Struggling to make end meet

[Iron Giant]

In comparison to other businesses it is very easy. Nothing is generally a doddle in life and window cleaning certainly isn't a doddle, but the start up costs are pretty much zero in business terms and you don't need any training. So in a business sense, I don't think there is a business out there that can rival the low entry costs, the speed of start-up / earning and the reliability of regular payments.

Not long after I first started my barber was asking me how it was going, my barber had been established for 20 years and had a loyal customer base... but still needed more customers. He said he would love to be able to go and knock doors and literally drag people out of their houses for a haircut, he said just waiting in an empty shop for customers to walk in... when you're window cleaning you go out and get the work in a variety of ways and do what it takes to make it work.

The best bit is that although it takes time to acquire customers, it's hard to lose them once you've got them if you're doing it right.

I wouldn't say the start up costs are zero more so for those wanting to start up and go wfp straight away and go all bells and whistles with a van as we know what van prices are like, no formal training is needed but like all jobs, they need training even if it's only practising to achieve the best results, yes some could start up and use their car that's how I started out with wfp when I converted from trad.

The not easy part also comes with getting those customers and getting a return on that investment and hard work that's been put in and unfortunately these days just like your barber sitting in an empty shop that's what's happening with newbies and they are "struggling to make ends meet"

 

[Chris34]

I wouldn't say the start up costs are zero more so for those wanting to start up and go wfp straight away and go all bells and whistles with a van as we know what van prices are like, no formal training is needed but like all jobs, they need training even if it's only practising to achieve the best results, yes some could start up and use their car that's how I started out with wfp when I converted from trad.

The not easy part also comes with getting those customers and getting a return on that investment and hard work that's been put in and unfortunately these days just like your barber sitting in an empty shop that's what's happening with newbies and they are "struggling to make ends meet"

I mean in business terms it's practically zero. For about £1k you can be up and running with no training and be very good with minimal practise. I can't think of any other business with such a low start up cost.

You can't teach self motivation, you either want it or you don't, if you don't put in the effort then it's the individual that has failed the business rather than the business failing the individual.

 

[ched999uk]

I mean in business terms it's practically zero. For about £1k you can be up and running with no training and be very good with minimal practise. I can't think of any other business with such a low start up cost.

You can't teach self motivation, you either want it or you don't, if you don't put in the effort then it's the individual that has failed the business rather than the business failing the individual.

Grass cutting, gardening, pressure washing (ok only budget machine), gutter clearing, handy man/woman, car valeting, household cleaner, ironing services, ebay/amazon selling, social media marketing, dog walking, pet sitting to name but a few.

 

[Iron Giant]

You can't teach self motivation, you either want it or you don't, if you don't put in the effort then it's the individual that has failed the business rather than the business failing the individual.

I'd agree to a point, but I've personally met and spoke to the author of this post he told me he has been on knocking doors and really pushing, now he told me the town he lived in and it's 17 miles away from me there are 2 established cleaners travelling into and gaining work in the town I cover so that goes to show their town is saturated with cleaners otherwise why would they do a 34 mile+ round trip into another town if they didn't have to,

Also the older estates unfortunately and the new builds are plagued by cheap cleaners who are happy making £150 a day when you're established you are able to compete with the likes of these idiots keeping prices low but as newbie, it must be much harder to do so as the knockback's on quotes will hit far harder on the journey to gain a solid customer base that will pay the bills

 

[Chris34]

I'd agree to a point, but I've personally met and spoke to the author of this post he told me he has been on knocking doors and really pushing, now he told me the town he lived in and it's 17 miles away from me there are 2 established cleaners travelling into and gaining work in the town I cover so that goes to show their town is saturated with cleaners otherwise why would they do a 34 mile+ round trip into another town if they didn't have to,

Also the older estates unfortunately and the new builds are plagued by cheap cleaners who are happy making £150 a day when you're established you are able to compete with the likes of these idiots keeping prices low but as newbie, it must be much harder to do so as the knockback's on quotes will hit far harder on the journey to gain a solid customer base that will pay the bills

Around where I am, I don't take on customers right on my doorstep as I don't want to bump into them when I'm out and about locally, customers are nice to chat to but I'm in work mode and generally keep it pleasant (try not to disagree), so from day 1 and decided not to take any customers locally so I can relax in my home town.

