[Ian_Giles]

Leekson, I demonstrated to Tommo the speed at which I work, judging by his expression I think he was somewhat surprised at just how quick you can actually work and still do a top job.

Tommo uses the forum and logs in now and again, and if he reads this thread I'm sure he will vouch for my worrk rate, and it is faster than trad be a big, big margin (Turbo Terry notwithstanding of course!)
I am in Rogiet next friday morning (about 10:30am) I have a few down there that Tosh passed across to me, you are also welcome to see the pace (and quality of finish I achive) I work at.
I am prepared to bet that you would not get that close to the speed I go at if you were to do the same account trad.

The average window cleaner will do the average window in 90 seconds, and over a minute for a 2 pane UPVC window too.
I'm not talking about doing it at race speed, you only have to watch Turbo Terry in action to know why, but even a quick window cleaner will not clean a standard 3 pane UPVC window in under a minute.
That does not include the frames, but it does allow for at least a little detailing and the sills to be wiped down.

WFP will do that same window, frames and sills included in no more than about 20 seconds on repeat cleans.

You really do need to watch someone who is used to working at that rate to see just how easy it is too.
To begin with you have to re-learn the best way to clean a house you may have been cleaning trad for years, yo uneed to know how much water you will need, where to position your back pack and so on.
Each house will require you to adopt a slightly different method, and of course the first couple of cleans you are spending a lot longer on and using more water to ensure you are doing a good quality job.

Stick with it, grit your teeth and accept you are going to be slower than usual for a while, it does take a while before you realise you can open the throttle and go for it.

Ian

[Count Phil]

I don't get the comment "where to position your backpack". Surely it's on your back? Don't you just walk around with it??

[jouk45]

 Terry, is this what you mean by using the backflip,
 

http://www.hgpromotions.com/window_conservatory_cleaning.php#

[dai]

Leeksons, It took me ages to get up to speed with WFP, I am nearly all domestics too. I am flying now though, you tend to spend too much time rinsing when you start but soon become more confident as your technique improves. I still do the bottom windows trad if I'm working alone. I was a big fan of the Backflip until I discovered the Wagtail, it works the same way as an all in one tool, but is less than half the weight.
Tosh,  congratulations mate, I haven't managed to reach the magic figure yet, Me and the Mrs managed £185 one day this week though, even with my rubbish prices. £730 for the week. Next year I will be eligible for my old age pension, don't think I could live on what I can make in a morning though.
Dai

[neil100]

I started wfp in January, For the first month on first cleans I was slower then trad w/c, On average 10 mins a house. I just accepted it but I stuck with it. It drove me up the wall, I was tempted to do them trad but I took the long term view, its new to me and I wanted to do the job right.

4 months have gone by and my work load for Two of us has gone from 4 1/2 days a week to three. I am earning a lot more per day then trad cleaning, and I was mega fast Trad w/cleaning. But no were near as fast as wfp. Plus my round is expanding at the same time. This month alone I have taken on an extra £180.

Stick with it and give it time, Oh by the way mines a Domestic round as well.

Nel.

[Easyclean Windows]

I agree wfp can be slower than traditional but not if you start doing houses three floors high with 190 lead glass windows......get 100 of them a month x £200 each and long gone will your ladder and squeege

[D.Salkeld_Ltd]

I can see your point, Leeksons. 
You are half my age and probably go like a rocket with a washer and blade and can run up a ladder. 

But for me after 20 years up and down ladders I simply got tired of it. 
I have had my first month WFP.  Two weeks with a Backpack and it has definately speeded me up.  But my work is so varied that most jobs have some sort of awkward bit with the ladder, not like 3 bed semi's in an estate.

So, in your case, WFP is not for you.  But please don't Knock it and if you have invested good hard erned money in it, at least give it a good month and see how you get on.  If your as fit and fast with trad as you say you are, with the same attitude to WFP you could be even faster?

At the end of the day, it doesn't matter what tools you use, it's your work attitude that will get the job done!!

