[telfordwindowclnr]

They've just built a solar farm just down the road from me. Buggered if I'd clean them though it'd drive me nuts. Windows are bad enough!

I'm sure you'll pass on my details eh Dave? 

[Window Lickers]

They're popping up all over the place. There's 7 x 12,000+ panel systems within 8 miles of us gone up in the last 4 months. And more no doubt - some are quite well concealed.

[sunshine windows]

Hi Steve,

Are you doing the one just off junction 16 of the M4 as you go from Swindon to Chippenham?

Right on my doorstep you know!

Well done on growing the business in such a short space of time

[Dave Willis]

Steve, I found a forum last night that you hadn't put this post on!

[Frankybadboy]

Steve, I found a forum last night that you hadn't put this post on!

me me me me  me and me

[Window Lickers]

Steve, I found a forum last night that you hadn't put this post on!

 

[Mick Kent]

That isnt that great considering your national and you not at vat level somehow!, well done anyway as clearly you like pats on the back off all the forums lol.

[steve123]

Congratulations as you seem very pleased with that, however its just confirmed to me that I made the right choice to stay away from Solar on a large scale.
I thought seriously about going for some bigger jobs and was asked to bid on one or two but I just couldn't see how there was much money to be made.
These companies want them done for pennies and if you have done 100k panels and turned over less less than you need to hit VAT then that proves it.
I wish you very good luck with things.......... But I am out! 

[telfordwindowclnr]

Hi Steve,

Are you doing the one just off junction 16 of the M4 as you go from Swindon to Chippenham?

Right on my doorstep you know!

Well done on growing the business in such a short space of time

Not doing it yet, but think I've quoted for it. Will let you know if we get it though. 

[telfordwindowclnr]

Steve, I found a forum last night that you hadn't put this post on!

Let me know which one. It would seem immoral to leave it out!

I assume you passed my details on to the folks who own that solar farm. 

[telfordwindowclnr]

That isnt that great considering your national and you not at vat level somehow!, well done anyway as clearly you like pats on the back off all the forums lol.

Not that great? How many people on here have sent their business national in less than a year? And are the people who go on about me not being VAT dense? We are in the process of....   

[telfordwindowclnr]

Congratulations as you seem very pleased with that, however its just confirmed to me that I made the right choice to stay away from Solar on a large scale.
I thought seriously about going for some bigger jobs and was asked to bid on one or two but I just couldn't see how there was much money to be made.
These companies want them done for pennies and if you have done 100k panels and turned over less less than you need to hit VAT then that proves it.
I wish you very good luck with things.......... But I am out! 

No worries. That's ok, more for me! 

[Window Lickers]

Most businesses are 'national' Steve if the money is right with the advent of the internet.

[Tadgh O Shea]

Hi Steve, well done its hard to comprehend the potential for solar panel cleaning, there are three types of people in this world, people who make things happen, people who watch things happen, and people who wonder what the heck has happened, I think you know Steve which type you are.
Most guys on this forum don't mind a fellow getting ahead as long as they don't get ahead of them, then I think you know what tends to happen.

[deeege]

Steve. Congrats on cleaning 100,000 panels last year, I didn't click your link to your site so haven't read about your huge achievements but no doubt you detail it.

However, on 2nd December 2012 you posted "...we have been cleaning solar panels for 3 years now..." So you have been cleaning them since atleast December 2009.

I'm struggling to see how 2013/2014 was your first year?

Interesting discussions re being under the VAT threshold too.

[Darranvps]

What really gets me - Steve told me he had lots of contracts in place and he asked me for a price list - so he could sub some out to us.

It is now more than obvious he has used the price list to undercut us - funny thing is - it was way too cheap! We have doubled our prices (thats why we get no work I suppose) and now it seems that he is simply working at extremely low prices and not really running a business as he claims to be.

