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How do YOU deal with terraced rear windows?

Tango

Well-known member
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Dirt. Planet Dirt.
I have a couple of clients that are terraced, no rear gate... I've been trying to avoid these properties but I've got to admit to myself I need the money!

I feel like a right old numpty carrying a trolly full of water through the door, wheeling it through (with shoe covers on the wheels), lifting it out into the back, cleaning, then trying to avoid the puddles, lift it back in, wheel it back through and lift it back out. What a faff!.. and then trying to carry the pole at the same time lol

I've mulled over carrying just 1/3 of the full amount in the BP and literally back packing it but i'm such a fat pleb i think i'd look stupid like that too lol.

So, van mounted or backpacker, how do you do these places?

 
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backpack would be the easiest, I've had similar in the past when it meant hopping over fences, I did design a vest where you (in your case,) could walk through a house with a pole and clean the back it worked really well I wasn't the first to do this but it works so so well for hard to reach areas and a 9l capaciticy it covers most things

 
Just park your Gardiners/Trolley at the front door, place the hose through the house then wfp the rear windows and cloth clean the rear door so you dont get water in the house on the carpet..

Get a remote control fitted to your back pack so you can turn on the flow when your at the rear of the house.

 
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If they really want the back doing I say I'll have to drag the hose through the house, it they really want it doing they want have a problem. Don't drag any dog :1f4a9:  over their cream carpet though... I know through personal experience.?

 
I only asked because i know one windy who literally does - puts it through the letterbox and takes it through the house!


Exactly what I do. Only have two customers that I need to do this on and they both have laminate flooring, so easy to wipe if need be.

 
If access is difficult we would offer a front only service take it or leave it , we certainly would not be going through and taking hoses backpacks or trolleys that’s asking for trouble , we do have quite a few terraced houses fronts only £10 a go and do 7 per hour taking it easy I wish we had more to be honest .

 
I take a backpack through. If you want to make it lighter, trad the bottoms. Probably about 20% of my customers are like this. Its a bit of a hassle but they were some of my first customer and so consistent it helped me build my round. Some of the more established guys understandably stay away from these jobs, it can mean that at the beginning newer ones can get a good base to build off of, that's what I did. 

 
I've got one house that's not accessible to the back, good size extended semi.  I wheel my trolley through garage then through kitchen and have to lift the whole damn thing over the lip of the pvc door frame at the back door.  The back is a mud bath so upon coming back through the kitchen it leaves watery mud trails which I have to go over with a microfibre cloth.

It's a neighbour and it's only every 8 weeks so I'm willing to put up with it but I'd not take on any others like this, too much hassle.  

 
I'm starting to find this out regarding my first customers who are also neighbours. You begin to wonder if its worth it and you only do them because they helped in the building of a round. Heart overrules the head until one quotes for new work.

 
I've got a couple of customers that are terraced with no access other than through the house. I just take the backpack through, I find easier if it's only half full, I dont attempt the pole at the same time, I'm always conscious of the floors, walls etc so having two hands for the backpack, opening doors etc is easier.

 
If access is difficult we would offer a front only service take it or leave it , we certainly would not be going through and taking hoses backpacks or trolleys that’s asking for trouble , we do have quite a few terraced houses fronts only £10 a go and do 7 per hour taking it easy I wish we had more to be honest .
why are you asking for trouble?...if the homeowners in and wants the back doing.....do you say no?charge them more for the backs if theyve not been cleaned for a while,job done,no problem....

 
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