[Viktor]

I need help help here.
Have done first two jobs today. Traditional way.
One of them was leaded windows.
Another had a conservatory windows to do.
I left properties nice and clean, but it took me 2h 45 min !?
Is it me or it's just a beginning ? Should I have taken some trainings ? ??
I have 15 jobs to do next week, I have worked hard to get my first customers, but now I have doubts if I can do it...

Another thing, my ladders is 3.75 meters, but I could not reach some windows properly. For example, a little roof above front doors, and that window above the little roof was nearly impossible to do. Should I have had a longer ladders ?

Advise is very welcome 

[Pope vader]

bigger ladders

and practise on your own windows to get speed up

[Viktor]

bigger ladders

and practise on your own windows to get speed up

how much bigger ?

I have practiced, dome the three times already, think I will have to do another 100
How many houses can others do in 3 h  ?

[Pope vader]

6 m at least  or go wfp as soon as you can

2/3 an hour,    but u need to practise on your own windows

[mci services]

  depend what size the house were, but it takes a few months to really speed up. when I started I already knew how to clean windows from my youth, my family are all window cleaners and I had a round when I was 13, and worked off and on my dad for a few years, but a 15 year break and I was way to slow, so for a complete novice it must be a nightmare, although when I had a lad work for me he had the knack and not a bad speed within a few weeks. ladder I would say you need a 3m double as a minimum and even that will not reach some windows, a safe all rounder is a 3.5m double so it probably gives you about 6meters

[Viktor]

6 m at least  or go wfp as soon as you can

2/3 an hour,    but u need to practise on your own windows

I don't know, neighbors already think I am going mad doing my windows 9 o'clock at night with a full lights on and I live in a flat

[Helen]

I need help help here.
Have done first two jobs today. Traditional way.
One of them was leaded windows.
Another had a conservatory windows to do.
I left properties nice and clean, but it took me 2h 45 min !?
Is it me or it's just a beginning ? Should I have taken some trainings ? ??
I have 15 jobs to do next week, I have worked hard to get my first customers, but now I have doubts if I can do it...

Another thing, my ladders is 3.75 meters, but I could not reach some windows properly. For example, a little roof above front doors, and that window above the little roof was nearly impossible to do. Should I have had a longer ladders ?

Advise is very welcome 

how much did you earn from your 2hrs 45 mins?

[Tom White]

I reckon it took me two hours - maybe longer - to do my first ever house, which was leaded at the front, and has a small conservatory.

I was knackered at the end of it and was thinking I'd make the wrong 'career' choice.

I can now do this house WFP in under 10 minutes I reckon; that's honest.

[Craig 72]

I had exactly the same doubts after my first clean.Took me ages and it was only a bungalow.Each time you do that house you will learn new ways to become more efficient now though.Regarding the window above some porches (if thats what you mean?) I used to find them virtually impossible as well.You can't get the angle of the ladder without things becoming dangerous.For this reason and many others I got my hands on a wfp backpack and pole after a few months and haven't looked back.I think it's important to get profficient in trad too though.A few good paying customers insist on trad and I'm happy to do that.Stick with it is the best advice.Like anything,the more you do it the better and quicker you'll become.

[Viktor]

 

how much did you earn from your 2hrs 45 mins?

I made £33.50 for those two houses, not bad, but that's bcause some tips been added.

[Viktor]

I reckon it took me two hours - maybe longer - to do my first ever house, which was leaded at the front, and has a small conservatory.

I was knackered at the end of it and was thinking I'd make the wrong 'career' choice.

I can now do this house WFP in under 10 minutes I reckon; that's honest.

I have exactly same thoughts on my mind, that it's not for me..

but if others had the same, that means that I can get better

Just need to sort out the ladders problem, today I had a scariest day in my last 26 years  

[bobby p]

buy a small pole to put your squeegee on, it will be a great time saver . B and Q sell good poles cheaply.   i use a pole everyday to reach those windows over a porch

 

[Tom White]

Just need to sort out the ladders problem, today I had a scariest day in my last 26 years  

Using ladders safely takes a bit of knowledge and common sense.  I've only ever had one fall from a ladder and that was because I was hung-over, tired, dehydrated, it was a very hot day, and I took a short cut.  Fortunately I was okay apart from some bruises.

Remember, some windows will not be safe to do from ladders; you don't do these windows.  Just explain to the customer that it's not safe.  You need a ratio of 1:4 - every four feet high, your ladders should be 1 foot out.  The ground should be level.  If it's not, use a ladder mat.  A Rojak ladder stopper is a good bit of kit too for any awkward angles.  The surface you place your ladders on should be safe (wet decking for example is lethal), and I've read posts from guys here who've fallen when they've placed their ladders on iron drainage covers, only to have them break under the weight of their body and the ladder.  Accidents can and do happen.

When I first started, I did some dangerous stuff trying to clean the top pane of glass in sash windows, but I soon learnt how to do the safely.

My advice would be to phone around your local area, find a traditional window cleaner, and ask if you can be his 'helper' for a few days for free.  You'll clean windows for free, for training.  I did this.

And as soon as you can get a WFP.  A backpack set up would cost under £500 and you can clean the 'tops only' and trad the ground floor; or WFP anything that's awkward, such as leaded or georgian windows.

And if it feels dangerous, it probably is.  Take your time, don't rush, and if you're tired, take a break.

[Viktor]

Just need to sort out the ladders problem, today I had a scariest day in my last 26 years  

Using ladders safely takes a bit of knowledge and common sense.  I've only ever had one fall from a ladder and that was because I was hung-over, tired, dehydrated, it was a very hot day, and I took a short cut.  Fortunately I was okay apart from some bruises.

