[Grafters Cleaning Services]

hi guys & gals

i have just finished building my new website see
www.grafterscleaning.co.uk

would like your opinion if you have one.

the photos are a bit old and i need to take some fresh ones as we don't use a trolley system anymore only van mount

these i will do asap

[Andrew McCann]

Hiya Jay.

I like it!!! 

Just a couple of points though.. one a bit of a major thing. On the gutter cleaning page the "after" pic shows the ladder top looking as though it is partly on the wall and partly on a window. Honestly after all the effort you have put into the site re health and safety that pic lets it down badly mate. I know you have said you are going to get new pics but I would get rid of that one ASAP.

I would also drop the "equal" out of this bit on your window cleaning page.

Regardless whether or not you are a home owner, shop owner or the manager of an office block, we at Grafters treat all our customers with the equal respect that they deserve after all without you we would not be in business

If you take the equal out it reads much better.

Otherwise all very nice and professional looking. 

No offence or anything meant mate.  Just my own observations

Cheers

Andrew

[windows_chepstow]

Grafters,

I've recently had an e-commerce guru visit me and he's written up a 20 page document on what I need to do to get a professional website up and running.

This e-commerce guru's visit was free - it's some sort of Welsh government initiative.

Anyway:

GOOD THINGS I LIKE ABOUT YOUR SITE

It's easy to navigate and follows the 'three click rule', as in you can get anywhere in the site within three clicks.

It's simple; there's no 'bells' or gimmicks that detract from your message.

THINGS I DON'T LIKE.

Your grammar, punctuation, and paragraphs (or lack of them) make it a chore to read. 

---------------------------------------------------------------

Also, on the Window Cleaning page, what new legislation is comming out later this year?

The Health and Safety page looks a little scant.  It suggest that you don't really know what you're talking about.

I didn't look at the other pages.

The 'guru' told me that websites should be updated regularly and basic stuff like spelling and grammar should be correct, otherwise it'll reflect badly on your company.

What would an educated Facilities Manager think of your site?  What impression would he get?  At best, in my opinion, he'd think you were a window cleaner who was a cut-above for having a web-site in the first place.  But what would the 'at worst' he could think?

Sorry if I sound a bit harsh Grafters.  It's honestly constructive critisizm.

You've done all the hard work, it just needs some polish.  That's all.

If you e-mail me the text in Word format, I'll help you out with the grammar and stuff; although mine's far from perfect.

On top of that:

Appendix 2 of my e-commerce review covers Do's and Don'ts of good web design.

There's loads to it.

A quick list of the headings covers:

Factors to Consider
Theme and Identity
Consistent look and feel
Navigation
Maintenance
Useful information on your page
Graphics versus text
Graphics Dos and Don'ts
Links
Gimmicks and gongs
Checklist before going live

Within each of the headings is a lot of things to consider.

I'd suggest you Google for some quality window cleaning web-sites and 'borrow' some ideas with reference to layout and content.

I'm debating whether to push the 'post' button! 

I hope I've trodden the fine line between being rude and being helpfull!

[supernova77]

Isn't the line "We don't cut corners... We clean them" a line from the First Clean Services website 

http://www.firstcleanservices.co.uk/5102.html

Andy

[windows_chepstow]

Isn't the line "We don't cut corners... We clean them" a line from the First Clean Services website 

http://www.firstcleanservices.co.uk/5102.html

Andy

If it is; does it matter? 

[Grafters Cleaning Services]

thanx guys for all your input
andrew, i like your point about the ladder against the wall
i do use a ladderoff but it's not in the pic,
i will have to get a new pic asap

as for the grammer, not my strongest point, i will have to work on that 1

and as for we don't cut corners we clean them i've been using this for years and have also seen many others do so, not sure where it origionated from?

anyway as  i said thanx guys, it looks like i've got a bit more work to do yet

[Sarah Sarill]

Hiya Jay,

Apart from the gramatical errors which have been mentioned already, I think you have formed the basis of a good, easy to navigate site.  You could do with more photographs but its is easy to navigate and not too complicated.

