This is my areas mentality about pricing and water fed...

[Julian Noddy Dean]

That's the kind of prices people expect round here, £6-£8.

Couple of hours ago I quoted someone £10. Sorry to waste your time she said but we've found a local guy doing them for £5.

It's certainly harder up north to make a decent living from window cleaning.

no not at all as your out going are much less then here in the south , you dont need to earn as much as the guys down here ,  as your houses are worth 3 quid each and you can rent them for 10p a week ! (joke) 

i get 200 pounds more rent a month for a bed sit here then i do for one of our 4 bed detached houses in the north you have no idear how hard it is to live down south ! at 6-8 pounds a house with a peedly little out going you making good money 

 

[Part Timer]

Housing might well be cheaper but I was in Clacton 2 weeks ago and the diesel was a penny a litre cheaper. If you're doing 10 houses a day at £8 compared to £15 that's £350 a week less earnings. That more than pays for the higher housing costs and any other extras. And that is based on just 10 houses. 

I work in the North East and Cambridge, in my experience, admittedly on Commercial work, I'd be turning over at least double if I just worked down there. Trouble is I'm 54 and to old to be moving. 

 

[adamangler]

Housing might well be cheaper but I was in Clacton 2 weeks ago and the diesel was a penny a litre cheaper. If you're doing 10 houses a day at £8 compared to £15 that's £350 a week less earnings. That more than pays for the higher housing costs and any other extras. And that is based on just 10 houses. 

I work in the North East and Cambridge, in my experience, admittedly on Commercial work, I'd be turning over at least double if I just worked down there. Trouble is I'm 54 and to old to be moving. 

True.

It's when you are grafting hard that it makes a difference. Guys doing 20 3 bed semis at 8 quid is 160 do em at 20 quid that's 400. Huge difference

If I was a single man I would move down south without doubt but too many ties up here.

Best of both worlds would be to setup a business down there but live up here in cheaper housing.

 

[Cghwindowcleaning]

The streets aren't paved with gold in the south.

I live 25 mins out of London in Hertfordshire we still have are fair share of old school window cleaners and trad blokes cleaning out the family car for £7-£10 on Houses. As well as newbies and nationals killing the prices on commercial.

The bloke involved in spotless started selling water in my town about 3 years ago this increased the number of new cleaners massively all looking and competing for the work.

£400 a day in the south or any where in the uk is very far from the norm.I don't believe there are hardly any doing 20 houses a day at £20 regardless of what you read and hear on the net.

 

[adamangler]

The streets aren't paved with gold in the south.

I live 25 mins out of London in Hertfordshire we still have are fair share of old school window cleaners and trad blokes cleaning out the family car for £7-£10 on House As well as newbies and nationals killing the prices on commercial.

The bloke involved in spotless started selling water in my town about 3 years ago this increased the number of new cleaners massively all looking and competing for the work.

£400 a day in the south or any where in the uk is very far from the norm.I don't believe there are hardly any doing 20 houses a day at £20 regardless of what you read and hear on the net.

It does make it sound that way at times on the internet.

You only have to read some of these what would you quote threads to be greeted by guys saying they would charge £20 for a front.

 

[Part Timer]

The streets aren't paved with gold in the south.

I live 25 mins out of London in Hertfordshire we still have are fair share of old school window cleaners and trad blokes cleaning out the family car for £7-£10 on House As well as newbies and nationals killing the prices on commercial.

The bloke involved in spotless started selling water in my town about 3 years ago this increased the number of new cleaners massively all looking and competing for the work.

£400 a day in the south or any where in the uk is very far from the norm.I don't believe there are hardly any doing 20 houses a day at £20 regardless of what you read and hear on the net.

I agree but housing at most is £100 a week more. All other living expenses are virtually the same so if you're doing 80 houses a week and getting £1.50 more on average then you're more than covering the extra. 

You say £7-£10 up here it's £3-£6. I understand it is getting harder everywhere but the biggest problem up here is the majority of jobs are minimum wage, or just above, so if someone thinks they can earn £12-£15 window cleaning then they will jump at it. 

I agree with you and expect Spotless to be a nightmare when they finally open up here. 

 

[Cghwindowcleaning]

It does make it sound that way at times on the internet.

You only have to read some of these what would you quote threads to be greeted by guys saying they would charge £20 for a front.

That's the thing with the internet every ones a millionaire until you meet them especially window cleaners.I have never seen a trade like it to talk so openly about what they earn.

Most people I know that are doing really well never tell others.

