Been looking to get into this for some time will have enough saved by start next year to give it a go and also have buffer in place. One thing that putting me of is lot window cleaners spoken to, majority them said wouldn’t go down this route again if they had choice I know it’s not easy and can take few years to get established, but just thought ask on here cause I’m not sure why so many say this also say get looked down upon.
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Would you lot still get into this again
- Thread starter Badbeat
- Start date
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Some do people will look down on you as a ‘cleaner’. That’s fine though, it shouldn’t bother you what people think. If it’s someone who’s on your books then they’re going to be paying your wages, which you set, and if they’re disrespectful to you in the slightest instantly bin them!
The window cleaners who were disparaging were either blagging and don’t want more people in the bizz, which would be ridiculous, or aren’t smashing it and are struggling to make a success of it. It is HARD, don’t get me wrong but if you’re the rite sort of person (extremely self motivated and driven) you’ll do just fine.
This is the best thing that’s happened to me! (Apart from meeting the missus). I had a window business before but had to stop for health reasons and now I’m 7 years in at my second attempt, starting from scratch, I’m absolutely flying! One man band but very happy with that currently. I learned from my mistakes after the first time so I was quick to get started this time around. You’ll need to learn quick too! What to canvas and what not too, how to get work etc.
If you’ve a little fund to get started with the rite gear then you’re onto a winner and can get out of the traps fast!!!!
The window cleaners who were disparaging were either blagging and don’t want more people in the bizz, which would be ridiculous, or aren’t smashing it and are struggling to make a success of it. It is HARD, don’t get me wrong but if you’re the rite sort of person (extremely self motivated and driven) you’ll do just fine.
This is the best thing that’s happened to me! (Apart from meeting the missus). I had a window business before but had to stop for health reasons and now I’m 7 years in at my second attempt, starting from scratch, I’m absolutely flying! One man band but very happy with that currently. I learned from my mistakes after the first time so I was quick to get started this time around. You’ll need to learn quick too! What to canvas and what not too, how to get work etc.
If you’ve a little fund to get started with the rite gear then you’re onto a winner and can get out of the traps fast!!!!
mike007
Well-known member
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- East Midlands
Yes, but it is not all plain sailing like anything else, and also like many jobs/occupations can sometimes be monotonous. And even though I like it,If I could not manage to earn a living from it I would turn to something else. And as been said the big factor is your own motivation.
David K
Well-known member
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- 1,427
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- Southern Denmark
Its the perfect job for me personally. Im an introvert and rarely talks to anybody, just minding my own and my podcasts? all payments is also automated, so less contact there. Love the job , love the freedom, and i really don,t care about some pencil-pushing-punks thoughts about my person and status, i earn enough to support wife and 2 kids, and save a little every month ,thats good enough for me.?
- Messages
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- Location
- Cornwall
Best work decision I ever made , only wish I had done it sooner .
ched999uk
Well-known member
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- 4,773
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- Lancashire
Do you not think that 100% commercial is a big risk after seeing what can happen (Covid)? I'm just curious.
adamangler
Wakefield Window Warrior
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- Wakefield
I cant think of anything else thats so easy to start with virtually no money.
Heres why window cleaning is great.
You can start with a few hundred quid, if you have a car already a backpack, some barrels, pole and a d.i is all you need.
You can build a round for free, canvassing, posting on facebook etc.
The best bit of all, the thing that puts it above most businesses is that its repeat work. You go into almost anything else, gutter cleaning, carpet cleaning, any trade that you can think of, opening a coffee shop et etc the list goes on and 9 times out of 10 they are transactional businesses. In that you advertise, have the transaction then need to advertise again and again and again. With window cleaning you get the customer once and repeat monthly indefinitely (minus all the time wasters but thats another story). Once you are full, generally speaking you never need to advertise again usually.
In short yes its the best thing ive ever done, sometimes its depressing working alone, you can be red hot in the summer and freezing in the winter. It can give you a great work/life balance working solo or can be the basis of a huge business if you want it to be.
