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!

Looking to get into WFP. No idea where to start.

ClearLee

New member
Messages
5
Location
Leeds
So I've been a traditional windowcleaner for over 15 years with my dad. He's getting close to retiring so I'm looking more and more into WFP and trolley systems. 

I've read a lot about them, but with so many to choose from and so many extensions and extras, ive got no idea where to start. Complete novice who's still working out what a DI vessel is.

The round is all residential, very compact work with about 700 houses every 6 weeks.

I have a little bit of money saved in preparation and I'm also so willing to buy a van but need some pointers.

Is there some sort of course to learn about WFP or is it all on job experience.  

Need to move with the times. Must be able to use it as a one man band though. Any help massively appreciated. 

 
Where abouts are you mate?

If you are anywhere near Yorkshire you are welcome to have a look at my setup and show you how d.i and r.o works etc.

Sure someone else near you might be able to help if not.

Does take a bit of research.

My advice read all you can online including you tube etc and get yourself a d.i.y van mount so you can see how stuff goes together. Forget the trolley.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
120 houses a week on your own is some going. It would pay you to try and get a few days out with an existing WFP user. 

It might also pay you to start now, while your Father is still working with you. Plenty of information on here if you use the search bar. It might seem quite daunting at first but it really isn't. Where are you based, there might be someone on here local to you. 

 
Last edited by a moderator:
I agree with Adam, you are in a good position with an already established workload to go WFP, so go straight for a van-mount system.

and I agree with part-timer that you should start now, although the windows are already ‘clean’ there will still be a lot of extra work to get them upto scratch for waterfed pole, as it will clean much more deeply than trad, and you may have some issues with soap residue from previous trad cleaning. But they can all be over-come.

The first job is to buy a decent TDS  meter and measure your tap water this will decide which filtration route you will need to take, and will influence what set-up suits you best.

 
If you are anywhere near Cambridge I would be happy to help you. I wouldn't have the setup I have without help off some quality folk on here so I will be happy to return the favour.

Sent using the http://Window Cleaning Forums mobile app

 
So I've been a traditional windowcleaner for over 15 years with my dad. He's getting close to retiring so I'm looking more and more into WFP and trolley systems. 

I've read a lot about them, but with so many to choose from and so many extensions and extras, ive got no idea where to start. Complete novice who's still working out what a DI vessel is.

The round is all residential, very compact work with about 700 houses every 6 weeks.

I have a little bit of money saved in preparation and I'm also so willing to buy a van but need some pointers.

Is there some sort of course to learn about WFP or is it all on job experience.  

Need to move with the times. Must be able to use it as a one man band though. Any help massively appreciated. 


First thing to buy is a genuine TDS meter from a genuine wfp supplier. Please don't be tempted by cheap ebay copies.

Once you know your tap water's tds THEN you can make a decision on how to proceed with water purification.

Secondly, as @Part Timerhas said. 120 houses a week is a big ask for a single cleaner even with wfp. I would start to think about ways of reducing the size of the round by selling some of it of.

Thirdly; for the future. If you do need to go the r/o route then with that amount of houses to clean a day, you are going to need a good amount of water to do that. You will need a fast producing r/o and preferably an IBC tank to process water into whilst you are out working.

.

 
When converting a trad rounds to wfp a first clean will take 2-3 times longer and it will take you quite a few weeks to get up to standard and work at a decent pace. You will end up weeks behind in the first few months potentially, Better to make the switch early on and convert rounds in stages. 

 
id also do it in stages, convert 1 day a week to start, then next time 2, then 3 etc. Be aware that if they been done trad that long they will be skeptical, and you may lose a few, and i literally mean 3-4. Id start explaining that you switching soon, will make things easier in the long run, and suss out the awkward custys who will resist it. As a rule tge older they are the less theyll like it

 
Funnily enough I had a couple of FB enquiries this week who didn't want wfp they only wanted trad. Some cleaners do give it a bad name unfortunately so you may get a little resistance.

Personally I will wouldn't tell them it's nowt to do with them how you clean windows imo.

 
JUST EXPLAIN TO THEM THE  fatality and accidents caused by ladders, especially in winter months with light ice and slippy pavements, Safety is Paramount, Any decent customer will agree with you on this.    Like many i started doing tops only to see how i got on,  I still used my ladders on the van for ones who were not happy about having water on there fronts and back,   DO they go on like this when it rains, no they dont.

You will get used to cleaning wfp,    THEN when you do you can stop keeping your customers happy by using Ladders to clean there Windows.     They will Support you or they wont.   If they dont just stop doing them.  Life will be a lot easier especially in WINDY , ICY conditions.    You are firmly on the ground.   I changed over 5  years ago,      I was ready to sell up  doing trad.   getting too dangerous in the autumn windy weather, Clinging onto Ledges while wind Swirling around you.

Dont do anything untill you can get your Pure Water sorted out first.

There are so many ways to do it.  & Lots of Mistakes and ordering wrong  sized items  on this exciting journey.

I used to enjoy not going out working when trad,     Now i can be out 5 Days a week, + Weekends.

