Limited budget trad kit requirements

Sam5805 · Nov 29, 2020

Just wondering if someone could give me a basic kit list for starting out trad cleaning.

I have a trade rated 5m double ladder and a 2m extension pole I found in the loft that may come in handy but f all else.

Money is very tight at the minute so I was looking at screwfixs window cleaning kit £27 and some decent rubber for the squeegees as it has a variety of sizes.

Or would I be better going with one size of unger squeegee and applicator and getting more as I go along? Mainly looking at residential work initially.

My Main aim is getting started as cheaply as possible, even if it takes me longer to clean each house initially with more detailing/faffing

Basically what I'm asking is if you had an absolute max of £75 to spend on the actual tools you use to clean the windows what would you buy?

Thanks in advance

Sam

AW Services · Nov 29, 2020

Sam5805 said:
Just wondering if someone could give me a basic kit list for starting out trad cleaning.

I have a trade rated 5m double ladder and a 2m extension pole I found in the loft that may come in handy but f all else.

Money is very tight at the minute so I was looking at screwfixs window cleaning kit £27 and some decent rubber for the squeegees as it has a variety of sizes.

Or would I be better going with one size of unger squeegee and applicator and getting more as I go along? Mainly looking at residential work initially.

My Main aim is getting started as cheaply as possible, even if it takes me longer to clean each house initially with more detailing/faffing

Basically what I'm asking is if you had an absolute max of £75 to spend on the actual tools you use to clean the windows what would you buy?

Thanks in advance

Sam

Have you not googled traditional window cleaning equipment basic starter kit or use the search facility at the top of the page and searched for it

Sam5805 · Nov 29, 2020

Apw1210 said:
Have you not googled traditional window cleaning equipment basic starter kit or use the search facility at the top of the page and searched for it

Yeah I found something on Google that seemed to have good info saying to start with a 10' squeegee and applicator but as I don't really know what I'm talking about I thought I'd check with the experts.

Done quite a few searches on the forum but most of the results didn't seem that relevant

AW Services · Nov 29, 2020

Sam5805 said:
Yeah I found something on Google that seemed to have good info saying to start with a 10' squeegee and applicator but as I don't really know what I'm talking about I thought I'd check with the experts.

Done quite a few searches on the forum but most of the results didn't seem that relevant

I'll give you a valuable pointer

Cheap kit = Poor finish, unreliability & won't be an investment

Stay away from cheap crud as you'll not benefit from it.

Without buying flimsy flappy rubbish Unger are the best.

Stay well clear of their consumer range as the quality is dreadful.

Green Unger ErgoTec is the best option.

Just get a 13" & 18" ErgoTec Splus Squeegee

13" applicator mop

Telescopic pole

Genuine pre washed scrims NOT microfibre as they retain far to much water

A decent rectangular bucket that your applicator mop actually fits into

A scraper

Plenty of cloths for sills and frames.

Are your ladders trade certified

Be very careful on those ladders

PUBLIC LIABILITY INSURANCE

your budget will need to be alot bigger

I've never used ladders as I value my bones

High-tower · Nov 29, 2020

You’ll want a 14” squeegee and applicator and a 10” squeegee, that’ll cover most things, windows too small for the applicator can be wet in with a wet cloth and if they’re too small for the 10” squeegee you can buff them up with a scrim

youll want a bucket on a belt, makes life so much easier when you are up and down ladders, no need for a pouch although they’re only a few pound on top, you can tuck a scrim in you belt.

14” applicator, 14” squeegee, 10” squeegee, belt, boab, bucket, scrims, microfibres, scraper and some detergent.

buy decent squeegees and rubbers, everything else is negotiable!

AW Services · Nov 29, 2020

Apw1210 said:
I'll give you a valuable pointer

Cheap kit = Poor finish, unreliability & won't be an investment

Stay away from cheap crud as you'll not benefit from it.

Without buying flimsy flappy rubbish Unger are the best.

Stay well clear of their consumer range as the quality is dreadful.

Green Unger ErgoTec is the best option.

Just get a 13" & 18" ErgoTec Splus Squeegee

13" applicator mop

Telescopic pole

Genuine pre washed scrims NOT microfibre as they retain far to much water

A decent rectangular bucket that your applicator mop actually fits into

A scraper

Plenty of cloths for sills and frames.