Anyway, I'm on a local group on facebook and it's very local. The town is serviced by at least 2 well established window cleaners and quite regularly on this group you get people who have just moved around here and ask who to use as a window cleaner. It's telling how these window cleaners are viewed in the eyes of the customers. Often you get many people saying either of these two window cleaners... but it's because it's all they know, they haven't really experienced any other window cleaners. But after about half a dozen recommendations, you then start to get people chipping in saying that they don't use either of them for one reason or another. Quite often it's because they don't do direct debit, but it's also because they use employees and want someone who 'does the actual job'.

So a town might appear to be well taken by 2 well established window cleaners... but there will be chinks in their armour where a new guy can offer a better service, a more personalised service, a more convenient service or a cheaper service. The last point should be looked as a last resort and only if it's feasible.

So what I would be looking at,

Is the other window cleaners offering direct debit? If not get on it, shout it from the roof tops that it's direct debit payment, people see this as a plus point to the service. No fiddling about trying to find cash or remembering to do a bank transfer.

Is the other window cleaners traditional? If yes then advertise how you do the frames and doors every visit with wfp, say you can do velux windows etc

Do the other window cleaners just turn up without a text the day before? Yes? if they do then get on it, tell them you text them the day before every clean

Do the other window cleaners offer conservatory roof cleaning, fascia / soffit cleaning? No, get on it.

Do the other window cleaners look smart, are they well groomed or are they just turning up in Nike trackies with a *** in their mouth? Get on it, look smart and professional, get sign written t-shirts, keep your hair cut, keep clean shaven.

Not got a van and working from a car? Just hide your car around the corner and walk up to the door to do your quote (that's what I did but with a battered tatty van)


If all else fails and you have exhausted every single possible tactic and method, then I'd look at moving out of the area to somewhere where you have more opportunities, but be warned, the so called high class, very affluent areas are the most cut throat as other window cleaners travel from a long way away to those areas believing there is money to be made when in reality there is probably more money on their own doorstep.

 

[Pjj]

Around where I am, I don't take on customers right on my doorstep as I don't want to bump into them when I'm out and about locally, customers are nice to chat to but I'm in work mode and generally keep it pleasant (try not to disagree), so from day 1 and decided not to take any customers locally so I can relax in my home town.

Anyway, I'm on a local group on facebook and it's very local. The town is serviced by at least 2 well established window cleaners and quite regularly on this group you get people who have just moved around here and ask who to use as a window cleaner. It's telling how these window cleaners are viewed in the eyes of the customers. Often you get many people saying either of these two window cleaners... but it's because it's all they know, they haven't really experienced any other window cleaners. But after about half a dozen recommendations, you then start to get people chipping in saying that they don't use either of them for one reason or another. Quite often it's because they don't do direct debit, but it's also because they use employees and want someone who 'does the actual job'.

So a town might appear to be well taken by 2 well established window cleaners... but there will be chinks in their armour where a new guy can offer a better service, a more personalised service, a more convenient service or a cheaper service. The last point should be looked as a last resort and only if it's feasible.

So what I would be looking at,

Is the other window cleaners offering direct debit? If not get on it, shout it from the roof tops that it's direct debit payment, people see this as a plus point to the service. No fiddling about trying to find cash or remembering to do a bank transfer.

Is the other window cleaners traditional? If yes then advertise how you do the frames and doors every visit with wfp, say you can do velux windows etc

Do the other window cleaners just turn up without a text the day before? Yes? if they do then get on it, tell them you text them the day before every clean

Do the other window cleaners offer conservatory roof cleaning, fascia / soffit cleaning? No, get on it.

Do the other window cleaners look smart, are they well groomed or are they just turning up in Nike trackies with a *** in their mouth? Get on it, look smart and professional, get sign written t-shirts, keep your hair cut, keep clean shaven.

