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What do cleaners think a fair wage is ?

Whizz-Bizz

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I thought Id ask the question to all the cleaners on this site, so what do you think a fair wage is ?, do you work it out on the time spent on the glass, or do you include time collecting, contacting customers etc.

 
It sounds like £15-£25 is the right amount to be earning, what Id really like to do is eliminate this collection process, but also get rid of waiting for cheques.This would improve the hourly rate greatly. I find getting customers to go direct debit a bit of a touchy subject with the older folks and online payment people need constant chasing, any tips or ideas.

 
depending on what out goings are you need to earn at least £20 to make self employed worth it, you got to take in to consideration tax, running costs etc, i look at it if i make 100 +costs a day then great,

i had a lad come to a job once who wanted £15 per hour, as he knew how much window cleaners made, he didnt get job basically wanted 90 for a 6 hour shift,

 
Takings per hour can differ, I have some commercials that I make about £30 per hour, but generally I am happy with £15, that's what we take most of the time. I don't really pay much attention to it really though, but we can take £100+ each day per man.

As for collecting, get used to it, that's part of window cleaning I am afraid. To try to eliminate your time spent collecting money, is counter productive in my opinion. You will end up losing customers through incorporating unusual schemes to try to eradicate collecting, sometimes the tried and tested methods are best ;-). Just keep it simple, and convenient for the customer.

We collect there and then, or return in the evening between 6pm and 7pm. If we don't get them in a ***ht, we post an invoice and they can send a cheque or pay online through our website. Sometimes you get one or two that just pay you double next time, which I am fine with. But of course I encourage them to pay that month if they can, so it doesn't affect our sales. Basically, I don't mention, paying double next time when talking to customers unless they ask, and don't any mention of it on our payment methods. If a customer does ask, I just say we prefer it, if you can pay through or website or via cheque, but if that isn't possible we can collect of you next month.

If I have a customer who owes two months in a row then I place there account on hold, until they settle there bill. This tends to weed out the time wasters, as well.

 
I earn enough to pay the bills. That's my concern.

I have built up my round by canvassing and giving compe***ive prices in todays market.

I work usually by time and effort. I know some people expect £10-20-30-40 an hour, but I work hard on each job and as long as my customer is happy I'm happily paid.

Other morning on one job I was getting paid 7 an hour, but I make it up on jobs where I earn 25-30 an hour.

I have a target and as long as I reach it I don't mind how I do it in that day.

Some days it may take a morning, some days I may be out all day. But I just work.

 
As long as it's more than £6.00 an hour (which was what my last job was paying me), I'm a happy guy.

James.

 
The average wage for an employed window cleaner is around £16,000

The average cost for operating as a self employed window cleaner each year is around £4,500, (excluding the set up cost of the business,)

Working for yourself means having a set amount of hours that are unpaid, so you’re earning hour’s maybe 30%-40% less for the weeks that you do work.

All I can suggest is running your own business is harder than hanging onto most jobs, so make sure you get paid well for your efforts.

Richard

 
i would say £200 a day is a fair wage, pointless getting out of bed for less.

that would be nice!!! seriously tho i am happy with £10 an hour the more the better obviously but thats what i want to earn as a min. but also even if i was only getting nmw. i would still be happy as my own boss and not stuck in a Swear word!py factory etc working for the same money and being fuming....

 
As long as it's more than £6.00 an hour (which was what my last job was paying me), I'm a happy guy.

James.
If you are self employed you can't look at it like that. Your last employer would have been paying employers NI, Holiday pay, Sick Pay, Pensions Schemes, Cost of uniforms, insurance etc. All on top of that £6 per hour.

But when yourself employed you have to earn enough to cover all that stuff yourself. If your just going to clean windows for £6 per hour self employed, you really are better of working in tesco's or something, at least there you will be able to afford to take a holiday, and will get paid if your off ill.

 
I asked my boss years ago (not window cleaning) how much he earns " £100,000 a year" says he " I don't get anything like that mind you"!!!

I reckon £20/ hour seems to be the work rate when actually with pole in hand, but that doesn't include all paperwork, phone calls, setting equipment, filling van, paying insurances, fuel, depreciation, new kit, etc, etc.

There is ALWAYS someone out there who earns more than you do. Don't worry about it, just plough your own furrow.

 
If you can pay the bills of your business, your personal life and have abit extra then that makes me happy.

I pay for all bills, my wife works and we save all the money she makes, so we happy.

 
I used to get about £250 a fort***ht working at mcdonalds!. But then again, going back a little further(!), i remember getting £24.50 a week on the yts, doh!.
it was 30 a week when i joined! 35 when you hit 17

 
Im actually really enjoying reading these comments and can tell that alot of you are very switched on, how do you think a card reader would go down out in the field, will these customers just play ball or still wiggle about.

 
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