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Newbie to the ranks

ECLM
WCF

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Made some further changes guys based on some of your advice - chomping at the bit now to get going.

  • Changed from an SLX 30 to an SLX 22 (configurable parts remain the same)
  • Changed from a Quick Loq gooseneck valve to a standard quick-loq gooseneck
  • Changed from a Quick -Loq brush socket swivel adapter to a Quick-loq swivel adapter
  • Added a Quick-Loq top arm gooseneck
  • Added a sill flocked sill brush with socket and 2mm pencil jet capsules
  • Removed the additional flow control valve
 
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albatross said:
Hi when you mention the 55k figure you quoted above is that excluding the second van's salary or is it all in your pocket?
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On your own thats if you reach a turn over of 75k Your never do it in a year its achievable in around 2.5 years, you will win work lose work, if your in a wealthy area its easier if your in a area of high unemployment its harder. If we have a hard winter like 10/11 over the winter I lost about 3/4 weeks work as I couldn't get out. When you start you cant expect the bigger money straight away.

We are in the middle of a pandemic and unemployment is going to get worse, your have to compete harder with especially the eastern European's who will work for peanuts just to bring money in so they don't have to go back home. A few years ago a load of poles about 5 of them worked out of a car with ladders and were doing houses for £5.00 in all fairness they didn't lasts long and never do, but you must be prepared for this sort of thing, I know I'm painting a black picture but this is what its like running your own business. Cash behind you first get your own work, start off slowly as your make mistakes and get a few call backs. When your confident of the standard of your work go and do a  health and safety courses and become a safe contractor or CHAS registered that way you be more attractive to the better commercial work which intern is higher money.               

. 

 
And that 75 grand a year turnover, won't be stable turnover for quite a few years, you will still have to keep replacing dross work.

Most of us that have been doing this job near on 20 years have the luxury of well established, compact rounds. 

I don't have to replace dross work now, it comes to me and I charge what I want to charge, or they can find someone else cheaper.. ?....Please...go and find someone cheaper.....I have enough work....

 
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Gardiner order arrived today, super happy.

Just need to wait until my gate number arrives from spotless water company then get practicing on my own property. 

 
Order arrived two days ago and I'm grateful to those who had advised a 22 rather than 30 pole.

So far results have been better than the guy who originally came out to clean my windows. It's made me realise how he hadnt properly washed down the frames and sills. Stuff I had no clue about when I was a custy ?

The only areas that I had noticed issues with was two of my window vents, the rest was fine. Typically marks down the window when dry. I am going to try and give them a good clean out on my next go. The other area was that I used far too much water. The missus gave me some feedback that I scrubbed longer and rinsed longer than our original window cleaner. Why she was watching him so much is a different subject lol...

Oddly I found trad style the most therapeutic. I am slowly getting my fan style to a comfortable level. I've also got my detailing down to a minimum after shorting the overlapping edges of rubber.

All in all I'm super happy right now, just need to continue practicing on my own home then sort my business insurance and launch.

 
Woody86 said:
Order arrived two days ago and I'm grateful to those who had advised a 22 rather than 30 pole.

So far results have been better than the guy who originally came out to clean my windows. It's made me realise how he hadnt properly washed down the frames and sills. Stuff I had no clue about when I was a custy ?

The only areas that I had noticed issues with was two of my window vents, the rest was fine. Typically marks down the window when dry. I am going to try and give them a good clean out on my next go. The other area was that I used far too much water. The missus gave me some feedback that I scrubbed longer and rinsed longer than our original window cleaner. Why she was watching him so much is a different subject lol...

Oddly I found trad style the most therapeutic. I am slowly getting my fan style to a comfortable level. I've also got my detailing down to a minimum after shorting the overlapping edges of rubber.

