Looking to start up, any advice appreciated :)

[stanley 2802]

Morning everyone! I am looking to start up on my own part time and think I would like to clean the traditional way rather than water fed poles. Really just looking for advice on a list of what kit I would need for this (and best brands if poss) I am moving to a new housing development in December this year where there are 400 new builds and as I have a FT job, this would really just be a little something extra to keep me fit and earn a little more. I'd only be looking for around 8 customers a week so hoping this would be achievable (after all that's only 2% of the estate right?!) Anyway, any advice you could give would be greatly appreciated

 

[ched999uk]

First piece of advice is make sure you have public liability insurance, as if say, you dropped a ladder on a car imagine the costs to you!!!!!
Second use the search box top right.
I assume you would like to have 8 regular customers so that's 8 x 4 or 6 (weekly) so 32 or 48 customers so closer to 10% of the estate.

In all seriousness window cleaning traditionally off ladders is dangerous, one slight slip and you could spend the rest of your life in a wheelchair. Is the risk worth the reward?

Traditional window cleaning might seem easy money but when you really look at it doing a full time job then fitting in 8 houses on a weekend is OK till you get a weekend of rain then you can't do your work that weekend!

 

[stanley 2802]

First piece of advice is make sure you have public liability insurance, as if say, you dropped a ladder on a car imagine the costs to you!!!!!
Second use the search box top right.
I assume you would like to have 8 regular customers so that's 8 x 4 or 6 (weekly) so 32 or 48 customers so closer to 10% of the estate.

In all seriousness window cleaning traditionally off ladders is dangerous, one slight slip and you could spend the rest of your life in a wheelchair. Is the risk worth the reward?

Traditional window cleaning might seem easy money but when you really look at it doing a full time job then fitting in 8 houses on a weekend is OK till you get a weekend of rain then you can't do your work that weekend!

Thanks for the reply ched999uk, and the advice Have looked into PL insurance already and will have a look at the search box now

 

[scottish cleaning service]

Watch plenty of Utube videos and buy a starter kit. I used an ettore handle and a liquidator blade when I was trading.

 

[P4dstar]

First piece of advice... Use the search function at the top of the site. Not because it bothers me, I find these posts keep the forum flowing. Because there are some nazi's on here who will be along shortly to tell you to use the search bar at the top ???

 

[spruce]

Morning everyone! I am looking to start up on my own part time and think I would like to clean the traditional way rather than water fed poles. Really just looking for advice on a list of what kit I would need for this (and best brands if poss) I am moving to a new housing development in December this year where there are 400 new builds and as I have a FT job, this would really just be a little something extra to keep me fit and earn a little more. I'd only be looking for around 8 customers a week so hoping this would be achievable (after all that's only 2% of the estate right?!) Anyway, any advice you could give would be greatly appreciated

Sorry to be a kill joy. My bit of advice is to really think about wanting to window clean in your spare time for a bit of extra cash. I not sure what they call a full time job these days but it could be 5 or 5 + 1/2 days a week. When you are tired after a week of working full time, going out to clean windows for a few hours needs a fair bit of motivation. Window cleaning will never be your main focus naturally. If the weather is bad on the day you have set aside for window cleaning, then you are already a week behind.

How do I know? I watched my son go through the same situation many years ago when he had a full time job and wanted to do window cleaning for a bit of extra pocket money. I ended up taking over his customers because he didn't do them.

 

[AndyD]

Morning everyone! I am looking to start up on my own part time and think I would like to clean the traditional way rather than water fed poles. Really just looking for advice on a list of what kit I would need for this (and best brands if poss) I am moving to a new housing development in December this year where there are 400 new builds and as I have a FT job, this would really just be a little something extra to keep me fit and earn a little more. I'd only be looking for around 8 customers a week so hoping this would be achievable (after all that's only 2% of the estate right?!) Anyway, any advice you could give would be greatly appreciated

The cleaning warehouse do an Unger Trad starter kit if you’re planning on doing it trad. You might as well get a back pack and a cheap pole if you’re only planning on doing a few a week, no chance of you falling off a ladder! You’ll also probably find that every man and his dog have already blitzed the new build estate you’re moving to.

 

[Jaygti]

Around here new build estates are canvassed heavily. It’s the only way to get compact work, apart from buying it?

 

[spruce]

Around here new build estates are canvassed heavily. It’s the only way to get compact work, apart from buying it?

We also found that new buyers are initially very enthusiastic about their new properties and having clean windows. But they soon realise that there isn't an endless money tree in the garden when the bills start to come through the door.

We have a newly built estate next to our old established estate. The new estate is full of families with 2 new/nearly new cars on the driveway. We canvassed another new estate some 10 to 12 years ago and got approx 50% of the business. Most ended up to be poor payers and within 6 months most had gone. We still do a small nucleus of those who remained and became good customers.

 

[scottish cleaning service]

The cleaning warehouse do an Unger Trad starter kit if you’re planning on doing it trad. You might as well get a back pack and a cheap pole if you’re only planning on doing a few a week, no chance of you falling off a ladder! You’ll also probably find that every man and his dog have already blitzed the new build estate you’re moving to.

