Thinking Of Joining In.

[Mart1001]

Hi all...

New to the forum after signing up a couple of days ago.

After spending the passed 15 years or so as a ermm....house husband, I now need to get back into work as the kids are all grown up and I need to start paying my NI again. As the missus has a decent full time job she enjoys and the fact that I enjoy my free time, I was looking to try to find a part time job. I looked into mail order delivering but at 50p per parcel, I soon dropped that idea. I needed something that pays quite well but is also flexible and then it suddenly hit me.

I gained my first experience in window cleaning back in 1981 when I was about 14. I used to help a mate with his dad's round....basically, when I should have been in school. When I was 18 and without a job, I started a round with a mate...bought some ladders and a bucket, a couple of scrims and a cloth and off we went. We soon built up a decent round. A couple of months in, my mate gave up as he moved out of the area so, I continued on my own. I used to earn anything up to 20 quid a day which back in 85-86, wasn't bad at all, on average, £1.50 per house. I still have found memories of dragging my ladders over garages to get to the back of the house etc and how I loved working on my own, being one of those people that enjoys his own company aswell as being my own boss and if I didn't feel up to going out, I could give myself the day off although, I always caught up. I remember I used to often turn work away as I was a lazy bugger back then. Eventually though after about 18 months, I gave it all up as I found a fulltime job...god knows why as I hated working as a tyre sorter in a remould factory.

A few years later aged about 22 and unemployed again, I started a new round with another mate and surprisingly, got many of my old customers back. That lasted for about 6 months before I once again, found fulltime empoyment as a forklift truck driver.

And now here I am, 46 and considering doing it all again. Have to admit, my way of doing things were pretty old skool, damp scrim(well a Vileda cloth actually) and a duster to buff. I've never used a squeegee in my life although, after watching many youtube's, I feel I could catch on. So then I thought to myself 'I wonder if there's any forums for window cleaing?' and of course, I found this wonderful site. I've spent the passed few days browsing this particular section and reading many of it's threads.

So, that's my story so far. After clicking on a link from in this forum for the cleaning warehouse and realising it's just up the road from me(wolverhampton), I was gonna pop along tomorrow and take a look but, that's now on hold as I've broken a front spring on my Mondeo and so, I'm gonna be repairing that for the next fews days.

I have to admit, reading this forum has really given me a lot of enthusiasm, you lads seem to really enjoy your work and I'm really looking forward to getting out there myself and taking the same pride as you do in my new or 're-invented' career.

I have plenty more to add and many things I would like to ask but for now, I think I'd better shut up abit....I do tend to go on abit /emoticons/smile.png

Thanks for reading...

Mart.

 

[Dodger]

Welcome to the forum mate, I think you just answered a question that someone put to the forum recently. What is traditional /emoticons/biggrin.png

 

[All Round Cleaning]

We are all DOOMED so they say .

 

[CNS-southwest]

Hello and welcome.

I am a mondeo man also.....let me hazard a Guess. With a broken front spring.... Must have a mk3...likely a diesel (could be completely wrong lol)

My best advise with squeege is....practice at home /emoticons/smile.png

Good luck

Dave

 

[Gavin]

A very warm welcome. Congratulations on finding the love for window cleaning again. Their are many experienced members on here that will be very helpful in helping you get back to it. Feel free to post in the relevant areas with your questions.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Dodger]

I'll be fine I have romanian blood.

Well I might, I had a transfusion once.

 

[Mart1001]

Welcome to the forum mate' date='[b'] I think you just answered a question that someone put to the forum recently. What is traditional[/b] /emoticons/biggrin.png

Thanks Dodger. Yes, I have read that thread and to be honest, when I first started to think of starting up again, and after doing a little reseach, I was convinced that traditional did infact mean 'with cloths'. The squeegee was only really used for shop fronts when I first started up and I just haven't had any reason to keep up with how window cleaning has changed over the past 25 years.
I am amazed that using a water fed pole is now the way forward...or so it appears to be. I had no idea of this method until recently. I originally had intended to go full cloth again and tell my customers that I'm a traditional window cleaner but after looking into the trade and watching numerous vids, I realised I would be laughed at....aswell as the fact I'd be cutting my nose off to spite my face using such old fashioned and painfully slow techniques lol.