 

[Cristian]

I have noticed recently there has been allot of threads on these boards getting as bad as that CIU forum for talking absolute rubbish concerning pricing. Everyone over on that other forum is on £400 plus a day and it's starting to get that way on here too. This is attracting hundreds of new cleaners into this industry every year thinking it's easy money and the golden ticket,, when it's far from it in reality!! 

 

[Cghwindowcleaning]

I agree but housing at most is £100 a week more. All other living expenses are virtually the same so if you're doing 80 houses a week and getting £1.50 more on average then you're more than covering the extra. 

You say £7-£10 up here it's £3-£6. I understand it is getting harder everywhere but the biggest problem up here is the majority of jobs are minimum wage, or just above, so if someone thinks they can earn £12-£15 window cleaning then they will jump at it. 

I agree with you and expect Spotless to be a nightmare when they finally open up here. 

I was recently in Nottingham and thats not exactly north and house prices where around 50% less than here and you got a huge amount more.You would struggle to buy a tiny 1 bed flat with no parking down here for under 200k.

while a pint of milk or loaf of bread will be the same if your window cleaner charges more most other trades will. So to get your house extended or painted will cost more.With land and commercial space being so expensive office based services will cost you more than up north.

Child care is cheaper in the north.I just had a quick look at day nurseries in Newcastle it costs around £30-£38 a day up there down here you will pay £60-£80.

 

[ks789]

yeh it seems a bit ridiculous nowdays. I live in woodbridge near ipswich and never realised the area was so saturated with cleaners. Was easy to get the work back in 2002/3 when I packed in through accident. Very slowly getting work, but many more wanting 2 monthly instead of monthly, and also only when they ring you so could be ages. And no, cant charge double for this as they arent interested. I got all the wfp gear and have had bad times with that too. I need to move soon, has to be a house if still to produce water so im looking at £750 month rent here, then council tax etc. certainly not easy. Hopefully one day be in a position to drop ones that only want it as and when.

 

[Part Timer]

It's all relative, childcare is that price because wages are higher. If childcare was £60 a day up here that would be more than they were earning so wouldn't be worthwhile getting a job. The day to day costs food, clothes, utilities but ignoring housing are the same.

 

[Pjj]

I have noticed recently there has been allot of threads on these boards getting as bad as that CIU forum for talking absolute rubbish concerning pricing. Everyone over on that other forum is on £400 plus a day and it's starting to get that way on here too. This is attracting hundreds of new cleaners into this industry every year thinking it's easy money and the golden ticket,, when it's far from it in reality!! 

It is posible to earn £400+ per day we do considerably more than that on commercial work but it’s not 5 days a week 52 weeks a year it’s more like 2 or 3 days every 6 weeks , on my own I can clean far more than 20 3 bed semis a day I generally do 5 per hour without breaking into a sweat but they arnt £20 a go either , property size time taken location what the customer will pay what the window cleaner wants to earn are all different for each one of us and providing we are happy with what we earn then that’s fine , it is Intresting to see what others charge for certain jobs but can we always believe what they say that’s the question ?.... 

 

[Julian Noddy Dean]

I agree but housing at most is £100 a week more. All other living expenses are virtually the same so if you're doing 80 houses a week and getting £1.50 more on average then you're more than covering the extra. 

You say £7-£10 up here it's £3-£6. I understand it is getting harder everywhere but the biggest problem up here is the majority of jobs are minimum wage, or just above, so if someone thinks they can earn £12-£15 window cleaning then they will jump at it. 

I agree with you and expect Spotless to be a nightmare when they finally open up here. 

you talk some rubbish ,  

ive  houses in the north and the south , also vans north and south and let me tell you it much cheaper living in the north 100 pounds a week wouldnt cover the extra morgage payments let a lone the extra deposit you need , some of  us have to pay 400k for a two up too down in the south not  80k let alone if you want a boiler fitted or a taxi for a night out but what do i know i only moved lock stock and barrel from the north to the south 4 years ago 

the streets are defo not full of gold here theres just more work here nothing else extra once you pay everything out and i am not a cheap window cleaner

 

[Incheck]

depends what you term as good money, if you’ve got a job on the books with a with a pension/sick pay, compassionate leave, paternity leave, bonuses, 4 weeks paid holiday etc, £8-10 an hour may be just fine. Once you’re a sole trader and you lose those luxuries you’re thinking to yourself crikey, got to be doing treble that or more now. The worlds gone mad hasn’t it. My gramps/father had wages of like £10 a week or £5 a week in their day. Now look at what people need to earn to get by & whether they actually get there is another matter. Really frightening times in my opinion. I am thankful for what i have but its an endless road ahead and i honestly cant see retirement being an option.


