[Spruce]

For me there were many good helpful posts, but the main one was Matt the DIY guy. His advice got me set up with all the kit on my van and installed by myself (I hate diy! But needs must) and it’s all still going strong over 7 years later.

Yes, I remember him to. 

There were 2 things I will never forget about him.

He was the only one who managed to run a window cleaning round wfp using a 50gpd r/o, or so we were told. It ran 24/7.

The other thing I remember was what was left of his Vikan oval brush after he had shaved the brush stock and drill holes in it to reduce the weight. It looked an eyesore, but that never bothered him. He flatly refused to spend any money on equipment unless he was forced to. He said the money was better spent on a holiday.

Those were the DIY years. 

Didn't he also claim to be the first to come up with the idea of making an electric reel with his drill (he may well have been)

Could have done. But it was Slumpy (I'm sure that was only of his names) who made a corker of a unit with the drill and hose reel attached to the inside roof of his van. I remember he had a YouTube Video where his young son was operating the camera.

He had some good advise but somehow took some posters comments too seriously and left.

[Spruce]

What a great thread!
Yep, myself included, i have finely tuned my business from advice from this forum and no doubt will continue to do so.

The reason I like this thread is because theres a whole lotof guys n girls who read these threads but dont contribute to the discussions.  How much more so can we all perhaps learn a new trick or adapt a different method to what we are used to, if these ones also contribute.

Its just typical CIU, I would like to thank all the people on here who hold the same opinions as me, from reading your early posts your business seemed to be doing alright the only change now is for some reason you feel as if you need to put a CIU spin on it.
The bigest problem on here is there isnt a good enough representation of shiners from across the range, if your not a wfp user
on £500 a day who's able to work in all weather conditions and dump customers and replace on a whim then what have you really got to contribute.

That said for the sake of harmony......

 

Thanks Dry Clean. I really need that 'hug' yesterday but today's good as well.

.

[G Griffin]

Gerald Ash is the name you were looking for, Spruce.
He was a very big bloke if I remember.

[Spruce]

Gerald Ash is the name you were looking for, Spruce.
He was a very big bloke if I remember.

Thats him. Thanks for the reminder. I often wonder what happened to him as I don't recall any recent posts from him.

Maybe he isn't window cleaning and a fitness instructor to the 'stars' somewhere exotic. 

[Arnold Palmer]

I rarely post much helpful advice nowadays.

The problem with this forum (and forums in general) is that sound advice (like mine, obvs) is often drowned out by moronic posts, daft arguments, insults etc.

Having said that, I have learned lots from other posters, I'm not going to name names because most of them already have an inflated sense of self worth. 

[robbo333]

Whatever you do , dont go out with him for a drink , hes one of them 

 

Too late!!! 

[robbo333]

I have to take my hat off to 99% of you as you've been a massive help to me and really helped me to get my new buisnes off the ground . Ps u missed out Paul Allen an a few others an also sorry robbo it's 333 not 33 as I put in my last post lol . Yes there has been the small % that would rather pick on my dyslexia but I'm used to that but one off the great things for me is that most off u haven't witch I really appreciate. Thank god for predictive text lol . I'm just at the start off my new venture an even now in my 3rd month I'm texting robbo 333 for help an advice on cleaning the inside off a Connie an yet even tho I'm In the same area ie (compation) he still helps me out......... I must admit my outlook on bloody life has even changed after meeting him wot a bloody nice guy.

Thanks Dan for your kind words.
Personally, Dan's dyslexia has never been an issue for me, except for when he came to our Christmas fancy dress 'Toga' party, dressed as a goat! 

Seriously though, I would like to thank everyone on this forum for all the information, ideas, motivation, tips etc I have picked up.
When I first started, I went to Pure Freedom with a wad of cash and came away with a trolley, barrels, and poles so bendy (I wish my missus was that bendy!  ).

I love all the different 'characters' on here, past and present and if you read between the lines, everything is here for you.
But there is no substitute for getting out there and doing it.

To be honest, I have enjoyed helping these guys out AND I HAVE LEARNED FROM THEM TOO. A 'fresh pair of eyes' (actually 2 pairs of eyes) looking at this business from the 'outside in' can be more interesting than you think.

I know Dan and Wiggy are my local competition, but I am big enough and ugly enough to not worry about it (I'm actually not that big!).

PS Dan, good luck with inside of that connie roof tomorrow. If you get stuck give me ring so I can laugh! 

Seriously, really nice guys, with nice families and i'm happy to help out where I can...life's too short.

[Dry Clean]

Gerald Ash is the name you were looking for, Spruce.
He was a very big bloke if I remember.

Thats him. Thanks for the reminder. I often wonder what happened to him as I don't recall any recent posts from him.

Maybe he isn't window cleaning and a fitness instructor to the 'stars' somewhere exotic. 

From what I can remember his first attempt didn't go as planed, something to do with
being taken for a ride by a partner and health issues.
He then had a second go but never followed up with how he got on, pity as it would have been great to see him make a go of it.


Britain's most unlikely window cleaner: 35-stone Gerald is ...
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/...unlikely-window-cleaner-35-stone-Gerald.

[Slacky]

Gerald Ash is the name you were looking for, Spruce.
He was a very big bloke if I remember.

