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dazmond

  • Posts: 23967
not taking on any new work until new year!
« on: November 20, 2014, 09:02:58 am »
anyone else do this at this time of year?any new enquires/jobs will get cleaned AFTER xmas now.too busy! :)
price higher/work harder!

gary999

  • Posts: 8156
Re: not taking on any new work until new year!
« Reply #1 on: November 20, 2014, 09:55:30 am »
Im not what you class as full time ;D..but I do increase my workload
between October and the new year,  work weekends take on one offs
from the xmas brigade which I charge more for :)

Bit quiet at the moment but im ahead of where I was this time last
year due to the good weather we had and the amount of fascia cleans I
have done this year.

I can understand why you full time chappies wouldn't want the potential
messers you get this time of year but it suits myself and my circumstances

So im readying myself for a busy 3-4 weeks

dannymack

  • Posts: 1624
Re: not taking on any new work until new year!
« Reply #2 on: November 20, 2014, 11:21:28 am »
Busy all year round, same contracts which go round in a circle, December abit of a knightmare as we lose a few days Christmas Day & Boxing Day so I will have to run my work over to beginning of January as can't fit work in with being busy everyday which is a good thing. I've  got quite a few 3 monthly jobs comming in which makes it even harder O well may have to work Xmas morning ?

Gary is it your choice to work Oart Time or do you not have enough work m8 ?

deeege

  • Posts: 5008
Re: not taking on any new work until new year!
« Reply #3 on: November 20, 2014, 03:03:51 pm »
I think I'll be doing the same Daz. Too busy this year to faff about with one offs, even at 3x the regular cost. Phone has been ding dong this week but mostly for areas that I don't travel to anyway.
"....and it's lend me ten pounds, I'll buy you a drink, and mother wake me early in the morning."

8weekly

Re: not taking on any new work until new year!
« Reply #4 on: November 20, 2014, 03:45:03 pm »
I think you can tell the Christmas one offs. If in doubt just say, "it might be January" and see how they react.

Perfect Windows

  • Posts: 4179
Re: not taking on any new work until new year!
« Reply #5 on: November 20, 2014, 03:56:42 pm »
I think you can tell the Christmas one offs. If in doubt just say, "it might be January" and see how they react.

Ditto.  Standard response is, "We're so busy it's likely to be the New Year before we get to you".   Lots of "Oh, I'll need to ring round" responses follow.

Vin

gary999

  • Posts: 8156
Re: not taking on any new work until new year!
« Reply #6 on: November 20, 2014, 04:52:30 pm »
Busy all year round, same contracts which go round in a circle, December abit of a knightmare as we lose a few days Christmas Day & Boxing Day so I will have to run my work over to beginning of January as can't fit work in with being busy everyday which is a good thing. I've  got quite a few 3 monthly jobs comming in which makes it even harder O well may have to work Xmas morning ?

Gary is it your choice to work Oart Time or do you not have enough work m8 ?

Choice matey I work most days just limited hours most of the year determined
never to be a slave again...like I said in previous post Octup to Dec I work a lot
harder it gets put away and I will take January off for the third year running. :)

Ian101

  • Posts: 7887
Re: not taking on any new work until new year!
« Reply #7 on: November 20, 2014, 05:01:45 pm »
My December was going to be an easy one as all my bimonthlies have fell into November so would be finished work wise by Fri 19th December but yesterday booked a full Monty exterior clean gutters, plastics, conny roof and windows then booked a massive gutter job straight after  :D

If im all done by 19th any one offs / new customers will be done on the 22nd / 23rd  but wont be getting done for anywhere near my standard prices.

Unless its right by other work wont even be taking it on.

8weekly

Re: not taking on any new work until new year!
« Reply #8 on: November 20, 2014, 05:08:53 pm »
Busy all year round, same contracts which go round in a circle, December abit of a knightmare as we lose a few days Christmas Day & Boxing Day so I will have to run my work over to beginning of January as can't fit work in with being busy everyday which is a good thing. I've  got quite a few 3 monthly jobs comming in which makes it even harder O well may have to work Xmas morning ?

Gary is it your choice to work Oart Time or do you not have enough work m8 ?

Choice matey I work most days just limited hours most of the year determined
never to be a slave again...like I said in previous post Octup to Dec I work a lot
harder it gets put away and I will take January off for the third year running. :)
I finished October's work yesterday, so I am three weeks behind as things stand, but I will be taking off Christmas & New Year week. Back on 5th probably unless I am bored witless in which case I might go back on 2nd.

Paul erithwc

Re: not taking on any new work until new year!
« Reply #9 on: November 20, 2014, 05:12:15 pm »
Charge top dollar in december for first & one off cleans  ;D ;D

Paul

dave the rave

  • Posts: 133
Re: not taking on any new work until new year!
« Reply #10 on: November 20, 2014, 06:00:50 pm »
Always charge more for one off's . If someone has just moved in will clean the windows but if they have been there a while  may not clean until the new year

simon knight

  • Posts: 33
Re: not taking on any new work until new year!
« Reply #11 on: November 20, 2014, 06:38:48 pm »
I get the impression that you guys have a "round" and windows get cleaned at regular intervals, and if the customer isn't in you just do them anyway and leave a bill(or collect later).

