Newbie exploring possibilities (Potential career change)

[Bongofish]

Wow @wgwindows thank you for the really great and encouraging post and I'm sorry to hear about your nan. I'm glad window cleaning has helped and it sounds like your business is really starting to progress and the time saved travelling for water I imagine is going to help massively. Reading posts like yours does give me the belief that starting up isn't an impossible task. Thank you and good luck with the growth, I'm sure with the current situation getting better It'll improve in no time. 

Another really helpful post @Bongofish, to be honest I have been thinking a van would be a smart choice and like you say I am really close to a spotless water filling station (less than 10 minutes) so in theory I could go with a a delivery only system and fill up with spotless to keep the system costs down. It's nice to hear from a fellow trucker as well as our positions with being unhappy with the hours and work life balance are very relatable.

To be honest like I said earlier I've been in my current job now only around a couple of months and I'm not really enjoying it so far. The hours are less than I've done in the past but honestly I'm rushing around like a blue arsed fly for 10 hours straight and I'm not particularly fond of working nights either. I feel like I'm working my **** off and working unsociable hours with no end in sight. I'm panning on giving it another month or so and seeing whether I start to enjoy it more when I'm a bit more settled. If I still don't like the job in a months time (3 months in) I think then window cleaning might be my way forward.

Edit: Is there ever a bad time of year to start up? Are people less likely to want a window cleaner in the wetter months or do you find it doesn't make much difference?

I was worried about the weather and the winter months but people have have me enough confidence on here that it still basically stays the same. At the moment because I only have 70 customers if it's raining I will move them about abit to keep everyone happy (even though us personally know the windows still get a good clean in the rain using wfp systems). However when all my days are full I'll just be going out and doing them all weathers except for really heavy rain or wind. 

I would guess now would be the best time to start by building up your customers in the better weather (well it's meant to be ?) , and then keeping them through the winter. 

I currently make about £900 a month at this very point in time, but seriously I am working about 3 hours a day, if that some days. So hoping in another 6 weeks to be at least at £1500 a month for 5 hours a day Monday to Friday. 

When you first start (like everyone told me on here) don't underprice, I've done it just to get customers and there already a painful job now as I know I should be getting more for the houses but it's tempting to do it just to get the jobs (I still do it now on conservatory roofs and then when it comes to cleaning them I kick myself). 

I'm lucky enough to be in a position where I have put enough away to cover bills until January so I can fully concentrate on this business and my wife works. So this does make it easier for me I suppose. 

I couldn't recommend a Gardiner V3 backpack and a Gardiner clx pole anymore , for under £500 your WFP with some great gear, although I recently got a slx Gardiner pole and if you can afford it I believe it's worth it. 

Another massive thing that has gone down well with everyone of my customers is to give all the ground floor sills a wipe down after a clean with a microfibre. It takes about 4 minutes to do all the house and I've got about 8 customers through reccomandations just by doing this. I really don't know why other window cleaners in my area don't as I get so much praise for doing it and it's no effort. (10 microfibres on Amazon are £10, buy 3 oackas and your good for a week, and at the end of week through them all in washer and start again). 

Please remember this is a physical job and at 34 and physically fit It can make your shoulders and arms ache for them awkward windows. And you have to enjoy working outside. 

By sounds of it you sound like me and to the point I got to in lorry driving and having a young family, now I know I won't miss any more school plays or I can be there when ever I'm needed to pick my child up or any emergency. 

If you do go into it, the biggest thing is, do a good job and you will see people messaging you everyday asking for quotes. I wish you all the best buddy ?

I'm still asking myself where the catch is ?

Bongofish

 

[Bongofish]

Sorry I'm ranting but one more thing. As good as spotless water locations are, mine was about 35 minutes away. And I used it about 8 times and the last time I went it was out of order which meant k had to cancel my customers that day and pushed me to get my own RO system set up.

