[trippyboy]

For the whole of 2015 my expenses before tax and nat ins was £7847.36.
That includes a new clutch for the van

[Dave Willis]

'Most years' I'll buy a pole.
I don't like using worn equipment so when my Extremes wear I'll often buy another complete pole. Brushes every quarter, new hose, replacement fittings etc.

SeanK those figures are straight off my final accounts - the motoring expenses are what they are. A service and mot are normally £300 four tyres could be £500 if you buy quality Michelins Insurance £250 ish, tax about £150 the rest is fuel plus the odd seat cover, wiper blade etc.
The van is paid for - I owe nothing on it fuel normally works out around £30 - £40 a week.

[Dave Willis]

For the whole of 2015 my expenses before tax and nat ins was £7847.36.
That includes a new clutch for the van

Similar I reckon if you take the clutch out of it.

[SeanK]

Imagine if the above was the norm, even on a grand a week you would have to work almost 8 weeks a year before
you break even.
Plus where Dave's concerned that doesn't even include buying a van.

[Rich Wilts]

My expenses woked out at an average of £295.00 a week last business year. I've always found they've gone up every year in line with our turnover.

That figure doesn't include any staff wages.

[SeanK]

My expenses woked out at an average of £295.00 a week last business year. I've always found they've gone up every year in line with our turnover.

That figure doesn't include any staff wages.

Yes but your an employer who puts in a lot of mileage, if you worked alone and travelled less than 50miles per week
with no van or debt to cover what would you be paying yearly ?

[Dave Willis]

Imagine if the above was the norm, even on a grand a week you would have to work almost 8 weeks a year before
you break even.
Plus where Dave's concerned that doesn't even include buying a van.

That's normal for me year after year for eight years. Some years I've bought a guttervac or a generator but motoring expenses never change.

Yesterday I ordered a sill brush, couple of jets, couple of taps and a pro coupling - about £75 I think.

[DaveG]

Dave why do you buy a new pole every year I have had my slx four years and still  going strong

Dave's 6 year old slx is still going strong too 

[Rich Wilts]

My expenses woked out at an average of £295.00 a week last business year. I've always found they've gone up every year in line with our turnover.

That figure doesn't include any staff wages.

Yes but your an employer who puts in a lot of mileage, if you worked alone and travelled less than 50miles per week
with no van or debt to cover what would you be paying yearly ?

Off the top of my head, the van is £105 a week, extra fuel is probably £15 a week, tools etc not much - £15 a week(?), water - £15.00. Thats £150.00 a week. Probably £175.00 in reality. That brings it down to £120.00.

The figures below include wages

[ok cleaning]

Mine are normally around the £6000 mark or above most years. I think motor expenses top £2000 a year alone not including the initial purchase and my round is within four or five miles from home. Most years I'll spend at least £1000 on a pole and brushes. Probably spent £400 just on clothing in 2015.

Fuel bıll £400 a year what you driving push bike ?
Get a grip Dave even if your road tax and insurance is costing two grand a year which I doubt very much you would still
be hard pressed to spend £6000 a year on a round that's only 4 or 5 miles from home, my total fuel bill last year was around £400 as my round is similar in distance to yours. I remember Dazmond saying his was around the same or slightly more.
For gods sake we are only wiping dirt of glass with filtered water.

[SeanK]

Mine are normally around the £6000 mark or above most years. I think motor expenses top £2000 a year alone not including the initial purchase and my round is within four or five miles from home. Most years I'll spend at least £1000 on a pole and brushes. Probably spent £400 just on clothing in 2015.

Fuel bıll £400 a year what you driving push bike ?
Get a grip Dave even if your road tax and insurance is costing two grand a year which I doubt very much you would still
be hard pressed to spend £6000 a year on a round that's only 4 or 5 miles from home, my total fuel bill last year was around £400 as my round is similar in distance to yours. I remember Dazmond saying his was around the same or slightly more.
For gods sake we are only wiping dirt of glass with filtered water.

No all my round is within a 4 mile radius with most a mile up the road so about 30 miles a week, you do realise you cant count
driving or mileage that's not work related.

