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Should I go Trad or WFP

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Jimmy77

Member
Messages
6
Location
Swindon
Hi I’m going too start window Cleaning and and I can’t decide if I should go trad too start off until I build up my round or go straight too WFP? I need all the advise I can get! 

Cheers James  

 
WFP from the off ,  makes first cleans lot easier, you could find some customers saying they don’t want you todo windows anymore if it’s not done traditional, 

do you have a van ? Few hundred pound get you started, 

if if you’re working out of a car , get backpack , do tops with wfp and trad bottoms 

till you you can buy a van ,

 
I do trad top n bottom, but my customer base prefer that.

Ive picked up alot of customers that used wfp guys but just dont like them.

 
WFP from the start !! If you do the frames glass and sills properly every time you'll never have a problem and those windows the trads cant reach over conservatories etc you'll be able to get everytime. Make sure your water is spot on ! Clean and rinse well, be polite, dont give up canvassing !! 

 
Jonnyavfc said:
WFP from the start !! If you do the frames glass and sills properly every time you'll never have a problem and those windows the trads cant reach over conservatories etc you'll be able to get everytime. Make sure your water is spot on ! Clean and rinse well, be polite, dont give up canvassing !! 
Click to expand...
Thanks for your advise can you recommend a WFP setup reasonable Priced as I’m not the richest man around! ?

 
I was lucky-ish tbh m8 I had about 2 grand to start and I knew window cleaners that could get me poles etc. I got my Vauxhall combo van for 1500 which had a 350 litre tank already in it and was sign written already. You need at least a 25ft pole to start to reach any awkward windows etc a decent hose reel a pump a leisure battery a split charger that runs from your main battery to the one that runs your pump so it charges as your driving and take it from there. I started with no customers in January this year and now I have £1600 worth of work and getting lots of conservatory roof cleans and soffit cleans inbetween and I'm getting regular enquiries. It can be done eve though theres alot of us out there. Set yourself a buisness page up on Facebook and advertise on there that's all I do. Any really bad green dirty windows you clean take a before and after picture and upload them on your Facebook page and ask the customers if there happy to write a review on there too. Good luck 

 
Jimmy77 said:
Thanks for your advise can you recommend a WFP setup reasonable Priced as I’m not the richest man around! ?
Click to expand...


You'll need to find out what your TDS level is to start off with. If it's under 100 you can use double-DI to purify the water otherwise you'll need an RO or alternatively you'll need to buy pure water from someone. Maybe there is a Spotless water filling station near to you....

Otherwise a good way to start is Gardiner v3 backpack, SLX-22 pole (from Gardiners) and some 25L containers.

HWCS said:
I do trad top n bottom, but my customer base prefer that.

Ive picked up alot of customers that used wfp guys but just dont like them.
Click to expand...


I'm in my fifth year of WFP window cleaning and I have never ever (not once) had a request to clean windows using the trad method (apart from the insides of course!) I don't even mention which method I'm using when I quote so the subject doesn't even come up.

I think you must have had a few "splashers & dashers" in your area and your customers have had a bad experience of it. It's not WFP that's the problem it's the person operating it!

 
Totally agree this area does have splaah n dashers.

I spent 40mins cleaning a ladies house saturday traditionally charged her £15.

She has cctv and im there because her wfp guys were on drive to offf drive time 8mins and charged her £22

 
HWCS said:
Totally agree this area does have splaah n dashers.

I spent 40mins cleaning a ladies house saturday traditionally charged her £15.

She has cctv and im there because her wfp guys were on drive to offf drive time 8mins and charged her £22
Click to expand...
Sounds like she is happy your charging a lot less TBH plus it’s 16 mins if there where two of them lol. 

 
HWCS said:
She has cctv and im there because her wfp guys were on drive to offf drive time 8mins and charged her £22
Click to expand...
All that matters is are the windows clean. I agree 8 minutes from pulling up to pulling away is rather rapid for 2 people, unless it's a small house and charging £22 appears high. If however they're clean does it really matter how long you're there. Sounds like a custy that wants their pound of flesh as well as clean windows. On the other end of the scale, unless it was a first clean, you spending 40 minutes and charging £15 isn't exactly great business.

 
Part Timer said:
All that matters is are the windows clean. I agree 8 minutes from pulling up to pulling away is rather rapid for 2 people, unless it's a small house and charging £22 appears high. If however they're clean does it really matter how long you're there. Sounds like a custy that wants their pound of flesh as well as clean windows. On the other end of the scale, unless it was a first clean, you spending 40 minutes and charging £15 isn't exactly great business.
Click to expand...
I think anybody charging £22 for 8/16 minutes work is bonkers just my opinion.

Ive only been cleaning a little while but im getting quicker lol

 
Jonnyavfc said:
I was lucky-ish tbh m8 I had about 2 grand to start and I knew window cleaners that could get me poles etc. I got my Vauxhall combo van for 1500 which had a 350 litre tank already in it and was sign written already. You need at least a 25ft pole to start to reach any awkward windows etc a decent hose reel a pump a leisure battery a split charger that runs from your main battery to the one that runs your pump so it charges as your driving and take it from there. I started with no customers in January this year and now I have £1600 worth of work and getting lots of conservatory roof cleans and soffit cleans inbetween and I'm getting regular enquiries. It can be done eve though theres alot of us out there. Set yourself a buisness page up on Facebook and advertise on there that's all I do. Any really bad green dirty windows you clean take a before and after picture and upload them on your Facebook page and ask the customers if there happy to write a review on there too. Good luck 
Click to expand...
You have 1600 of monthly work just from Facebook advertising in under half a year, can you let me know what you do please ??

 
Joshyouare that's right m8 !! I started with a bit of canvassing the 1st month 8 hours a day to get me started and then set up a fb business page to add my pictures too and was constantly advertising on there and replying as soon as I got a lead and I'd be there the same day to quote the job. I started getting great reviews and more contacts from my before and after pics and recommendations from my customers and yeah believe me or not since January 20th this year I now have £1600 worth of nice work !!! Put the hard work in at the start and you reap the rewards. To many dont want to canvass these days but I enjoy meet potential customers and explaining what services I offer. I'm chuffed to bits with what I've got now cause I knew getting a grands worth of work to start was going to be hard but I soon got there and beyond and I'm getting regular enquiries ok I dont get them all but I price accordingly for the job I know I can do and if they ask can I do it cheaper I just say no and walk away onto the next one !! ???

 
Jonnyavfc said:
Joshyouare that's right m8 !! I started with a bit of canvassing the 1st month 8 hours a day to get me started and then set up a fb business page to add my pictures too and was constantly advertising on there and replying as soon as I got a lead and I'd be there the same day to quote the job. I started getting great reviews and more contacts from my before and after pics and recommendations from my customers and yeah believe me or not since January 20th this year I now have £1600 worth of nice work !!! Put the hard work in at the start and you reap the rewards. To many dont want to canvass these days but I enjoy meet potential customers and explaining what services I offer. I'm chuffed to bits with what I've got now cause I knew getting a grands worth of work to start was going to be hard but I soon got there and beyond and I'm getting regular enquiries ok I dont get them all but I price accordingly for the job I know I can do and if they ask can I do it cheaper I just say no and walk away onto the next one !! ???
Click to expand...
8 hours a day canvassing makes sense now haha but yeah, impressive mate nice one

 
Joshyouare I was trying to say although theres hundreds of us out there now with a bit of hard work at the start it's still possible to earn a good living. I want to try and get about half again and I know I can do all the work on my own. I just wish I'd started of with a bigger van now lol 

 

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