[gary999]

While I sympathise with you, and it's a real blow, it is business I'm afraid and that is the nature of the beast.

Don't agree.

It's not the nature of the business, it's the nature of the effect of unlimited immigration from poor countries in eastern europe.  And don't think you're safe if you stay with domestics, I too have lost jobs (mainly domestics) to unbelievably cheap immigrants, and it's getting worse by the month.

It's why I'll be voting UKIP.

Yawn

[C o z y]

We're in a business that you could use trained monkeys to do. If someone is cheaper, in commercial, that's a reason to change contractor. It's all about money in commercial, then somewhere down the line, quality.
In domestic work, I don't believe Eastern Europeans would be able to easily get customers. I can only speak for the market I'm in, but ze Gurmuns don't trust any "Easties" working on or in their houses.
Time will tell, but as I've already said, we're in a very easy to get into sort of business.

[Smudger]

Nothing to do with where they come from, at some point the op quoted and got the job, presumably from someone charging more than his quote, there are 2 sides to this story.

We are very rarely the cheapest be it window cleaning, pressure washing, gutter clearing, we sell ourselves on quality and service. We get approx 70% of what's quoted! those who I don't get are usually just looking for a cheapo job! you know the ones! oh can you just... And it's only a bit of cleaning... Same applies for those who change to a cheaper supplier, it's there choice, we have our relates for a job/time taken, both the customer and myself have choices, mine is not to work cheap, theirs to use an inferior service. No hard feelings on my part.

Darran

[steve hamblett]

Before getting back into windows I was in contract cleaning. It was a nightmare! It all boils down to the fact that some customers were so important to your income that you had to eat poop. So, if I was offered a big commercial contract tomorrow I'd be very wary about taking it, apart from which, if they go to the wall they take any money owing you with them. I know this from very bitter experience. I'd only do ones small enough to pay out of petty cash. The beauty of domestic is that no single custy is too important, if there is a problem you can walk away. There's also the security in numbers - how many would you have to lose in a short period of time to bring you down?

Yes, I too was wondering how long before immigration and UKIP was raised. I thought the lack of jobs was to do with the economy. When was the period of lowest immigration ? The 1930's.... but of course everyone had jobs back then,didn't they???  Presumably Rumania has unemployment too, is it cus there's too many Rumanians??? Nobody seems to be complaining about too many Ozzies and Kiwis working over here, or North  Americans. French Germans etc etc  UKIP just disguises it's racism. simply cus it can't get away with it.

[CleanClear]

In domestic work, I don't believe Eastern Europeans would be able to easily get customers.

I think this is true. If i was losing domestic work to "foreigners" i'd be taking a hard look at myself.

[jarvy]

I have just picked up my biggest job so far. New manager in hotel, was not impresses with the previous guys  (not sure where they was from but not british)
Their work was terrible to be fair. My price was higher but so is the standard of work..
So price is an important factor to commercial but so is standard of work. Thats why the national companys will never be able to hold on to contracts, the work is terrible and the next national is waiting to go in cheaper and make the standard even worse!

[oldman]

While I sympathise with you, and it's a real blow, it is business I'm afraid and that is the nature of the beast.

Don't agree.

It's not the nature of the business, it's the nature of the effect of unlimited immigration from poor countries in eastern europe.  And don't think you're safe if you stay with domestics, I too have lost jobs (mainly domestics) to unbelievably cheap immigrants, and it's getting worse by the month.

It's why I'll be voting UKIP.

So when I was undercut by a Welsh window cleaner, what's the UKIP going to do about the Taffs?  Send 'em back into the Valleys and mines; the urchins.

Nah.  Just blow up the Severn Bridge(s).

What good will that do......Tosh from Chepstow.

[duncan h]

I have been a self employed plasterer for quite a few years now. About 2000/2001 the polish wiped out the building trade and I mean wiped it out. They worked for nothing and worked for hours on end. Some did good jobs some poope. After wiping commercial jobs, they did domestic (ME). Where I would charge between £80 to £100 to skim a ceiling, they would charge £30. WTF. petrol/time/and parts comes to more. How do they do it? Got a factory job for another 5  years as most packed it in. Worked started again. Joiners etc. Now here we go again.
Foxes biscuits, got rid of all there staff and shipped in polish by the bus load. Worked there nuts off for 3 months, went home, lived like kings, came back. Fox's saves loads and polish racked it in. A joiner even got a mortgage in Uk for a house in Poland. How daft is that

[Pete Thompson]

It only matters if your USP is 'cheap'
I think all the shiners round my way are cheaper than me already.

Yup exactly what I thought for a long time.  I am anything but cheap, most window cleaners near me charge much lower prices than me already too.  I am top quality, have smart corporate clothes, do a great job, and a professional service.  I take pride in being top notch.  I always thought being at the top end of the market would keep me safe.

But when Boris from poland offers to charge £10 for a job you've been doing for 4 years at £25, the householder is put in an awkward spot.

Some will stick with me because they know me and like my good service, but others waver, and in all honesty you can't blame them can you.

I wondered how long it would be before someone brought up immigration.

Plenty of white British folk that will offer cheap rates. Some of them just top up their dole/benefits money too. 

Yes that's true, but the brits who are cheapies always look like homeless drug addicts in my experience and householders don't like that.  "He'll be rubbish at that price, and he looks ropey" they think.  Not so with boris from Poland.  They think "Ah he's cheap because he's from poland", it's expected.  They know polish builders who are cheap and still do a great job.  It's a whole different thing.

When I've talked to other windys, some who have much bigger buisnesses than me, they also say it is really starting to bite, especially in commercial.

I just love the complacency shown on here, and even the casual accusations of racism.  It is not racist to point out that you have lost work to cheap immigrants, it's a simple fact.  And I do not for one second blame the immigrants themselves, because if I lived in somewhere like romania or bulgaria, I'd be over to england in a shot, just to do the best for myself and my family.  You cannot blame them for that.  It is our idiot governments, mainly Tony blair and his ilk, that are to blame for exposing our labour market to this threat.

And to anyone saying "you mustn't be very good if you're losing work to immigrants" or simply not thinking it will ever be a problem to them, I say to you, keep on keeping on, enjoy the good times.  I genuinely hope you don't ever have to try to compete with immigrants who can charge half what your normal rate is, but if things continue the way they are it will affect us all eventually.

[windowswashed]

I personally think you were mad to employ someone on the fact that their main income was based on one big commercial job which has now been lost owing to a cheaper competitor. ever heard the saying...never put too many eggs in one basket. I lost 10% of my work many years ago when I lost one housing association who cancelled all my jobs with them in one day but I learned a valuable lesson from that to spread your work to minimise risks.

[CleanClear]

I have been a self employed plasterer for quite a few years now. About 2000/2001 the polish wiped out the building trade and I mean wiped it out. They worked for nothing and worked for hours on end. Some did good jobs some poope. After wiping commercial jobs, they did domestic (ME). Where I would charge between £80 to £100 to skim a ceiling, they would charge £30. WTF. petrol/time/and parts comes to more. How do they do it? Got a factory job for another 5  years as most packed it in. Worked started again. Joiners etc. Now here we go again.
Foxes biscuits, got rid of all there staff and shipped in polish by the bus load. Worked there nuts off for 3 months, went home, lived like kings, came back. Fox's saves loads and polish racked it in. A joiner even got a mortgage in Uk for a house in Poland. How daft is that

Wow, they where able to do that in 2000/2001 almost four years before Poland joined the EU?