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Anyone's add ons and bookings dried up

Same, it suits me as my brothers injured so currently keeping up with work i had planned for two of us. 

Its holiday season, kids are off school, moneys hard to come by in august. People are generally doing family stuff too, holidays, entertaining kids. Having work done is not the first thing on their mind. Constructions the same, people generally dont want an extension being built during the summer holidays with the kids about as it disrupts family life so much. 

August always takes a slight dip i’ve noticed. 

In terms of Driveway cleaning, conservatory roof cleaning, etc, 8/10 people who wanted that done this summer have already had it done. This is why we need to capitalize on april/may/june & early July, those 12-14 weeks are the “happy time”

i’ve lost a lot of trade to people being on holiday - cant gain access etc. Lost 75 quids worth of trade the other day. Luckily found a hedge to trim that made the day up otherwise i would have had a lousy day in terms of earnings

 
Had a lot of upvc cleans of late. Not much in the last two weeks. Which I don't mind because I don't like doing too many upvc cleans anyway 

 
For a good few years I never got many enquires, there is plenty that need cleaning but some don't bother, I sacked them off completely last year, due to issues with my shoulders and elbows and it's far less hassle just cleaning window's 

 
I'm getting monoblock drains to clear now. They are usually full of sand but its easy to show the customer what's in them. With the amount of rain we get up here, they need doing every year like gutters. That tenement gutter job I did on Saturday the owner said an unusual thing to me. She said 'keep us in your diary and send us out a reminder next year to clear the gutters again.' I never gave it a thought that I should be reminding all last year gutter customers that they need them cleared every year but I will now. :1f609:

 
The problem owners have is this:- Their roof begins to leak and they naturally call out the insurance guy. The insurance guy takes photos of their gutters and declines their claim because of non maintenance. Gutters are now big business because like moss on roofs they show up on the home report. Folk are now calling me to clear their gutters because their home is going up forsale.

 
The problem owners have is this:- Their roof begins to leak and they naturally call out the insurance guy. The insurance guy takes photos of their gutters and declines their claim because of non maintenance. Gutters are now big business because like moss on roofs they show up on the home report. Folk are now calling me to clear their gutters because their home is going up forsale.
 I guess its worthwhile.Trouble is I reckon the whole gutter vac set up is needed really.  Bit too much for me, specially with my little van. I couldnt really tackle otherwise, what with the height the ladder would have to be etc. Also its one thing to clear the gutter, but I.d be stumped doing a blocked up down pipe without the vac I reckon.

 
but I.d be stumped doing a blocked up down pipe without the vac I reckon
It's far easier when you're on the ladders. Worst case scenario they have a screw in and you need a screwdriver. Sometimes they're well jammed together, majority of the times they come to bits easily and reassemble easily. The real pita jobs are those that are direct into the ground and are blocked at the bottom. If you get one of these make sure you're standing as far away as possible when it clears, because when these go the water goes everywhere, and some of it stinks. 

 
It's far easier when you're on the ladders. Worst case scenario they have a screw in and you need a screwdriver. Sometimes they're well jammed together, majority of the times they come to bits easily and reassemble easily. The real pita jobs are those that are direct into the ground and are blocked at the bottom. If you get one of these make sure you're standing as far away as possible when it clears, because when these go the water goes everywhere, and some of it stinks. 


Funny you should mention that. Yesterday I was unblocking a drainpipe and the fright I got when I removed the bottom. I must have dislodged the blockage and it was like a waterfall. Lucky for me it was only a bungalow but stale water is bad for one's health.

 
 I guess its worthwhile.Trouble is I reckon the whole gutter vac set up is needed really.  Bit too much for me, specially with my little van. I couldnt really tackle otherwise, what with the height the ladder would have to be etc. Also its one thing to clear the gutter, but I.d be stumped doing a blocked up down pipe without the vac I reckon.