I don't have that kind of set-up. 75% of the time existing customers call me. Now with some they call once a month, others maybe 3 months, others once or twice a year...and it doesn't matter to me, I charge by the hour (and I can be a very slow worker   ;D). So for me a "no new customers after 30th Nov" isn't an issue. Of course I look after existing customers for choice, but if a "newbie" phones up and it's an 80 quidder and there's a slot...!

In a nutshell I go where the money is.

SB Cleaning

  • Posts: 4287
Re: not taking on any new work until new year!
« Reply #12 on: November 20, 2014, 06:44:52 pm »
I get the impression that you guys have a "round" and windows get cleaned at regular intervals, and if the customer isn't in you just do them anyway and leave a bill(or collect later).

I don't have that kind of set-up. 75% of the time existing customers call me. Now with some they call once a month, others maybe 3 months, others once or twice a year...and it doesn't matter to me, I charge by the hour (and I can be a very slow worker   ;D). So for me a "no new customers after 30th Nov" isn't an issue. Of course I look after existing customers for choice, but if a "newbie" phones up and it's an 80 quidder and there's a slot...!

In a nutshell I go where the money is.
I don't think that's the way to run a window cleaning business but if your doing well fair play to ya ;)

Window Lickers

  • Posts: 2196
Re: not taking on any new work until new year!
« Reply #13 on: November 20, 2014, 06:47:52 pm »
Charge by the hour?

I couldn't work like that.
Liberace's ex looking to meet well built men for cottaging meets.

deeege

  • Posts: 5008
Re: not taking on any new work until new year!
« Reply #14 on: November 20, 2014, 06:52:51 pm »
I get the impression that you guys have a "round" and windows get cleaned at regular intervals, and if the customer isn't in you just do them anyway and leave a bill(or collect later).

I don't have that kind of set-up. 75% of the time existing customers call me. Now with some they call once a month, others maybe 3 months, others once or twice a year...and it doesn't matter to me, I charge by the hour (and I can be a very slow worker   ;D). So for me a "no new customers after 30th Nov" isn't an issue. Of course I look after existing customers for choice, but if a "newbie" phones up and it's an 80 quidder and there's a slot...!

In a nutshell I go where the money is.

That sounds like the exact opposite of what most window cleaners strive for. It must be grim not knowing if your phone is going to ring from one week to the next.
"....and it's lend me ten pounds, I'll buy you a drink, and mother wake me early in the morning."

simon knight

  • Posts: 33
Re: not taking on any new work until new year!
« Reply #15 on: November 20, 2014, 06:54:15 pm »
I work in Putney SW London. Most of the houses are rented and the outgoing tennants want their deposit back (most tenancy agreements insist on windows being clean on departure). Guys their deposits are 3 or 4 grand...I can charge what I want!

simon knight

  • Posts: 33
Re: not taking on any new work until new year!
« Reply #16 on: November 20, 2014, 06:58:52 pm »
I get the impression that you guys have a "round" and windows get cleaned at regular intervals, and if the customer isn't in you just do them anyway and leave a bill(or collect later).

I don't have that kind of set-up. 75% of the time existing customers call me. Now with some they call once a month, others maybe 3 months, others once or twice a year...and it doesn't matter to me, I charge by the hour (and I can be a very slow worker   ;D). So for me a "no new customers after 30th Nov" isn't an issue. Of course I look after existing customers for choice, but if a "newbie" phones up and it's an 80 quidder and there's a slot...!

In a nutshell I go where the money is.

That sounds like the exact opposite of what most window cleaners strive for. It must be grim not knowing if your phone is going to ring from one week to the next.

I appreciate what you say. But the phone does ring and if it doesn't I can always pick the phone up and call people. It could be I live in a place where people come and go, but I've been operating for 10 odd years and for me it works.

SeanK

Re: not taking on any new work until new year!
« Reply #17 on: November 20, 2014, 07:18:45 pm »
I get the impression that you guys have a "round" and windows get cleaned at regular intervals, and if the customer isn't in you just do them anyway and leave a bill(or collect later).

I don't have that kind of set-up. 75% of the time existing customers call me. Now with some they call once a month, others maybe 3 months, others once or twice a year...and it doesn't matter to me, I charge by the hour (and I can be a very slow worker   ;D). So for me a "no new customers after 30th Nov" isn't an issue. Of course I look after existing customers for choice, but if a "newbie" phones up and it's an 80 quidder and there's a slot...!

In a nutshell I go where the money is.

That sounds like the exact opposite of what most window cleaners strive for. It must be grim not knowing if your phone is going to ring from one week to the next.

I appreciate what you say. But the phone does ring and if it doesn't I can always pick the phone up and call people. It could be I live in a place where people come and go, but I've been operating for 10 odd years and for me it works.

It just goes to show there are many ways to get from A to B in this game and your spot on, do what works for you.

dannymack

  • Posts: 1624
Re: not taking on any new work until new year!
« Reply #18 on: November 20, 2014, 07:22:10 pm »
Gary that's cool if you can do them sort of hours and take a month off
Have you not got a mortgage as living itself is quite a lot of money especially if it's like me whom dines out a lot and eats cavier and drinks the best bubbly he he lol !!!!
Good luck to ya mate

windowswashed

  • Posts: 2577
Re: not taking on any new work until new year!
« Reply #19 on: November 20, 2014, 07:35:18 pm »
Fobbed a newbie off at twice the going price today as I knew he was wasting my time and only wants Xmas clean early. Look after regulars this time of year. Genuine ones will wait....if not, tough and good riddance, sorts out the messers.