You will not regret going WFP cleaning

You will loose moaning customers , So what,    You will also gain more.  There loss if done correctly

Good Luck

 
None of us do,but there's no need to become a statistic if you buy the right gear. My ladders are a frame,so no stretching, have adjustable base for uneven ground,and wider footprint to limit ladder flip,plus I've fitted adjustable legs to both rungs for super stability. Adjustable base also have flip up rubber feet,with spikes on for ice/slippery surfaces.

Sent using the http://Window Cleaning Forums mobile app

 
None of us do,but there's no need to become a statistic if you buy the right gear. My ladders are a frame,so no stretching, have adjustable base for uneven ground,and wider footprint to limit ladder flip,plus I've fitted adjustable legs to both rungs for super stability. Adjustable base also have flip up rubber feet,with spikes on for ice/slippery surfaces.

Sent using the http://Window Cleaning Forums mobile app
 


Maybe that's good for you, but there are more accidents at height using ladders than not at height. This is why Health and Safety stepped in with legislating a different approach. People in general just don't believe an accident can happen to them. Do people always belt up when driving their cars? A small percentage don't - they have the equipment but they don't use it. I'm also guilty of that. I sometimes cut steel with my angle grinder but I don't always wear eye protection like I should. I have it, but I don't always use it. My glasses are good enough.

I believe that I'm a reasonably intelligent person, but one day whilst I was up my ladders cleaning the first floor windows of some Victorian houses we did I just stepped off my ladders thinking I was on the ground. I have no explanation as to why I did that. I can't even make the excuse that the tread on my shoes was a little worn and my wet shoes slipped off the rung I didn't quite step on properly. I wish I had an explanation. I just seemed to go into a 'coma.' I was fortunate, I landed on soft ground and didn't break anything. But I was bruised and sore for a long time afterwards.

So when a potential customer recently asked me to quote to do her windows trad I said no. I'd had my warning shot 13 years previously and its wfp or nothing.

The thing is that when giving advise on a forum you need to look at the bigger picture. Do you suggest to a newbie window cleaner that the best and cheapest way to start window cleaning is off a ladder even although its worked for you? What happens if he takes your advise and later falls and kills himself?  Could you live with that? I couldn't.

I'm not having a go at your post. I'm just trying to look at it from a different angle.

I carry ladders on the van and do use them from time to time. When I use them is my decision and will depend on the current circumstances. But no one will tell me when to use them and when not to use them and I won't clean any windows traditionally off ladders, ever.

.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Sorry to hear you've had a fall mate,it's never good.
I came off ladders 30 years ago,because I was being a **** and working on uneven ground,and had chocked the one leg with half a brick. Luckily I just pinched my fingers,and light bruising. But pain taught me a good lesson,and that was to get as safe a set of ladders that I could buy.
Personally I'd only go down the water fed pole route if I was in soft water area,or could harvest rainwater. Or had big commercial work.
I don't take any risks on my ladders,and I know there's always a risk,but then there's lots of areas in our lives where there's risks. For me,I've tried to limit them as much as possible.
And I don't want to go down wfp route,as from an environmental point of view it's not very good,unless in soft water area,or can collect rain water.
Id happily advise anyone new to window cleaning to buy the best ladders they can,buy adjustable base,and stabiliser legs for each side of the ladder.
I've said on here before when someone was asking for advice on ladders,but people will try and get cheapest option,and some people on here advised cheapest ladders,which in my mind is poor advice!

Sent using the http://Window Cleaning Forums mobile app

 
None of us do,but there's no need to become a statistic if you buy the right gear. My ladders are a frame,so no stretching, have adjustable base for uneven ground,and wider footprint to limit ladder flip,plus I've fitted adjustable legs to both rungs for super stability. Adjustable base also have flip up rubber feet,with spikes on for ice/slippery surfaces.

Sent using the http://Window Cleaning Forums mobile app
 
good for you  until  you  come off you ladders and snap your back and end up a cabbage

then the rest of us have too clean more windows to pay more vat/tax  so i can pay for your care and disability benefits sounds great to me that plan  not !!!   harsh but true 

you need to wake up and spend a week in a wheel chair and see how your life will turn too poop very quickly , ive seen to many people lives turn to dust once hurt at work (army) you cant put a price on the small things , like walking your daughter down the ile , playing football with your grand kids , some jobs are just not worth it and ladder work is one off them for us 

 
Thanks for that intelligent reply Julian! [emoji23]
Lots of people work on ladders,only a small percentage fall off. It's a calculated risk.
I'm not riding a motorbike at break neck speed around the Isle of Mann TT race. I'm assessing what I do in a calculated rational manner.

Sent using the http://Window Cleaning Forums mobile app

 
Where abouts are you mate?
 
If you are anywhere near Yorkshire you are welcome to have a look at my setup and show you how d.i and r.o works etc.
 
Sure someone else near you might be able to help if not.
 
Does take a bit of research.
 
My advice read all you can online including you tube etc and get yourself a d.i.y van mount so you can see how stuff goes together. Forget the trolley.
Where abouts in Yorkshire are you Adam?

Sent using the http://Window Cleaning Forums mobile app

 
Back
Top