Mart

 

[mark m]

Welcome to the forum Mart

 

[Mart1001]

Hello and welcome. I am a mondeo man also.....let me hazard a Guess. With a broken front spring.... Must have a mk3...likely a diesel (could be completely wrong lol) My best advise with squeege is....practice at home /emoticons/smile.png Good luck Dave

Hi Dave.
Indeed, a Mk3(04) but 2.0L petrol. I did actually see a pic of your car in the photo section and I was gonna post to say 'nice car' but, thought I'd wait until introducing myself.

Yours is a diesel then I take it ? If not, then I hope you've had it 'deflapped' as the Duratec engine has a tendancy to eat itself.

Yes, I intend to practise loads on my own windows although, I'll have to watch my own window cleaner isn't about at the time as, he may give me funny looks /emoticons/tongue.png

Thanks for the welcome...

Mart.

 

[CNS-southwest]

Mart

Yes a diesel, thanks. Did hear about the de flap issue lol and all the others /emoticons/wacko.png

Have you got an estate or saloon?

Think I sort of wish I had the estate so I had more room, not that this lacks on space.....just could be a little longer for ladders etc.

Lol your windy is Gona find it a bit odd when he turns up and he glass is sparkling.

When do you plan on starting?

While you are practicing, might be worth getting everything organises.... Get a website, some flyers printed, maybe even a sign wiritten t shirt /emoticons/smile.png speak to dodger on here mate.....he is great for flyers, business cards, website

And he does not charge through the roof lol

 

[Mart1001]

Yes Dave, mine is the standard 5 door hatch.

I had originally thought...go canvassing, see if I can gather around 10 houses minimum and then, go and buy some ladders etc and start practising but, would I then rush out after a day of practising and then struggle to do a good job or....should I get the gear first, start practising and once I'm comfortable, then start canvassing.

I also think that perhaps aslong as I can squeegee a little bit and, aslong as I still take cloths, would I be ok then to start, knowing that if I'm struggling to with lines etc, I can at least mix between the two sort of thing.

One thing I would really like to ask on here is, how's this job on the old back ? Last time I window cleaned, I was very early 20's and around 11 stone. I'm now 46 and 14 stone at 6ft 2'. Over the years, I've sometimes struggled with a bad lower back although I've also learned ways to avoid it. I tend to struggle when I do jobs that require that slight lean forward for a period of time...for example, leaning forward over the engine bay of my car when doing jobs or, mowing the lawn, that's a real killer. Standing up straight, I'm normally ok and also, aslong as I'm not standing in the same position for too long again, like leaning over an engine.

Can anyone advise me on this, does anyone else suffer with a bad lower back ? This is my worry, I go and spend a small fortune on all my tools, get a few customers and then find that after the first few houses, I can't do the job /emoticons/unsure.png

Any advice on this would be appreciated lads.

Thanks again all, for the warm welcome...

Mart.

 

[Newbie123]

Welcome mart

 

[Dodger]

I'm almost 50 Mart and it don't affect my back doing trad, I can see wfp doing it a bit for a while till those muscles are accustomed to it though.

 

[CNS-southwest]

Mate I have the exact same back issues as you.

Doesn't matter what job we do it will always be there, sitting in an office is just as bad.....maybe its out dodgey mondeo seats lol.

Best advice is the more you move the better, at night when you get home stick one of these heat things you stick in microwave onto your back.

But you are going to very sore after the first few days/week, but as you get to then on of the month you'll notice how much better your back feels.

Always carry that voltarol stuff incase I do seize up a bit.

I would get the gear first mate. And practice, start by using downward strokes only and then after a day or so of getting used to that, then try the whole fanning thing.

If your only doing leaflets you'll need to chuck out a few thousand at least, I recommend door knocking too based on what others on here have said.