All in all I'm super happy right now, just need to continue practicing on my own home then sort my business insurance and launch.
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The marks from the vents are because you didn't get all the dirt out so some of the dirt remaining drained down after. There are two schools of thought. Some windys won't touch vents, others, myself included, wash them out thoroughly the first time, then quickly as part of the normal maintenance wash on subsequent visits. Don't be afraid of them. You'll easily see if water is getting into the house. You'll see it inside the window. In that case, ease off a little. It should only be a very small amount that will have got in. Big, full strokes are the best in general window cleaning. Not little short faffing strokes. Work from the top, across and down with the rinse.

It will come to you. ?

 
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Davy G said:
The marks from the vents are because you didn't get all the dirt out so some of the dirt remaining drained down after. There are two schools of thought. Some windys won't touch vents, others, myself included, wash them out thoroughly the first time, then quickly as part of the normal maintenance wash on subsequent visits. Don't be afraid of them. You'll easily see if water is getting into the house. You'll see it inside the window. In that case, ease off a little. It should only be a very small amount that will have got in. Big, full strokes are the best in general window cleaning. Not little short faffing strokes. Work from the top, across and down with the rinse.

It will come to you. ?
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Cheers buddy and good point on the big strokes. I was faffing a bit with short strokes.

Am I sad but I am actually looking forward to having another go at the windows this weekend. Suppose the novelty will wear off when I start doing custys.

 
e

Woody86 said:
Cheers buddy and good point on the big strokes. I was faffing a bit with short strokes.

Am I sad but I am actually looking forward to having another go at the windows this weekend. Suppose the novelty will wear off when I start doing custys.
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Haha! I've been doing it for over six years. It hasn't worn off with me. I find it interesting working out different ways of doing things to speed up the work and reduce the effort needed. And especially the fact the benefits are mine rather than someone else's.

 
Woody86 said:
Gardiner order arrived today, super happy.

Just need to wait until my gate number arrives from spotless water company then get practicing on my own property. 
Click to expand...
Can't wait to get my order in. Only another couple of weeks.  Got a few houses to practice on ,and a Conny to do(look at me with the windy chat??)

Good luck with your venture mate.

 
Woody86 said:
You too mate. Next big investment for me will be the van and system. What's the plan on your side?
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Get 1st of 3 payments of my redundancy at the end of the month.

Get out get a van. Order the 425L facelift system, hose reel etc.

Place orders with Gardeners, Exceed

Sort out PL and Van insurance. 

Sort out a Facebook page.

A few practice runs as I say. Then get out canvassing and dropping flyers.

Wow a bit more than I realized now its written down. 

 
Woody86 said:
Cheers buddy and good point on the big strokes. I was faffing a bit with short strokes.

Am I sad but I am actually looking forward to having another go at the windows this weekend. Suppose the novelty will wear off when I start doing custys.
Click to expand...
That one tip will double if not treble your speed of completing each window wash. BUT, make sure you nail down the quality first. Don't be in too much of a hurry to be fast at this stage. Not till you can walk away confidently knowing you left the windows superbly clean. The speed will come as your confidence grows and you start to relax into it.

 
Picked up my van earlier this week and super happy with the setup. I've got an ionic titan but I need some newbie help.

When turning on the pump from the controller I get water fed through the the pole, no problem. The issue is that there is also water coming out the waste? 

IMG_20201021_160949.jpg

16033009371773614524402072700420.jpg

 
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The pumps and DI pipework looks a little complex.

I would have expected the pure from RO to go to DI input then out of DI to tank. Unless the RO out (pure) goes straight to tank then pumps suck through DI to the tank then to reels?

Not sure I am seeing it correctly.

 
Thanks guys I think she's playing ball again now.

Long story short the van and the system has sat for 2 years doing nothing. I connected up the garden hose to fill her up, hit the fill button and let it do it's fill up. I suspect that the RO automatic flush had got itself into a hissy and thought it was still in fill mode and left the valve open?

When you guys fill up your system, is it common to have a constant waste stream of water coming out without any pauses?

 

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