Welcome to the UK Window Cleaning Forums

Starting or own a window cleaning business? We're a network of window cleaners sharing advice, tips & experience. Rounds for sale & more. Join us today!

It feels so fresh

Green Pro Clean Ltd

Well-known member
Messages
8,103
Location
Nottingham & Derbyshire
I've only been a window cleaner for 10 years now but I been in business for a long time, used to sell nails to Noah. :)

As the business has grown so has the work load, inevitable I know, nothing you can do that's just a fact of growth. 

But why has it grown?  Well obviously cause we acquired more customers but also because those customers then started saying 'could you just clean the patio? could you just clean the roof?' and so on.  Soon enough we found ourselves acquiring more equipment, pressure washers, softwashers and so on but also the loads of consumables that goes with it, chemicals, sand, sealants and on and on it goes. 

Now sure it's nice to pick up a £1000 driveway clean but lets look at it like this. (Based on 100sqm) 

Driveway cleaner -- £100

Sand -- £30

Sealer £400

Not even counting the cost of the pressure washer and fuel etc so let's call it an even £500 for the sake of debate.  

Half a day to clean it and another half a day to sand and seal....  now that's assuming the weather holds long enough to seal a drive in this country.  

So by the time all is said and done about 2 days is what you will have invested.  

Still not too bad I hear you think £250 per day profit.  And it is. 

Here's the kicker, how often will that client want the drive doing?  Once every 3 - 5 years typically 

Now if you had spent that 2 days dropping leaflets, chatting in the street and knocking a few doors you could easily have drummed up £300 per month in good regular window cleans.  No heavy expenses such as sealants etc..  And whilst you would have to put in a day a month to get there at the end of the year that's £3600 you're up.  And the next year and then next.  How does that measley £500 look now?  

I have found (through experience) that the add ons can be toxic -- you get a taste of a £1000 job and net thing you are pushing them, chasing them laying awake at night wondering how to get them.   The add ons we adopted over the past 5 years include pressure washing, softwashing, roof cleaning and commercial kitchen deep cleans.  We have several thousand pounds invested in all the gear to do these jobs but does cause stress.  

I made the decision at the beginning of this month to drop all add ons and get back to our roots -- Window cleaning.  

As of now we ONLY offer window cleaning, gutter cleaning and conservatory cleaning.  AND IT FEELS GOOD.  

No more hazardous chemicals, no more lining the pockets of sealant suppliers, no more ruined clothing, no more all equipment covered in shite all the time.  

Back to WFP system, some squeegees and some applicators and rock and roll.  

Sometimes when we add on much much more we end up with much much less. 

If I had spent the time I used to focus on add ons to building up the window rounds I would probably be at 4 - 5 vans by now so in a way I feel I have held myself back some what by doing the add ons but also feel it has been an invaluable learning curve to figure out what works for me. 

A reason many of us go add on route is sometimes window cleaning gets monotonous, in future when I am feeling that I will just take off for the week.  

So happy to be free of add ons.   

 
Same here mate

2 weeks now i have been just windows mon-fri but have some commitments for add ons i need to get done so that has been done saturdays

Been solidly canvassing and windows during the week and next year when silly season comes someone else can do it

I have friends in the trade round here and happy to pass on the gutter jobs etc so i can do windows and only windows unless an existing customer wants their conny roof or fascias done

Much happier doing just the windows

 
Last edited by a moderator:
For a change, not, I'm different. I actually look forward to add ons in the summer. I have virtually a week a month from November to April cleaning gutters so have a spare week a month during summer. 

 
I much prefer just windows as I know I get them done without any hassle and be finished for the weekend even if the weather is against me.

I have got 2 add on jobs lined up but really not bothered about doing them at all, Seriously considering not doing any at all in the future.

Sent using the Window Cleaning Forums mobile app

 
Same here regarding add on's. I've got to clean a regular customers conny roof. An old dear, she thought I'd give it a quick swipe with my brush when I clean the windows :1f602: . How much will it be then she asked, £50 and that's with discount as I usually charge more. FIFTY POUNDS!!!! she gasped. Would she go and clean a conny for £50? I think not. 

Gutter clearing; how often do you get covered in  :1f4a9:  for not a lot extra per hour?

getting sick of add ons plus it puts you behind with your regular work.