My biggest suggestion is to make the font size much bigger.  Apart from the fact it is a white, fancy font it is also on a solid  black background and almost becomes a blur after a while. Personally I would change the solid black to something water related or friendlier on the eyes.

Good start though Jay. 

Sarah

[JohnL]

just as an outsider, on my screen your text is extremely small, an OAP would need a magnifier to read it.
I appreciate I can increase the text size but I have it on its medium setting, dont know whether anyone else sees it like this?

JohnL

[sunshine windows]

Hi Grafters

Just a couple of points that i'd like to mention to you. All intended as constructive critisism of course 

The first is a pretty big booboo on the grammer side of things. The site reads quite well on the whole but could do with sounding a little more on the professional side. Not to sound rude but it reads like it's been written by your steriotypical average Joe down the local pub.

Not trying to say that i can write everthing grammatically perfect but i would change this sentance for sure.

Due to the new ladder legislation which will be came into force last year you will be har

Just a couple of other things that i'd quite to see on the site if i were a customer.

On your Clients page it would be nice to have some photo's of existing customers, to see just what sort of jobs you're capable of.

Final point, (hope i've not upset you too much by now). On your Contacts page it would be nice to have some smiley photo's of the people behind the operation. Managing Director, Accounts Manager etc. If it's only you running the business then just take a snapshot of the missus or friend and give them a bogus title. All adds to the professional feel of the company i think.

Hope this is more a help than sounding like a whinge. On the whole very impressed with it all.

Regards,
Sunshine

[gaza]

GRAFTERS:THATS MY LOGO
BEEN USING IT FOR 18MONTHS OR MORE
THEN BRETT NICKED OF ME

 GAZA

[brett walker]

GRAFTERS:THATS MY LOGO
BEEN USING IT FOR 18MONTHS OR MORE
THEN BRETT NICKED OF ME

 GAZA

Gaza

If you remember back Gaza i did ask your permission if i could use it

what was the name of the people you knicked it off again?
remind me  :

Just because someone has used it on this site, it doesnt mean that the caption originated from them.  The saying could have been around as long as you have Gaza 

As far as i know no-ones got copyright on  " We dont cut corners we clean them "  and only should be used if practised 

Brett

[brett walker]

i like the website very good

i want one now 


     brett

[Ian_Giles]

Boy!
You gotta be brave to ask for observations on here haven't you?

But at least it means you can use the advice to polish and hone up your site.

Well done dude

Ian

[john meehan]

hi grafters good website by the way what trolley where you using and who did you purchase it off reply would be nice thanks john

[colinyates]

Sorry Grafters it just dosn't do it for me

Leave it to the proffesionals it will more then pay for itself

You definetly need more quality pics, and as the other guy's say get the grammer right.

Colin

[windows_chepstow]

I'd suggest you Google for some quality window cleaning web-sites and 'borrow' some ideas with reference to layout and content.

Grafters,

I think this is the best bit of advice so far!

Some companies have paid hundreds if not thousands for their web design.

I'm sure borrowing a few ideas isn't plaguarism; it's more like getting a few ideas!

[Grafters Cleaning Services]

hi grafters good website by the way what trolley where you using and who did you purchase it off reply would be nice thanks john

hi john
as most things the pics on the site need updating as i don't use a trolley now as i have made my own van mount system.

the trolley was also a home made job, but it served well
jay

thanx for all who have left comments, they have been taken onboard and i hope to improve on it soon

[steve k]

Colin,
just a few spelling mistakes

dosn`t = doesn`t
proffesionals = professionals
definetly = definately
guy`s = guys
grammer = grammar

[KJG]

Boy!
You gotta be brave to ask for observations on here haven't you?

But at least it means you can use the advice to polish and hone up your site.

Well done dude

Ian

Yeah, it's horrible having your 'baby' ripped to shreds after you've spent months making it I got the design layout for mine from a porn site....cr@p...I've pressed the post button

[WavieDavie]

As nobody's asked where you got the template from . . . Where did you get the template from?

It looks crisp and clean, is there a range of similar designs?

definetly = definately = definitely