My aim is pretty simple.
To have vans and earn as much possible with doing little. I already looking at increasing to extra 3 guys which is good for myself as I only been doing it for 23 months. Which currently have 3 guys and now moving into a Office into January.
I got sick of working for somebody and for a company which earn millions and I got rubbish wage for rubbish hours but as I worked for a Business which went to other companies to improve there service and efficiency I was able to use all my skills here on managing staff to customers.
I am in HUGE minds of going Franchise route which will allow a larger growth. Has anyone got experience of Franchise Window Cleaning and Experience of running your own vans.
Hi Chris
It's good in theory Chris but iam going the other way. In practise you end up working harder for less. To sort say 5 guys in five vans is almost a full time job in itself just to manage , you will then be looking at admin staff so the wages climb.
Then the big problem is cash flow 5 guys on say 300 a week plus holiday and ni. Plus fuel and the unit you need at least 2k every week if it snows and you don't get much in it gets stressful. That's before some numpty smashes a van up or falls 20 feet head first of a flat roof.
It's great if you get really big say 3-400 k plus because then there's enough cash swilling about to pay people to have the headache for you.
I have now come to the conclusion one van , you and a couple of part timers. Then turnover just under the vat threshold around 78 k I think at minute. That's ten on van fuel and kit 15k on wages. You will be on 50 k odd working part time .
This way if you go away your still earning or get the Monday morning blues can have some down time but not got the overheads of a bigger set up.
I do agree its nice to get this size of operation out of home into a unit.
Just my opinion
John