Are your ladders trade certified

Be very careful on those ladders

PUBLIC LIABILITY INSURANCE

your budget will need to be alot bigger

I've never used ladders as I value my bones

View attachment 22567

View attachment 22568

View attachment 22569

That's just shy of £350's worth of kit and no ladders

Martyn · Nov 29, 2020

Absolute bare minimum is a rectangular bucket, 6" & 14" squeegy, 14" applicator, small microfibre cloths for frames and sills and either large microfibre or scrim cloths for detailing. You can use Fairy for detergent, it's cheap and effective.

You can build up from there when you have the work.

I would leave the 18" until you have work to justify it.

windowcleancentre.co.uk is a good place to look for equipment, there are others of course.

ched999uk · Nov 29, 2020

Martyn said:
Absolute bare minimum is a rectangular bucket, 6" & 14" squeegy, 14" applicator, small microfibre cloths for frames and sills and either large microfibre or scrim cloths for detailing. You can use Fairy for detergent, it's cheap and effective.

You can build up from there when you have the work.

I would leave the 18" until you have work to justify it.

windowcleancentre.co.uk is a good place to look for equipment, there are others of course.

Plus insurance!!! OK so you don't legally need it but what happens if you drop a ladder on a car?

Sam5805 · Nov 30, 2020

Cheers lads this is exactly the information i was looking for dont Wanna be wasting money on useless or unnecessary stuff this early in game ?

Get in cheap and go from there

AW Services · Nov 30, 2020

Sam5805 said:
Cheers lads this is exactly the information i was looking for dont Wanna be wasting money on useless or unnecessary stuff this early in game ?

Get in cheap and go from there

I would really hope you are not going in cheap as respects to low quality made equipment. Having the correct rubber for winter is the crucial and you'll be back in months saying you need to buy better

Sam5805 · Nov 30, 2020

Got

Apw1210 said:
I would really hope you are not going in cheap as respects to low quality made equipment. Having the correct rubber for winter is the crucial and you'll be back in months saying you need to buy better

Kind of, I bought the cheapo Screwfix kit because I just don't have the money available at the minute but I replaced all the rubber with unger stuff (world of difference between how it performed out of the box and after I replaced the rubber) my logic was that I get a bucket, two applicator mops and three squeegees and I'll upgrade my squeegees as soon as I get some more money in

Did all my windows today and realized that my current window cleaner does not do a very good job! My technique is pretty awfull/slow but I did manage to achieve a really good finish and the squeegees seem to collect the water very evenly without leaving lines

I'm confident that I can now go to someone's house and leave them with nice clean windows so I'll be out knocking doors this week and will be ordering some flyers tonight.

AW Services · Nov 30, 2020

Sam5805 said:
Got

Kind of, I bought the cheapo Screwfix kit because I just don't have the money available at the minute but I replaced all the rubber with unger stuff (world of difference between how it performed out of the box and after I replaced the rubber) my logic was that I get a bucket, two applicator mops and three squeegees and I'll upgrade my squeegees as soon as I get some more money in

Did all my windows today and realized that my current window cleaner does not do a very good job! My technique is pretty awfull/slow but I did manage to achieve a really good finish and the squeegees seem to collect the water very evenly without leaving lines

I'm confident that I can now go to someone's house and leave them with nice clean windows so I'll be out knocking doors this week and will be ordering some flyers tonight.

Do you have a decent ladder leveller or foot system?

For your families sake, small steps, don't rush or kill yourself

I'm really not someone who has negative 5hite to say but I've seen it, lost a mate who broke his neck falling onto a patio table and killing himself within the first week of his new business.

We bang on about PLI but as you have no budget how do you intend to settle damages or accidents if they occur?

Martyn · Nov 30, 2020

Sam5805 said:
Did all my windows today and realized that my current window cleaner does not do a very good job! My technique is pretty awfull/slow but I did manage to achieve a really good finish and the squeegees seem to collect the water very evenly without leaving lines

If you haven't already have a look on YouTube, Trad Man and Polzn Blades are very good for technique.

Sam5805 · Nov 30, 2020

Martyn said:
If you haven't already have a look on YouTube, Trad Man and Polzn Blades are very good for technique.

Yeah I'll have a look watched a few vids today and they definitely helped.. my first attempts were absolutely horrendous but after cleaning my living room window about fifty times I seem to be able to get a good finish on the top 95% of the window but the last inch or so I'm leaving a few suds and struggling to maintain the correct angle on the squeegee.. I'm sure I'll get there though

Sam5805 · Nov 30, 2020

Apw1210 said:
Do you have a decent ladder leveller or foot system?