Not got a van and working from a car? Just hide your car around the corner and walk up to the door to do your quote (that's what I did but with a battered tatty van)


If all else fails and you have exhausted every single possible tactic and method, then I'd look at moving out of the area to somewhere where you have more opportunities, but be warned, the so called high class, very affluent areas are the most cut throat as other window cleaners travel from a long way away to those areas believing there is money to be made when in reality there is probably more money on their own doorstep.

We have a road a few miles away from ware I am I have never bothered going down there to try and get work the cheapest house in the road is well over 3 million and I just guessed they all had window cleaners , anyway I got a phone call from one of theses houses so I go and take a look it had 15 sets of patio doors two sets per balcony ,and a few on the ground floor as well as 40 something windows of differing shapes and sizes some of witch were 8 feet high and 15 feet long , the owner starts by showing me round the property and then says that the previous window cleaner did a poor job and was unreliable, he charged them £25 ??? when I gave her my price I thought she was going to have a coronary ??? needless to say I didn’t get the job , sometimes it’s better money to do 3 bed semis than mansions

 

[Chris34]

Grass cutting, gardening, pressure washing (ok only budget machine), gutter clearing, handy man/woman, car valeting, household cleaner, ironing services, ebay/amazon selling, social media marketing, dog walking, pet sitting to name but a few.

Gardening requires more skill and probably higher start up costs
Pressure washing could be feasible but it's generally one off, window cleaning is regular.
Gutter clearing, unless you're willing to go up a ladder (I'm not) then the cost of a gutter vac is same start up cost as wfp.
Handy man / woman, again one off not regular and you need skills
Car valeting, yes that's probably the only rival to window cleaning in that it's low start up and good money and potentially regular
Household cleaner, definitely a no, been there done that got the t-shirt, expect to get £20 per hour tops and you're doing well if you get that
Ironing services, don't have experience of, couldn't really comment
Ebay / Amazon, been there got the t-shirt, much more expensive start up cost and very little in return for every £1k invested in stock.
Social media marketing, again skills required
Dog walking, yep, that's feasible although I don't know much about it
Pet sitting, limited earnings, you aren't going to get £20+ per hour

The bottom line is, window cleaning is a very easy business to set up and very easy to make a success of it compared to most businesses. The potential income from window cleaning is very very high compared to say pet sitting, gardening and many of the others you listed. The skills required are very easy to acquire. Window cleaning is a doddle in business terms, believe me, I've come from an Ebay business, it's a cinch in comparison, in business terms I'm not even trying with window cleaning. On Ebay I'd be on there night and day trying to make it succeed, with the window cleaning I deliver leaflets / knock doors when I can be bothered, on Ebay you don't have the luxury of sitting back, competition and pricing is changing by the day. It's exciting, but no money in it for 90%+ of the traders.

 

[Chris34]

We have a road a few miles away from ware I am I have never bothered going down there to try and get work the cheapest house in the road is well over 3 million and I just guessed they all had window cleaners , anyway I got a phone call from one of theses houses so I go and take a look it had 15 sets of patio doors two sets per balcony ,and a few on the ground floor as well as 40 something windows of differing shapes and sizes some of witch were 8 feet high and 15 feet long , the owner starts by showing me round the property and then says that the previous window cleaner did a poor job and was unreliable, he charged them £25 ??? when I gave her my price I thought she was going to have a coronary ??? needless to say I didn’t get the job , sometimes it’s better money to do 3 bed semis than mansions

It's weird isn't it, the richer you get the easier it is. People flock to you in droves so you end up getting the cheapest quotes. I had a big house that I only cleaned twice, the first time I was there the old window cleaner turned up and started cleaning the outside while I was inside cleaning the windows. I went outside and had to tell him I was now doing the job. Turned out he was doing it for £40 and I was doing it for £60 and even that I thought was a bit cheap but there were add ons that made it just about worthwhile.

Anyway third clean comes and customer says I'm too expensive and doesn't want to carry on ?‍ seriously, I can do three small houses for £20 each no sweat in less time than that big house. I don't know what is going through these window cleaners minds, it's a £1.5m house, they've just spent £100k+renovating it and you have window cleaners fighting over each other wanting to clean it for peanuts.

