Im to expensive

[Jamesmarshall]

I watched a guy I hadn't seen before cleaning a downstairs window with wfp today. Such short little strokes and faffing about. I was nearly crying. Son had seven units done on the front and one side of a bungalow in the same time. He may be new to the trade.

I suspect ours is a similar speed to most of the folk on the forum.

I had the same experience a couple of weeks ago I’d done the whole front and over the road the guy was still scrubbing the same frame when I finished I was laughing loud enough he should or could have heard me

he even flipped the pole round and cleaned underneath the window sill is it just me or does anyone else do this as I’ve never seen it before definitely never done it personally haha !

 

[Davy G]

I had the same experience a couple of weeks ago I’d done the whole front and over the road the guy was still scrubbing the same frame when I finished I was laughing loud enough he should or could have heard me

he even flipped the pole round and cleaned underneath the window sill is it just me or does anyone else do this as I’ve never seen it before definitely never done it personally haha !

I give the undersides a quick swipe about the half the times. This isn't to clean them, it's to remove the spiders so that they won't be able to breed there. One or two spiders now could be several spiders all over the place next time. It's thinking ahead for the future cleans. Thinking on it though, I do keep the undersides of the upstairs sills clean as they are visible from below. ??

 

[Jamesmarshall]

Might be visible but why the hell are they looking there lol

if they’re that fussy I definitely wouldn’t want them as a customer 

 

[Pjj]

Might be visible but why the hell are they looking there lol

if they’re that fussy I definitely wouldn’t want them as a customer 

When charging double for first cleans it’s not a problem we always  do the under sides of window sills it sets you apart from the competition as having a much higher standard , customers notice things like this. 

 

[Davy G]

Might be visible but why the hell are they looking there lol

if they’re that fussy I definitely wouldn’t want them as a customer 

Not their standards mate, mine. ?Again, not every time. Probably about one in three, as I see the need. I like to remove the spiders from the underneath and it cleans it at the same time.

 

[Pjj]

I give the undersides a quick swipe about the half the times. This isn't to clean them, it's to remove the spiders so that they won't be able to breed there. One or two spiders now could be several spiders all over the place next time. It's thinking ahead for the future cleans. Thinking on it though, I do keep the undersides of the upstairs sills clean as they are visible from below. ??

Quite agree Davy great minds think alike ?

 

[Tango]

I had the same experience a couple of weeks ago I’d done the whole front and over the road the guy was still scrubbing the same frame when I finished I was laughing loud enough he should or could have heard me

he even flipped the pole round and cleaned underneath the window sill is it just me or does anyone else do this as I’ve never seen it before definitely never done it personally haha !

No offence intended here but you're laughing at him while he's doing a good thorough job. That's nothing to be proud of fella.

I commend the guy. I also do under the sills too. It makes an amazing difference. Whats the point cleaning the glass and top side of the sills if people can still see muck under them from the ground? - you're not doing the job properly.

 

[Iron Giant]

I had someone comment on a FB post of mine yesterday saying I was ripping people off with the prices I charge ? I've never met the lad but I am sure he is a window cleaner but covers a different area about 10 miles away I know another cleaner who I think is his dad, his comment was quickly taken down by him before I had a chance to reply 

No doubt I did wind other cleaners up a bit as my post content was about the crappy service another cleaner offers, which I mentioned on here last week were the windows were still dirty, I didn't disclose who, if they do a ? job and are too afraid to up their prices they only have themselves to blame I did mention in a reply to a comment some of them might play the fiddle as well though ? 

 

[Jamesmarshall]

No offence intended here but you're laughing at him while he's doing a good thorough job. That's nothing to be proud of fella.

I commend the guy. I also do under the sills too. It makes an amazing difference. Whats the point cleaning the glass and top side of the sills if people can still see muck under them from the ground? - you're not doing the job properly.

There’s being thorough and then there’s overkill mate don’t need to spend like 5minutes on one frame

I’ve done under the sill on plastic cleans before but definitely will not be taking it up in the future never had a customer comment on it or ask me to do it so 

 

[Pjj]

There’s being thorough and then there’s overkill mate don’t need to spend like 5minutes on one frame

I’ve done under the sill on plastic cleans before but definitely will not be taking it up in the future never had a customer comment on it or ask me to do it so 

It takes just a few seconds to do under sill and makes all the difference when looking at up stairs windows , and customers do notice we have had many comment about there previous cleaner had never done them . 

 

[scottish cleaning service]

It takes just a few seconds to do under sill and makes all the difference when looking at up stairs windows , and customers do notice we have had many comment about there previous cleaner had never done them . 

Nothing worse than looking up at dirty sills especially when they are white. I have started cleaning them with a stroke of the brush but I'm missing vents due to a few complaints after I tell them I will miss the vents they seem happy about it, sometimes I get the feeling they don't know what I'm talking about.

 

[Davy G]

Nothing worse than looking up at dirty sills especially when they are white. I have started cleaning them with a stroke of the brush but I'm missing vents due to a few complaints after I tell them I will miss the vents they seem happy about it, sometimes I get the feeling they don't know what I'm talking about.