[NWH]

Blimey some of those fuel figures are low you must be working right on your doorstep,I only use my van for work and my fuel is about 3k a year.

[dazmond]

my fuel bill is around £600-£700 a year.

my expenses still work out at 5k-6k a year (over a 5 year period)including cost of van/equipment,vinyl wrap and sign writing,MOT,road tax,commercial van insurance etc

dont forget resin,lpg,water bill,internet/phone/round software/workwear/boots/stationary etc

[8weekly]

My last full year as a sole trader was just over £10,000. But that did include over £2,000 paying a leafleteer. Total cost of my van in that year was £2,776. The van was paid for already.

[SeanK]

My total expenses for last year came in at £2500 that's includes a percentage for my van and system that was paid in full
8 years ago, obviously that doesn't allow for the amount of years I still have left in my van which could reduce it further.
What I actually spent in cash terms for the year was around £1200 but like I have already said I had stocked up on consumables
and equipment the year before plus I only service the van every second year because of the low millage it does.
8 weekly I honestly wouldn't be in this game if I had to clean £10k worth of work a year before breaking even, if on £40k a
year which would be well above what most earn you would still need to work almost 3 months for nothing.

[jo5hm4n]

Interesting to see everybodys comments on here and difference of opinion too!

I was just interested to see roughly what you full time experienced window cleaners are spending on average.   First thing i would say is that you need to be detailed with your expenditure and realistic to what you actually spend and don't miss anything out.

Here is a breakdown of my plan of expenditure this year, or when i decide to upgrade my equipment and aim to go full time.
PLEASE NOTE - THIS ISN'T 100% ACCURATE JUST A ROUGH PLAN SO FAR.
Monthly/Yearly
Breakdown Cover   £12.50   £150
Internet + Phone   £40    £480
Printing Supplies   £5   £60
Van Insurance    £54    £650
Fuel     £80   £960
Moto Account   £12    £144
DVLA Vehicle Tax    £20    £240
Worldpay   £10   £120
WC Equipment*   £100   £1,200
Liability Insurance    £15   £180
Van Maintenance     £40   £480
Bank Loan  £185  £2,220
(Loan for £10k for van + System over 5 years, I Don't want a cheap setup)

Total   £566   £6,794

*WC Equipment is to cover Resin, Water Bill, IT, Trad Equipment and anything else Miscellaneaous.

Do you think this is too much or about average?

Lastly, how much should i be doing per week turnover wise as a one man band full time.  Without a decent van setup i currently do £150 on a winters day - Trad + WFP Trolley.  I'm thinking that £750 per week is manageable 4/5 days a week especially more so Spring/Summer, what do you think?

[NWH]

40 k 5 k expenses would make your TAX bill about £3500 Jan and £3000 in July happy days.

[Rich Wilts]

My total expenses for last year came in at £2500 that's includes a percentage for my van and system that was paid in full
8 years ago, obviously that doesn't allow for the amount of years I still have left in my van which could reduce it further.
What I actually spent in cash terms for the year was around £1200 but like I have already said I had stocked up on consumables
and equipment the year before plus I only service the van every second year because of the low millage it does.
8 weekly I honestly wouldn't be in this game if I had to clean £10k worth of work a year before breaking even, if on £40k a
year which would be well above what most earn you would still need to work almost 3 months for nothing.

Ha ha 8 Weekly turns over lots more than that.

[dd]

Generally our highest overhead is the van and associated running costs.

Does anyone consider that most employed people have to own and drive a car to get to work (or pay train fare etc.), and they are not able to claim tax back on their travel expenses to and from work.

[SeanK]

My total expenses for last year came in at £2500 that's includes a percentage for my van and system that was paid in full
8 years ago, obviously that doesn't allow for the amount of years I still have left in my van which could reduce it further.
What I actually spent in cash terms for the year was around £1200 but like I have already said I had stocked up on consumables
and equipment the year before plus I only service the van every second year because of the low millage it does.
8 weekly I honestly wouldn't be in this game if I had to clean £10k worth of work a year before breaking even, if on £40k a
year which would be well above what most earn you would still need to work almost 3 months for nothing.

Ha ha 8 Weekly turns over lots more than that.

Would like to think it with those expenses.