[Mikey Warner]

Hi again guy's, guess what, i'm askin for help again!!

I was asked the other day to clean some windows, of course i said yes, then she told me that she has just moved and taken her cleaner with her but he won't do the upstairs windows and she could not find any cleaner who would. The reason for this is it's a three story home on the new Bovis estate. I asked her the address and casually drove passed, got out and walked up the street and thought to my self i need a bigger set of ladders!! To me I don't think that is that much higher at all, to me it's no different that cleaning a facia or gutter!!
All I can think of at the moment is that i could monopolieze the area!! As I have spoken before with ShinnyShinner thier is not much competition in my area which is in my favour and It would be good for me to get my name in all the right places before someone else jumps on the bandwagon.

So what i am askin is, what ladders would you guy's recommend for this higher work and is there any extra charge any of you guy's charge for 3rd floor windows??

Thanks, Mikey

[Londoner]

Its not for me to tell you what to do but for the record my advice is not to do it.
Its a long way up and therefore a long way down as well if you fall.
I know a lot of guys who do third floor windows but I have always said no.
Another thing that may or may not influence your decision is that it is illegal to work off a ladder at a heigt of more that two metres. A number of painters were nicked round here during the summer by HSE and they are definitly getting tougher.

[Majestic]

Why not try a water fed pole  

[STEVE71163]

Hi John
          Do you live in a hard water area  with regard to your wfp system

Steve

[Majestic]

Steve
No it`s soft ,
Just back to quickbooks 2003 , did you use 2002,  if so what is the difference between them if any

[STEVE71163]

Hi John,
           No i did not use Quickbooks 2002 but i am told that it is just as good

Steve

[STEVE71163]

Hi John
          Can you get hold of 2002 a bit cheaper then

Steve

[sham33]

Water fed poles is a big investment, why not buy a cheap extention pole to clean 3rd floor windows?

I think cleaning 3rd story windows is agaist health & safety if your on your own like some 1 said.

Pole work takes a bit of pratice but u can get reasonable results with a bit of pratice  

[Majestic]

Hi Steve
I am working on it

[M4RK]

Does anyone know what the fine is for climbing a ladder over 2 metres, unfooted?
That's not even bedroom height!

[STEVE71163]

I think you are ok with normal house height just not going up three floors unfooted which i would not do anyway.

Steve Lowe

[The_Fed_Man]

Lads,

The regs are up to 6 meters unfooted, over 6 and up to 9 meters footed or security device, over 9 meters you could get a fine.

So talking new style floors, ground and first floors OK, 2nd floor footed or security device, 3rd floor too high.  but on old style properties even 2nd floor can be above 9 meters.

Fairly recently the Savoy was fined £6K when a window cleaner fell 4 storeys and had to pay an additional £12K in costs and sharpen up their act.  

BTW, the window cleaner lived.

[M4RK]

Ouch!

Thanks for clearing that up, that sounds much more reasonable.

[STEVE71163]

Fed Man,
             In the last eighteen years i have had two accidents and the last one i came off of a ladder from a second floor window and landed on my feet and the hospital could not believe that i had no injuries. I am now if anything over cautious as i think i have had all my good luck on that day.

Steve Lowe

[The_Fed_Man]

I know how you feel Steve, it's usually human error.  I came off when I was a newbe, trying to work in frozen conditions, ice and snow, shouldn't have been working really, but the whole week was like that and I had just started up.  The other near misses were trying ambitious things with dormer windows.  Over reaching is another common cause.
The best advice I can give is IF IN DOUBT, DON'T!

[Mikey Warner]

Thanks Guy's, best i get the pole out then!!