[g.brookes]

chatting to one of the cleaners yesterday on an early morning commercial job and he asks me how my business is going.  I said im mainly going for the big houses at the moment, he says whats your biggest house and i said 50 quid.  

Then he said to me 'imagine if you did one of them a day, you'd be sorted!'.  I really had to hide the laughter back.
I often find myself thinking its only a matter of time before the world realises just how much window cleaners earn.

[David Lingard]

£50 a day?!? call the taxman!!

[LT carpet cleaning]

Yawn,! More bs. 

[richard jagger]

Stop showing off, just now the world will find out and you will be crying all the work you have lost.|Its a cheap way to be recognized for your brilliance..

[g.brookes]

I'm not really sure where the bs is here, nor where the showing off is? 
I was simply saying that our average earnings are a lot higher than the general public assume.
I didnt say this to the cleaner, nor did i laugh at him.  This forum is the only place that i would post this issue because we all know we aim for 20-30 ph maybe more, so in that context, this was just meant to be a funny story about what some people think we earn, and what we actually earn
There's no need for your negative comments

[C o z y]

I know what you're gettin at mate. It was just a bit short and to the point. Don't matter though. Someone put a copy and paste up on here about some forum where Joe Public was on about how much a windie charges for their house etc. Anyway, one of these guys on the forum in question said he'd thought about becoming a windie and needed about 150 customers. Some of the people in the forum went nuts at the guy saying how could anyone get 150 customers!!?? that's impossible etc etc. Anyway, windies are low paid etc etc. Get a proper business...........

That's just the impression some jokers have of windies. So the guy was right, he thinks 50 nquid a day is great. That's because he has a JOB and not a business.

So at least some of us see the point you were making. 

[LWC]

If they wanna think like that...let them init. I do 

I prefer that they think like that.

[Liam1990]

I like people to think Im just a window cleaner and must be skint,
I hide my wallet if i have to give some a note for change just incase they get the wrong idea 
best ones are offices workers thinking they're the dogs danglers and look at you like your a peasant makes me smile 

[dazmond]

hiding your wallet liam?how ridiculous!!!

i couldnt give a flying f**k what my customers think whether im skint or flush!its none of their business!!!i work hard in all weathers and have invested in my equipment and van and provide a damn good service!!

if i want to go on holiday 4 times a year and buy a sports car then again its none of their business.i dont drink or smoke anymore and no kids/wife so im rolling in it!!



dazmond

[LT carpet cleaning]

! Hiding wallets? Rolling in it? Dear me.

[bobby p]

spose you could have a "paupers wallet" to bring out for show

[Londoner]

The reason why its BS is because there are plenty of blokes out there who will quite happily clean your £50 house for £20 and still feel they have got a result. When that bloke said "do one of them a day and you are sorted" do you not realise you put an idea in his head?

Money is like water it only runs downhill and eventually settles at the lowest level. Prices in this business are eventually going to tumble, don't think they won't. Everything conforms to market forces 

[bobby p]

Money is like water it only runs downhill and eventually settles at the lowest level. Prices in this business are eventually going to tumble, don't think they won't. Everything conforms to market forces  

 thats true in a recession but i personally think Britain is coming out of it .i keep seeing on the news that we are making stuff now bigtime ,shipping to China /india where they are buying bigtime.  i believe the peak of new people becoming windies has passed as theres other easier jobs on offer now

[dazmond]

ive had posher customers say to me "what do you do in the winter?sign on the dole?" even though ive been cleaning their windows for 5 years all year round!!

just take a look around you!!most window cleaners are just getting by trying to scratch a living together!some sole traders are doing above average than most(like me!!)then there are guys who have 3-4 vans on the road making a lot more money,then you have bigger businesses who do all aspects of cleaning as well as window cleaning who are making serious money.

we are just one up from a wheelie bin cleaner and one below a gardener!!

talking of wallets i have my work wallet with around a £60 float and a change bag and a separate wallet with all my bank cards,photo driving licence thats used when not working.


regards


dazmond

[Londoner]

Money is like water it only runs downhill and eventually settles at the lowest level. Prices in this business are eventually going to tumble, don't think they won't. Everything conforms to market forces  

 thats true in a recession but i personally think Britain is coming out of it .i keep seeing on the news that we are making stuff now bigtime ,shipping to China /india where they are buying bigtime.  i believe the peak of new people becoming windies has passed as theres other easier jobs on offer now

Wait till the EURO goes tits up and then tell me that you think we are coming out of it. We haven't even seen the start of it yet.

[dazmond]

i dont agree with vince s idea that prices for window cleaning will go down.they only go one way and that is up!!

everything goes up in price so why do you think window clean prices will go down???

[Deangsi]

i dont agree with vince s idea that prices for window cleaning will go down.they only go one way and that is up!!

everything goes up in price so why do you think window clean prices will go down???

Because its become a unskilled job some will get angry now and say it is skilled but to be honest what im doing everyday is unskilled i picked it up in about 2 weeks then my quality and speed was up to scratch my point is more and more people are jumping on the wagon. well at least they are hear at the moment and prices are defo going down due to new cleaners. i went through a phace of cheap prices as i was at a desperate time. now i price how everyone should keeping the window cleaning industries value but there are lots of guys going less. only time will tell.

[Londoner]

i dont agree with vince s idea that prices for window cleaning will go down.they only go one way and that is up!!

everything goes up in price so why do you think window clean prices will go down???

I would say prices are coming down round here. The established customers are still paying the same but the new quotes are way down.
There is a new build near here at a place called Lime Grove. A big development of 3 story town houses. You can get access to the back but you would have to move your van.

I would say the going rate for them is around £16-18. I am doing one for a property company. The rest were canvassed at £10 by somebody who looks like a new start.

Competition brings down prices. There was obviously somebody out there who would rather do them for £10 than not do them at all. Market forces, look up DUTCH AUCTION sometime when you have nothing better to do. Its the financial equivilent of last man standing

[dazmond]

its always been an unskilled job mate.the thing is there is a lot more to window cleaning than actually cleaning the windows!lots of people cant keep their motivation in this business and give it up after a few months/years due to the boring nature of the job,the weather or the sheer drudgery if they take too much work on.

[Ian101]

its always been an unskilled job mate.the thing is there is a lot more to window cleaning than actually cleaning the windows!lots of people cant keep their motivation in this business and give it up after a few months/years due to the boring nature of the job,the weather or the sheer drudgery if they take too much work on.

someone shout my name