I just leave them to it... but I'll never understand it

In fact I've just remembered, couple of weeks ago I quoted a big house, not mansion but £500k+, they already had a window cleaner at £22 and were price shopping, says it all doesn't it. My price was £40. The windows looked fine, no problem with the work, just makes you wonder, how low are they trying to screw people? £15? £10? £5?

Sometimes when they're price shopping I just want to say £1 to see what their reaction is. Like to take the mick out of them, just say, 'yeah, all windows, glass frames, your doors, get a text the day before and direct debit payment, I'll even clean your sills with pvc cleaner' customer 'oh right, how much is it then?' me 'I'll do it for £1' bet they would still say they need to think about it

 

[swc1]

Good position to be in, hopefully I’ll get there one day ??

You will get there, but you got to put in the work. Remember no one knows you or what you do, so you need to position yourself in the market so everyone knows of you and what you do. Getting customers is easy once you find your path.

Hope this helps you somehow.

 

[AndyD]

Around where I am, I don't take on customers right on my doorstep as I don't want to bump into them when I'm out and about locally, customers are nice to chat to but I'm in work mode and generally keep it pleasant (try not to disagree), so from day 1 and decided not to take any customers locally so I can relax in my home town.

Anyway, I'm on a local group on facebook and it's very local. The town is serviced by at least 2 well established window cleaners and quite regularly on this group you get people who have just moved around here and ask who to use as a window cleaner. It's telling how these window cleaners are viewed in the eyes of the customers. Often you get many people saying either of these two window cleaners... but it's because it's all they know, they haven't really experienced any other window cleaners. But after about half a dozen recommendations, you then start to get people chipping in saying that they don't use either of them for one reason or another. Quite often it's because they don't do direct debit, but it's also because they use employees and want someone who 'does the actual job'.

So a town might appear to be well taken by 2 well established window cleaners... but there will be chinks in their armour where a new guy can offer a better service, a more personalised service, a more convenient service or a cheaper service. The last point should be looked as a last resort and only if it's feasible.

So what I would be looking at,

Is the other window cleaners offering direct debit? If not get on it, shout it from the roof tops that it's direct debit payment, people see this as a plus point to the service. No fiddling about trying to find cash or remembering to do a bank transfer.

Is the other window cleaners traditional? If yes then advertise how you do the frames and doors every visit with wfp, say you can do velux windows etc

Do the other window cleaners just turn up without a text the day before? Yes? if they do then get on it, tell them you text them the day before every clean

Do the other window cleaners offer conservatory roof cleaning, fascia / soffit cleaning? No, get on it.

Do the other window cleaners look smart, are they well groomed or are they just turning up in Nike trackies with a *** in their mouth? Get on it, look smart and professional, get sign written t-shirts, keep your hair cut, keep clean shaven.

Not got a van and working from a car? Just hide your car around the corner and walk up to the door to do your quote (that's what I did but with a battered tatty van)


If all else fails and you have exhausted every single possible tactic and method, then I'd look at moving out of the area to somewhere where you have more opportunities, but be warned, the so called high class, very affluent areas are the most cut throat as other window cleaners travel from a long way away to those areas believing there is money to be made when in reality there is probably more money on their own doorstep.

Having just 2 prominent window cleaners by me would be a god send! Whenever anyone posts on Facebook that they need a window cleaner there’s literally a plethora of window cleaners clammering for the job. I live in a small village and there’s already 4 different window cleaners servicing the locals. It’s coming through in drips and drabs but it’s growing, albeit slowly, but the main thing is it’s growing. Totally agree with everything you said though about trying to stand out from the competition.

 

[Windowcleaningfleet]

I find the best way to pick customers up is to be seen when u are cleaning windows on the street, for example... doing first cleans.

House number 1 can take me up to 1 hour to clean on a first clean but on the next clean it will only take me 15 minutes.

When i was carrying out a first clean on house number 1 it took me over like 30 minutes just to the fronts, by the time I moved on to the backs i had picked up 2 new customers already because they had seen how thorough the clean was and how much time and effort goes in the clean.

I believe timing also plays a big part in this, hit a street at the right time and u can hit the bingo.

If u are really struggling for work i suggest u try working the weekends as this is when most people are home and they can see u in the street, a sign written van also helps alot.

