[Positivity]

Cleaning away bloke sees the pole, stops his car and says "Can you reach dormer windows with that?"
"No problem" says I.
"Last house on the right pop up when you've finished."
Takes a look -  at least 5 - 6 bed detached. Large front extension with arched glass atrium.
Shows me the 3 dormer windows at the front.
Round the back 3 dormer windows and 2 windows over the massive double conservatory.
"That's the problem he says. I have a window cleaner been coming for years talks of retiring soon but he won't clean those windows anymore says it's too slippy. Can you clean those and I'll let him carry on cleaning the rest?"
"Sorry I say. I wouldn't be happy with that arrangement."
Then he starts to show his 'other side' "What! are you telling me that you're turning down an offer of some work."
"Yes I've said I'm not happy with that."
"But he won't clean them anymore."
"Well if it's not safe he should get the gear like I have so he can clean them safely."
Obviously a man of means used to getting his own way getting angry said "Well all I can say for you is you must have lots of work."
Turned his back and slammed the door on me!.
All good fun eh?

[Tom White]

You could've explained that just cleaning three windows doesn't sound much of a job to you even though the setting up and packing away would still be the same whether it's for 3 windows or 300, and the equipment you use is expensive; therefore it'd be £30 if he wanted them done.

If he refused, I'd leave him a card just in case he changes his mind.

[Johnny B]

I would have taken the job on if it were within my capabilities, then picked the whole house up when the other guy retired.

John

[rosskesava]

What the other window cleaner uses and which windows he cleans is up to him.

I see it that if someone wants even just one window cleaned for what ever reason, if they're happy to pay my price, then I'll do the job.

[Window Lickers]

I would have taken the job on if it were within my capabilities, then picked the whole house up when the other guy retired.

John

Me too.

In the conversation say you have a minimum price. Which is £30 you tell him. No haggling. Just tell him every 8 weeks.

[HampshireWindowCleaning]

You should have gave a price at least that you would have been happy with, I have a property on my round, exactly the same scenario with an old fella been coming years that trads the bottoms. They asked me to do 3 small dormers and a side window that he can't reach, I said £15 and got the job, takes me 5 minutes.

[8weekly]

I must admit that I wouldn't have bothered. I am too busy to fart about.

[Scrimble]

i too have a job where as I do the tops and a old boy scrims the downstairs, its 3 stories round the back over a conny, £15 for 10 mins work easy money

[AuRavelling79]

These situations can sometimes catch you on the hop. On reflection, if the price was right then why not do the three windows/dormers?

But sometimes you can sense "attitude" and if you have loads of work you can just think ... "Naaaaah!"

[PoleKing]

I'd've done them. Got a cup if tea thrown in too.
You were there. 5 windows. Do a really good job.
Charge well though.
If he says 'you're expensive' reply 'yeah, you get what you pay for'
You can pay an old fella to not clean some windows or pay me to clean them all.

[lal]

I'd've done them. Got a cup if tea thrown in too.
You were there. 5 windows. Do a really good job.
Charge well though.
If he says 'you're expensive' reply 'yeah, you get what you pay for'
You can pay an old fella to not clean some windows or pay me to clean them all.

Good answer Poleking. 

[PoleKing]

I'd've done them. Got a cup if tea thrown in too.
You were there. 5 windows. Do a really good job.
Charge well though.
If he says 'you're expensive' reply 'yeah, you get what you pay for'
You can pay an old fella to not clean some windows or pay me to clean them all.

Good answer Poleking. 

Why thank you sir.
I find the trick is to say it with a sort of cheeky chappy twinkle in the eye.

[Paul Coleman]

I can see both sides of this.  It could certainly be done as there would be no dripping onto lower windows.  I have turned down jobs before where the prople wanted top only to save money.  But the situation was that my minimum charge would nearly have done the ground floor too which they didn't want.  Plus the lower windows would have been splashed.  I even told them what I could do for the minimum (it meant leaving a bit out of the ground floor) but they couldn't see it.  They wanted top only pro rata pricewise - which would be well below my minimum.

I probably would have taken the job in the OP, charged well for it and been prepared for the other guy's retirement.  However, it would be at MY frequency (not the other guy's) and there would need to be proper access.

[G & M]

Did you really want to blow the old guy out when you could have got the job after he retired and charged a nice price for cleaning a few dormers.

[8weekly]

Did you really want to blow the old guy out when you could have got the job after he retired and charged a nice price for cleaning a few dormers.

I don't think people should worry about jam tomorrow.

[Positivity]

Hi thanks for all the replies seems most would have done the job.
I've never been asked this before so it did throw me a bit but I'm happy with the decision 'gut feeling' as Gold said once you can sense "attitude." well.......
However I did reflect on it from several different perspectives.
1) Maybe the bloke is right about turning down even a little bit of work, and that's why he lives in a house like that and I don't!!!
2) I do the windows get in with the old windie, he's grateful as hell not to take any more risks. I do loads of others for him, he passes me on all his work when he retires for free 'cos I'm such a great bloke!!!
3) He's a grumpy old Yorkshire knuckle dragging git and he sees me muscling in on his work even though I was asked, he lets down my tyres, breaks my pole and threatens to hammer me!!!
4) I do the few windows nothing comes out if it whatsoever, the old windie retires, sells the business to some one with a pole and I'm out on my ear!!!
Plus the other hundred and one ways it could work out.
p.s. 8weekly don't know what you mean about blowing the old guy out I didn't try to get the job off him!