Great time to go self employed

[Gazz]

Typically in the window cleaning business they say that summer is the best time to go self employed due to the nice hot sun etc. I think us Scottish people tend to forget that we don't get good weather. 

Offically went full time on Monday. Been rained out the past few days with first cleans building up and more rain on its way. 

Now with them building up each day it's just becoming frustrating. I can't turn away customers as I'm desperate for work but being traditional with weather like this is just unsafe. I slid on one of the rungs for the first time on Monday. Nearly ended myself on my first Offical day lol.

Doing so many first cleans on one day is a hard bit of graft. Taking a hour to make the frames perfect. I'v started to tell the customers that the first clean Im just removing all the dirt and grime so that next time it'll be clean. Would this be a good way to work?

 

[ksp]

Typically in the window cleaning business they say that summer is the best time to go self employed due to the nice hot sun etc. I think us Scottish people tend to forget that we don't get good weather. 
 
Offically went full time on Monday. Been rained out the past few days with first cleans building up and more rain on its way. 
 
Now with them building up each day it's just becoming frustrating. I can't turn away customers as I'm desperate for work but being traditional with weather like this is just unsafe. I slid on one of the rungs for the first time on Monday. Nearly ended myself on my first Offical day lol.
 
Doing so many first cleans on one day is a hard bit of graft. Taking a hour to make the frames perfect. I'v started to tell the customers that the first clean Im just removing all the dirt and grime so that next time it'll be clean. Would this be a good way to work?

I've not had this issue as I've still got no way near enough work to go full-time. My thought ls would be though that you want to do as good a job as possible for your first clean as this will be the one that they really look at and gauge you as a business on. So I'd grit my teeth, work when you can and hope for better weather but be as thorough as possible with your first cleans. You don't want people to say that you do a half baked job.


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[Gazz]

I know where your coming from. I believe that's why people charge more for first time cleans. I just said to the customer,who was already happy with the work. That I just took away the hard dirt and grime. Obviously to them it looks great but to me it still needs some work. I hate being a perfectionist because I take far to long.

 

[Cookie]

Why not just bite the bullet, spend £300 to £400 on a pole, backpack & DI vessel & go WFP. Spray a bit of diluted virosol on the frames and you'll get them cleaned in no time.Over a few weeks you'll recoup the cost easily.

Also, you won't have the ladder H&S issues.

 

[Gazz]

I think waiting to gain a full run before I take the next step. It might be a Good option through as no one in my area does it so there ain't any negativity about it.

 

[stephohank]

Keep at it........I always say to first time customers " I do take longer on the first clean but if you keep me on I'm maintaining the sparkle".They seem to like that way of explaining it ......... as often as not they give me a tip as well .....

 

[Guest]

Persevere and in a couple of years you will be laughing!

 

[mike007]

Now when I get first clean I try to do them as last job of the day. I do not charge extra, seeing it as a investment (and getting the customers is the hard part of this game) and know it,s going to take longer than normal clean and use up more cloths etc.

Also remember first cleans are not a restoration of the window frames and sills.

I use my normal dish soap and cloths, scourers to make them look better. Later when they are regulars I will sort out little problems using specialised products to remove rubber smears etc.

 

[Skxawng]

when I first started and canvassed a street of filthy terraced in the next town along, i made the mistake of thinking I had to get the frames and sills perfect. I charged £4 a terraced but it took me about 45mins each and used up all my cloths too quickly. I didn't realise that the local rag men literally wouldn't have touched the frames or sills so even a quick wipe would be an improvement.

Got to find a balance between speed and quality

 

[mike007]

when I first started and canvassed a street of filthy terraced in the next town along, i made the mistake of thinking I had to get the frames and sills perfect. I charged £4 a terraced but it took me about 45mins each and used up all my cloths too quickly. I didn't realise that the local rag men literally wouldn't have touched the frames or sills so even a quick wipe would be an improvement.

Got to find a balance between speed and quality

Exactly, we clean not restore frames.

My norm after first clean is wipe frame with cloth if required, my focus is what they pay for...clean windows

 

[Doug]

Now when I get first clean I try to do them as last job of the day. I do not charge extra, seeing it as a investment (and getting the customers is the hard part of this game) and know it,s going to take longer than normal clean and use up more cloths etc.

Also remember first cleans are not a restoration of the window frames and sills.

I use my normal dish soap and cloths, scourers to make them look better. Later when they are regulars I will sort out little problems using specialised products to remove rubber smears etc.

I agree. Great attitude and integrity.

First cleans often can take me almost double the time of regular cleans but I generally charge the same and view it as an investment, do the best job that I can and it generally starts to build a great long term relationship with the customer. They can feel the care that has gone into their property.

 

[jgrayson11]

I use wfp and personally have no issues working in poor weather. My customers are long established and know that rain does NOT mean dirt, so I can work out in heavy rain and get a good job done without worrying about the clean going bad (we don't live in the 40's anymore!!)
Some people don't like to work in the rain, but when you can stand it and have a living to earn, I don't see there's much question. Ladder work is always dangerous in wet weather, and as mentioned above (even with little work) you could set up for wfp and take the initial hit financially, then expect to make it back quickly. Much less dangerous working from the ground, and work takes a fraction of the time.
I appreciate that traditional window cleaning most definitely still has its place, but in an area where the weather really dictates how you earn your living, I'd safely advise the wfp route.

Really hope you manage to get up and on your feet soon though, off days are typically pretty poor!!


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[Gazz]

I agree with you. Today I had a day off because of the pouring rain. I took a personal day off yesterday and now regret it instantly because that's two days in a row i'v been off.

I now know I need a waterfed pole. Not working because of the weather kills me. I know how unsafe it is climbing ladders in the rain and I'm thinking just eliminate that complete and go wfp.

When it's not raining I can just or even still wfp tops and squeegee bottoms.

Think I'll look at a gardiner backpack set up for the time being. I'm still working on of a car and have no van for expensive equipment.