It feels so fresh

[Iron Giant]

@dmw A 500ltr tank isn't needed its far to much for one guy maybe when converting the round and using more water on first cleans yes but longterm not really needed, I have been wfp for over 9 years and my 400ltr tank is very rarely emptied and considering getting a smaller tank in the future. 

@Gazz Subbing out work is a good idea if you can trust the other guy to do a quality job, I passed on the odd job over the years to a lad I thought was spot on but later found out the clients weren't to impressed with him, Thankfully I never lost any of them as window cleaning jobs as they were clients that had been with me over 10 years.

 

[Green Pro Clean Ltd]

I will pass them on to about the only chap (counterpart) I know that will do them right and I will take 10% for the privillage. 

As for hiring someone to do the add ons for you if you think finding the right emoloyee for cleaning windows is hard enough then try finding one that isnt going to put his foot through the clients roof whilst spraying hazardous chemicals all over the prize rose garden. 

 

[Green Pro Clean Ltd]

@Iron Giant I always advise the largest tank your van can comfortably handle.  

Just cause you got a 500 does not mean you need to use 500 in a day.  Perhaps it will last 2 or 3 days. 

However when you do land that one large contract (in my case it's a group of schools) you'll be glad you had the extra. 

One of the schools we do takes us 1500 liters and I have considered building a trailer with water butt to cover the job but as it is just a 30 min round trip to refill my 500 I aint bothering for now. 

 

[Green Pro Clean Ltd]

And moving back on topic. When we were just windows we had constant steady growth.  When we are busy effing about with add ons the windows just stagnate. 

 

[Iron Giant]

All add ons I book in I let them know potentially they will have to wait weeks as my regular window cleaning jobs take priority over everything else, If they decide to change their mind upon been told this i am not bothered I lost one the other the day because I told them I couldn't turn up within the next 24hrs or so.

 

[Green Pro Clean Ltd]

Also planning on truly simplifying the round.  Anything higher than this.  PASS. 

Not going to be rushing out looking fir expensive long poles just cause that one client wants a 4th story council flat cleaned. 

It is all about streamlining.  Banging out houses like this is so simple that you could do it blindfolded.  

After some thought I just dont see why we always make work so hard for ourselves. 

 

[adamangler]

View attachment 11066View attachment 11067

Also planning on truly simplifying the round.  Anything higher than this.  PASS. 

Not going to be rushing out looking fir expensive long poles just cause that one client wants a 4th story council flat cleaned. 

It is all about streamlining.  Banging out houses like this is so simple that you could do it blindfolded.  

After some thought I just dont see why we always make work so hard for ourselves. 

I've only had a 22ft pole since I started and perhaps come across a handful at most that I couldn't reach so never bothered to invest in a longer pole. And since I'm not interested in commercial I don't see myself doing so. Unless perhaps a large commercial just drops on my lap then I might change my tune. 

I have one house on my round I have to stand in the customers bench to reach a top window lol and one more where I have to stretch and do a slight bounce but that's in.

Ideally I suppose a 25ft and an 18 would be the ideal solution. 

 

[Iron Giant]

Nah just buy a section to add on as and when needed.

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[dmw]

[mention=3988]dmw[/mention] A 500ltr tank isn't needed its far to much for one guy maybe when converting the round and using more water on first cleans yes but longterm not really needed, I have been wfp for over 9 years and my 400ltr tank is very rarely emptied and considering getting a smaller tank in the future. 

[mention=5128]Gazz[/mention] Subbing out work is a good idea if you can trust the other guy to do a quality job, I passed on the odd job over the years to a lad I thought was spot on but later found out the clients weren't to impressed with him, Thankfully I never lost any of them as window cleaning jobs as they were clients that had been with me over 10 years.

I'll use it on my commercial work, and sometimes if I decide to do a long day for on

domestics it'll use most. And I don't have to fill up as frequently, it just gives more

flexibility really.

 

[adamangler]

Nah just buy a section to add on as and when needed.

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Yeh could do. Suppose it depends how many times you would need that extra section. 

With a 22ft it reaches 99% of my work. An 18 would probably reach 80% of my work so would need an extra pole rather than faff about a few times a day

 

[peter rogers]

Yeh you could do but if you are going to do that then why not just take on more window work instead to fill the extra hours?

Plus I don't want to work 12 hour days everyday got better things to be doing than working myself to the bone. Would rather stick to sensible hours and have some energy to live life. 

cause  the odd jobs u choose to do and get u will be charging a  handsome fee  lol   

 

[peter rogers]

@dmw A 500ltr tank isn't needed its far to much for one guy maybe when converting the round and using more water on first cleans yes but longterm not really needed, I have been wfp for over 9 years and my 400ltr tank is very rarely emptied and considering getting a smaller tank in the future. 

@Gazz Subbing out work is a good idea if you can trust the other guy to do a quality job, I passed on the odd job over the years to a lad I thought was spot on but later found out the clients weren't to impressed with him, Thankfully I never lost any of them as window cleaning jobs as they were clients that had been with me over 10 years.

 i have a 250 tank in the van i use  and i would refill 3 times a day

big van has a cube    for 2 people lol and it gets near emptied daily

 

[Markyboy 50]

Greens hit the nail on the head again. Not often I agree with him but this time I do. As I said last time, seems I've been doing it right for 35plus years. Never do add ons. To lazy. Do my windows. Go home. No hassle. No out lay. 

