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Advice for a starter, please?

doce

New member
Messages
28
Location
London
Planning to start in business cleaning windows in the Grantham area. No real experience to speak of, but I'm happy to work hard.

Got the ladders, but can people recommend decent squeegees, rubbers, T-Bars/sleeves etc please?

 
Welcome bud

Look on trad forum and I think it is the top thread "tradders"

Some of us have pre empted this question with our own suggestions. .hope it helps

/emoticons/tongue.png



Here's a list of stuff I'd reccomend to start off with from wintecs. I like wintecs because they don't charge for p&p and their customer service is good.

This is all kit I own and would reccomend..

Unger bucket- £7.61 - http://www.wintecs.c...&products_id=28

Unger Ergotec Handle - £5.78 (this will be your 'main' handle) http://www.wintecs.c...&products_id=64

10 inch channel w/ soft rubber (this and the handle above I use on 99.99999% of trad jobs. Smaller channel = easier to work with = faster = better.)- £2.58 http://www.wintecs.c...roducts_id=1041

Unger S squeegee handle - £4.09 - (this is for the 6 inch channel below, I use this handle because its smaller and the 6 inch channell only gets used on openers and such where the 10 doesnt fit. They are the perfect combination.) http://www.wintecs.c...products_id=522

6 inch channel - £1.92 - see above - http://www.wintecs.c...&products_id=54

Unger T bar for applicator, 14 inch - £2.75 - http://www.wintecs.c...&products_id=96

Ettore porcupine applicator sleeve - £8.61(has bristles that take off dirt and **** really well - saves me using a scraper a lot. I am the envy of all my friends! Really worth getting.) http://www.wintecs.c...&products_id=83

Pulex bucketonabelt - £10.64 (you can't really trad without a boab, well - you can, but it's a nightmare.) http://www.wintecs.c...products_id=112

Unger 15cm scraper - £7.85 - Have never needed or wanted a smaller scraper since I bought this and the porcupine glove. http://www.wintecs.c...products_id=923

Jumbo microfibre - cut in 2, so it's easily pocketable. £3.03 - http://www.wintecs.c...products_id=641

(Maybe get 2 or 3 if you think you will need to do a lot of detailing?)

Unger soft rubber - 42 inches - My personal favourite rubber. £2.29 - Nothing worse than starting trad work, finding there is a nick in the rubber, and not having any spare. Worth getting. http://www.wintecs.c...products_id=237

Only other thing I think you'll need is a 'sill cloth - I just use whatever, an old teatowel, £1 microfibres from the pound shop, my favourite is a carlsberg beer rug towel thing from the local pub - it's just for sills so it doesnt really matter much.

Now, other people will prolly prefer different brands and items - but this is pretty much the exact kit I use when I do trad work now, these are the 'essential items' that get taken out on the road while a lot of the other stuff - different size scrapers, channels, different handles, etc etc - all get left at home. This is good quality kit, will last, and will do a good job. It is, in my opinion, a worthy investment and well set you off well for learning and mastering trad cleaning!

Total for all above is £57.15, then you have to add on VAT which at 20% is £11.43 giving you a total price of £68.58.

That might seem a lot but consider it is good kit that will LAST and do a good job and it's really not so bad.

So you can edit it about or not use it /emoticons/smile.png
 
Thanks - that's very helpful. I should have spotted that! My brother recommended GBPro stuff (from green-bear.co.uk) but I can't see it mentioned - is it any good does anyone know?

 
No idea..I personally use Unger but an ettore porcupine sleeve

Unger and ettore are the best ones I think

Have a look on window cleaning warehouse

They are cheaper than wintecs and have a few deals on kits etc

 
hey doce welcome never heard of GBpro either but good luck on starting up i use same as daveyboy1 unger squeegee and ettore porcupine scrubber/washer

have got stuff from w.c.w. and wintecs with no probs

 
hi and welcome to the fun forum doce:)i hope your not a crafty spammer....as that would be very clever but naughty...and we already got a bear on here...

 
hello Doce

hit the ground running with a daily plan of door knocking+ home grown leaflets that will kick start your rota . write down this plan in an exercise book and tick off each day with results and notes . that exercise book wants to be with you tucked in your back pocket for at least 3 months, not stuffed in a drawer at home

dont make excuses not to go - bad weather forecast , bad back ,local airshow

 
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Hi Doce and welcome to the forums, we've got a good bunch here. I to am about to start being a Trad Windie, I also have most equipment by Unger as its a really good make and I like the colour green;) If you have any questions then these are the guys to ask, and hopefully like me you'll learn lots:)

 
Thanks - that's very helpful. I should have spotted that! My brother recommended GBPro stuff (from green-bear.co.uk) but I can't see it mentioned - is it any good does anyone know?
Best keep to the well known basic stuff.

 
Planning to start in business cleaning windows in the Grantham area. No real experience to speak of, but I'm happy to work hard.
That's the main thing that will make the difference

 
I'm always friendly

Will rabbit with anyone. .that's why quick jobs take so long;)

 
Am new to the forum n don't no how to do a state n can see on here ppl are here to help or point u in the right direction I av a.

good customer base but need a spreadsheet on phone or on papper

iv been a window cleaner for 6 months can any one help

 
I made my own excel spreadsheets linked to an access database but is tricky if you don't know how.

I have heard on here that aworka is good and can get it on phone and pc..some of these guys use it

 
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