Bongofish

 

[Deleted member 5762]

@Redrum you’re very welcome. If I can do it anyone can. I set up in about March a couple of years ago I think. Started to pick up customers ok from leaflets and a Facebook page. For me it’s a bit odd as you obviously get more customers in the warmer months - but not always. I actually picked up a few in January which I was really surprised at. The most frustrating new customers for me are at two times a year - late August, when you’ll find people are having parties etc (although maybe not this year obviously), and for a run of about two weeks before Christmas. Same thing - their windows are a state and they’ve got people coming over and think you’ll come the same day and clean their windows. Some of them are nice, so I’ll clean them if I’ve got time (the money is better in your pocket than theirs), and if they aren’t particularly nice (from the way they speak to you) I just say I’m fully booked. I don’t think it will matter when you start, but if you really want to do it don’t wait too long as hopefully you’ll get a few customers immediately in this weather. I also find that the customers I have that have smaller houses - bungalows, some terraces on housing estates etc, will happily accept you cleaning all year round and will usually give you a couple of quid extra at Christmas, they are far more reliable than those in bigger houses. I have two council estates near me and the people I clean for there are lovely and nearly always reliable customers. The posher houses are usually the ones that are a pain in the a*se.

If you can get a backpack and pole, and a bit of half decent traditional gear then get it. Take a few photos of you cleaning your own house, and set up a little Facebook page and then post them on there. You can do little targeted adverts to people in your area on there too and it’s very simple.

You can also get excellent flyers and business cards from a company called banana print. They’re very good prices and they come really quickly.

The most nervous thing is the actual starting. Once you get your first customer you won’t look back.

@Bongofish is right with sills. Sometimes I peg a tea towel over the brush head and give them a quick dry with it if I’ve had to use a lot of water and it’s dripping down a lot. Some customers appreciate the little touches.

PS, don’t blame you not liking night work - I’ve done it before and wouldn’t want to do it again.

 

[Davy G]

@Redrum you’re very welcome. If I can do it anyone can. I set up in about March a couple of years ago I think. Started to pick up customers ok from leaflets and a Facebook page. For me it’s a bit odd as you obviously get more customers in the warmer months - but not always. I actually picked up a few in January which I was really surprised at. The most frustrating new customers for me are at two times a year - late August, when you’ll find people are having parties etc (although maybe not this year obviously), and for a run of about two weeks before Christmas. Same thing - their windows are a state and they’ve got people coming over and think you’ll come the same day and clean their windows. Some of them are nice, so I’ll clean them if I’ve got time (the money is better in your pocket than theirs), and if they aren’t particularly nice (from the way they speak to you) I just say I’m fully booked. I don’t think it will matter when you start, but if you really want to do it don’t wait too long as hopefully you’ll get a few customers immediately in this weather. I also find that the customers I have that have smaller houses - bungalows, some terraces on housing estates etc, will happily accept you cleaning all year round and will usually give you a couple of quid extra at Christmas, they are far more reliable than those in bigger houses. I have two council estates near me and the people I clean for there are lovely and nearly always reliable customers. The posher houses are usually the ones that are a pain in the a*se.

If you can get a backpack and pole, and a bit of half decent traditional gear then get it. Take a few photos of you cleaning your own house, and set up a little Facebook page and then post them on there. You can do little targeted adverts to people in your area on there too and it’s very simple.

You can also get excellent flyers and business cards from a company called banana print. They’re very good prices and they come really quickly.

The most nervous thing is the actual starting. Once you get your first customer you won’t look back.

@Bongofish is right with sills. Sometimes I peg a tea towel over the brush head and give them a quick dry with it if I’ve had to use a lot of water and it’s dripping down a lot. Some customers appreciate the little touches.

PS, don’t blame you not liking night work - I’ve done it before and wouldn’t want to do it again.

I'm sorry but the necessity to take a cloth to sills after a wash with a pure water pole and brush is an indicator of a less than professional and efficient standard of technique, no matter what the customer might think and how impressed they are. It totally defeats the object of absolutely no reusing of water. Nothing but pure water should be used from start to finish.

