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Hi looking at starting up and advice.

Bongofish

Active member
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314
Location
Pontefract
Hi all!

I'm 33 and looking at starting up my own window cleaning service. What tools do I actually need? I have a new shape clio with roof rack on for the ladders. Going to get company name put down side of it. Will this be big enough to stay with, with the rear seats down? Also how important is it to have a water power system as this obviously adds alot to the start up costs? Going to get 1000 flyers printed and post them all and a uniform done. But not sure if the clio is big enough, what actual is the very basic tools I need to do a professional job? And Amy other tips? I am currently a binman and whilst enjoy working outside always wanted to work for myself and think I'm at a time in my life to give it a go. Wife is supportive. Going to try and start it while working the bins at the same time to see how it goes. Initial money I will put to start up the venture is about £500. Is this enough to get the stuff I need? 

Thank you all

 
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This is plenty to start off with, when you have decided this game is for you and are established then is the time to start invest in a WFP system. It might pay you to get a cheap starter WFP kit, backpack, pole and drums, so you can clean the really awkward windows. The subject of equipment is available if you use the search bar in the top right hand corner 

 
I'm in a similar position to yourself. (So I'm no expert)

But I have been researching for hours on end of the idea of being a window cleaver for 12 months. 

I started buying equipment last summer to practise traditional. 

I bought a cheap traditional window cleaning  pack for around £70 and watched youtube videos from Darren at go green, trad man and A E Mackintosh. 

I found them all to very informative and full of good tips and advice. 

I found the group  window cleaning page uk on fb full of useful tips  and advice too. I have noticed some getting a bit irrated with newbies at the moment due to the high volume of new starters asking a lot of questions. I get their point but we all start new and fresh at one point. 

After reading and listening to advice given, I now have bought all the best tools recommended on the above platforms

 Although the tools I originally bought to do the job is ok, if you can afford too, buy the best recommended tools for the job. 

Being a bin man you must have excellent knowledge of all your local area. Use it to your advantage. If you don't already, start trying to build up a rapport with people on your rounds. Ask them if they have or is there a window cleaner in the area. If not, try and find a way to muscle in on that area with business cards etc. Are you allowed to leave flyers on the handle of the  bins? 

Good luck with it all 

 
I started like you 20+ years ago with the family car which was a Clio , yes it can be done , bucket, ladders and hand tools will fit in it ok , but @Part Timer advice once you are set up with regular work look at water fed pole , easier , faster, better results , more add on jobs like cleaning gutters facias and soffits ,dormers , etc try and get a customer base whilst still doing your other job then jump ship once ul and running fir a bit, try and save up for a van and system, it can be done quite easily I now have 3 vans and 5 guys and Ime not trying to expand the buisness, Ime sure you will do well , just be better than the competition. 

 
Another thing I am confused on is this purified water? So you use hand bucket with water and washing up liquid in for the traditional way, but using the wfp method needs purified water? Also purified water looks about £12 for 25l but how long would that actually last? 

 
Another thing I am confused on is this purified water? So you use hand bucket with water and washing up liquid in for the traditional way, but using the wfp method needs purified water? Also purified water looks about £12 for 25l but how long would that actually last? 
Google Spotless Water and see if they have a site near you, their price is between 3.5 - 5p per litre. You should be able to buy it a lot cheaper then 50p a litre and 25l would do between 1 and 2 houses.

 
Google Spotless Water and see if they have a site near you, their price is between 3.5 - 5p per litre. You should be able to buy it a lot cheaper then 50p a litre and 25l would do between 1 and 2 houses.
Googled it, closest one is about 40 mins away. Is there no easier way I mean that's £1 instant loss on every house to start with as I guess being new I'll be using the full 25l a house and to make that trip worthwhile I would need to get like 1000litres and the little clio will not hold that, lol. 

 
Put a quid on every quote you do to account for water and crack on.

If you wfp tops and do bottoms traditional you can get away with about 3-4 houses for 25l and bot have to mess around with ladders.

That's how I transitioned from traditional from 1991 until 6 years ago and now fully wfp.