If I was moving into an new estate I would want a sign written van. I would park it out on the road next to my house so everyone can see it.

 

[DS WC west midlands]

Morning everyone! I am looking to start up on my own part time and think I would like to clean the traditional way rather than water fed poles. Really just looking for advice on a list of what kit I would need for this (and best brands if poss) I am moving to a new housing development in December this year where there are 400 new builds and as I have a FT job, this would really just be a little something extra to keep me fit and earn a little more. I'd only be looking for around 8 customers a week so hoping this would be achievable (after all that's only 2% of the estate right?!) Anyway, any advice you could give would be greatly appreciated

Welcome to the club, once your in, your in for life, will you still be here by next year, time will tell... There are plenty of windows out there to clean, do yourself a solid if your doing trad, charge for it £20 minimum...

Mistake i made doing trad was to do it too cheap, set your self a goal of Five houses a day to start with that build from there...

Personally knowing what i know now i would not do trad again, it has it's place cleaning shops & indoors but it's time to put away old tools and become modern professionals...

If you want to make an actual income for yourself get a backpack & a pole there is a lot to learn early on and it will save you time and help you correct mistakes...

If i were you i might even turn back now and go get another job because there are millions of us doing this now... But either way GOOD LUCK

Oh and before i forget remember "he's just a window cleaner" Now smile put your cap on, crack on & hope to see you making a killing cleaning glass...

 

[Mx19]

If I was moving into an new estate I would want a sign written van. I would park it out on the road next to my house so everyone can see it.

A lot of new build estates won't let you have a van on the drive and those that do more often than not won't allow Signwriting... Just threw £1700 away finding that out in a recent purchase I just pulled out of!

 

[scottish cleaning service]

A lot of new build estates won't let you have a van on the drive and those that do more often than not won't allow Signwriting... Just threw £1700 away finding that out in a recent purchase I just pulled out of!

What about magnetic signs on a plain white van? Folk have got to earn a living and some need a van to do that.

 

[Mx19]

What about magnetic signs on a plain white van? Folk have got to earn a living and some need a van to do that.

The one I just pulled out of was no vans full stop, cars and motorcycles only

 

[scottish cleaning service]

The one I just pulled out of was no vans full stop, cars and motorcycles only

No campervans? crazy

 

[Mx19]

No campervans? crazy

Nope they stipulated no camper vans, caravans, or commercial vehicles... One of my customers manages another new build development, they allow vans but no Signwriting and if your van is sign written you have to have magnetic covers to hide it when parked up!!!

 

[DS WC west midlands]

What about magnetic signs on a plain white van? Folk have got to earn a living and some need a van to do that.

lost count of how many magnitic signs have been stolen off my old bagger... I mean yeah they can help, but Mr turf war bucket bob might take a dislike to you cleaning in "his street" LOL and when your back is turned those magnetic signs will go walkies It's never funy at the time, but looking back i just got sign written and if anyone said anything told them to jog on....

 

[spruce]

Guisborough is a small market town a few miles away from where we live. Over the years Lord Gisborough has sold off a large percentage of his land to build new housing estates. There is a stipulation that no vans, motorhomes or caravans are to be parked on the driveways. Vans must be parked outside on the street. This 'by-law' is totally ignored.

 

[scottish cleaning service]

Guisborough is a small market town a few miles away from where we live. Over the years Lord Gisborough has sold off a large percentage of his land to build new housing estates. There is a stipulation that no vans, motorhomes or caravans are to be parked on the driveways. Vans must be parked outside on the street. This 'by-law' is totally ignored.

That's what I thought, who is going to take you to court? All you do is move the van about on the street. If they take you to court and you tell the judge you need your van to make money and run your business I guess it would get thrown out. When everyone does it then it's hard to police.

 

[Mx19]

That's what I thought, who is going to take you to court? All you do is move the van about on the street. If they take you to court and you tell the judge you need your van to make money and run your business I guess it would get thrown out. When everyone does it then it's hard to police.

The problem with our place was the "residents committee" they were trying to enforce on neighbours for having satellite dishes in the wrong place!!!...

I believe that if you continuously break the rules in extreme cases your house is possible to be repossessed but on the larger estates if lots of people ignore it it's not worth the agro. also If someone breaks the "rule" and it goes uncontested for a certain period of time it becomes "spent" and unenforceable

 

[Pjj]

The problem with our place was the "residents committee" they were trying to enforce on neighbours for having satellite dishes in the wrong place!!!...

I believe that if you continuously break the rules in extreme cases your house is possible to be repossessed but on the larger estates if lots of people ignore it it's not worth the agro. also If someone breaks the "rule" and it goes uncontested for a certain period of time it becomes "spent" and unenforceable

Ware I live live it states no satellite dishes , and no commercial vehicles, motor homes, or caravans , but it’s never been enforced and think if it were to go to court it would be overturned, but I accept if I was buying a house and this was brought up I would certainly be looking closely at it through a solicitor and getting something in writing to cover myself before purchase .