David Salkeld

[tomo]

yeah i can vouch for ian's speed with wfp. In fact it give me more confidence to go quicker and like ian still do a top job...cheers ian!!

[AuRavelling79]

I agree wfp can be slower than traditional but not if you start doing houses three floors high with 190 lead glass windows......get 100 of them a month x £200 each and long gone will your ladder and squeege

I wouldn't mind some of that! Thats £20K a month....

[Richy L]

i dont regret buying the WFP, for some jobs its great, and conservatory rooves are great jobs when they come in. I wouldnt mind seeing a few of you guys soon then, if thats ok, to see if i could speed up.

[Ian_Giles]

Rich, my offer is as serious as Tosh's, only to happy to put my money where my mouth is.
If by watching me (or Tosh) it can help give you a few pointers then I'm only too willing to help.

Ian

[gaza]

wat a load of rubbish: 21 3/4 large houses + some with connservatorys
in a day first clean 8 houses done now 21
trad could do about 10+ cons,leaded as well all with climbs on sloping roofs,dangerous,couldnt do in wet or snow frost etc,now do them in the rain


   gaza

[Moderator David@stives]

Leeksons

Stick with it, it is a lot and i mean a lot faster than trad.

Its a lot safer too

Dave

[welmac]

used WFP for 4 years now, and i dont have a single job, commercial or domestic, that can be done any where near as fast as someone using ladders.

if its taking longer using the WFP then in my opinion your not doing it right.

[Easyclean Windows]

used WFP for 4 years now, and i dont have a single job, commercial or domestic, that can be done any where near as fast as someone using ladders.

Sorry im a bit thick today........


are you saying all your jobs are done quicker with ladders than you can with wfp?

[welmac]

LOL, im the thick one mate, didnt read what i had typed!!! :

basically when i made the change to WFP from ladders i am now finding i am doing all of my work commercial/domestic ALOT faster than when i was on the ladders.........hope ive typed it right this time 

put it this way, i would never go back to ladders!

[Richy L]

I tried using WFP again today after meeting up with Tosh(thanks again for the help), but i really dont think it is all that fast for me.
Maybe it was just the part of the round i was cleaning, but trying to get my tolley around the back of some houses was a nightmare! I had all sorts in my way; plant pots, hose pipes, you name it.

I see how it would be easier using a van mounted system, as you would only have to carry the brush and let the hose follow you, but to carry my brush, pipes and wheel my trolley around the back of each house just took up so much time.
The actual cleaning of the windows may be quicker for the upstairs, but all in all, it takes longer, being as your just wasting so much of the time.

[Newby]

You tryed using your trolley as a van mount, if you get what I mean  then get some nice microbore hose, its getting use to it all new way of doing things does take time, I have not heard of one window cleaner going back to ladders after going to WFP dont say your going to be the first

 

[Richy L]

If i had a van, i would probably be singing its praises too.
Its just i can tell, and maybe its just my round, that cleaning trad is quicker for me compared to the trolley system.
Obviously not for georgian, and leaded. Im talking about the majority of "normal" windows out there.

[AuRavelling79]

Maybe it was just the part of the round i was cleaning, but trying to get my tolley around the back of some houses was a nightmare! I had all sorts in my way; plant pots, hose pipes, you name it.

I see how it would be easier using a van mounted system, as you would only have to carry the brush and let the hose follow you, but to carry my brush, pipes and wheel my trolley around the back of each house just took up so much time.

OK - I've got an aquatec (Peter Fogwill) trolley which takes one or two 25L barrels - I also have a backpack - and a 125L tank - all in my estate car.

To get around the back of houses over plantpots etc, I put 1 x 25L barrel in the trolley and in the space for the second (After spreading the bars on the trolley by about half an inch each side using a car jack! ) I put the backpack (18L). Depending on the houses, I do the fronts, end terraces and semi's from the barrel and if any of the backs are difficult for the trolley to get to I lift out the backpack, do the backs, put it back on the trolley and carry on.

If the job suits it I roll out the hose from the 125L tank and use that! Simple really!