Wipe one sill with a cloth and then another and another with the same cloth = transfer of dirt from sill to sill and a wet cloth in your hand. Consider the unnecessary, long term risk of arthritis and rheumatism, and the unnecessary discomfort of cold wet hands in the winter. Or, use a fresh cloth for each sill and it would be beyond ridiculous. It defeats the object of what wfp is designed for.

I finish with the sill (using brush and pole only). I wash out the expansion joint between the frame and sill (inverting the pole if necessary to get the bristles deeper into the crevice). Then, when I finish washing the sill, I simply swipe a few times across the sill, mostly with the water still on.

If I feel it might be better, I sometimes switch off the water before I do the final swipes. This will remove all the standing water and leave the sills damp. However, no matter how much water is removed from the sill, water will be draining on it from the rest of the window, so the sill will be wet again in a couple of minutes anyway. 

Now, consider the time and effort wasted : Two to four minutes for a three bed semi for instance. We do probably fifteen to thirty houses a day. Let's say twenty @ 2 minutes = 40 minutes a day wasted wiping sills with a cloth. In that time we would have 4 houses done, £60 earned as a two man team. Now, do the sums for a week, month and year.

I know it's tempting to go the extra when starting out but if you then try to change you risk upsetting the customers.

My message is, start efficiently. It's our business. The customers might like us to blade off the glass as well. Some like to be in charge and think they can have the help running about. Ain't happening in my case.

This is quite a long post but it's important that folk think it through properly from the beginning. Rather than make business mistakes that may reduce their potential efficiency and income. I felt it only right to tell it as it is. Whether any notice is taken is up to the individual. ?

 

[Bongofish]

I'm sorry but the necessity to take a cloth to sills after a wash with a pure water pole and brush is an indicator of a less than professional and efficient standard of technique, no matter what the customer might think and how impressed they are. It totally defeats the object of absolutely no reusing of water. Nothing but pure water should be used from start to finish.

Wipe one sill with a cloth and then another and another with the same cloth = transfer of dirt from sill to sill and a wet cloth in your hand. Consider the unnecessary, long term risk of arthritis and rheumatism, and the unnecessary discomfort of cold wet hands in the winter. Or, use a fresh cloth for each sill and it would be beyond ridiculous. It defeats the object of what wfp is designed for.

I finish with the sill (using brush and pole only). I wash out the expansion joint between the frame and sill (inverting the pole if necessary to get the bristles deeper into the crevice). Then, when I finish washing the sill, I simply swipe a few times across the sill, mostly with the water still on.

If I feel it might be better, I sometimes switch off the water before I do the final swipes. This will remove all the standing water and leave the sills damp. However, no matter how much water is removed from the sill, water will be draining on it from the rest of the window, so the sill will be wet again in a couple of minutes anyway. 

Now, consider the time and effort wasted : Two to four minutes for a three bed semi for instance. We do probably fifteen to thirty houses a day. Let's say twenty @ 2 minutes = 40 minutes a day wasted wiping sills with a cloth. In that time we would have 4 houses done, £60 earned as a two man team. Now, do the sums for a week, month and year.

I know it's tempting to go the extra when starting out but if you then try to change you risk upsetting the customers.

My message is, start efficiently. It's our business. The customers might like us to blade off the glass as well. Some like to be in charge and think they can have the help running about. Ain't happening in my case.

This is quite a long post but it's important that folk think it through properly from the beginning. Rather than make business mistakes that may reduce their potential efficiency and income. I felt it only right to tell it as it is. Whether any notice is taken is up to the individual. ?

You have given me lots of great advice through this forum. But I couldn't disagree more. I do the full house and by the time the full house is done and I've packed up the windows are stopped running (mostly). Then get a microfibre and go round the sills on the bottom floor and you leave it looking great. 

As much as I clean the sills with the wfp the water constantly shoots out muck from under the frames, so I either use alot of water each sill to make it run crystal clear so I rub them with the brush 3 times and get most the muck out and then wipe down with a microfibre to leave window sills looking spotless, or I would be there all day. 

If I was to try and get the sills cleab on every window with just the wfp on every window I would be there all day on 1 house. 

