[lee sobol]

Hi, I'm new here and this is my first post, i was directed here by a link from the "Window Cleaning Coach" web site. I have set up business as a mobile car valet and been going about 8 months, the work is very hard and I have a lot of equipment to lug around, I dont see a lot of other mobile units and I can possibly see why. Iv'e been doing some window cleaning also and about the same length of time but haven't pushed it as much as car valet. Apart from directly making contact by knocking on doors and posting flyers to households is there a quicker way to gain customers ? also my charge is about £10 for a 3 bed house. To make £400 per week I'd need to clean 4 houses per day every day, I cant see this is possible with the current response I get, or do I mis-understand how it all works, do you guy's charge more or do commercial cleaning to earn this kind of money, I do not have a reach pole system just some laddres, fluids etc. Hoping someone can give me advice on this please.
Lee.

[cozy]

If you read all there is to read on "Window cleaning coach", then maybe you need to study what you've read first, if you see what I mean. You need to re-check your maths too, as you won't turn over 400 a week doing only 4 10 quid houses a day. Perhaps it would be a good idea to go over what you've read so far on that site. It's a very good site too IMHO. Save you loads of time waiting for answers on forums.

Window cleaning isn't rocket science and is fairly easy to get a small round started. You already have an idea how to start a small business, as you have with the car valet. The more time you spend getting information will mean less time learning from mistakes mate.

Hope I haven't put you off coming on here and asking, that's what these forums are for after all. But you will learn faster from that site than you will if you have to wait for answers on here, if you see what I mean.

Hope you've been reading THIS site and not a different one.

http://windowcleaningcoach.com/

[lee sobol]

Sorry, don't know what I did there, what i meant was if I was to clean windows on 8 houses a day at £10 each say Monday to Friday the return would be £400. I cant imagine in reality it quite working like this, would you mix this with non household, say clubs, pubs and restaurants to attain such a high income ?

[cozy]

That's not an income Lee, that's 400 turn over. Depending on if you go trad or WFP will make a difference on your costs. 8 or 10 three bed semi's would be doable for a new guy, depends how compact they are. In other words, how far appart they are. It must all seem abit strange when you read stuff on here about compact rounds, or WFP and trad but it will make more sence after you take the plunge and get started.

A good idea for someone like yourself, would be to find a local windy to take you out for a day or 2. Open a post on here and ask if anyone will take you out. Don't forget to say where you live. That should help.

[Mist A Bit]

Your knocking on doors to find new customers, just keep doing that, it takes time and patients but with dedication you will reach that £400 target.
 when i started 8 years ago i brought a round which provided £150 per week and from there it might of took me a year or so to reach around that £400 per week mark. If your pricing is right you`l earn £400 in two days with not much problem.

[lee sobol]

are we talking predominantly normal house holds or a mix of household and commercial properties ?

[p1w1]

If your after 400 a week then that can easy be done with residential only, I wouldn't worry to much at your stage about commercial as its hard to get and even harder to keep if it comes your way then all the better, as been said just keep knocking them doors and do a good job and your targets will eventually be reached.
Paul

[mlscontractcleaner]

Ideally you want both; the commercial clients are great because they'll be cleaned what ever the weather throws at you, but, it's much more difficult to get hold of. Most guys start off with a domestic round, built up through door to door knocking, leaflet drops, etc and then gradually you'll start to pick up the odd commercial client, usually through being in the right place at the right time or word of mouth .

A letter through the letter boxes of pubs, clubs, shops, hotels, etc never hurts but it's a slow process and takes time. Also, if you spot a pub or shop, etc with dirty windows get in there quickly and introduce yourself as THE local window cleaner and ask if they'd like a quote. Once you're established in a street you'll usually pick up more and more work through people seeing you work.