 

[Chris34]

Having just 2 prominent window cleaners by me would be a god send! Whenever anyone posts on Facebook that they need a window cleaner there’s literally a plethora of window cleaners clammering for the job. I live in a small village and there’s already 4 different window cleaners servicing the locals. It’s coming through in drips and drabs but it’s growing, albeit slowly, but the main thing is it’s growing. Totally agree with everything you said though about trying to stand out from the competition.

You're doing well, I've grown slowly but the key thing is I'm growing. Month on month it's grown, so the only thing that makes the difference for me is how hard I push it, but even without pushing it my income grows each month (on the regular work, one offs can be huge earners so that's not including one offs).

So just keep at it and look at the big picture. Compare your previous months to the current month, last year to this year etc and it makes you realise that you are moving in the right direction.

Keep your price high and your service high and don't worry if someone doesn't like your price, it's not personal, it's business, they're not the customer for your business model, that's the best advice. (obviously the cheapies have different models but that's fine, everyone has different business models).

 

[spruce]

You're doing well, I've grown slowly but the key thing is I'm growing. Month on month it's grown, so the only thing that makes the difference for me is how hard I push it, but even without pushing it my income grows each month (on the regular work, one offs can be huge earners so that's not including one offs).

So just keep at it and look at the big picture. Compare your previous months to the current month, last year to this year etc and it makes you realise that you are moving in the right direction.

Keep your price high and your service high and don't worry if someone doesn't like your price, it's not personal, it's business, they're not the customer for your business model, that's the best advice. (obviously the cheapies have different models but that's fine, everyone has different business models).

I think you have to get to a certain growth point before work starts to snowball in. I do get the feeling though that it's not like the old days. Our few new customers are coming from recommendations by existing customers rather than walk-ups.

 

[AndyD]

You're doing well, I've grown slowly but the key thing is I'm growing. Month on month it's grown, so the only thing that makes the difference for me is how hard I push it, but even without pushing it my income grows each month (on the regular work, one offs can be huge earners so that's not including one offs).

So just keep at it and look at the big picture. Compare your previous months to the current month, last year to this year etc and it makes you realise that you are moving in the right direction.

Keep your price high and your service high and don't worry if someone doesn't like your price, it's not personal, it's business, they're not the customer for your business model, that's the best advice. (obviously the cheapies have different models but that's fine, everyone has different business models).

I have a 100% more customers than I did last month that’s for sure (not many can say that on here ?). I’m definitely not going to be cheap and cheerful that’s for sure, it’s not my nature to cut corners. I did one yesterday and the customer said the old cleaner never used to clean the frames or cills. The windows looked new after I had finished which gave me the opportunity to point out that it now made her fascias look really dirty…..so I’m doing her fascias as well next time ?

I’ve got a foothold in a few villages now so I’m hoping that in time the other neighbours start to see that I’m regular and that there’s trust there from their neighbours to keep having me back which hopefully will result in them taking me on as well. I had a recommendation call today so I must be doing something right.

 

[Pjj]

I find the best way to pick customers up is to be seen when u are cleaning windows on the street, for example... doing first cleans.

House number 1 can take me up to 1 hour to clean on a first clean but on the next clean it will only take me 15 minutes.

When i was carrying out a first clean on house number 1 it took me over like 30 minutes just to the fronts, by the time I moved on to the backs i had picked up 2 new customers already because they had seen how thorough the clean was and how much time and effort goes in the clean.

I believe timing also plays a big part in this, hit a street at the right time and u can hit the bingo.

If u are really struggling for work i suggest u try working the weekends as this is when most people are home and they can see u in the street, a sign written van also helps alot.

I always find school holidays a good time for walk ups as many mums are home with the kids and see you next door or across the street etc and ask for there’s to be done good way to pick up new work

 

[swc1]

I always find school holidays a good time for walk ups as many mums are home with the kids and see you next door or across the street etc and ask for there’s to be done good way to pick up new work

The ideal customer dimagraphs!

 

[Chris34]

I think you have to get to a certain growth point before work starts to snowball in. I do get the feeling though that it's not like the old days. Our few new customers are coming from recommendations by existing customers rather than walk-ups.

