[MisterC]

I am looking at selling my business  the early part of next year to try a new life in Spain.
My question is what is it worth? I would like to sell it as a going concern to someone who
Would be able to earn a living from day one and take advantage of what I have started.
Sign written van, 500 litre RO system, various poles and gutter cleaning equipment, good
Website, Facebook page, circa £2400 a month turnover. Also apart from this forum where
Is a good place to advertise.
Any advice much appreciated, thanks in advance

[Slacky]

Sign written.

Is this a Rodney Trotter van or a pro all singing all dancing vehicle?

[PHILIP HARDY]

The usual rate of sale for the round only is 3-4 times monthly income, The van and equipment is a personal common sense thing, don't kid yourself that because it has got a £300 tank in it and a £250 facelift pole that is there worth, as second hand these drop remarkably quickly especially when sold as a job lot!! Price it to sell not to field enquiries from messers.
Which brings me on to messers and timewasters, the world is full of these types who want to but either can’t or dare not set up and take the plunge, give yourself plenty of time to get the deal done and always keep contact details from enquirers.
Try selling on here, there’s always some for sale on Ebay and Gumtree so have a go on there, there is another site who have a paid page for just window cleaning businesses for sale but as I think it’s a rival to CIU, so I am not going to post a link, you might try a search though.
Good luck Phil.

[MisterC]

Thanks Philip

[Perfect Windows]

People saying the rate is X times monthly value are basing it on the value of selling the work alone.

Much better to sell it as a business.

Two posts on this that are worth reading:

To put things in perspective, in 1997-8 I sold my window cleaning business.  It was turning over £1,500 per week.  I split it into three rounds at £500 a week and got £10,000 for each one - £30,000  total.

OK. the potential annual turnover was over £70,000 but it was full time, 7 hours a day for each round to make about £24-25,000, but I had no trouble selling it and all the buyers were happy with what they got.  Two of them are still running their businesses and the third re-sold at a profit.

Experienced window cleaners on here are not likely to pay those sort of prices, but for someone looking for a ready made business with guaranteed income from day one and no experience of building a business for themselves, anything like this is a bargain.

Never sell yourselves short

It's worth what you can get for it.  Will you just be selling a list of customers or will it be a full 'turn-key' business, i.e. absolutely everything included, all the buyer has to do is go out and work.  From a novice's point of view the latter is worth far more.

Would include:
Training - Fitted van with signwriting to new owner's requirement (for the sake of a couple of hundred pounds, this is well worth it) - all equipment (Ro/Di, pumps, poles, resin, storage IBC if separate purification system) -  full kit of traditional tools plus personal introduction to all the customers and full instruction in record keeping plus guarantee of "probationary" period offering help and advice while the buyer finds his feet.

Offered like this it would be much more attractive and worth many times more than you might get for a 'round'.

Hope that helps.

Vin

[MisterC]

Thanks Vin.
That confirms what I thought.

[Lee Pryor]

Common rule of thumb in any business. 3x annual net profit plus the current value of the assets.

[P @ F]

Common rule of thumb in any business. 3x annual net profit plus the current value of the assets.

So you are saying 3xanual , and others are saying 3xmonthly , thats a big difference , typo or what cos if anual is correct i am selling in the morning !

[Perfect Windows]

It's the difference between:

Here's a list of people. I clean their windows. Here you go. You'll be fine.

and:

Here's a viable business. I can prove that it makes £x profit per annum and everything to run the business is here. I'll help you to get cracking and you won't need to spend a single penny over and above the purchase price to run it.

Vin

[P @ F]

It's the difference between:

Here's a list of people. I clean their windows. Here you go. You'll be fine.

and:

Here's a viable business. I can prove that it makes £x profit per annum and everything to run the business is here. I'll help you to get cracking and you won't need to spend a single penny over and above the purchase price to run it.

Vin

It cant be easy to find a buyer though surely , if i could find a buyer at 3 x anual i would throw in van , system , static and anything down to the last bit of pole hose free of charge !

