[home6442]

the thing is... WFP you clean all the frames etc? however most of the trad lads I know only clean the windows and ledges if the customer is lucky. So how do you tell the customer that the upstairs windows will have everything cleaned but the downstairs only glass and ledges? if you do the frames aswell you must have a lot of cloths!!!

Once you have done the first clean then it doesn't take much to give the frames a quick rub with a cloth.
A few cloths would do you all day.
Most trad guys don't clean frames because they don't need to, not because they cant.

[Frankybadboy]

I know of a company local to me that when the wfp tops  water drips on to the window below they just blade that off,not even soaping up

[PoleKing]

I have a nemo van and a trolley system. So as I've said if need a bigger van (to carry enough water for 2 men) and I would need a whole new two man system (and I would want it fitted and crash tested) so talking about 2k on upgrading van and about 2k on a system.
That's why I'm asking how viable it is to trad the bottoms. I'm not bothered about speed cos trad when done well is barely slower than wfp including loading and unloading.
Anyway, I'm not interested in a discussion about that, I just wanna know if there's any problems or tips for doing this?
Thanks chaps

If possible, why not use your tank in the morning, both poling, drive home & fill up then a tank in the afternoon. More $ than tradding/poling combo

[Jack Harris]

and then you lose an hour going home and filling up etc, when i worked with my brother he was on pole and i was trading the bottoms,opening gates, making sure the hose wasnt getting caught etc we was averaging around £400 a day

[Mitchellmoxo]

the thing is... WFP you clean all the frames etc? however most of the trad lads I know only clean the windows and ledges if the customer is lucky. So how do you tell the customer that the upstairs windows will have everything cleaned but the downstairs only glass and ledges? if you do the frames aswell you must have a lot of cloths!!!

having a lot of cloths is not a problem, in my eyes if your a window cleaner cleaning the frames is standard as afterall a window doesn't just consist of the glass.

[roundbuilder]

the thing is... WFP you clean all the frames etc? however most of the trad lads I know only clean the windows and ledges if the customer is lucky. So how do you tell the customer that the upstairs windows will have everything cleaned but the downstairs only glass and ledges? if you do the frames aswell you must have a lot of cloths!!!

having a lot of cloths is not a problem, in my eyes if your a window cleaner cleaning the frames is standard as afterall a window doesn't just consist of the glass.

Being wfp it is easy to say that statement however when i was trad i did the minimal i had to to get paid as simply took too long to do.

[dannymack]

Ooooo I thought doing it the trad way was old hat pmsl didn't they do it that way back in the 90's come on all you tumblers get with it and if you only pole upstairs pull ya sox up and wfp them all you know you gotta move forward ha ha !!! 😜

[home6442]

Hi chaps.  Does anyone run it this way?  Im about to take someone on but i dont want to have to buy a bigger van and a new system.  I am toying with the idea of me wfp'ing the tops, and my mate doing the downstairs trad. 
Does this work well?  Is there any chance of the dripping from the tops leaving spotting on the bottoms after theyve been done trad?
Do you need to do each house in a certain pattern?
Thanks in advance

That's the way I would do it, snagging hoses bug the hell out of me so having to use two no way.
As for the drips you will still have that problem even if you wfp the bottoms.
If your run is compact enough I would clean the tops of the first house then move on to the next so that your
mate will always be one house behind so allowing more time for the drips to stop.
Would also rotate the work, you do the tops one day and your mate the next this would mean you both will get
up to speed and stay up to speed on both methods.
This will help if one of you needs a day off which is one of the benefits in employing.
A traditional cleaning secret, you only need to clean the frames every second or third visit just brush off the cobwebs.
Even then a couple of cloths will do you all day and quick rub will keep them up to speck.
I never understand why trad guys don't do this and let wfp cleaners take their work.

[DG Cleaning]

I'd only do it this way if the bottom windows are easily accessible.
Quite a lot of mine would require using a pointer.

[PoleKing]

and then you lose an hour going home and filling up etc, when i worked with my brother he was on pole and i was trading the bottoms,opening gates, making sure the hose wasnt getting caught etc we was averaging around £400 a day

An hour?! Only if you're filling your van tank from static using a thimble.
400l will transfer in 10 minutes with a half decent pump
If he's running 400l he probably isn't very far from home so travel will be negligible.

[g.brookes]

refilling sint really an option because i am sometimes a half hour drive away, and if you head back you tend to stop for a brew or some lunch etc and lose motivation. 
Plus like I say I have a trolley system so for 2 of us I would still need to buy a new system. 
I do a lot of shop work trad, so im only looking at filling our days up with a bit of house work.  thats why im not so keen to get a new system and new van.
Anyway thanks for your help chaps, im confident now that compared to the expenses I would incur, wfp tops and trad bottoms is viable.  Especially when you include the helping with loading, opening gates and collecting payment etc

[robbo333]

I did some ground floor trad today and I must admit I enjoyed it. Quick, no hassle and very satisfying.
Would I wfp up and trad down every day? Probably not.
What will happen when you continue to expand and take on a third person?

[g.brookes]

then i would get a new van and do it all wfp. 
but yeah youre right, trad is far more pleasurable than looking up and waving a pole all day.  if there were no safety dangers or slower speed with trad then i would never wfp

[home6442]

then i would get a new van and do it all wfp. 
but yeah youre right, trad is far more pleasurable than looking up and waving a pole all day.  if there were no safety dangers or slower speed with trad then i would never wfp

Same here, I like the quality control that comes with trad.

[PoleKing]

then i would get a new van and do it all wfp. 
but yeah youre right, trad is far more pleasurable than looking up and waving a pole all day.  if there were no safety dangers or slower speed with trad then i would never wfp

Same here, I like the quality control that comes with trad.

I like the money that comes with WFP

[dazmond]

i mix the two up every day.both trad and wfp.mostly wfp tops and bottoms though.this afternoon was a coldish day with blustery showers so i wfp nearly everything.

the pole wins hands down for most windows/situations but its nice to do a bit of trad from time to time.

[roundbuilder]

i mix the two up every day.both trad and wfp.mostly wfp tops and bottoms though.this afternoon was a coldish day with blustery showers so i wfp nearly everything.

the pole wins hands down for most windows/situations but its nice to do a bit of trad from time to time.

+1 and also customers do actualy prefere them to be left dry and spotless.. It doesnt take me anymore time doing it wfp or trad for easy access bottoms.
As long as the customer is happy then i am happy... Money for old rope.

[AuRavelling79]

I'm really nuts; I trad the tops and wfp the bottoms.

[combat1]

I do it, WFP the tops using a backpack and have a 175 litre tank in the back of vehicle, usually take 2 x 25 litre barrels as well.
For me it works brilliantly and I wouldn't change, no snagging hoses and it takes one minute to fill my backpack.
I go round from the furthest point doing the upper windows, I keep an eye on the lower frames and if they need it I give them a quick wfp wash. Then trad the bottoms. Drips are a very rare problem and overall it works for me just right.

[H20cleaning]

the only time I take the blade out of my van is if there is a leaky window... once a day tops!!
its easier to clean all the frames, windows and doors with WFP
ye we get snagged and kinks from time to time... but I correct that faster than trad lads can position their ladders and climb it.
its easier to persuade customer that WFP works in the rain, I don't usually here about many trad lads working in rain.