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[Part Timer]

you talk some rubbish ,  

ive  houses in the north and the south , also vans north and south and let me tell you it much cheaper living in the north 100 pounds a week wouldnt cover the extra morgage payments let a lone the extra deposit you need , some of  us have to pay 400k for a two up too down in the south not  80k let alone if you want a boiler fitted or a taxi for a night out but what do i know i only moved lock stock and barrel from the north to the south 4 years ago 

the streets are defo not full of gold here theres just more work here nothing else extra once you pay everything out and i am not a cheap window cleaner

Please expand on the "rubbish", thought you said your daughter lived in a 4 bedroom house with a large conny and got her windows cleaned for £7. You don't have to pay £400k, you choose to pay £400k. If it's so good up here why the hell do you live down south? And I'm the one talking rubbish

 

[spruce]

Housing might well be cheaper but I was in Clacton 2 weeks ago and the diesel was a penny a litre cheaper. If you're doing 10 houses a day at £8 compared to £15 that's £350 a week less earnings. That more than pays for the higher housing costs and any other extras. And that is based on just 10 houses. 

I work in the North East and Cambridge, in my experience, admittedly on Commercial work, I'd be turning over at least double if I just worked down there. Trouble is I'm 54 and to old to be moving. 

Now that is interesting. A number of years ago we meet a window cleaner in the Teesside area who also had a round in Cambridge. The conversation is a little vague now but I seem to remember him saying that he had sold some so didn't go down there as often. I think he lived there originally before moving up here - maybe his wifes family comes from here - I just can't remember the details now tbh.

I can't think of the guys name (Henderson maybe?) but if I dig deep and ask around I could find out given enough time.

 

[sjl]

 
There are some people you just can't please. Wpf is a recognised and accepted window cleaning method today. I wouldn't even waste my breath trying to talk reason with someone like that - more so if it was genuine.
 
We cleaned a customers windows for 4 years wfp. They didn't know how we did it as they were never in. We collected every Friday evening and they were always as happy as larry to see us. Then one day we cleaned while she was in. She was not happy that we left the windows wet to dry. I explained we had used this method ever since we started cleaning and they were always very happy with the results.
But it seemed it was like trying to reason with a terrorist. The next time he aggressively cancelled us in favour of a trad cleaner and they've totally blanked us ever since. It doesn't matter to me at all. They are the ones who have lost out as I replaced the job.
 
We had a referral about 3 months ago from an existing customer. The potential one asked if we used the method with a brush on the end of a pole. Yes I told her. Well my husband wants it done properly by hand.
OK, but I can't help you. I fell from ladders once in the trad days and that was my warning shot. Thanks for your enquiry. Bye.
 
.

Similar experience here. Had been servicing a customer for several years with wfp with no complaints or issues. Then one day I get a call from them to say they’ve decided to have someone else do it the traditional way. I told them that I also use “traditional” methods and they only had to ask at which point they seemed totally baffled that I would use both methods and that they hadn’t even thought to ask me! Personally I couldn’t give a monkeys, I’m getting too old to worry about people like that anymore. All the best to them and whoever takes them on. Plenty more work to be getting on with.


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[sjl]

I saw this on my Facebook feed today from someone who had just had her windows cleaned (They weren't cleaned by me btw!) :
 
 'Aren't window cleaners meant to dry your windows after they washed them? 10 quid to wet my windows...don't think so mate [emoji849] not a chance..'
 
Now, this was for a typical 2/3 bedroom semi-detatched house in the North East of England. What does this say to you? How would you react?

I open the back of the van, show them the system then explain how much it’s costs me to come and “just wet the windows.” Tell them it’s now industry standard and enables you to comply with current health and safety laws and stay within the remit of your insurance policy.


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[Sintesi]

if you get the feeling there out for the cheapest job tell them the same as i do 
 
i am not the cheapest around and have to charge more because i dont make up my wages  by burgling your house while  your out like the others do  lololol  

[emoji38]


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[john trickett]

Have this problem a lot , over the years. It’s much easier now that most people are familiar with wfp , but always carry my ladders for those who steadfastly refuse and want traditional


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[john trickett]

so i had a cussy that was never in when i cleaned via wfp til last month, at which point they kicked off about wet windows,its not doing them properly etc...at which point i said no problems, il stop cleaning your windows from now on,ive a waiting list!
should have seen their face!!!!

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You are very lucky not to have competition. There are so many new guys in the window cleaning game nowadays. Where I live in West Midlands, must be 3 or3 on every road ! Could charge what I liked 30 years ago , but not anymore


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