Need advise on starting up wfp cleaning

Hi there

Im in the process of changing from traditional to wfp cleaning. Reading reviews on here has made me doubt whether I will be able to clean them well, without some training.

I’ve decided that I would prefer to have to training to ensure that I clean the windows and framework to a high standard. 

Can anyone recommend a training course or I would I even work alongside an experienced window cleaner?

Preferably someone from around Stoke on Trent - Macclesfield area. 

How much would it be per hour? 

Also I’m planning on upping the prices to my customers as I will be cleaning and maintaining their frames as well as their windows and sills. I also feel the prices on the round I bought around 5 months ago are underpriced, for example I’ve got some small semis at £5! 

Do most window cleaners charge extra for 1st clean on frames? Or would you just up the 4 weekly prices? Or keep them the same? 

I would appreciate any advise, thanks. 

Luke

Cannot recommend a training course Ime afrade we are a very long way from you but you are welcome to come out with us for a few days if you fancy a trip to Cornwall . 

Price wise we usually charge double for a first clean unless it’s an existing customers family ,changing from trad   to wfp is a huge learning curve when I did it 15+ years ago I thought I had made a huge mistake but once you have done all the properties once it will be a lot easier and quicker , techniques to clean different styles and types of windows are needed , but once mastered you will be a lot quicker , do friends and family’s and your own first this will give you the opportunity to see the results you are achieving without customers complaining about runs etc , there are loads of posts on hear regarding this try using the search box ,as there is no point in re writing what has already been posted , good luck with the transition you won’t regret it once up to speed 

without being rude your prices sound very low £5 for a semi is way to cheap we are a minimum of £10 and can do up to 7 per hour per man on compact estate work . 

Hi, I’m new to Wfp, started 3 weeks ago after being a decorator for 10years, I dont think you need a course if you have common sense and do your research, the guys on here are great and helpful, and I just practiced loads on family and friends. Plenty of YouTube videos too like Green Pro clean?

I definitely don’t know it all in 3 weeks but so far my customers are happy and I’m getting good reviews.

i know I’m slow and use to much water at times but I’m sure with time that will pick up.

Its scary at first but you just have to take the plunge.

Good luck ? 

Hi Luke, some suggestions FYI:

• First cleans - charge double, it might take you twice as long and you are worth a decent hourly rate.  Also gives an indication the customer is serious.  I've had customers haggle a bit which is fine, but if someone wants a decent, thorough first clean but doesn't want to pay the extra, walk away.
  
• Frames, Sills - do them with the glass as standard, just include it as part of your sales pitch when quoting.
  
• Good advice I got from this site - set a basic hourly rate you want to aim for (e.g. £30-ish ph not unreasonable doing WFP in your area).
  
• I set a minimum price & use a formula for pricing based on type and size of windows (normal PVC/sash/georgian/leaded, bifold/patio doors etc) - e.g. a basic 2-bed terraced house in Macc might be £12-14 (double for a first clean!) depending on access, style of windows etc, and might take you about 20 mins or so when you're up to speed (2x 2-pane windows at front, plus the door, maybe 3 or 4 windows the same at the back, and the door).  Some guys could probably do it quicker than that, but you will be longer and using more water at the start. 
  
• I've not had to convert Trad customers to WFP but I would imagine just getting new WFP customers might be less of a headache than converting someone who is used to paying a lot less having to cough up the new higher price, even with the added cleaning you will do - some other members will have more advice on this.
  
• Liability insurance - maybe something you haven't thought of, and it's an extra cost to you, but is a big selling point - some of the property where you are are is high value, so if you can show you are serious about looking after their property, it will pay for itself.
  

All the best!

Luke Macclesfield said:

Hi there

Im in the process of changing from traditional to wfp cleaning. Reading reviews on here has made me doubt whether I will be able to clean them well, without some training.

I’ve decided that I would prefer to have to training to ensure that I clean the windows and framework to a high standard. 

Can anyone recommend a training course or I would I even work alongside an experienced window cleaner?

Preferably someone from around Stoke on Trent - Macclesfield area. 

How much would it be per hour? 

Also I’m planning on upping the prices to my customers as I will be cleaning and maintaining their frames as well as their windows and sills. I also feel the prices on the round I bought around 5 months ago are underpriced, for example I’ve got some small semis at £5! 

Do most window cleaners charge extra for 1st clean on frames? Or would you just up the 4 weekly prices? Or keep them the same? 

I would appreciate any advise, thanks. 

Luke

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We were trad before going wfp.

We bought a small round that had been done by trad cleaners who only cleaned the glass. We had to go the wfp route because the houses were mainly dormers and it wasn't safe to climb up roofs to clean the upper windows. The frames and cills were filthy.

My first experience with wfp was a friend who had a glassfibre pole and let me clean a neighbour's window with it to try it out. (My friend bought the first system in our area but was a little hestitant converting all his customers from trad to wfp.)

I then practiced on our own house windows and nervously headed off to clean this new round. (We own a dormer and I must have cleaned the front windows and door 50 times in a couple of days just to get the technique of cleaning them. I wanted to look as though I was an old hand at cleaning wfp infront of our new customers.There were no YouTube videos to watch and I didn't know about window cleaning forums. We had to learn wfp as we went along. That was neigh on 15 years ago.) 

Our new customers knew we were the new cleaners but Yorkshire people are very distrusting of 'strangers'. Here's a foreigner coming to clean our windows with a new type of window cleaning method wasn't a good start. And he left the windows wet. I managed 7 new cleans that first day having to scrub years to filth off window frames and cills. All windows got cleaned twice and a few got a third clean. A few weren't happy that the windows were left wet, so I just said I would collect payment when they were happy with the job.

I finished that evening thoroughly disheartened. On my way to work the next morning I wondered what the heck I was doing. When I looked at the windows I had cleaned the previous day I couldn't believe the difference. They were clean and sparkled in the morning sunshine. I was actually very proud of the result and was sure everyone whose windows I had cleaned would be as well. Every householder came out to pay me and asked me to continue to clean with this new system. That lifted my spirits.

News got round that estate that these new guy's system was brilliant and most were expecting me.

However, this round was a 2 weekly round but on the second or third clean we got turned away as the windows were still clean. So we ended up with a 4 weekly round rather than every 2 weeks. I later tried to push a price increase their way not realising that they are a tight knit community and the round cancelled in bulk. 

We spoke to the previous cleaners and they told us that it had happened to them as well on two occassions so this is why the prices were low. They also told who the instigator was.

So I told everyone who didn't accept a new price to find another cleaner. I was left with 6 houses out of the 90 + cleans we had purchased. We continued to clean the mother's house of the instigator which created a lot on tension in that family.

We got a lot of walk ups and eventually over the next 6 to 12 months we were asked back to clean the majority of the houses we cleaned initially at the new price.

So if you have a 2 weekly round, consider our experience and turn it into a 4 weekly round and double the price from £5 to £10. And be prepared to walk away from the customers you have who don't accept that. They are still paying the same monthly cost for window cleaning so it won't make much of a difference to them. If you don't you will regret cleaning them every time. Yes, you will have to increase your customer base, but you are going to have to do that anyway into the future.

Yes each job you do should be quicker than trad eventually but it won't be to start off with. A trad cleaner has minimal startup equipment costs. WFP equipment can be anything up to 60 times more for a newish van and fitted system. Running costs are also much more.