 

[Doo]

Welcome Mart, I'm 46 also just started full time window cleaning in Jan 2013 , I packed my 40 hr a week steady money but **** money job in at christmas holidays.

first month going ok got £150 laying out but not a problem just now, loving being my own boss & doing what I want, but if I don't do the work I get no money , but I love my hard work putting money in my pocket & not someone elses.

One thing that is busting my nut is tax & self assesments I know it's a long way off next jan but I'm concerened about it already as I have always been paye since I was 16 .

But I'm sure it will be fine, I'm doing a monthly income / outgoings balance sheet & I staple the receipts to it for the month not sure if it's the best way to do it but it's the way I will be doing it.

All the best mate.

Stephen

 

[Mart1001]

That makes me feel alot more comfortable about my upcoming venture lads....cheers and, if anyone else can add feedback(pardon the pun), that would be appreciated.

I feel abit daft but, I've actually been trying the sqeegee movements on my living room door with an imaginary squeegee in my hand lol. To sort of try to get the motion in my head.

As far as canvassing, I was gonna just knock a couple of doors and start off by asking if they could tell me whether they know if there's a regular windy that does the street as I don't want to be stepping on other's toes plus, from my experience, if there's no windy in the area then, you'll of course pick up plenty of work. I actually popped into a local shop last friday which was along my old route and I used to clean their front inside and out....I had to buy some batteries and while paying I asked 'do you know if there's a regular window cleaner along here mate?'. He(after a passge of mumbling), gave me the impression that there's a couple of lads that sometimes knock doors and clean windows on a one off basis....probably when they need abit of cash and the sun is high or something....so, maybe no regular windy along my old route from 23 years ago ?

The difference between then and now, I wasn't driving back then and so now, I can drive around and try to catch some bloke mowing his lawn or something and put the same 'is there a windy along here' question to him.

Something else I've been wondering lads and something I haven't seen much of if any, discussion....your water supplies. When I used cloth and bucket, I would just ask my first customer of the day if they could spare some hot water with a splash of fairy. I obviously used to have my preferred houses for this and the same throughout the day when I would need a refill. Of course, back then, we used to ring our scrims out into the bucket before each window and it soon got dirty. Do you guys work with cold water now cause that would have been a no no back then ?

What about the start of the day, I was thinking of maybe buying some sort of container that I can fill in the morning and throw in the boot of my car, and then fill up my bucket before the first house.

Thanks for reading....

Mart.

 

[Doo]

I always use cold water with ecover & a little vinegar in as the lads on here suggested to me

Stephen

 

[Tuffers]

@Mart the cleaning warehouse sell 25L containers for about 6 quid mate, and they've got loads of Unger trad gear there. Don't go late on a Friday as they close early if memory serves.

 

[CNS-southwest]

http://bit.ly/VB2VuG

I have two of those mate

 

[Mart1001]

Thanks for the tips on the container lads. I was thinking along the right lines then.

My own windy came today and so I thought, 'ok I need to mention to him that I'm thinking of setting up'. He was really cool about it and I inviting him in for a coffee and a chat. He's been doing it 30 years now...he's currently 63 but certainly doesn't look it. I remember him doing it long before I first started 25 years ago. He made it clear he isn't keen on WFP lol. He was telling me that he's only ever had one serious accident on ladders and that was when they broke on him :mellow: :shock

Not old ladders but, they had an airline crack. I find that incredible. He was thrown backwards, knocked out and suffered a broken arm which he still to this day can't straighten fully.

At first, he was saying the work's not available like it used to be and he wouldn't like to be starting up at the moment but, when I told him I was only looking at very part-time innitially, he said oh well you should be fine then. He also said he doesn't know of a windy along my old route so, that gives me encouragement. He asked 'so you'll be doing your own then' but I said 'nah don't worry about that for now and I'll see you next time but, if my windows are clean, it's just because I've been practising' /emoticons/wink.png

Does anyone else have their own windy or, is that just insane ?

Mart.

 

[shazzy692002]

HI Mart.

Welcome to the forum. Im the only female member (i think) I use wfp system, so i wont be any use to you.

But i hope and im sure you will find all your answers from this site.