[dazmond]

Common rule of thumb in any business. 3x annual net profit plus the current value of the assets.

so your saying if i make 30k profit after taxes,insurances,expenses etc have been deducted(which is the norm these days)that my business is worth 90k?

[p1w1]

It's the difference between:

Here's a list of people. I clean their windows. Here you go. You'll be fine.

and:

Here's a viable business. I can prove that it makes £x profit per annum and everything to run the business is here. I'll help you to get cracking and you won't need to spend a single penny over and above the purchase price to run it.

Vin

It cant be easy to find a buyer though surely , if i could find a buyer at 3 x anual i would throw in van , system , static and anything down to the last bit of pole hose free of charge !

Dont know till you try! personally i wouldn't aim at selling it to another window cleaner.

[P @ F]

It's the difference between:

Here's a list of people. I clean their windows. Here you go. You'll be fine.

and:

Here's a viable business. I can prove that it makes £x profit per annum and everything to run the business is here. I'll help you to get cracking and you won't need to spend a single penny over and above the purchase price to run it.

Vin

It cant be easy to find a buyer though surely , if i could find a buyer at 3 x anual i would throw in van , system , static and anything down to the last bit of pole hose free of charge !

Dont know till you try! personally i wouldn't aim at selling it to another window cleaner.

If it was as easy as that CIU would be a tad empty in one part of the forum !

Did I mention I had a biz for sale ?
Part time round 20 hr a week , will throw in 12 plate Fiat Fiorino with 350 DI system , solar conversion , Gardiner poles , DIY power reel , and i will work with you free for 3 months until your settled , only want £60,000  any takers ?

[nathankaye]

It's the difference between:

Here's a list of people. I clean their windows. Here you go. You'll be fine.

and:

Here's a viable business. I can prove that it makes £x profit per annum and everything to run the business is here. I'll help you to get cracking and you won't need to spend a single penny over and above the purchase price to run it.

Vin

It cant be easy to find a buyer though surely , if i could find a buyer at 3 x anual i would throw in van , system , static and anything down to the last bit of pole hose free of charge !

Dont know till you try! personally i wouldn't aim at selling it to another window cleaner.

If it was as easy as that CIU would be a tad empty in one part of the forum !

Did I mention I had a biz for sale ?
Part time round 20 hr a week , will throw in 12 plate Fiat Fiorino with 350 DI system , solar conversion , Gardiner poles , DIY power reel , and i will work with you free for 3 months until your settled , only want £60,000  any takers ?

Oh oh oh me me me!!!!!
Darren reckons i need more work

😂😂😂😂😂😂

[P @ F]

This is a bargain  , lets not forget i yap a bit , i plod around in no rush , i have a heart condition , am a stroke survivor , i complete both school runs ........young strapping lads could be earning 20k a year in less time than i do it , come on boys , talk to ya mums !

[JandS]

At the end of the day all you are buying is goodwill re the round.

[CleanClear]

Common rule of thumb in any business. 3x annual net profit plus the current value of the assets.

so your saying if i make 30k profit after taxes,insurances,expenses etc have been deducted(which is the norm these days)that my business is worth 90k?

Thats not what he is saying Daz. You need to remove your wage to find your profit.

[Dry Clean]

Common rule of thumb in any business. 3x annual net profit plus the current value of the assets.

so your saying if i make 30k profit after taxes,insurances,expenses etc have been deducted(which is the norm these days)that my business is worth 90k?

Thats not what he is saying Daz. You need to remove your wage to find your profit.

That's both his profit and wage, yes he could say his wage is £14000 a year leaving £16000 profit but that means nothing.
To be honest that's why I don't consider a window cleaning round without employees a business, we are self employed
with a list of repeat work.
Would I pay £90k for a £30k a year net profit list, personally I wouldn't as it would mean working at least three years for nothing
which I couldn't handle, as has been said 3x monthly sounds a more realistic price.

[ashbash]

keep your round and employ someone to run it. do it properly and you will make a good wage. Spend time working on your bussiness and not in it grafting on the tools.  i live near marbella and thats what i do . ive got 4 children in tow as well.
 

[NWH]

3 x the monthly take 😂 yeah right oh why don't you just give it away.