 

[Iron Giant]

Yeh could do. Suppose it depends how many times you would need that extra section. 

With a 22ft it reaches 99% of my work. An 18 would probably reach 80% of my work so would need an extra pole rather than faff about a few times a day

It ain't that much faff I use a 22ft pole as my everyday pole been a shortie and having my own modded tubeless set up, Then just add the extra section for townhouses when needed but at times I have more than 10 to do in one go. 

 

[Roccos Grandad]

I've only been a window cleaner for 10 years now but I been in business for a long time, used to sell nails to Noah.
 
As the business has grown so has the work load, inevitable I know, nothing you can do that's just a fact of growth. 
 
But why has it grown?  Well obviously cause we acquired more customers but also because those customers then started saying 'could you just clean the patio? could you just clean the roof?' and so on.  Soon enough we found ourselves acquiring more equipment, pressure washers, softwashers and so on but also the loads of consumables that goes with it, chemicals, sand, sealants and on and on it goes. 
 
Now sure it's nice to pick up a £1000 driveway clean but lets look at it like this. (Based on 100sqm) 
Driveway cleaner -- £100
Sand -- £30
Sealer £400
Not even counting the cost of the pressure washer and fuel etc so let's call it an even £500 for the sake of debate.  
Half a day to clean it and another half a day to sand and seal....  now that's assuming the weather holds long enough to seal a drive in this country.  
So by the time all is said and done about 2 days is what you will have invested.  
Still not too bad I hear you think £250 per day profit.  And it is. 
 
Here's the kicker, how often will that client want the drive doing?  Once every 3 - 5 years typically 
Now if you had spent that 2 days dropping leaflets, chatting in the street and knocking a few doors you could easily have drummed up £300 per month in good regular window cleans.  No heavy expenses such as sealants etc..  And whilst you would have to put in a day a month to get there at the end of the year that's £3600 you're up.  And the next year and then next.  How does that measley £500 look now?  
 
I have found (through experience) that the add ons can be toxic -- you get a taste of a £1000 job and net thing you are pushing them, chasing them laying awake at night wondering how to get them.   The add ons we adopted over the past 5 years include pressure washing, softwashing, roof cleaning and commercial kitchen deep cleans.  We have several thousand pounds invested in all the gear to do these jobs but does cause stress.  
 
I made the decision at the beginning of this month to drop all add ons and get back to our roots -- Window cleaning.  
 
As of now we ONLY offer window cleaning, gutter cleaning and conservatory cleaning.  AND IT FEELS GOOD.  
 
No more hazardous chemicals, no more lining the pockets of sealant suppliers, no more ruined clothing, no more all equipment covered in shite all the time.  
 
Back to WFP system, some squeegees and some applicators and rock and roll.  
 
Sometimes when we add on much much more we end up with much much less. 
 
If I had spent the time I used to focus on add ons to building up the window rounds I would probably be at 4 - 5 vans by now so in a way I feel I have held myself back some what by doing the add ons but also feel it has been an invaluable learning curve to figure out what works for me. 
 
A reason many of us go add on route is sometimes window cleaning gets monotonous, in future when I am feeling that I will just take off for the week.  
 
So happy to be free of add ons.   
 

Excellent post.A lot of good comments from a man who has more experience in this game than most [emoji1303]


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[Guest]

How do you guys clean velux windows without a long pole?

 

[Gazz]

How do you guys clean velux windows without a long pole?

Without a pole. Only other way is clean them inside.

 

[Guest]

Sod that! Guess it depends on your work maybe. Bloody veluxs everywhere here.

 

[Dave B]

I do velux with wfp but i tell the customer i don't charge for it

Never get a brilliant finish due to the angle and not getting pressure on the brush as it just bends the pole when you try to put pressure on it

That way i also don't clean them every time if they look ok and the customer is still happy

Although i do add it into the price anyway lol

 

[adamangler]

I do velux with wfp but i tell the customer i don't charge for it

Never get a brilliant finish due to the angle and not getting pressure on the brush as it just bends the pole when you try to put pressure on it

That way i also don't clean them every time if they look ok and the customer is still happy

Although i do add it into the price anyway lol

thats true. certain ones can get baked on dirt like a conny roof. not much you can do with them in that case as like you say you cant get the pressure on.

some velux i clean i cant even see what im doing lol, its a best guess just feeling them with the brush head

 

[adamangler]

It ain't that much faff I use a 22ft pole as my everyday pole been a shortie and having my own modded tubeless set up, Then just add the extra section for townhouses when needed but at times I have more than 10 to do in one go. 

probably not, i only have a 22 and i can do all my work with it but theres 2 or 3 that require some special methods, like standing on a wall on bouncing on tip toes lol

a 25 would be better but they are heavier and not as compact, so in an ideal world i reckon an 18 and a 25 would be best combination, means i can have the lighter pole for the vast majority of my work and the longer pole will last years and be more comfortable to use on town houses.