[Rickiclarke]

Hi all, just joined this forum as its full of friendly and helpfull advice!

Currently i am sick of my job and wanting to change profession. Currently i am earning around 1k a month before deductions, although i'm going to start part time while maintaining my other job, i'll still be working weekdays and most weekends. should i easily be able to equal the amount i earn in my current job after a few months of hard canvassing and leaflet dropping? I'm not after mega bucks, but enough to meet my current £13750 salary and eventually a bit more. When i go full time i plan to do 5 days a week @ 8hrs.
I live in a new build area in lincolnshire and the only time ive seen a window cleaner was last year so i'm hoping to pick up a fair bit of business. 

Roughly what sort of customer base do i need for this? 100 - 150 would be enough?

The kit i'm planning to get is :

Bucket + lid
T-bar + sleeves
Squeegy
Bucket on a belt + pouches.
Microfibre cloths
Scraper
and a 2 section pole, and ladder.
Also planning my own uniform to look more professional.

Would this be fine, and are there ladders designed for window cleaning? And what are safety regs using them?
Would like to use WFP system but wont be able to afford this at first as i'm starting out small and working my way up.

Thinking of charging around £1 per window, slightly less for small windows and slightly more for larger ones/patio's, as it seems roughly what alot of people charge, but what about conservatories?

Is there anything i should take note of when starting my own buisness aswell? planning on getting insurance, but not sure what else i should do.

Is it also a good idea to find someone to go into buisness with or should i go it alone?

[cleewindows]

that sounds about right with the kit m8
insurance you need public liability search on google is best,mine was through autonet a company that specialises,you also have simply business and polished something or other,theres others too.
 if you work hard canvassing you could easily earn what your getting now doing it just part time,the more work you put in getting it running the more you will get out!
 Where is your round going to be?
 Earn your cash and then invest in more kit is the best way,get yourself 5000 leaflets and then knock every door you can.
 i would look at going aloane m8!
if you can get 150 customers that will be your wages yes and if you them in 4 weeks you will have 13 pays!
 1950 cleans a year times by say average £8 to £10 per custy is about £16 to £20k and you could get double the amount of custys in time!

[jonnyald]

as said by CLEE , go it alone matey , itll be tough at first ,like everything else in life, but worth it in the end 

[Rickiclarke]

ok thanks sounds like i got the equip right.
Unfortunatly i wont be able to get the kit in place till end of may however im getting all the planning done.
Hoping to build up a round just outside of lincoln in the new build area's as i aint seen window cleaners around here and theres a few new builds going up in the hykeham area which i might give a try.

Sounds like i shall be going it alone then if thats the better option, i'll be putting plenty of hard work into it anyway

thanks for the advice

[mci services]

delete that last post on the area mate or every window cleaner within 10 miles that reads this will be canvassing tomorrow an estate with no windy is a goldmine but to be honest its very doubtfull. i get loads of calls from folk who say there is no w/c and when i get there there are at least three working the estate

[paul rulton]

do it on ur own m8  ive got about 100 custys  brings me in 2k per month 
i done it in 9days last month  easy life  u aint gotta bust ur balls in this job m8 
i do mine with bad back probs