[windows_chepstow]

Hey,

Just a quick post.

I phoned a local council office to find out how to get put on their tender list.

'Yes', the lady said, 'can you give us a quote?'

This threw me a bit.

'Well, shouldn't you tell me what it is you want cleaned', I asked.

'Here', she said.  'We used to get them done every month, but we haven't seen our window cleaner in ages'.

So I'm off to give them a quote tommorow.  She gave me some other numbers to try and find out how to get on the tender list, but after being given the run-around I was informed that they don't have a tender list!

[Ian_Giles]

Hey, so long as it isn't the local council office by the arch lights in town!

I've done them for the last 15 years and haven't missed a clean in all that time

Ian

[windows_chepstow]

Nah,

It was the Caldicot number I phoned first.  I turned up this morning and took a look at the place.

It only had about 10 windows, all first floor, so I left.

It's not what I'm looking for!

[Ian_Giles]

But you're the same as me Tosh, you work in the Caldicot area?

Why pass up a potentially easy tenner??

isn't it any good for WFP?

Pass the number my way, I'll happily give it a whirl

Ian

[windows_chepstow]

420441 - ask for Ann.  Tell her 'Ken' didn't want the job.

It's by the main carpark in Caldicot, straight over the mini-round-about.

[steve k]

on the way...for £9.50

[windows_chepstow]

on the way...for £9.50

 .

Ian,

I've lots of small jobs, and want some bigger ones; such as you have already!

I can just imagine that you have to clean the place; give them an 'letter' type invoice and wait 30 days for payment.  A drive-between for £20 tops (inside too).

Remember too, there's two of us.  We're best working with a good concentration of work and less time spent on the road.  Especially because, if Wor Lass works past 2.00 pm,  her nose starts to bleed!

[Moderator David@stives]

Tosh

Whats the distance from your next nearest job.

I am curious

Dave

[windows_chepstow]

Dave,

Only a few minutes, but I dislike pulling up to a place and only spending five or ten minutes there.

Then packing up and going to the next place.

It's the 'in-between' jobs I don't like.

I like getting to an area and spending a couple of hours there at least.

What used to happen when we had loads of 'drive-betweens' was, we'd say, 'We've had enough', and go home.

Now, we've large chunks of work; we stay until they're completed otherwise it's a 'chore' returning to the same place you were the day before.

I won't take any 'drive-betweens' unless they're large jobs.

[Moderator David@stives]

Tosh

I am starting to drift away from so called wholesale work ie an estate with loads of houses and i am picking the so called stop start jobs .I would rather do ten stops at £10 than slave all day doing window after window on an estate.

It is quite strange as i had the same thoughts as you the last few years.

Now i am being a lot more selective and just cherry picking the work which is lucrative and i enjoy doing.
But i have built the foundation for me able to do that .
The job i asked for pricing on is an example of what i have started to do and quote for.

[windows_chepstow]

Dave,

We do best with large jobs, or areas where we can sink our teeth into.

My most lucrative area is where Roger (Squeaky) lives and it's called Garden City.  It's a complete numpty whether doing it trad or WFP. 

It's built on the side of a hill, so there's steps everywhere, and quite a working class area; dog poo everywhere.

But because it's such a bugger, we've done really well there picking up work and I really look forward to doing it.  It used to take us six or seven days to do, but since moving to WFP, we've got it down to three-days and two-hours (at the last clean).

We thrive on the bigger jobs.  Honest.

It's all to easy to say, 'Ah come on, let's sack it now', when you've got to pack your kit up to move to the next job.

It's much harder to say that when you've another 'X' number of houses waiting for you.

That's also why I'm going hunting for some bigger work.