For your families sake, small steps, don't rush or kill yourself

I'm really not someone who has negative 5hite to say but I've seen it, lost a mate who broke his neck falling onto a patio table and killing himself within the first week of his new business.

We bang on about PLI but as you have no budget how do you intend to settle damages or accidents if they occur?

Yeah the ladder is up to the job.

And I think you are right to emphasize the value of being cautious.. I probably seem a bit impatient and gung-ho but I'm actually very cautious I'm not gonna be taking any stupid risks with my life to earn a few quid.

Seen plenty of times in the army how complacency can get you killed.

Gonna have a look at pli tonight

AW Services · Nov 30, 2020

Sam5805 said:
Yeah the ladder is up to the job.

And I think you are right to emphasize the value of being cautious.. I probably seem a bit impatient and gung-ho but I'm actually very cautious I'm not gonna be taking any stupid risks with my life to earn a few quid.

Seen plenty of times in the army how complacency can get you killed.

Gonna have a look at pli tonight

I bet that was just on the training grounds?

When your ready to go into battle kit Admin as you know is key, make sure everything is upto the job, and stick to your drills. 7p's is something you know to well

Sam5805 · Nov 30, 2020

Apw1210 said:
I bet that was just on the training grounds?

When your ready to go into battle kit Admin as you know is key, make sure everything is upto the job, and stick to your drills. 7p's is something you know to well

Afghan and Iraq mainly.

Although my mate did get shot in the leg by a gmpg on a live firing exercises.. complacency (not his), as the DS put the left cut off for an ambush directly in front of the kills group

I have absolutely no idea what the 7ps are ? is it a prep for battle numonic? If so it had changed to PAWPERSO by the time I was in. I get the general point you're aiming at though, preparation is key

When did you serve?

AW Services · Nov 30, 2020

Sam5805 said:
Afghan and Iraq mainly.

Although my mate did get shot in the leg by a gmpg on a live firing exercises.. complacency (not his), as the DS put the left cut off for an ambush directly in front of the kills group

I have absolutely no idea what the 7ps are ? is it a prep for battle numonic? If so it had changed to PAWPERSO by the time I was in. I get the general point you're aiming at though, preparation is key

When did you serve?

Yeah I know what Protection, Ammunition, Weapons, Personal Camouflage, Equipment, Radios, Specialist Equipment, Orders mean.

Civi prior planning and preparation prevents pee poor performance

Sam5805 · Nov 30, 2020

Apw1210 said:
I bet that was just on the training grounds?

When your ready to go into battle kit Admin as you know is key, make sure everything is upto the job, and stick to your drills. 7p's is something you know to well

...prevents **** poor performance

Got ya haha

Had to Google it and then realized I'd heard it about a million times

laddergarder · Dec 11, 2020

What I would buy:

14" and 6" unger ergo-tec

14" applicator

Rubbers

Scrapper I prefer unger ninja, you wont need the heavy holder

Unger Bucket

Scrims (unger prewashed)

Pouches (facelift)

Bucket on a belt

Soap

Thats around £270

You'll want 20ft ladders 6m

You need to budget for other business expenses, insurance, software to manage customers, accountant to do a tax return, advertising cost like flyers etc.

But it's not impossible, I started with £30 of gear. In hindsight I would have bought better gear though.

AW Services · Dec 11, 2020

laddergarder said:
What I would buy:

14" and 6" unger ergo-tec

14" applicator

Rubbers

Scrapper I prefer unger ninja, you wont need the heavy holder

Unger Bucket

Scrims (unger prewashed)

Pouches (facelift)

Bucket on a belt

Soap

Thats around £270

You'll want 20ft ladders 6m

You need to budget for other business expenses, insurance, software to manage customers, accountant to do a tax return, advertising cost like flyers etc.

But it's not impossible, I started with £30 of gear. In hindsight I would have bought better gear though.

Save wasting money on window cleaning specific overpriced cheap rebranded Chinese pouches and buy some ammunition dump bags on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/WINOMO-Magazine-Holster-Adjustable-Outdoor/dp/B06XHJGPC2/ref=mp_s_a_1_38?dchild=1&keywords=webbing+pouches&qid=1607700888&sprefix=webbing+po&sr=8-38

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