Hopefully he has just cleaned the environmental agency solar panels - the company we cleaned them for last year - changed their business name - as they couldn't pay anybody - we took 8 months to get paid - and then they asked us to clean them this year using a different company name - we told them to sling their hook 

I think Steve does OK - he advertises well - using adwords - and his adwords costs should now go down as we have pulled out. His problem will be trying to "grow" the business - employing peopl - paye - vat - insurances - new vans and equipment etc etc etc - there won't be enough profit at current prices to afford all of this 

I really think the Solar Panel cleaning could have been a great business to get into for many window cleaning companies - but current prices quoted are way too low to make this a viable business opportunity. Maybe it is just OK for the stand alone window cleaner?

Steve has proved this by cleaning 100,000 panels and not even hitting the VAT threshold - what his customers think when he claims to be a national company after receiving his invoices is anybodies guess.

We never knowingly try to be cheaper than our competitors - any fool can work cheaper - for me I am only interested in making profit from the business and not just a working wage. No real point in being a busy fool - not for me anyway.

Steve - Increase your prices - and your business will prosper and grow - good luck to you.

[deeege]

What really gets me - Steve told me he had lots of contracts in place and he asked me for a price list - so he could sub some out to us.

It is now more than obvious he has used the price list to undercut us - funny thing is - it was way too cheap! We have doubled our prices (thats why we get no work I suppose) and now it seems that he is simply working at extremely low prices and not really running a business as he claims to be.

Hopefully he has just cleaned the environmental agency solar panels - the company we cleaned them for last year - changed their business name - as they couldn't pay anybody - we took 8 months to get paid - and then they asked us to clean them this year using a different company name - we told them to sling their hook 

I think Steve does OK - he advertises well - using adwords - and his adwords costs should now go down as we have pulled out. His problem will be trying to "grow" the business - employing peopl - paye - vat - insurances - new vans and equipment etc etc etc - there won't be enough profit at current prices to afford all of this 

I really think the Solar Panel cleaning could have been a great business to get into for many window cleaning companies - but current prices quoted are way too low to make this a viable business opportunity. Maybe it is just OK for the stand alone window cleaner?

Steve has proved this by cleaning 100,000 panels and not even hitting the VAT threshold - what his customers think when he claims to be a national company after receiving his invoices is anybodies guess.

We never knowingly try to be cheaper than our competitors - any fool can work cheaper - for me I am only interested in making profit from the business and not just a working wage. No real point in being a busy fool - not for me anyway.

Steve - Increase your prices - and your business will prosper and grow - good luck to you.

Interesting reading Rhino.

Just off to grab some popcorn.

[Window Lickers]

Steve. Congrats on cleaning 100,000 panels last year, I didn't click your link to your site so haven't read about your huge achievements but no doubt you detail it.

However, on 2nd December 2012 you posted "...we have been cleaning solar panels for 3 years now..." So you have been cleaning them since atleast December 2009.

I'm struggling to see how 2013/2014 was your first year?

Interesting discussions re being under the VAT threshold too.

I figured this too. Couldn't be arsed to detail it out though on here.

[James cann]

I'm not sure about panel cleaning as you would need sooooo many as I'm sure company's would only have them done yearly not monthly.

Think ill stick to me windows !!!!

[Window Lickers]

I have to say Steve it's foolish in the extreme posting location details of the facilities youve managed to piece together on your website. Youre simply advertising to others where to target for anyone wishing to pursue this side of the business.


Just a few examples.


http://www.solar-panel-cleaners.com/solar-panel-cleaning-completed-on-largest-solar-array-in-shropshire


http://www.solar-panel-cleaners.com/solar-panel-cleaning-completed-on-suffolk-solar-farm


http://www.solar-panel-cleaners.com/solar-panel-cleaning-for-hampshire-cosmetics-anesco


Careful, none of us are entirely resistant to being undercut however low your rates are


IME cleaning solar panels has very very little effect on their productivity. We'll continue to sell the service but its not what its made out to be. Panels are so sensitive you can record a 20% - 30% drop in production on a cloudy day when an extra cloud passes in front of the sun. A drop is to be expected when the atmosphere darkens but theyre so sensitive you cant actually record why the change has taken place - Ive seen huge drops in output when theres no perceivable reason to the human eye as to why this is happening. Therefore any increase isnt necessarily down to cleaner panels, it can be down to a little less dust in the atmosphere.