflets printed out to bring prices up to current standards and re go over all the prices and such it won't matter if i lose 70 houses it just means i can build up from there and honestly even i thought it was a joke when i added up the books and such.

i honestly did believe he was taking money on the side but its clear to see now that we was earning less than what i would have been on the dole if i had signed on

 

[Clisty1989]

thanks for the replies guys im gonna get some leaflets printed up today i was working with a family member but due to him taking seriously ill and not being able to work anymore he told me to carry on, i have business insurance and public liability insurance but truth is this last year was shocking he only wanted to work 3 or 4 hours and i personally felt like it was really lacking in so many places he missed alot of houses and work off and truth is i feel as if i will lose a lot of the houses due to not doing them for a little while.

but will get leaflets printed out to bring prices up to current standards and re go over all the prices and such it won't matter if i lose 70 houses it just means i can build up from there and honestly even i thought it was a joke when i added up the books and such.

i honestly did believe he was taking money on the side but its clear to see now that we was earning less than what i would have been on the dole if i had signed on

having been in your position theres a few things i would consider, which are controversial, but would benefit you in the long run.

1. Get several quotes from other windys on your house, then work out your prices.

2. With existing customers, hike prices to 1-2 quid UNDER what the average is, then if they say no, tell them they have 28 days to reconsider, encourage to get other quotes, stating you wont get a better price, then if they come back, 18 months later put up to what they should be (done this, does work)

3. Buy a backpack, and all new custys wfp, and slowly convert round.

 

[slipknot]

ive got a WFP trolly system ive used it on a few houses but gotta get a bit more money to upgrade to a larger system as when i can fully afford it im gonna go fully WFP as i built a trolley it cost close to £900 in total. 

Clitsy thank you for the advice im glad this forum exists or i would have never looked into this

 

[Clisty1989]

ive got a WFP trolly system ive used it on a few houses but gotta get a bit more money to upgrade to a larger system as when i can fully afford it im gonna go fully WFP as i built a trolley it cost close to £900 in total. 

Clitsy thank you for the advice im glad this forum exists or i would have never looked into this

no problem, youve been handed a :1f4a9: sandwich, just hope the advice helps. As @Green Pro Clean Ltd said DO NOT take anyone else on, until you sort it all out, you wont keep anyone long enoughto make it worth it.