[Gary Barker]

Hi there

I am newbie and work on WFP.  I'd like to try and canvass for some High Street work but would like some help with what to charge.

I think the downside here is actually getting your money within a reasonable time frame but assuming that's covered, how much does a Betting Shop cost as opposed to a Vodafone shop as opposed to a Thomas Cook Travel Agents?

Thanks.

Gary

Long live Harry Kane

[Smudger]

I personally stay away from the high streets, from personal experience in this area most are done by long established windies  ( old guys in their 60's ) who charge between 2 and 3 quid for an in/out clean ( couple of large 6x6 windows and door )

Residential work pays far better for me

Darran

[Richard Stevenson]

Def stay away from high street, if old men not cleaning, all the main shops are covered by National cleaning company's, if you want industrial get down to your local business park and start knocking on doors. The rewards are there if your persistent enough.

[Johnny B]

As Smudger said, the High Streets are usually already sewn up, but you might get a foot in the door as they say.

I have a few shops in my local town centre, and charge around 6 euro (just under £5) for a shop front comprising 2 main windows, plus the door(s) with a window above. If insides are to be done I simply charge the same again.  

HTH,
John.

[SeanK]

I personally stay away from the high streets, from personal experience in this area most are done by long established windies  ( old guys in their 60's ) who charge between 2 and 3 quid for an in/out clean ( couple of large 6x6 windows and door )

Residential work pays far better for me

Darran

Totally agree with this.

[Johnny B]

I see it this way: I have around 10 small business premises in our town centre, none of which were canvassed, as I had always shied away from town centre in the belief that they were sewn up already. I started off with just one (gained as a walk up). This was a standalone for a while. Then a family member of the original business owner opened his business and I was recommended to him. From there I have picked up several other businesses recently, some of whom deal with each other, ie mortgage broker, estate agent and solicitors, as well as other shops who were dissatisfied with their windy. I have gained some residentials from shop staff as well. And the possibilities of walk ups from shoppers are abundant as well. So whilst it may be true that doing a few shops isn't going to make big bucks in themselves, they can be the key to unlock bigger opportunities and give you a higher profile in your locality.

John

[cgh window cleaning]

In terms of window cleaning the high street has changed dramatically in the last 7-10 years.
Nearly every major shop,bank,bookies,supermarket etc is now national and this is not about to change anytime soon.
The remaining inderpendants are normally sown up by long serving window cleaners that have been in town for years.
you need to have a few shops to make them pay.

[JSMC]

i have lost countless jobs to  national companies. my work is mainly commercial and it is cut throat.

[Smudger]

I see it this way: I have around 10 small business premises in our town centre, none of which were canvassed, as I had always shied away from town centre in the belief that they were sewn up already. I started off with just one (gained as a walk up). This was a standalone for a while. Then a family member of the original business owner opened his business and I was recommended to him. From there I have picked up several other businesses recently, some of whom deal with each other, ie mortgage broker, estate agent and solicitors, as well as other shops who were dissatisfied with their windy. I have gained some residentials from shop staff as well. And the possibilities of walk ups from shoppers are abundant as well. So whilst it may be true that doing a few shops isn't going to make big bucks in themselves, they can be the key to unlock bigger opportunities and give you a higher profile in your locality.

John

Good and valid points, certainly if your of the more modern buisness driven window cleaner with logo shirts - sign written van then yes I'd imagine you could get a few walk ups.
The typical windy working shops here, look like they have just woken up the adjasent doorway, got water from the nearest puddle and seem in extreme pain when stretching up to blade or bending down to wet the tatty dark grey rag...

Still work is work  

Darran

[geoffreyspecht]

I personally stay away from the high streets, from personal experience in this area most are done by long established windies  ( old guys in their 60's ) who charge between 2 and 3 quid for an in/out clean ( couple of large 6x6 windows and door )

Residential work pays far better for me

Darran

i can average £30 an hour cleaning shop windows

[PoleKing]

I personally stay away from the high streets, from personal experience in this area most are done by long established windies  ( old guys in their 60's ) who charge between 2 and 3 quid for an in/out clean ( couple of large 6x6 windows and door )

Residential work pays far better for me

Darran

i can average £30 an hour cleaning shop windows

Its not the cleaning that takes the time. You can make very good money cleaning.
It's waiting in the bloody shop to get paid!

[jwplasterers]

I charge £10.00 for outside only on shops all paid by bacs

[Rob@Blast off]

Used to do quite a few shops, easy work but crap money and to early in the morning for my liking these days

[rosskesava]

Its not the cleaning that takes the time. You can make very good money cleaning.
It's waiting in the bloody shop to get paid!

I do 23 shops each week mainly on a Friday. Some are just straight forwards - do the outside windows and that's it. Others want the shop signs done weekly, or monthly, some have upstairs windows and some have the insides done weekly, fortnightly, etc.

Sometimes I get asked for odd other jobs to be done like mirrors in a hairdressers, or all the counter glass both sides in other shops and so on.

One cafe/restaurant wants the whole works done weekly, insides, outsides and entire frontage.

Sometimes it's easier and quicker to do some shop outsides wfp in the evening when there's less people about.

I invoice most shops every 4 weeks rather than weekly. A few I invoice every 3 months. Sod going in weekly for the cash.

Not only is it highly profitable, I enjoy the change from houses every Friday. You get to know all the staff, get to know their world, have a bit of a laugh and I get free food or discounted stuff in most of them.

Over time, do a good job for one shop and you'll pick up work by just doing that and being there each week. Owners/staff in shops know all the other owners/staff in other shops near by. If you're cheerfull and do a good job, you'll get more work but it takes time.

[deeege]

Its not the cleaning that takes the time. You can make very good money cleaning.
It's waiting in the bloody shop to get paid!

I do 23 shops each week mainly on a Friday. Some are just straight forwards - do the outside windows and that's it. Others want the shop signs done weekly, or monthly, some have upstairs windows and some have the insides done weekly, fortnightly, etc.

Sometimes I get asked for odd other jobs to be done like mirrors in a hairdressers, or all the counter glass both sides in other shops and so on.

One cafe/restaurant wants the whole works done weekly, insides, outsides and entire frontage.

Sometimes it's easier and quicker to do some shop outsides wfp in the evening when there's less people about.

I invoice most shops every 4 weeks rather than weekly. A few I invoice every 3 months. Sod going in weekly for the cash.

Not only is it highly profitable, I enjoy the change from houses every Friday. You get to know all the staff, get to know their world, have a bit of a laugh and I get free food or discounted stuff in most of them.

Over time, do a good job for one shop and you'll pick up work by just doing that and being there each week. Owners/staff in shops know all the other owners/staff in other shops near by. If you're cheerfull and do a good job, you'll get more work but it takes time.

Good post Ross. I do about 10 shops in my local town ranging from a large department store to a local independent pawn shop. I enjoy the early morning stuff and it's some of my best hourly rate work. Tuesdays and Fridays I've usually earned a full days wage before most domestic windies have gotten out of bed, suits me just fine.

[Gary Barker]

Pawn?  ......or porn???