When I started I had a new first wash and the lady pointed out a vent on the upstairs bathroom window over the back door. It was black with dirt on the grill-fins. She asked me if I would mind cleaning it as it had never been done. I wouldn't have bothered if she hadn't asked. I gave it a thorough flush out with the fan jets. It made a very noticeable difference. She could see it and so could I. From then on I made sure to wash and flush the vents on every window on every house on the first wash every time I gain a new customer. It's incorporated into the swipes across the top frame on the maintenance washes so takes no real extra time or effort. That lady has been a solid and friendly customer for nearly seven years now.

I had a different customer ask me if I would do the undersides of the upstairs sills which were visibly filthy. I do them without fail on all the first washes now and periodically on subsequent maintenance washes to maintain the standard. I rarely take much more than 30 seconds on a standard window on a maintenance wash, vents and sill included. That's plenty quick enough for me.

That's my standard of professional service that I charge a good professional rate for.

Yes! Some people do look up from outside. I would. ??

 

[ched999uk]

Doing the underside of the sills is a nice touch. I hadn't thought about the undersides till I watched @Davy G video on his method. I have now started to clean the undersides of the sills as I can now see the benefits. 

Clean isn't something you can see, dirt is!!!

I'm there to make the windows clean so under the sills are now cleaned as part of the job. Thanks for enlightening me.

 

[Davy G]

Clean isn't something you can see, dirt is!!!

That is very well put! @ched999ukI hadn't thought of it like that but yes! Higher standards stand out! Though we might not always be able to put our finger on why.

Here's a reason that's just occurred to me : if a customer is watching, which they sometimes will be. They can see the extra attention that we give to details. They do notice that even if they don't always realise it. The key for me is to incorporate it into the normal flow of strokes as much as possible. Avoiding time, energy and effort sinks.

Such as for instance, I personally won't get involved in wiping down with cloths, Pink Stuff, Magic Sponges and the likes. Everything I do is incorporated into the fluid and brisk brush strokes. That's my style, other folk have developed their own styles.

 

[Jamesmarshall]

That’s fine but I never have done it on a normal clean and never been asked to. Should someone point it out or ask then I’ll happily give them a quick back and forth to keep them happy 

fortunately it’s never came up

Vents I clean as and when they become noticeably dirty, on a first clean on vented windows I will usually do all vents on all top windows along will sills then go do the frames and windows and same for downstairs. Generally charge extra for vented windows because of this. And I’ll stop on the last one and go on my phone for a minute orso to let them stop dripping a bit before returning to first top window and continuing with the frames and glass 

 

[Jamesmarshall]

Doing the underside of the sills is a nice touch. I hadn't thought about the undersides till I watched @Davy G video on his method. I have now started to clean the undersides of the sills as I can now see the benefits. 

Clean isn't something you can see, dirt is!!!

I'm there to make the windows clean so under the sills are now cleaned as part of the job. Thanks for enlightening me.

Where is the video ?

 

[Davy G]

Where is the video ?

Go on YouTube and type in '100 degree fan jets in action'. Read all the comments and replies. ??

 

[spruce]

When I started I had a new first wash and the lady pointed out a vent on the upstairs bathroom window over the back door. It was black with dirt on the grill-fins. She asked me if I would mind cleaning it as it had never been done. I wouldn't have bothered if she hadn't asked. I gave it a thorough flush out with the fan jets. It made a very noticeable difference. She could see it and so could I. From then on I made sure to wash and flush the vents on every window on every house on the first wash every time I gain a new customer. It's incorporated into the swipes across the top frame on the maintenance washes so takes no real extra time or effort. That lady has been a solid and friendly customer for nearly seven years now.

I had a different customer ask me if I would do the undersides of the upstairs sills which were visibly filthy. I do them without fail on all the first washes now and periodically on subsequent maintenance washes to maintain the standard. I rarely take much more than 30 seconds on a standard window on a maintenance wash, vents and sill included. That's plenty quick enough for me.

That's my standard of professional service that I charge a good professional rate for.

Yes! Some people do look up from outside. I would. ??

Sometimes you do an extra little bit for your own 'advertising'. I have always said that our advertising board is each customer's house we clean.

Many years ago we were asked to just clean the front of a house opposite to a few we clean in the street. She has a rather large enclosed entrance porch. The garage door was absolutely minging and I asked if we should include a garage door clean. I was told to leave it.

So for a few years we just did as we were instructed and left the garage door. Then one day two elderly ladies were walking down the pavement who I've never seen before. They past by as we were cleaning the front of the house. One of both must have been a little hard of hearing as they were talking rather loudly to each other. I overheard the conversation as I was cleaning. The gist was, "that window cleaner works hard and does a lovely job. It's such a pity that that dirty garage door spoils his hard work."  

I cleaned the garage door that day. It took me a couple of minutes, and what a difference to the presentation of my advertising board. I do clean that door about once a year.

We started to clean a house for a single mom who works as a receptionist at a local school. TBH those windows hadn't been cleaned for years. I gave the front door some extra attention with a good clean of The Pink Stuff and even if I say so myself, it looked brand new. Just as I had finished our local postie rocks up, stops dead in her tracks and remarks"Wow" at what a difference we have made to the front door.