[Spruce]

Spruce. Great advice & I`ll take that on board. As to weight loss I`ve only lost three stone so far but my legs & arms have increased in muscle.
     I would not go back to trad now because wfp keeps windows cleaner & it is quicker, not forgetting safer.
         I`m happy doing this, best decision I ever made.
              Remember the £7.50 an hour. triple that now on average so can`t go wrong. 

Good on you! Its not all about weight loss, its about fat loss. Muscle is heavier than fat. Using the pole will build muscle on your chest and arms.

Unfortunately for me, that muscle seems to slip to my waste every so often. 

I'm inclined to agree with another poster, loosing weight when you are wfp will be more difficult. I couldn't go up and down ladders any longer as I'm not fit enough. With wfp you use and develop different muscles. Where traditional cleaning kept us trim, some of those who have gone to wfp feel they need to do join the gym to maintain their fitness level.

[Dani J]

Dont undersell yourself, just because you dont have a flashy van dosent mean you shouldnt charge what your worth, still doing the same job

Agree 100%.

Sadly, people judge others by first impressions. A guy who is shabbly dressed or has unkept hair is less trusted than someone who is well presented. It doesn't make the person who is well presented a better person. You will be incorrectly judged, but because people think what they do doesn't mean they are right. Most won't know where you've been, what you have achieved so far in turning your life around, and what you still want to achieve.

If you feel you have a disadvantage because of your weight, then perhaps you could raise your confidence levels by dressing in a business uniform. I wear a bib and brace which hides my weight a bit as they are black. An embossed teeshirt with your business name might give you a confidence boost.

Charge the going rate for a house, don't under price. I'm slower than most due to my age, but it doesn't mean that I can't charge the going rate because I'm slower. If your results are as good as anyone else, then charge that rate. Yes it may take you a little longer, but money isn't what its all about in the end.

Window cleaners tend to brag about how much they have earnt which can sometimes be very demotivating for others. How would you feel if you found out they hadn't actually made that amount of money. Some people are money driven, salemen tend to be like that. But how do you judge a good saleman, by the amount of money he earns? No, because he may only be in it for himself and not what his customers actually need. Sometimes they lie about the benefits just to get the sale.

Remember, job satisfaction comes from knowing you have done a good window clean. When you look at the result, pat yourself on the back, tell yourself how well you have done. Set your own standards - if they are higher than your customers expectations then they will always be happy.

As you have been doing this a while now, you are due a price increase, especially on those under-priced houses. Raise them a little bit each year if you can until they are market related. Your customers have seen that you have gone to a great deal of effort to keep their windows clean, so most won't mind a small increase. If you can clean 6 houses a day, an increase of a £1 each will give you an extra £6 a day or £30 per week for the same effort.

Remember to ask your happy customers for referrals. That makes it easier to get a better price because you come recommended.

By the spruce how old are you ?

[Spruce]

Dont undersell yourself, just because you dont have a flashy van dosent mean you shouldnt charge what your worth, still doing the same job

Agree 100%.

Sadly, people judge others by first impressions. A guy who is shabbly dressed or has unkept hair is less trusted than someone who is well presented. It doesn't make the person who is well presented a better person. You will be incorrectly judged, but because people think what they do doesn't mean they are right. Most won't know where you've been, what you have achieved so far in turning your life around, and what you still want to achieve.

If you feel you have a disadvantage because of your weight, then perhaps you could raise your confidence levels by dressing in a business uniform. I wear a bib and brace which hides my weight a bit as they are black. An embossed teeshirt with your business name might give you a confidence boost.

Charge the going rate for a house, don't under price. I'm slower than most due to my age, but it doesn't mean that I can't charge the going rate because I'm slower. If your results are as good as anyone else, then charge that rate. Yes it may take you a little longer, but money isn't what its all about in the end.

Window cleaners tend to brag about how much they have earnt which can sometimes be very demotivating for others. How would you feel if you found out they hadn't actually made that amount of money. Some people are money driven, salemen tend to be like that. But how do you judge a good saleman, by the amount of money he earns? No, because he may only be in it for himself and not what his customers actually need. Sometimes they lie about the benefits just to get the sale.

Remember, job satisfaction comes from knowing you have done a good window clean. When you look at the result, pat yourself on the back, tell yourself how well you have done. Set your own standards - if they are higher than your customers expectations then they will always be happy.

As you have been doing this a while now, you are due a price increase, especially on those under-priced houses. Raise them a little bit each year if you can until they are market related. Your customers have seen that you have gone to a great deal of effort to keep their windows clean, so most won't mind a small increase. If you can clean 6 houses a day, an increase of a £1 each will give you an extra £6 a day or £30 per week for the same effort.

Remember to ask your happy customers for referrals. That makes it easier to get a better price because you come recommended.

By the spruce how old are you ?

62. For me things 'went downhill' at 57 after I had a prostrate surgery. I'm also suffering with a bad back.

Whilst Gerald and I don't suffer from the same things, we are both trying to do the same work with a handicap that will have the same outcome - we can't zoom around the place like others can. The work we do will require a lot more effort. So in a way I can relate to some of the things Gerald is experiencing, although standing next to him I would be a 'fake' as his handicap is much greater than mine.

Some days I might only be able to clean 6 houses, other days I might make 10 but the next day won't be a good one. I bet its the same with Gerald.

People like him are an inspiration to me. If he can do it, what's my excuse I ask myself.

Gerald, you have earned my deep respect. Keep going. You will get there in the end although it won't be 'plain sailing' - someone one said that "calm waters don't make good sailors."

[CLEANCARE WC]

Hi Gerald,
myself and alot of other cleaners i know charge 1.5 x the outside price for an inside clean.