 
FFS, I've just phoned her to tell her I'm coming over tomorrow afternoon to clean her conny and she's now decided she's not having it done as it's too expensive!!! Feckin screwed my day up that has  :banghead3:

 
Book some extra windows in then @tuffers

Always some outstanding work to be done

 
FFS, I've just phoned her to tell her I'm coming over tomorrow afternoon to clean her conny and she's now decided she's not having it done as it's too expensive!!! Feckin screwed my day up that has  :banghead3:
You could always look at it this way, it's Friday so an hours more drinking time  :beerchug:   :dancingparty:

 
I've only been a window cleaner for 10 years now but I been in business for a long time, used to sell nails to Noah. :)
 
As the business has grown so has the work load, inevitable I know, nothing you can do that's just a fact of growth. 
 
But why has it grown?  Well obviously cause we acquired more customers but also because those customers then started saying 'could you just clean the patio? could you just clean the roof?' and so on.  Soon enough we found ourselves acquiring more equipment, pressure washers, softwashers and so on but also the loads of consumables that goes with it, chemicals, sand, sealants and on and on it goes. 
 
Now sure it's nice to pick up a £1000 driveway clean but lets look at it like this. (Based on 100sqm) 
Driveway cleaner -- £100
Sand -- £30
Sealer £400
Not even counting the cost of the pressure washer and fuel etc so let's call it an even £500 for the sake of debate.  
Half a day to clean it and another half a day to sand and seal....  now that's assuming the weather holds long enough to seal a drive in this country.  
So by the time all is said and done about 2 days is what you will have invested.  
Still not too bad I hear you think £250 per day profit.  And it is. 
 
Here's the kicker, how often will that client want the drive doing?  Once every 3 - 5 years typically 
Now if you had spent that 2 days dropping leaflets, chatting in the street and knocking a few doors you could easily have drummed up £300 per month in good regular window cleans.  No heavy expenses such as sealants etc..  And whilst you would have to put in a day a month to get there at the end of the year that's £3600 you're up.  And the next year and then next.  How does that measley £500 look now?  
 
I have found (through experience) that the add ons can be toxic -- you get a taste of a £1000 job and net thing you are pushing them, chasing them laying awake at night wondering how to get them.   The add ons we adopted over the past 5 years include pressure washing, softwashing, roof cleaning and commercial kitchen deep cleans.  We have several thousand pounds invested in all the gear to do these jobs but does cause stress.  
 
I made the decision at the beginning of this month to drop all add ons and get back to our roots -- Window cleaning.  
 
As of now we ONLY offer window cleaning, gutter cleaning and conservatory cleaning.  AND IT FEELS GOOD.  
 
No more hazardous chemicals, no more lining the pockets of sealant suppliers, no more ruined clothing, no more all equipment covered in shite all the time.  
 
Back to WFP system, some squeegees and some applicators and rock and roll.  
 
Sometimes when we add on much much more we end up with much much less. 
 
If I had spent the time I used to focus on add ons to building up the window rounds I would probably be at 4 - 5 vans by now so in a way I feel I have held myself back some what by doing the add ons but also feel it has been an invaluable learning curve to figure out what works for me. 
 
A reason many of us go add on route is sometimes window cleaning gets monotonous, in future when I am feeling that I will just take off for the week.  
 
So happy to be free of add ons.   
 
Very important post imo, I started just doing windows and fascia add on before adding gutter clearing, then found myself thinking of the other add ons I could offer, but thought with all these add ons I gonna lose something i.e. time and the possible stress of these add ons taking over, as the reason for starting windows was a straight forward stressless job mostly.

So I'm just gonna keep on just with fascia and gutter clearing add ons as that's the best balance for me.


Sent using the Window Cleaning Forums mobile app
 
I've only been a window cleaner for 10 years now but I been in business for a long time, used to sell nails to Noah. :)

As the business has grown so has the work load, inevitable I know, nothing you can do that's just a fact of growth. 

But why has it grown?  Well obviously cause we acquired more customers but also because those customers then started saying 'could you just clean the patio? could you just clean the roof?' and so on.  Soon enough we found ourselves acquiring more equipment, pressure washers, softwashers and so on but also the loads of consumables that goes with it, chemicals, sand, sealants and on and on it goes. 

Now sure it's nice to pick up a £1000 driveway clean but lets look at it like this. (Based on 100sqm) 

Driveway cleaner -- £100

Sand -- £30

Sealer £400

Not even counting the cost of the pressure washer and fuel etc so let's call it an even £500 for the sake of debate.  

Half a day to clean it and another half a day to sand and seal....  now that's assuming the weather holds long enough to seal a drive in this country.  

So by the time all is said and done about 2 days is what you will have invested.  

Still not too bad I hear you think £250 per day profit.  And it is. 

Here's the kicker, how often will that client want the drive doing?  Once every 3 - 5 years typically 

Now if you had spent that 2 days dropping leaflets, chatting in the street and knocking a few doors you could easily have drummed up £300 per month in good regular window cleans.  No heavy expenses such as sealants etc..  And whilst you would have to put in a day a month to get there at the end of the year that's £3600 you're up.  And the next year and then next.  How does that measley £500 look now?  