 
So ok, just some I'm aware being new. I can get the Gardiner backpack and then buy a pole for about an extra £100. That is about £210 there. Then bucket sponges blades etc etc say another £50-100. Is there anything else equipment wise that I am missing here? At moment about £300 tops for equipment and starting out? And the big question is will all this fit into my clio with the seats down ? (New shape)

 
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So ok, just some I'm aware being new. I can get the Gardiner backpack and then buy a pole for about an extra £100. That is about £210 there. Then bucket sponges blades etc etc say another £50-100. Is there anything else equipment wise that I am missing here? At moment about £300 tops for equipment and starting out? And the big question is will all this fit into my clio with the seats down ? (New shape)
No idea as my son has a clio rs200 cup and need to put the back seats down to fit our fishing gear in it.

This is basically how you would work doing tops wfp with a car and is pretty much how I changed over minus the sexy overalls and diy pole.




 
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Another thing I am confused on is this purified water? So you use hand bucket with water and washing up liquid in for the traditional way, but using the wfp method needs purified water? Also purified water looks about £12 for 25l but how long would that actually last? 
Yes you are right about the first half , purified water is needed for wfp but you need to know your TDS of your tap water depending what reading you have will determine the filtration you will need , most produce there own 25 ltr of pure shouldn’t cost £12 no way that’s not right 

 
Yes you are right about the first half , purified water is needed for wfp but you need to know your TDS of your tap water depending what reading you have will determine the filtration you will need , most produce there own 25 ltr of pure shouldn’t cost £12 no way that’s not right 
Spotless here if I need a quick top up is 4.6p inc vat per litre. 

One of the most expensive ones around but still would only be £4.60 for 100l.

 
Googled it, closest one is about 40 mins away. Is there no easier way I mean that's £1 instant loss on every house to start with as I guess being new I'll be using the full 25l a house and to make that trip worthwhile I would need to get like 1000litres and the little clio will not hold that, lol. 
This is where you will start to spend money if you're not careful. Try and find out if you're in a hard or soft water area, you can buy a TDS meter from a reputable supplier. If you live in a soft water area you can just use a DI and produce straight from your tap. If hard water then you will need an R/O. Initially you could just DI it as you will only need 50l a day if you're just doing the awkward windows.  

 
This is where you will start to spend money if you're not careful. Try and find out if you're in a hard or soft water area, you can buy a TDS meter from a reputable supplier. If you live in a soft water area you can just use a DI and produce straight from your tap. If hard water then you will need an R/O. Initially you could just DI it as you will only need 50l a day if you're just doing the awkward windows.  
What does DI stand for and how does it work?  I've just done a check on a website and it says my postcode is in  a soft water area?

 
Last edited by a moderator:
DI vessel, it is a vessel that holds the resin that purifies your water. It sounds like you need to buy a TDS meter some resin and a DI vessel and make your own pure. Loads on the site about this.

 
I'm in a similar position to yourself. (So I'm no expert)

But I have been researching for hours on end of the idea of being a window cleaver for 12 months. 

I started buying equipment last summer to practise traditional. 

I bought a cheap traditional window cleaning  pack for around £70 and watched youtube videos from Darren at go green, trad man and A E Mackintosh. 

I found them all to very informative and full of good tips and advice. 

I found the group  window cleaning page uk on fb full of useful tips  and advice too. I have noticed some getting a bit irrated with newbies at the moment due to the high volume of new starters asking a lot of questions. I get their point but we all start new and fresh at one point. 

After reading and listening to advice given, I now have bought all the best tools recommended on the above platforms

 Although the tools I originally bought to do the job is ok, if you can afford too, buy the best recommended tools for the job. 

Being a bin man you must have excellent knowledge of all your local area. Use it to your advantage. If you don't already, start trying to build up a rapport with people on your rounds. Ask them if they have or is there a window cleaner in the area. If not, try and find a way to muscle in on that area with business cards etc. Are you allowed to leave flyers on the handle of the  bins? 

Good luck with it all 
Good Lad, if you like heights and confident on a ladder Traditional is the way for you. 

 
Hi all again

So I've just read another thread of a new guy who looks like he will be getting a van. And I've seen that hes been advised on a minimum 500 litre tank. As I have stated earlier that I will be using my car (new shape clio) with seats down how am I meant to best carry water around? 

 

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