I think you're right but I don't think it's to do with the actual growth point, although that will help in a huge way. I think when the money starts to come in your first priority is to pay your bills, so it takes time to build it up enough to have money left over at the end of each month. At that point once you have the bills paid you start to reinvest some of it in the business and that reinvestment makes it easier, either easier to do the actual job or easier to get more work. It could be having a new fancy website with it properly advertised, getting your van sign written, local advertising etc.

The more money you have, the less of a problem it is to try another marketing tactic, because if it doesn't work you're not flat broke, there is more money coming in all the time.

That's where I'm at now. Up to this point I've had to do it all on my own (like most startups), but now I've got excess money each month I'm spending some of it on extra advertising via other avenues that cost money, some of it doing up the van and getting it sign written. I expect it will catapult the enquiries coming in and then more work is more recommendations, it's just a constant snowball effect.

Unfortunately I have a feeling that when you get to 80% full it probably would go to 100% very quickly due to the higher chance of recommendations and having all the advertising sorted.

It's experience that makes it easier but the only way to get the experience is to go through it all from day one, there is only so much you can learn on a forum, although I reckon what I've achieved in 3 years I probably wouldn't have achieved in 10 years on my own and I probably would have given up long ago, maybe even before I had even tried to clean a house. So I'd say the advice on here has accelerated my business dramatically and that's not something that would have been so readily available years ago.

It might actually be easier now than say 20 years ago, maybe not to get going with it, but to earn good money out of it it's probably easier for a complete newbie to it, because of all the advice and technology available at your fingertips.

 

[Jamesmarshall]

IMO Facebook customers aren’t ones you really want. Generally penny pinchers who’ll try for the cheapest price, mess you around and cancel you if they lose 2 hours a week at work
Recommendations is the only way as generally you keep them. I keep my customers if they move locally and also a lot of the time gain the new home owner also. I’ve never advertised and I’m fast approaching 500 customers
Offer everything when starting up, learn to do it all. Then you can pick and choose if you dislike doing say a conny roof of f/s/g
Be as flexible and as accommodating as possible also. This will come in time when you can and have to tell people no I can’t come back tomorrow I’m 10 miles away
When people know your doing well and have so many customers it gives them confidence in you as your obviously doing something right

 

[AndyD]

IMO Facebook customers aren’t ones you really want. Generally penny pinchers who’ll try for the cheapest price, mess you around and cancel you if they lose 2 hours a week at work
Recommendations is the only way as generally you keep them. I keep my customers if they move locally and also a lot of the time gain the new home owner also. I’ve never advertised and I’m fast approaching 500 customers
Offer everything when starting up, learn to do it all. Then you can pick and choose if you dislike doing say a conny roof of f/s/g
Be as flexible and as accommodating as possible also. This will come in time when you can and have to tell people no I can’t come back tomorrow I’m 10 miles away
When people know your doing well and have so many customers it gives them confidence in you as your obviously doing something right

The handful of customers that I’ve picked up off FB have all been sound and if anything they have chased me for my bank details in order to pay, but you do get the odd moron on there asking for a quote and when you try to arrange you never hear anything back. Never chase them though as they are time wasters. There’s an old boy in my village who has been going years, no website, no FB page, no leaflets, no sign written van and he’s always stacked out with work (need to tap him up for some I think!). All recommendations.

 

[spruce]

The handful of customers that I’ve picked up off FB have all been sound and if anything they have chased me for my bank details in order to pay, but you do get the odd moron on there asking for a quote and when you try to arrange you never hear anything back. Never chase them though as they are time wasters. There’s an old boy in my village who has been going years, no website, no FB page, no leaflets, no sign written van and he’s always stacked out with work (need to tap him up for some I think!). All recommendations.

That must be me.

I don't use leaflets as I have never got them to work. However, I'm old school and door knocking is still the best way I recommend.

 

[Iron Giant]

IMO Facebook customers aren’t ones you really want. Generally penny pinchers who’ll try for the cheapest price, mess you around and cancel you if they lose 2 hours a week at work
Recommendations is the only way as generally you keep them.

The vast majority of my jobs have been gained through FB all good solid customers, I get recommended through resident's FB pages, these jobs aren't the dross all new build houses where I have good compact runs.