I have found (through experience) that the add ons can be toxic -- you get a taste of a £1000 job and net thing you are pushing them, chasing them laying awake at night wondering how to get them.   The add ons we adopted over the past 5 years include pressure washing, softwashing, roof cleaning and commercial kitchen deep cleans.  We have several thousand pounds invested in all the gear to do these jobs but does cause stress.  

I made the decision at the beginning of this month to drop all add ons and get back to our roots -- Window cleaning.  

As of now we ONLY offer window cleaning, gutter cleaning and conservatory cleaning.  AND IT FEELS GOOD.  

No more hazardous chemicals, no more lining the pockets of sealant suppliers, no more ruined clothing, no more all equipment covered in shite all the time.  

Back to WFP system, some squeegees and some applicators and rock and roll.  

Sometimes when we add on much much more we end up with much much less. 

If I had spent the time I used to focus on add ons to building up the window rounds I would probably be at 4 - 5 vans by now so in a way I feel I have held myself back some what by doing the add ons but also feel it has been an invaluable learning curve to figure out what works for me. 

A reason many of us go add on route is sometimes window cleaning gets monotonous, in future when I am feeling that I will just take off for the week.  

So happy to be free of add ons.   
Like me feel weight has been lifted 

nice going home everyday clean and not covered 

 
Like we spoke about recently, dropping the other stuff and focusing on one thing should really allow the windows to take off.

For the first time since i started out im just doing windows at the moment, so much easier and as ive found over the last few weeks, im earning the same in less time than i was running all over the place doing all sorts. A nice compact focused day of windows and its surprising how much work you can churn out.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Get the jobs and sub them out for a finders fee. There is plenty of guys that would give you a fee for a job. Few pressure washing only companies would take the work.

Edit: or hire someone to do all the add ons for you. Keep pushing the work and get him busy. 

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Thinking the same guys. Have done a pack of driveways upvcs and get tons of gutters (gutters should be fine to keep at due to speed of them on a ladder).

But for the sake of actually looking at my round sheet and being happy with it..i too am going to focus on windows only Sept Oct Nov and through winter

Sent using the Window Cleaning Forums mobile app

 
u guys are class craic ..

if u mix  the add ons with the round u will make massive days

like do your round from 8.30-3 or watever .. then add ons after and before

mornings i go out to do gutter clear outs and  at customers house 7 am    and im not going there for 30 quid

be smart about it      take it on at your price  ..

 
u guys are class craic ..

if u mix  the add ons with the round u will make massive days

like do your round from 8.30-3 or watever .. then add ons after and before

mornings i go out to do gutter clear outs and  at customers house 7 am    and im not going there for 30 quid

be smart about it      take it on at your price  ..


Yeh you could do but if you are going to do that then why not just take on more window work instead to fill the extra hours?

Plus I don't want to work 12 hour days everyday got better things to be doing than working myself to the bone. Would rather stick to sensible hours and have some energy to live life. 

 
I've tweaked my work so i do 9-2 on the glass, either with my father in law, or on my own, then I've still got time to chuck a gutter/conny clean on at the end of the day. Getting picky with them and going in high, do 1-2 a week usually, saying that i got 4 next week, but its a quiet week, so after an afternoon canvassing should have a few 1st cleans too

 
When I tradded, I used to do 5 days on the glass and the odd Saturday with add ons.

Gutter clear, conny roof jobs upvc clean etc, nothing more. The most I spent on add on

equipment was a bottle of cif.

Now I still do that but having gone WFP it is 4 days maximum on the glass which I'm

happy with and up to date on the add ons which would be on the Friday.

So now that's me done until Monday and I'm in no rush for any extra add ons as I'm

quite happy relying on the core business and keeping it as simple as possible.

 
Yes, I finished a 1.30 today, whereas as back in March before the changeover it would have taken up most of Friday, I'm gaining roughly 2 hours per day depending on which round I am on.
If you gain 2 hours per day and work 4 days thats £640 per month. If you have an average of £20 p/h. Seems the WFP pays for itself. Might have to look into it next year. 

 
Yes, I finished a 1.30 today, whereas as back in March before the changeover it would have taken up most of Friday, I'm gaining roughly 2 hours per day depending on which round I am on.
Yes, I tradded for 26 years and stumbled on this forum last October, and gleaned all the

information off everybody who've been really helpful and just cracked on with it.

I think the best bit of advice I personally took on board as a sole trader was to get a 500

litre tank as this will do you all day.
 
Back
Top