Remember, some windows will not be safe to do from ladders; you don't do these windows.  Just explain to the customer that it's not safe.  You need a ratio of 1:4 - every four feet high, your ladders should be 1 foot out.  The ground should be level.  If it's not, use a ladder mat.  A Rojak ladder stopper is a good bit of kit too for any awkward angles.  The surface you place your ladders on should be safe (wet decking for example is lethal), and I've read posts from guys here who've fallen when they've placed their ladders on iron drainage covers, only to have them break under the weight of their body and the ladder.  Accidents can and do happen.

When I first started, I did some dangerous stuff trying to clean the top pane of glass in sash windows, but I soon learnt how to do the safely.

My advice would be to phone around your local area, find a traditional window cleaner, and ask if you can be his 'helper' for a few days for free.  You'll clean windows for free, for training.  I did this.

And as soon as you can get a WFP.  A backpack set up would cost under £500 and you can clean the 'tops only' and trad the ground floor; or WFP anything that's awkward, such as leaded or georgian windows.

And if it feels dangerous, it probably is.  Take your time, don't rush, and if you're tired, take a break.

a lot of advices here,  I will have to look and think about all those things. a back pack sounds very interesting...
Any window cleaners in Buckinghamshire tho  ?

[Viktor]

is it something like this would sort my problem of inaccessible windows ?

http://www.windowcleaningwarehouse.co.uk/shop/backpacks/shurflo-backpack.html

[Tom White]

is it something like this would sort my problem of inaccessible windows ?

http://www.windowcleaningwarehouse.co.uk/shop/backpacks/shurflo-backpack.html

You could use this instead of ladders!

You'd need a backpack
An RO/DI (a water filteration system)
About four or five 25 litre barells
one or two water butts (to hold purified water in)
A pole (you can adapt a £15 Harris pole from B & Q easily enough)
A fishing trolley to put your backpack on (it's heavy) about £25
Some connectors.

It's cheap to do, and it's effective.  There's also cheaper backpacks, but that one in your link is brilliant and really robust.

[Tom White]

is it something like this would sort my problem of inaccessible windows ?

And inaccessible windows are not your problem.  If they're not safe to clean, you don't attempt to clean them.  Therefore it is not your problem.

I used to assume that I wouldn't get window cleaning accounts if I didn't clean every single window, but that's just daft.  If you explain to a customer that you can't do certain windows because of safety reasons, they're normally happy to accept that.  Once a customer said to me, "But my last window cleaner used to do that!", and I told her that her last window cleaner was daft then (and he is, I know him).

[lcwalker]

Hi you will speed up some in the past took me along time to do and only yesterday i did a new one and it took me and my partner quite a while, we do traditional but i have a backpack and WFP for the hard to reach windows (i hate not cleaning all the windows just because i cant reach but i can with the pole).
But with the ease of the WFP im using it more and more, on really dirty first cleans i always go up and give the frames a good clean,ive found if i use the WFP i use loads of water so if i go up the ladder to do them i know there really clean which makes future cleans a doddle with the WFP.
Just keep at it ive found the hardest thing is getting the customers but they are building up slowly,i love the job get there get them done move on to the next one,i hate being at the same job to long.

[Viktor]

Just keep at it ive found the hardest thing is getting the customers but they are building up slowly

you see, for me it's the opposite, I have good experience in business and marketing, so customers is not a  big problem.
left to learn a practical thing  

[Ian101]

I need help help here.
Have done first two jobs today. Traditional way.
One of them was leaded windows.
Another had a conservatory windows to do.
I left properties nice and clean, but it took me 2h 45 min !?
Is it me or it's just a beginning ? Should I have taken some trainings ? ??
I have 15 jobs to do next week, I have worked hard to get my first customers, but now I have doubts if I can do it...

Another thing, my ladders is 3.75 meters, but I could not reach some windows properly. For example, a little roof above front doors, and that window above the little roof was nearly impossible to do. Should I have had a longer ladders ?

Advise is very welcome 

I started about this time last year and like u I posted on here as my first cleans took for ever ... think it was 3 small 3 bedders in about half a day and everyone said I would speed up with practice and remember Gav Camm saying I would soon be doing 3 in an hour (trad) ..... guess what they were all correct ..... after a few months or even less something just clicks and it all comes together for you.

A few of my first houses had windows over connys and front porches which I did with a long pole .... this was a mistake as it took for ever and dont think the end result was up to much (no 1 ever complained though) ... think it was Tosh who advised just to leave them windows as no rule says u have to do the lot ... u fall and possibly its game over for you  ... u dont want that so NO window is with the risk.

Then for my bithday mt missus bought me a pure freedom trolley sysyem and those tricky / impossible windows became a doddle.

In November last year I switched over to WFP which was prob the worst time possible due to freezing temps in Dec / Jan but did a load trad when too cold for wfp.

Still do the first 3 houses I ever did and what took me half a day now takes me 40 minutes for all 3.

You need at least 3.5 doubles for window cleaning IMHO ... I have a set of 3.25 doubles as they would fit in the back of my first van a Nissan Vanette ... these did 100% of my houses plus a few gutter cleans as well even if a little dodgy.

As for training I did 2 days at Ionics WFP and basic course .. yes they were a good investment however 2 days with a window cleaner would teach you a little more of "life on the street"

1 final tip ... stick with it and keep going even when snow is on the ground (see pic1) ... oh and remember those that help u on the way up in my case Gav Camm, Bob Plumb and loads on here