[Dani J]

Dont undersell yourself, just because you dont have a flashy van dosent mean you shouldnt charge what your worth, still doing the same job

Agree 100%.

Sadly, people judge others by first impressions. A guy who is shabbly dressed or has unkept hair is less trusted than someone who is well presented. It doesn't make the person who is well presented a better person. You will be incorrectly judged, but because people think what they do doesn't mean they are right. Most won't know where you've been, what you have achieved so far in turning your life around, and what you still want to achieve.

If you feel you have a disadvantage because of your weight, then perhaps you could raise your confidence levels by dressing in a business uniform. I wear a bib and brace which hides my weight a bit as they are black. An embossed teeshirt with your business name might give you a confidence boost.

Charge the going rate for a house, don't under price. I'm slower than most due to my age, but it doesn't mean that I can't charge the going rate because I'm slower. If your results are as good as anyone else, then charge that rate. Yes it may take you a little longer, but money isn't what its all about in the end.

Window cleaners tend to brag about how much they have earnt which can sometimes be very demotivating for others. How would you feel if you found out they hadn't actually made that amount of money. Some people are money driven, salemen tend to be like that. But how do you judge a good saleman, by the amount of money he earns? No, because he may only be in it for himself and not what his customers actually need. Sometimes they lie about the benefits just to get the sale.

Remember, job satisfaction comes from knowing you have done a good window clean. When you look at the result, pat yourself on the back, tell yourself how well you have done. Set your own standards - if they are higher than your customers expectations then they will always be happy.

As you have been doing this a while now, you are due a price increase, especially on those under-priced houses. Raise them a little bit each year if you can until they are market related. Your customers have seen that you have gone to a great deal of effort to keep their windows clean, so most won't mind a small increase. If you can clean 6 houses a day, an increase of a £1 each will give you an extra £6 a day or £30 per week for the same effort.

Remember to ask your happy customers for referrals. That makes it easier to get a better price because you come recommended.

By the spruce how old are you ?

62. For me things 'went downhill' at 57 after I had a prostrate surgery. I'm also suffering with a bad back.

Whilst Gerald and I don't suffer from the same things, we are both trying to do the same work with a handicap that will have the same outcome - we can't zoom around the place like others can. The work we do will require a lot more effort. So in a way I can relate to some of the things Gerald is experiencing, although standing next to him I would be a 'fake' as his handicap is much greater than mine.

Some days I might only be able to clean 6 houses, other days I might make 10 but the next day won't be a good one. I bet its the same with Gerald.

People like him are an inspiration to me. If he can do it, what's my excuse I ask myself.

Gerald, you have earned my deep respect. Keep going. You will get there in the end although it won't be 'plain sailing' - someone one said that "calm waters don't make good sailors."

Well Spurce, you have earned my respect, because you bring so much knowledge to this forum. I would have thought at the age of 62, you would have retired, but well done sir, you are still going strong.

[ben M]

Dont undersell yourself, just because you dont have a flashy van dosent mean you shouldnt charge what your worth, still doing the same job

Agree 100%.

Sadly, people judge others by first impressions. A guy who is shabbly dressed or has unkept hair is less trusted than someone who is well presented. It doesn't make the person who is well presented a better person. You will be incorrectly judged, but because people think what they do doesn't mean they are right. Most won't know where you've been, what you have achieved so far in turning your life around, and what you still want to achieve.

If you feel you have a disadvantage because of your weight, then perhaps you could raise your confidence levels by dressing in a business uniform. I wear a bib and brace which hides my weight a bit as they are black. An embossed teeshirt with your business name might give you a confidence boost.

Charge the going rate for a house, don't under price. I'm slower than most due to my age, but it doesn't mean that I can't charge the going rate because I'm slower. If your results are as good as anyone else, then charge that rate. Yes it may take you a little longer, but money isn't what its all about in the end.

Window cleaners tend to brag about how much they have earnt which can sometimes be very demotivating for others. How would you feel if you found out they hadn't actually made that amount of money. Some people are money driven, salemen tend to be like that. But how do you judge a good saleman, by the amount of money he earns? No, because he may only be in it for himself and not what his customers actually need. Sometimes they lie about the benefits just to get the sale.

Remember, job satisfaction comes from knowing you have done a good window clean. When you look at the result, pat yourself on the back, tell yourself how well you have done. Set your own standards - if they are higher than your customers expectations then they will always be happy.

As you have been doing this a while now, you are due a price increase, especially on those under-priced houses. Raise them a little bit each year if you can until they are market related. Your customers have seen that you have gone to a great deal of effort to keep their windows clean, so most won't mind a small increase. If you can clean 6 houses a day, an increase of a £1 each will give you an extra £6 a day or £30 per week for the same effort.

Remember to ask your happy customers for referrals. That makes it easier to get a better price because you come recommended.

By the spruce how old are you ?

62. For me things 'went downhill' at 57 after I had a prostrate surgery. I'm also suffering with a bad back.

Whilst Gerald and I don't suffer from the same things, we are both trying to do the same work with a handicap that will have the same outcome - we can't zoom around the place like others can. The work we do will require a lot more effort. So in a way I can relate to some of the things Gerald is experiencing, although standing next to him I would be a 'fake' as his handicap is much greater than mine.

Some days I might only be able to clean 6 houses, other days I might make 10 but the next day won't be a good one. I bet its the same with Gerald.

People like him are an inspiration to me. If he can do it, what's my excuse I ask myself.

Gerald, you have earned my deep respect. Keep going. You will get there in the end although it won't be 'plain sailing' - someone one said that "calm waters don't make good sailors."

Well Spurce, you have earned my respect, because you bring so much knowledge to this forum. I would have thought at the age of 62, you would have retired, but well done sir, you are still going strong.

+1 totally agree with you Dani. Well done Mr Spurce