That said i wouldnt encourage anymore into the trade because its becoming very saturated but i think its too late for that with forums etc the cat is out of the bag.
Heres why window cleaning is great.
You can start with a few hundred quid, if you have a car already a backpack, some barrels, pole and a d.i is all you need.
You can build a round for free, canvassing, posting on facebook etc.
The best bit of all, the thing that puts it above most businesses is that its repeat work. You go into almost anything else, gutter cleaning, carpet cleaning, any trade that you can think of, opening a coffee shop et etc the list goes on and 9 times out of 10 they are transactional businesses. In that you advertise, have the transaction then need to advertise again and again and again. With window cleaning you get the customer once and repeat monthly indefinitely (minus all the time wasters but thats another story). Once you are full, generally speaking you never need to advertise again usually.
In short yes its the best thing ive ever done, sometimes its depressing working alone, you can be red hot in the summer and freezing in the winter. It can give you a great work/life balance working solo or can be the basis of a huge business if you want it to be.
That said i wouldnt encourage anymore into the trade because its becoming very saturated but i think its too late for that with forums etc the cat is out of the bag.
Cghwindowcleaning
Well-known member
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- 1,328
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- Hertfordshire
I'm full commercial.The one thing with being full commercial is the job value is higher it dosen't take a lot to lose to start noticing it.I'm lucky at present as I have to much work and am in with some good people but the crunch is starting to happen.
Loads of work stopped during covid but thankfully most came back this forth coming financial crisis will be different anyone that stops will unlikely come back.
Would I start again now?
No not in my area as it's very heavily saturated with other window cleaners compact work at good prices for a newbie would be very hard.
Window cleaners are also under the illusion they are the only ones well paid.I know plenty of people in other jobs from tillers and sparks to office bods all earning serious money.
adamangler
Wakefield Window Warrior
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- Wakefield
I dont think its so much that window cleaners think they are paid more than others its more that they can earn as much as a sparky or someone who had a "good job" after 5 years at university thats quite impressive.
Also most office bods will work 9-5 mon to fri
Nosey
Well-known member
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- 95
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- Lancashire
You can earn good money in all trades as long as you’re willing to work hard. We are currently in the process of renovating our house. Had multiple trades in who have all done a good job. The plasterer and tiler are exceptional, the only problem is they take their time, start late and finish early. The tiler makes a brew as soon as he arrives and then goes and sits in his car for half an hour. We are patient people and the price has been agreed prior to them starting. My point is they could be earning that amount in half the time if they just pulled their finger out and cracked on. Window cleaning isn’t easy, a lot of people get in to it thinking easy money. But you do have to work hard and smartly. I’m still trying to figure out the smart side of things. But like many have said once you get established and stay consistent with your services. Your round will be yours forever.
Chris34
Well-known member
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- Stockport, Cheshire
It's the first point that means it will never become saturated, coupled with the fact more houses are being built all the time.
The money is good, the business is like you say probably the easiest and most consistent there is to get into, but the hard part is it's a mundane job that takes a certain will power to keep at it. Most people will fail because they are either clueless when it comes to pricing and can't make it work from a pricing perspective, or they're not good enough and don't pay attention to detail so struggle to keep customers and grow, or they are good at the first two points but can't hack the day in day out doing the same old boring routine.
Motivation for this line of work is a skill in itself. Most people are not that motivated at the best of times, let alone going out in the pouring rain, or freezing cold winters. That's what keeps it sweet for the rest of us. The winters clear the dead wood.
For me it's a very straight forward business and I'm extremely thankful to have stumbled across it, it was a chance conversation that led me in this direction and it's slowly changing my life from constant poverty to actually thinking about my future being brighter. I can't think of anything else that's as straight forward.
It's not great though, the money is great and I take great pride in it, but if I found something else paying the same sort of money with flexible hours but a more interesting and exciting job then I'd be off. As it is though there is nothing else out there that I've come across and if I don't ever find anything else I'll be contempt with it and thankful that it exists.