The moment one buys a van and begins to use it, a thought quickly comes to mind 'I should have bought a bigger one'

 
The moment one buys a van and begins to use it, a thought quickly comes to mind 'I should have bought a bigger one'
 true enough, could always do with more space. I think what put me off is thinking of parking. Its awkward enough to park near mine and a big van would make it harder. Im sure it gets easier with time though.

yeh at mine its first come first served with parking too, which sometimes means a heavy stroll with equipment/water barrels etc ( and a longer hose for filling up van tank) 

 
It is hard parking in a transit van sometimes but you sacrifice space for convenience of parking, or the other way round. I opted for the van space. I’m in two minds about putting another van on the road next year. It needs to happen really as we aren’t responding to new enquiries quick enough and losing trade because of it. The only thing that puts me off is its costing £3-4k a year to keep one van on the road including insurance tax maintenance servicing and diesel etc. double that it’s anywhere between £6-8k a year just to keep two vans on the road...plus the extra inventory needed for a 2nd van, and the way competitors are popping up all over the place, it does put questions in my mind ?

 
We have had less add on jobs so far this year don’t know why , but Ime not worried as Ime trying to cut back on the amount of work I do , but the jobs we have been doing are bigger and more profitable strange but there you go .

 
I have never been busier with add-ons. Today had a big gutter clear and fixed the woman's gutter because the stop end's clip was broke. CT1 and a self-taping screw through the clip and gutter with a small piece of plywood to take the screw and job done for a ton. She said the other guy who did them, didn't clear the top gutters so I have the job now. Next job, cleaning 16 solar panels and she asked about the gutters so I cleared them and another ton. Told her she has pigeons nesting underneath both sides. She asked how to get rid of them. I said you need wire mesh fitted around the perimeter of the panels and I could do it for 500 but I told her to get a quote because they charge 750. She told me to go ahead and order mesh and do it next week. On that job I got a call to price a gutter clear on a town house not far from where I was so off I went to price it. My triple just made the underside of gutter so I checked the downpipe which the insurance guy said was blocked. It was clear but the gutter was full of black polytene coming from the roof. I think they used polythene rather than felt but it all had to be cut away so the gutter could do its job. I took pictures of it and showed the customer the problem. I said I could fix it with my bigger triple ladder but he would have to stand on the bottom of the ladder. He was fine by that and I quoted two ton because it will take me half a day and he was very happy rather than pay for a cherry picker or scaffold. All today's customers came through Checkatrade so it seems to be paying for itself but I am working flat out trying to keep up with demand.

 
Told her she has pigeons nesting underneath both sides. She asked how to get rid of them. I said you need wire mesh fitted around the perimeter of the panels and I could do it for 500 but I told her to get a quote because they charge 750. She told me to go ahead and order mesh and do it next week.


@scottish cleaning service

It's a criminal offence to interfere with a wild birds nest - including those of pigeons.. 

https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/advice/wildlife-and-the-law/wildlife-and-countryside-act/

What you should do instead is to defer this and offer to put the mesh there once breeding season is over. 

Also note that you need a licence to deal with pest species - and the general licences system to allow land owners to deal with 16 pest species has been revoked back in April - meaning that at present you can't remove them as a pest species - even if you had that licence (and I doubt you do):

https://www.pigeoncontrolresourcecentre.org/html/pigeon-pest-control-and-the-law.html

You're a window cleaner not an animal abuser. You only need one person to see what you've done and that's it - you're in a pickle - is £500 really worth 6 months in prison, an unlimited fine and the destruction of your window cleaning business? Your customer might drop you in it themselves too thinking they're doing you a favour - "Oh my window cleaner dealt with the pigeon nests too - he's ever so good..." and then you're done for that way.

Also direct from the .gov.uk website (which also shows the licence has been withdrawn):

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/wild-birds-licence-to-take-or-kill-for-health-or-safety-purposes

You cannot use this licence to kill birds because they are damaging your property, such as your car or house, or if they’re a nuisance.


In short, don't do it. Back track on it ASAP before you get yourself into a really stupid situation. You get caught, your investigated, someone notices that you saw this reply advising you but ignored it and it'll get even worse for you.

 
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All I am doing is fixing mesh around the panels, the nest in the middle wont be touched. Will leave one side off where they get in and out till October. Thanks Tango for the insight greatly appreciated.

 
Pigeons are a bit thick, so if it gets caught in the mesh and either becomes injured and or dies, then will you be liable ?

 
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