Thats him. Thanks for the reminder. I often wonder what happened to him as I don't recall any recent posts from him.

Maybe he isn't window cleaning and a fitness instructor to the 'stars' somewhere exotic. 

From what I can remember his first attempt didn't go as planed, something to do with
being taken for a ride by a partner and health issues.
He then had a second go but never followed up with how he got on, pity as it would have been great to see him make a go of it.


Britain's most unlikely window cleaner: 35-stone Gerald is ...
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/...unlikely-window-cleaner-35-stone-Gerald.

FTFY

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2292095/Britains-unlikely-window-cleaner-35-stone-Gerald-big-ladder--scared-heights.html

See, its people like me that keep this place going.

[֍Winp®oClean֍]

Slumpbuster- aka Clive Mcdonald "Village Gleam". He still has a website going. He was the first DIY electric reel and hot water guy. I thought he was a bit over enthusiastic initially but respected him very much in the end (after he ceased comparing window cleaning to the likes of a McDonalds franchise) etc.

Matt- frequented this place on a daily basis, also had his own DIY WFP forum and latterly window cleaning forum. Got chucked off here when Ionics sponsored the forum- because of his refusal to be quiet on the expense and over-engineering of their systems. Tosh (his long term online buddy) apparently stabbed him in the back.

Dave Willis- One of only a very few people on here (there are others) who's knowledge, experience and advice I respect. Never any BS from this guy, down to earth and posseses common sense in abundance- something increasingly lacking in society these days! :-)

Vin- I remember him as Onion man- started initially with the idea of conservatory valeting. Pretty much then as today- couldn't tell him anything! :-)

All good stuff, better than Television at times!!

[Don Kee]

I would imagine we’ve all had help along the way to get to where we are, I know I have.

Personally, I only tend to get involved in the threads and offer advice if its on something I actually know about and have done/experienced.

The trick is to differentiate between the posts of people that actually know what they’re on about as they’ve done it and the posts of people that think they know and are just offering opinions.

 i.e there’s been a few posts on solar panels recently of which I have little experiance of and no interest in, so I’ll stay out of it.
Were as there was a post about pensions a while ago and having had to go through the whole pensions thing myself , I posted some ‘advice’.

Most people know about the equipment side of it though once they get to a certain level (I’d hope!!), the info is freely available these days.

[nathankaye]

Lol, even Dry Clean  I think weve all learnt something. I know I have and thats to be thick skinned and to have a laugh at times.
 

[P @ F]

Having had a think about it , i thought i would look back to 2005 when i was a NEWB , to see what kind of help i got when i asked the same old questions that pop up .
I had just gone to WFP and was getting spotting after 3 days of spotless
I must have been honoured as i had 2 Mods , Dave Morris and Ian Giles helping out , funny thing was i ended up a subbie for Dave Morris when he hit it big !
Makes for a good read anyway

http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=10155.0

[dazmond]

i echo whats already been said.........finding this site has been a revelation. also id never had a computer before 2009.i was absolutely clueless about lots of things,wfp,round software,etc

my prices were not so good.....my work ethic wasnt brilliant either and id had enough of window cleaning.....fast forward 9 years and im doing much better.....

thanks to all you guys for your knowledge,humour,encouragement and experience.......

[tlwcs]

The problem with this forum (and forums in general) is that sound advice (like mine, obvs) is often drowned out by moronic posts, daft arguments, insults etc.

No its not, you moron 

[Slacky]

The problem with this forum (and forums in general) is that sound advice (like mine, obvs) is often drowned out by moronic posts, daft arguments, insults etc.

No its not, you moron 

Don't be daft! Yes it is.

[Frankybadboy]

Slumpbuster- aka Clive Mcdonald "Village Gleam". He still has a website going. He was the first DIY electric reel and hot water guy. I thought he was a bit over enthusiastic initially but respected him very much in the end (after he ceased comparing window cleaning to the likes of a McDonalds franchise) etc.

Matt- frequented this place on a daily basis, also had his own DIY WFP forum and latterly window cleaning forum. Got chucked off here when Ionics sponsored the forum- because of his refusal to be quiet on the expense and over-engineering of their systems. Tosh (his long term online buddy) apparently stabbed him in the back.

Dave Willis- One of only a very few people on here (there are others) who's knowledge, experience and advice I respect. Never any BS from this guy, down to earth and posseses common sense in abundance- something increasingly lacking in society these days! :-)

Vin- I remember him as Onion man- started initially with the idea of conservatory valeting. Pretty much then as today- couldn't tell him anything! :-)

All good stuff, better than Television at times!!

matt is still about,i once meet him when i sold him a tank,who lives very close to Dave wills who is still active as a w/c but had some personal problems

and Vin well i let him tell you how he started


forum been great for stuff over the years and myself thankful to all that have helped me fun raised a few times and then help me out when i was on death door though no thought of my own


alot of the good characters who where a good laugh have well gone 

[slap bash]

I remember when it took Dazmond months to decide which poll to buy and even longer to go WFP .  He has never looked back. I liked Slumbuster a very innovative chap.

[p1w1]

I remember when it took Dazmond months to decide which poll to buy and even longer to go WFP .  He has never looked back. I liked Slumbuster a very innovative chap.

Still cant make his mind up now 

[Marc Stock]

What a lot of mushy love going on here.