What ver you do you will only get out of this business what you put in to it; sat at home waiting for the 'phone to ring will not make you a busy boy

Stick at it and you'll reap the rewards, unless of course you're planning to work in Plymouth in which case window cleaning is a wastre of time and you're better off looking for something else

[Mist A Bit]

are we talking predominantly normal house holds or a mix of household and commercial properties ?

I only do domestic`s and shops. I found in the past that domestics are a more stable income.
 The closest i get now to lage contracts  are apartment blocks which has only become possible this year after dumping the ladders.
 If your going to charge £10 for a 3bed house you`l soon get thier. And as time goes on you`l get quicker and earn more an hour. When i first started i drove around looking for dirty windows and targeted those areas first with door knocking anf flyers.
Also i gained work by putting a flyer in  newsagents windows, they charge very little per week for this.

steve

[lee sobol]

Thanks Steve,
do you think  £10 is about right for a 3 bed ? also how many domestic houses is possible in a day say in a compact round without rushing around, I'd imagine about 5 ? si it about right to re-visit about 6 weeks ?

[richard jagger]

Hi Les, The thing that comes to mind when I read your post is . Why start valet and know want to do windows. In doth business it all the same requirements one needs its tenacity. The ability bounce back and to persevere and make it work if you found on business to hard. You will find most business hard as cleaning windows in its self easy finding customers with lots competition also difficult, but good luck Mate.

[lee sobol]

Hi Richard, it's more of a case of empire building, car mobile valet is off and running but I can see how the two can co-exist together, I was cleaning a car over the weekend and the owner asked me if I cleaned windows etc, a question I get asked many times whilst doing car valet, he wants his windows, gutters and leaky down pipe cleaned and fixed, he has a 5 bed house but I'm not too sure of how best to price it all up, seperately or just one price, I dont want to price myself out as I would relish the repeat business from him. I'm guessing as one price with the priviso of going back every six weeks !! to clean his windows... £15 for a 5 bed I would think in a newish type style house

[Perfect Windows]

.

[andyM]

Hi Lee, I agree with a lot of the comments that people have already made.
Practice on your own windows to achieve a good technique and the speed will come.
Target domestic properties first. Drive around and look for properties with dirty windows and frames. This method has worked for me in the past and i got lucky, when i started door knocking the street i was told the previous windy hadn't been seen for 3 months. I was in!  
Face to face canvassing has worked best for me and you will probably have a higher chance of success rate by catching people when they are home. Evenings can be good and also weekends.
For the ones that aren't home push a flyer through the door and go back another day to canvass and try and catch them at home. Flyers in the local shop window of an area can also work. If people tell you they dont need a window cleaner politely pass them a flyer and ask them to pass it on if they know of anyone needing your services in that area.
Knock the doors Lee its the best way.    

[Mist A Bit]

Thanks Steve,
do you think  £10 is about right for a 3 bed ? also how many domestic houses is possible in a day say in a compact round without rushing around, I'd imagine about 5 ? si it about right to re-visit about 6 weeks ?

£10 is fine where im from i didn`t know you were more south than me so prices are a little higher. most of my work is every 4 weeks and some on a 8weekly.
in terms of how many houses a day depends on size for example i do 2bed terrece houses all on one long street and might cover 30 houses in that day.
Another day might be 15 larger houses. Its best to find out what prices are charged in your region and dont go in cheap because your new as you`l be spending years trying to up the prices. i made the mistake of being to cheap and took a long time to put that right.

[prestige cleaners]

i would charge £1 a window to start, you should get a good pricing system with that, and do them monthly or sooner if they want, get some leaflets and go door knocking, it takes a lot of hard work.

especially as every tom dick and harry is doing the same thing

[lee sobol]

Sounds like an obvious answer to my question but what do you do if it rains, can you wash windows in the rain ? what about over the harsh rainy winter months, does work stop, last winter wash quite bad 

[A & J Owen Window Cleaning]

As long as it's not snowy or icy carry on as normal. Some customers won't allow you to do them but most will. We probably only lost 4/5 days over the winter. They get dirtier with all the bad weather anyway.