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Hi from a newbie

ste wilford

New member
Messages
12
Location
westhoughton
Just after starting up, looking for advice, not much money to start with so starting small, probs traditional then go over to water fed poles once enough money to buy the stuff, not sure about if i should save and buy a round or canvas, as hear a lot of stories about turf wars etc but not sure how true that is, but don't want to pay for just good will. 

Any advice would be good about how to go about this. and a big hi to everyone.

sorry if this subject been covered already

 
Buying a round is only ever good will. probably not the best move for a complete beginner unless you have somebody you can trust to help show you the ropes and get you up and running. it'd be very easy to spend a lot of money buying work only to lose it due to inexperience. better to canvas and gain work slowly while getting more experience.

 
Hi, to you, and welcome?.

In answer to your questions: For my part, I personally wouldn't get involved with trad. If you have no choice at the start then I'd get away from it as soon as possible. The potential and real safety risk is just one reason. A very good friend of mine fractured his back, broke his thumb and damaged his knee and his bladder just last week after falling from a ladder. It's also hard work, slow and inefficient. I'd find that, soul destroying.

I also personally wouldn't buy a round. I built my own over a while by canvassing and local ads and eventually through recommendations and walk ups.
I'm not saying it was easy. It was quite daunting but you have to do what you have to do. 

I didn't worry as such about turf wars. I didn't know if that might be an issue. I kept a weather eye as there was a windy in the area that had been known to be aggressive and on at least one occasion, violent to a competitor and his son. I have a degree of grit and determination and I'm not easily intimidated. I, and you have as much right to earn a living as anyone else. Competition is part of life. Do your own thing. No one owns territory.

Good luck.

Once again, "Welcome to the house of fun! Success is on its way!" ~ (Madness) . ?

 
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Welcome to the grotto.. sorry Forum

The best advice is

work out your budget

Vehicle 

Equipment 

Area of work 

WFP 

Much bigger budget 

TDS PMM

Storage & Production 

Nearest Spotless water site 

Have a good hard long think and use the forum search facility to enter your question and the answers are all here.

We will happily help you but everything you'll ask has been asked a million times before 

PS I'm sure someone will talk about hot water is better ?

 
Turf wars are a myth. 
They only exist with shops etc. If you started walking into shops under-quoting window cleaners then you’ll probably know about it. 
 
Not exactly true, I know lads that have had folk cause problems over perceived ‘areas’. Though it was more in the past, and with the internet it is dying a death. So not something to worry about, just make sure your the most expensive & you’ll be fine ?

 
Not exactly true, I know lads that have had folk cause problems over perceived ‘areas’. Though it was more in the past, and with the internet it is dying a death. So not something to worry about, just make sure your the most expensive & you’ll be fine ?
I lost a good customer in Renfrew this week, not sure if they are moving or jumped to someone cheaper. If I lose anymore then its because I'm quite expensive but I clean everything and even the wheely bin lids. 

Just became aware that "There is no loyalty in window cleaning" fwiw

 
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Thanks guys, I spent the last day or so looking round my local area, seems there are a few streets and cul-de-sacs that are all bungalows, thinking about trying to target them to start with. as would mean could do trad with no ladder work, to help build  some money to help buy the wfp stuff, (just an idea, shoot me down if thats a bad one) 

 
We rarely shoot down a tryer. Except on the very rare occasion when folk have asked for and received genuine and sound advice from us, only to come back on and insult us when they got going. Actually, I can only think of the one, off the top of my head, fairly recently. ?

I reckon your idea is a good one, to get you started.??

 
Thanks guys, I spent the last day or so looking round my local area, seems there are a few streets and cul-de-sacs that are all bungalows, thinking about trying to target them to start with. as would mean could do trad with no ladder work, to help build  some money to help buy the wfp stuff, (just an idea, shoot me down if thats a bad one) 
Stop looking around and get to marketing to them, get those boots on and get to pounding the pavement. Bungalows would  be a great place for you to start with your current skill level.

Good luck out there.

 
Sorry haven't read all replys but as a new starter 7 months ago, and pretty quickly grown a customer base of 200 monthly customers I have some simple bullet points. 

- don't buy a round, honestly if your on a tight budget anyway I'm not sure you can afford it (not being mean but rounds are expensive to buy). And there's no reason to. 

- Use social media, mainly Facebook, set up a business Page and advertise in local groups. 

- Last one, if your serious about this, and REALLY serious about this. Spend the money (even if you need to finance everything). Get a reliable van, get a tank, get an RO system and get set up WFP. It will repay itself quickly and make your life so much easier. I watch a trad lad round my area carrying his ladders around and think 'good on you', but by the time he's finished one house I'm on my 3rd and I'm guessing he's put more effort in then me. 

I wish you all the best, but I'm so grateful after 1 week I went to WFP and got my own RO system. Making Your own resource (purified water) , and not having to ever mess about with ladders turned the job from "this is alright I guess, maybe"..….to " how am I making £40 an hour this is so easy"

 
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Reverse osmosis it’s water filtration 
Just to add on Pjj comment. Yes it's a reverse osmosis system. 

What this means is, when using a WFP (water fed pole) sytem you need to filter the water to create purified water so it creates pure water. Most taps without a RO system produce 100-400 TDS (purification mesurement), you want to get this down to 0 so the water drys clear on customers windows. Hence the RO systems that filters your water out the garden tap, and then through the RO system and then into the tank in the van.....

You don't need this for trad work as you squidgee the windows clean and dry, but for WFP you need this as if you try and use tap water your going to have some very un happy customers. 

 
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Just another thing I never stated about is turf wars....don't believe it. There's a couple of guys in my area who completly ignore me and a couple who we give a friendly nod. There's enough windows luckily in my local area for us all ( or so I think). I've not had a problem (maybe being 6 foot 2 and fully tattooed ha something to do with it ?). But in all seriousness, your work will be the biggest factor, do good work and no one can touch you. Do bad work and them other lads will get your business. Be polite to all fellow windys and if they ignore you just get in with it, that's what I've done and haven't had a scrap yet ?

 
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Fair enough. But I very rarely insult anyone. 
I can assure you whenever I have they will have deserved it.

I have a mantra "If someone can dish it out, they have to be man enough to receive a slice of it. " ?
You are a bit of a feisty old devil Davy ???? 

 
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