Also if the customer is happy surely that's the end goal?

As a new starter I envy you lads with the secure good paying rounds, but as a new starter loosing 2-4 minutes a clean to gain another £20-40 worth in houses through recommendations is worth it for me. 

Bongofish

 

[Deleted member 5762]

I'm sorry but the necessity to take a cloth to sills after a wash with a pure water pole and brush is an indicator of a less than professional and efficient standard of technique, no matter what the customer might think and how impressed they are. It totally defeats the object of absolutely no reusing of water. Nothing but pure water should be used from start to finish.

Wipe one sill with a cloth and then another and another with the same cloth = transfer of dirt from sill to sill and a wet cloth in your hand. Consider the unnecessary, long term risk of arthritis and rheumatism, and the unnecessary discomfort of cold wet hands in the winter. Or, use a fresh cloth for each sill and it would be beyond ridiculous. It defeats the object of what wfp is designed for.

I finish with the sill (using brush and pole only). I wash out the expansion joint between the frame and sill (inverting the pole if necessary to get the bristles deeper into the crevice). Then, when I finish washing the sill, I simply swipe a few times across the sill, mostly with the water still on.

If I feel it might be better, I sometimes switch off the water before I do the final swipes. This will remove all the standing water and leave the sills damp. However, no matter how much water is removed from the sill, water will be draining on it from the rest of the window, so the sill will be wet again in a couple of minutes anyway. 

Now, consider the time and effort wasted : Two to four minutes for a three bed semi for instance. We do probably fifteen to thirty houses a day. Let's say twenty @ 2 minutes = 40 minutes a day wasted wiping sills with a cloth. In that time we would have 4 houses done, £60 earned as a two man team. Now, do the sums for a week, month and year.

I know it's tempting to go the extra when starting out but if you then try to change you risk upsetting the customers.

My message is, start efficiently. It's our business. The customers might like us to blade off the glass as well. Some like to be in charge and think they can have the help running about. Ain't happening in my case.

This is quite a long post but it's important that folk think it through properly from the beginning. Rather than make business mistakes that may reduce their potential efficiency and income. I felt it only right to tell it as it is. Whether any notice is taken is up to the individual. ?

@Davy G I didn’t say I did all sills like this. I have a couple of small terraced houses where there is only one upstairs window. The sills   stick out a bit and water pours off and for some reason keeps dripping for ages. I don’t have time to wait for it to stop as it takes ages, so before cleaning the downstairs window I peg a cloth on the brush head and run it across the sill. I wouldn’t do it at every house as there’s no need. Some houses though need a bit more of a finishing touch and if it’s a good customer it shows a bit extra care.

 

[Davy G]

You have given me lots of great advice through this forum. But I couldn't disagree more. I do the full house and by the time the full house is done and I've packed up the windows are stopped running (mostly). Then get a microfibre and go round the sills on the bottom floor and you leave it looking great. 

As much as I clean the sills with the wfp the water constantly shoots out muck from under the frames, so I either use alot of water each sill to make it run crystal clear or I rub them with the brush 3 times and get most the muck out and then wipe down with a microfibre to leave window sills looking spotless. 

If I was to try and get the sills cleab on every window with just the wfp on every window I would be there all day on 1 house. 

Also if the customer is happy surely that's the end goal?

As a new starter I envy you lads with the secure good paying rounds, but as a new starter loosing 2-4 minutes a clean to gain another £20-40 worth in houses is worth it for me. 

Bongofish

That’s fine mate. And entirely up to you. We now do around six hundred houses at mostly six weekly turnaround. We use the methods I described and very rarely get a complaint. We're usually on the way home by three o'clock with over twenty jobs done. Our windows will stand up to any inspection, including the expansion joints. No horrible black line of gunge between frames and sills.   I used to wipe the sills when I started. I phoned Varitech to ask if it was necessary. The answer I got was " Absolutely no need, it totally defeats the object of using purefied water". Having tried both ways, I totally agree with them. The time we saved allowing us to earn more money and get finished quicker.

Each to their own, of course. ?

