Newbie - thinking of getting started

Hi all,

I have been browsing the forums due to having a brilliant idea of starting up a window cleaning service - and possibly a fascia, gutter one too.

I have a few questions, I have read a lot of people or all of the people, who do wfp use pure water, is this to stop the water leaving a mark when it is left to dry on the window?

A second question, obviously I have no customers right now, I work full time too. Should I canvass for customers first before buying equipment, or buy equipment and then canvass for customers?

I am not looking to undercut any window cleaners in my area, I am purely selling a full window cleaning service, with some add-ons if the customer is interested. Is £8 - 10 a fair asking price? This will include the cleaning of the sealed units, the frames and the cill.

Thank you

Aaron

Azah678 said:

is this to stop the water leaving a mark when it is left to dry on the window?

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Yes

Azah678 said:

Should I canvass for customers first before buying equipment, or buy equipment and then canvass for customers?

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Personally, I would canvas first in the areas that you want to clean in just to get a feel for how many people are without window cleaners currently. If you already have a job, I would advise to stick with that until you have a good few 'potential' customers first. Once you know that your 'round' has potential then that's when I would go ahead and start buying equipment but slowly work around your job at first maybe cleaning on the weekends to begin.

Azah678 said:

Is £8 - 10 a fair asking price? This will include the cleaning of the sealed units, the frames and the cill.

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Depends where you live and on the size of their house.

Why don't you try and get a part-time job with a window cleaner rather than jump in at deep end? Best place to canvass is a new estate and stick to it. Watch utube for a week regarding window cleaning and get to know all the terms. Good luck

Much appreciated, I do have a full time job currently and would only be doing the work when I'm free - either Saturdays or evenings. But eventually would want to focus purely on window cleaning.

I will canvass areas around myself, and then move further outwards and see if they are interested in a window cleaner / a new one.

Thanks!

Azah678 said:

Much appreciated, I do have a full time job currently and would only be doing the work when I'm free - either Saturdays or evenings. But eventually would want to focus purely on window cleaning.

I will canvass areas around myself, and then move further outwards and see if they are interested in a window cleaner / a new one.

Thanks!

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When you say 'if they are interested in a new one'....please don't try and steal customers from another window cleaner. If I knock on a door and they say they already have one I say either OK, no problem and move on...or I hand them my card and say well if they ever stop coming just give me a call.

Always get the work first. Very hard out there now days. But still try your best.


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Suhrly said:

When you say 'if they are interested in a new one'....please don't try and steal customers from another window cleaner. If I knock on a door and they say they already have one I say either OK, no problem and move on...or I hand them my card and say well if they ever stop coming just give me a call.

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No problem, I do not intend to be undercutting previous window cleaners or trying to steal customers. A lot of the window cleaners in my area (even my own and my neighbours - although he has stopped doing ours) is only cleaning the sealed units. I would be offering the actual window being cleaned units, cills and frame, should I not let the customer know what I am offering in case that is what they are looking for?

Sorry if it is a dumb question.

BlueClearChoice said:

Always get the work first. Very hard out there now days. But still try your best.


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Thank you! I already know two houses that could do with one, mine and my neighbour  :1f602: , but thats if my neighbour is willing to pay lol.

Another question sorry guys / girls. What is the easiest way to get pure water, is it simple? Like having tap water and just having filters to purify it?

Azah678 said:

Another question sorry guys / girls. What is the easiest way to get pure water, is it simple? Like having tap water and just having filters to purify it?

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Easiest way is to buy it. Depends whether you are nearby a depot or not and expensive for long term but no set up cost. 

Second easiest is resin- basically it's like small orange beads in a vessel that removes any impurity in the water as it passes through. Fairly cheap set up cost, still moderately expensive in long run as the resin needs changing regularly.

Third is Reverse osmosis filters (RO). They filter the pure water out of the tap water and send it down a product water tube and they rest of the water with impurities goes down the drain. Usually about 50:50 ratio. Its expensive to set up but very cheap to run in the long term.

What I would do is buy a 22L backpack (£100) a cheap pole and some barrels and buy some water. Try it out, see if you like it. Try it on a few customer's if you can get some. If you're happy, you could buy something to produce your own water and better equipment and go for it. If you don't like it, you haven't spent much and you can sell the backpack and pole for most of what you paid for it. 

As long as you’re prepared to do your research, find out what kit you need and able to afford the initial set up, flyers, insurance, kit then go for it, why work for someone else first? I didn’t and I haven’t looked back these past three months!

I started researching properly in October/November, brought my kit just before Christmas and started advertising for quotes to start in the new year. I hold down a full time 48 hour per week nights job. I then work any time that I have off, but it’s paying off. I can’t afford to leave my job yet but with add on services and a new commercial contract I’ve managed to take almost £1,000 this month thanks to hard hard hard work. Sometimes 65 hours a week with my other job!

Also I don’t drive but I have modified a bicycle cart to carry my 7m extendable ladder! Along with my trad kit. But I’m moving to WFP in the next 8 weeks.

If you do a good job, people will pay. I’m in Wiltshire. I charge no less than £10 ever. Most of my work is £15+. I even have some £30-35 on 8 weekly. And managed to snag myself a commercial contract with a car show room. The work is out there if you look and you put yourself out there enough.

Be motivated to drive your own destiny. I’ve had good days I’ve had great days also I’ve had days where I just want to break down and say f you to some customers... I’ve even dropped customers in my first couple of months because of their attitude towards me. I work for me now. You’re the boss, it’s your Terms or no terms, simple. Just do a good job and the work will begin to come in.

Best of luck to you!


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Skxawng said:

What I would do is buy a 22L backpack (£100) a cheap pole and some barrels and buy some water. Try it out, see if you like it. Try it on a few customer's if you can get some. If you're happy, you could buy something to produce your own water and better equipment and go for it. If you don't like it, you haven't spent much and you can sell the backpack and pole for most of what you paid for it. 

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Good plan mate, instead of investing £1000 + into it, just invest the minimal amount and give it a go. I have heard from my mum that the window cleaner around her area has quit. So might have some customers there  :2_thumbs_up_-_animated:

I started last year and bought a starter Kit for £75

http://www.windowcleaning-supplies.com/product/business-starter-window-cleaning-kit-01WCSB.html?catid=11&group=0

Then I did my windows for a few hours every day, watched utube until I got confident doing it.