Welcome to the UK Window Cleaning Forums

Starting or own a window cleaning business? We're a network of window cleaners sharing advice, tips & experience. Rounds for sale & more. Join us today!

Are there too many window cleaners in my area to start a business?

leeh123

New member
Messages
4
Location
lymington
Hi everyone. I'm thinking of starting up as a WFP window cleaner, I've got passed experience in sales and I'm currently a field engineer for a telecoms company. I've been looking into doing this now for the last 6 months but my main concern is around my area, to me, there seems to be alot of window cleaners. A quick Google search alone brings up 19 within a 10 mile radius of my house. Where I live there's a lot of towns and villages so obviously a lot of windows that need doing as well but I'm just wondering if the area is too saturated to support another cleaner?

I'm not afraid of grafting for customers (knocking doors, flyers, websites etc) but obviously don't want to put my whole life into it to only ever gain a few customers. 

I know no one can give me a definite yes/no answer but any advice is greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Simple answer is buy the basics (good quality basics) and try at the weekends while still at your current job. That way you are seeing how much demand there is but only spending something like £500.

If supplies were not in short supply I would be inclined to just go canvassing at the weekend and book any customers in for the 2 weekends time and buy the kit in between. It's a bit of a risky strat but as only gives you a few days to buy kit and get a little used to using it. But at least you know you have a few custys interested.

Don't give up your day job until you know more. If you have never been self employed then think long and hard as you will be responsible for every aspect of the business from sales, marketing, accounting, finance, motivation to name but a few. Plus no holiday pay, no sick pay, no pension (unless you sort one). 

I'm not trying to put you off just make sure you are 100% sure of the jump. Ideally make sure you have a good 6 months savings behind you to pay your bills till you get some customers!!!

 
My attitude is if there are a lot of window cleaners in your area, then there must be a lot of work. When I started some years ago, Google told me there where 30 window cleaners in my town and surrounding villages, and this doesn’t take in to account the cleaners that aren’t on Google (this includes me). Do a good job, be friendly and reliable and this will go a LONG way ?

 
My areas are inundated with window cleaners but they can't clean every single house. And some of them may be too expensive or not very good. 

There's always work out there. Getting it is the easy bit. Holding onto the customers in the longer term is  probably the hardest part. 

 
I clean on one estate where there are at least 6 other cleaners, and I'm always picking up customers. Also have a street in another village where 5 of us were out on the same day....theres only about 50 houses on the street maximum?

So, dont worry about how many there are. Just make sure you're near the top of the list when it comes to quality of work and the recommendations will soon come flooding in.

 
There's always work out there. Getting it is the easy bit. Holding onto the customers in the longer term is  probably the hardest part. 
I've found it the other way around. Once you have built up trust and a personal relationship with your customer they tend to be fiercely loyal. Most of my customers will tell me if another window cleaner has canvassed or leafleted them for example. 

I did a Fascia/Soffit/Gutter clean the other day since the customers regular window cleaner doesn't offer this service. In fact he doesn't even clean the window frames - just the glass - but it was quite obvious they wanted to remain loyal to him and not pass the window cleaning onto me. I have to say the windows without clean frames looked pretty awful IMO.

 
I've found it the other way around. Once you have built up trust and a personal relationship with your customer they tend to be fiercely loyal.
Yes there is this but I should have expanded and made the point that we must not take their loyalty for granted. Always do a good job. Always maintain excellent customer service. Always keep up on the business side of things. And so forth. We need to work on keeping our customers. 

 
My attitude is if there are a lot of window cleaners in your area, then there must be a lot of work. When I started some years ago, Google told me there where 30 window cleaners in my town and surrounding villages, and this doesn’t take in to account the cleaners that aren’t on Google (this includes me). Do a good job, be friendly and reliable and this will go a LONG way ?
Bello, bits Brian badonde. Bi'de like to buy a bungalow ? 

Really miss phone/face jacker. Proper laughs they were! 

 
Hi everyone. I'm thinking of starting up as a WFP window cleaner, I've got passed experience in sales and I'm currently a field engineer for a telecoms company. I've been looking into doing this now for the last 6 months but my main concern is around my area, to me, there seems to be alot of window cleaners. A quick Google search alone brings up 19 within a 10 mile radius of my house. Where I live there's a lot of towns and villages so obviously a lot of windows that need doing as well but I'm just wondering if the area is too saturated to support another cleaner?

I'm not afraid of grafting for customers (knocking doors, flyers, websites etc) but obviously don't want to put my whole life into it to only ever gain a few customers. 

I know no one can give me a definite yes/no answer but any advice is greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance
Yes. 

Go and get a job in McDonald's. 

???

(another distasteful joke by cleaniac)

giphy.gif

 
Last edited by a moderator:
They would never be able to clean every house mate Theres is loads off work out there regardless where u are at in the country you have to get up and go hunt for it 

door knock .canvassing, Facebook ect 

 
ive been cleaning in one area for around 10 + years,    theres a guy   who has been cleaning for a long time . he  cleans  trad.     a couple in this area asking me if i can clean theres,     i really dont want anymore .    ive got enough to keep me going.   yet thinking i may as well flyer drop , see what reaction i get.     Fronts only  no rear entrance    alley gates on long alley way at bottom of street.

If i was just starting out this would be a blessing .   a dream to have .      i heard he has to have a Hip opp.         looks like he has not bothered trying to sell his work.   

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Front only seems to make sense if they are next door to each other or not needing to drive the vehicle. I have a couple of front only but need to drive to both. Even at my minimum of £12 I bloody hate them. 

 
Hi everyone. I'm thinking of starting up as a WFP window cleaner, I've got passed experience in sales and I'm currently a field engineer for a telecoms company. I've been looking into doing this now for the last 6 months but my main concern is around my area, to me, there seems to be alot of window cleaners. A quick Google search alone brings up 19 within a 10 mile radius of my house. Where I live there's a lot of towns and villages so obviously a lot of windows that need doing as well but I'm just wondering if the area is too saturated to support another cleaner?

I'm not afraid of grafting for customers (knocking doors, flyers, websites etc) but obviously don't want to put my whole life into it to only ever gain a few customers. 

I know no one can give me a definite yes/no answer but any advice is greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance
Theres always dirty glass all around you. Your task is to get those people with the dirty glass to book with you. 

 
window cleaning is very very competitive these days but with the likes of facebook,websites,etc as well as the usual canvassing/leafleting,advertising in local parish magazines you should be able to get work....

also do anything if you need the work!solar panels,conny roofs,f/s/g jobs and gutter clearing,even offer inside window cleaning!

you can get more choosy as you get busier......

 
Back
Top