 

[scottish cleaning service]

You do get alot of dirt coming from some type of sills where they join the window. On first cleans one is best to run a flat screwdriver along the joint to free up the dirt. If you try and clear it with the wfp then you will be there for some time. Once cleared then a maintenance clean is just wipe over. ?

 

[Davy G]

@Davy G I didn’t say I did all sills like this. I have a couple of small terraced houses where there is only one upstairs window. The sills   stick out a bit and water pours off and for some reason keeps dripping for ages. I don’t have time to wait for it to stop as it takes ages, so before cleaning the downstairs window I peg a cloth on the brush head and run it across the sill. I wouldn’t do it at every house as there’s no need.

I have the same thing on many upstairs sills, I'm fairly sure we all do. I simply turn off the water and give it a couple of quick, side to side swipes with the brush to flick the water away. Job done, stride away to the next window. Get the job completed and move on. ?

 

[Chris34]

I wipe down all of my ground floor sills with a microfibre after I've finished and also door handles, the silver ones you get on double doors.  It does definitely take a lot of time but there is a difference, it also cleans the expansion joints to perfection.

The thing is though I probably charge a lot higher than most, in return for the higher price I try and give a better service.

It's a tricky one though, on the one hand you have to give a good service and do the best you can but on the other hand you have to draw the line somewhere, at what point are you entering the restoration type clean?

I recently changed to a flocked brush and the sills are coming up that bit cleaner, not as clean as a microfibre though.  It's a tricky one but it's not something I've thought about since I started.  I'll probably have another look into it.  I spend at least 5 minutes wiping down, probably 10 on some of the big houses with conservatories.

 

[steve garwood]

I wipe down all of my ground floor sills with a microfibre after I've finished and also door handles, the silver ones you get on double doors.  It does definitely take a lot of time but there is a difference, it also cleans the expansion joints to perfection.

The thing is though I probably charge a lot higher than most, in return for the higher price I try and give a better service.

It's a tricky one though, on the one hand you have to give a good service and do the best you can but on the other hand you have to draw the line somewhere, at what point are you entering the restoration type clean?

I recently changed to a flocked brush and the sills are coming up that bit cleaner, not as clean as a microfibre though.  It's a tricky one but it's not something I've thought about since I started.  I'll probably have another look into it.  I spend at least 5 minutes wiping down, probably 10 on some of the big houses with conservatories.

If you ask all the experienced and successful guys on here, including myself, I bet hardly any spend time faffing about with a microfibre on sills.

That should tell you something. Clean them correctly with a brush, no cloths needed ??‍?

 

[Iron Giant]

I wipe the odd sill and around door front frames and letterboxes at times but not every job, I used to years ago but there simply isn't any point if the sills are cleaned properly I recently bought Muc-Off Claw Brush to give it a go as I have a fair few houses surrounded by trees so it makes it easier to get all the regular debris out after a spell of bad weather it also works really well on first clean bay windows that have a lot of dirt trapped between the lower part of frame and sill it gets everything out without using as much water and also saves fair bit of time. 

 

[scottish cleaning service]

Best thing I have done is carry a small sponge and pink stuff with me. If I see any black marks on my customers pvc doors then I remove them. They all ask me how I can get their front doors so clean with just water. ?

 

[Chris34]

Best thing I have done is carry a small sponge and pink stuff with me. If I see any black marks on my customers pvc doors then I remove them. They all ask me how I can get their front doors so clean with just water. ?

I sometimes use it for yellow spots on sills or if the sills are starting to lose that brilliant white look, but I don't use it all the time as that really is starting to get into a restoration clean.  

I tend to use it on first cleans to create a good impression, it's good stuff and you only need a trace of it to work.  I got a tub a year ago and I've only used half, got another brand new tub waiting to be opened.  Not bad really, less than £1 per year costs, lol probably 50p per year.  

There does come a point though where you have to think of yourself instead of killing yourself to get the results as good as possible.  It's where you draw that line.  I tell my customers that I will remove the odd mark but to do the whole lot is a lot more involved and would require a full on restoration clean.  I suppose it's about setting the customers expectations.  I'll be having a look into the sills though.

 

[Davy G]

Best thing I have done is carry a small sponge and pink stuff with me. If I see any black marks on my customers pvc doors then I remove them. They all ask me how I can get their front doors so clean with just water. ?

If I get a question about the black marks, depending on the customer if it's someone I really like, on very rare occasions I'll get the magic sponge and give it a squirt of my soapmix from a bottle and sort it. I don't do it as a matter of course.

if it's one of the very few that I don't like. I tell them to get a magic sponge in the supermarket. I don't tell them I have some in the van.

They are part of my kit for the very rare occasions when I decide to use them.

My work day is based around fast, top quality work. Get paid move on. As I read on someone's post on another forum a day or two ago "it's almost a military operation". I aim to keep a stride, almost working on automatic. Not breaking that stride allows us to get more jobs done and/or finish earlier.

Hence, I'm sat at home on a Friday in my Homer Simpsons (tatty old boxer shorts ) having had a nice lie-in and two cups of tea in bed. Reason : son and I had a short week because most jobs went like clockwork. We were home finished our week's work by 3 yesterday.

Like a few on here I've worked the 15 hour days lorry driving for a pittance. I've also worked long, cold winters on pipelines and utilities. I remember one year about 1990. When a buddy I was sharing a house with said to me at the end of it. "Dave, do you realise you haven't seen your house in daylight all winter. I was working two jobs.

Quality, efficiency, speed. In that order. That's my mantra.

Any advice I give is with the best of intentions, to help others up the ladder and hopefully improve their prosperity and lifestyle.

 

[Suhrly]

Since I switched to WFP, I stopped using 2 things....ladders and cloths ? I make sure I spend the time clearing out all that **** between the frame and sills on the first clean. It's worth it. Do that and you won't need to use cloths at all.

Only time I do use a cloth is when I'm reeling in to clean off the hose as it's spooling on.

 

[Iron Giant]

Since I switched to WFP, I stopped using 2 things....ladders and cloths ? I make sure I spend the time clearing out all that **** between the frame and sills on the first clean. It's worth it. Do that and you won't need to use cloths at all.

Only time I do use a cloth is when I'm reeling in to clean off the hose as it's spooling on.

I have always continued with a trad pouch I always need to carry a cloth to wipe pole hose in between houses/jobs rather than getting dirt and grit inside the pole. 

 

[Davy G]

Since I switched to WFP, I stopped using 2 things....ladders and cloths ? I make sure I spend the time clearing out all that **** between the frame and sills on the first clean. It's worth it. Do that and you won't need to use cloths at all.

Only time I do use a cloth is when I'm reeling in to clean off the hose as it's spooling on.

Exactly that, Suhrly. Though I don't even use a cloth for the hose, ever! I don't want a wet, smelly cloth in the van. I carry a few as part of the equipment but can't remember the last time I used one or what I used it for. For grit on the hose I just circle the hose loosely with my thumb and forefinger while I reel in and wipe my hand on my trousers after. Charming, I know.

We can only imagine what germs are on the hose and then transferred to my hand and clothes but that goes with the job. The same germs will be festering on a cloth as well. I wash my hands a few times a day using water from the brush. By not using a cloth I don't run the risk of a false sense of security. I can't possibly forget my hands are full of germs from : dogs, cats, foxes. They can't not be.

It's good that we all have our own ways of doing things. ??

 

[steve garwood]

I have always continued with a trad pouch I always need to carry a cloth to wipe pole hose in between houses/jobs rather than getting dirt and grit inside the pole. 

I wear a builders belt. Loads of pockets for different things including my radio ?.

Pub time. Have a great weekend fellow windies ??‍?

 

[Davy G]

I wear a builders belt. Loads of pockets for different things including my radio ?.

Pub time. Have a great weekend fellow windies ??‍?

Enjoy! You've had to wait long enough. ?

 

[Iron Giant]

I wear a builders belt. Loads of pockets for different things including my radio ?.

Do you look like this