[Jay Le Huray]

as some of you may recall I was selling my business 1 year ago when I reached 65, as it turned out I actually only sold half of the round and continued to work the other half to subside my pension.

However I now find it getting harder every day as the old bones are aching worse on a daily basis especially the arthritis, my concern now being that I don't want to get to the point where the business goes to ruin due to my lack of enthusiasm.
Having said all that I must find something to do as I have to have a reason for getting up in the morning and can't stand day time TV, it's just not me.

I aim to sell up the remainder of the round  in the new year and turn my efforts into becoming a canvasser as it's virtually impossible to live on a state pension (I don't have a private pension) and as I have a few grand in a little nest egg it means I cannot get pension credit until I have used up all my savings something I do not want to do as I have worked hard all my life and would like to leave my kids some inheritance.


As I've been in the business since the 1970's I know it inside out and in my early days I was a confident canvasser building up my own business so see no reason  why I could not make good money in doing so.

I have one chap here in Southampton who already wants me to come onboard and canvass for him plus in our area there are so many shiners I think I could be in great demand locally, I would also stay in my local area as I would not want to travel living out of a suitcase in B&B's

My thoughts  on pricing would be 2 and a half  times the job...…………... ie I canvass a job say for £20 and sell it for £50, £14 job for £42 and so on. I would also like to have a clause that if the customer cancels before 3 cleans are completed I would canvass another job for the buyer of the same value free of charge.


So my question to all you shiners out there is

do you think my pricing and terms are fair and would you  be happy using me on my terms as above?

thanx in advance
Jay

[Ooooooog]

If you don’t canvass terraced houses, locked gates, dog poo gardens, weirdos, not this timers, and price nicely, you’ll be onto a winner!

[Jay Le Huray]

If you don’t canvass terraced houses, locked gates, dog poo gardens, weirdos, not this timers, and price nicely, you’ll be onto a winner!

for sure.. I would only canvass jobs that I would be willing to take on

[dazmond]

2 guys i know still going...one is  75 and been window cleaning since he was 18 and the other is 71....both still on ladders too!they look amazing for their age.....

if you ve got arthritis then you ve got to keep moving every day or you ll get even worse,canvassing would be good i expect....

good luck!

[OnPoint]

Hey Jay,


Hope it all pans out for you, all the best.

Still appreciate that hands on experience.

[p1w1]

as some of you may recall I was selling my business 1 year ago when I reached 65, as it turned out I actually only sold half of the round and continued to work the other half to subside my pension.

However I now find it getting harder every day as the old bones are aching worse on a daily basis especially the arthritis, my concern now being that I don't want to get to the point where the business goes to ruin due to my lack of enthusiasm.
Having said all that I must find something to do as I have to have a reason for getting up in the morning and can't stand day time TV, it's just not me.

I aim to sell up the remainder of the round  in the new year and turn my efforts into becoming a canvasser as it's virtually impossible to live on a state pension (I don't have a private pension) and as I have a few grand in a little nest egg it means I cannot get pension credit until I have used up all my savings something I do not want to do as I have worked hard all my life and would like to leave my kids some inheritance.


As I've been in the business since the 1970's I know it inside out and in my early days I was a confident canvasser building up my own business so see no reason  why I could not make good money in doing so.

I have one chap here in Southampton who already wants me to come onboard and canvass for him plus in our area there are so many shiners I think I could be in great demand locally, I would also stay in my local area as I would not want to travel living out of a suitcase in B&B's

My thoughts  on pricing would be 2 and a half  times the job...…………... ie I canvass a job say for £20 and sell it for £50, £14 job for £42 and so on. I would also like to have a clause that if the customer cancels before 3 cleans are completed I would canvass another job for the buyer of the same value free of charge.


So my question to all you shiners out there is

do you think my pricing and terms are fair and would you  be happy using me on my terms as above?

thanx in advance
Jay

When i first started out, I had a guy in his mid 60's who canvassed for me for the same reason as you, it kept him active and earned him some money. I think he charged 2 or 3 times value can't quite remember, but he was very good at getting customers (they seem to trust the older generation more  ) and replaced any that dropped out in the first couple of cleans.

[KS Cleaning]

The £14 job would be £35 @ x2.5

[windowswashed]

If you have a small nest egg you wish to give to your children you are allowed to give a certain amount whilst alive as gifts to them to avoid inheritance tax, you need to seek financial advise for this to obey the laws governing it. You then wouldn't be penalised for having extra savings and would be able to claim more for your pension allowance. 
With regard your arthritis, the less you exercise the more the aches and creaks will creep in unfortunately. It is a horrible hidden illness and I hope you never give in to your arthritic pains, God bless you in retirement.

[Jay Le Huray]

Hey Jay,


Hope it all pans out for you, all the best.

Still appreciate that hands on experience.

cheers buddy, how's it going with you now?

[OnPoint]

Hey Jay,


Hope it all pans out for you, all the best.

Still appreciate that hands on experience.

cheers buddy, how's it going with you now?

Very slow overall. Everywhere I seem to leaflet there’s already window cleaners in the area doing it a lot cheaper.

[AuRavelling79]

Hi Jay - please accept my best wishes for your retirement; but on reading this thread and noting the comments about keeping the joints moving - you've already sold some of your business, have you considered employing someone for the rest of it and overseeing it - maybe go out a couple of half days a week with them putting out cones, writing slips and maybe the odd door and sill wipe?

Or ...

Keep your absolute cream work and do a half day a week and do your canvassing too.

Keep the joints moving very lightly and buy a bicycle for a bit of light exercise!

[Stoots]

There's plenty of canvassers around who charge 3x. So nothing wrong with your pricing.

There will always be a demand for canvassers because despite its drawbacks of picking up messers it's still the best way to get compact work.

Why not put your canvassing skills to use to build a round and employ lads to work it.

Or as suggested get a young lad working with you as a 2 man and you just take it steady doing the driving and the slips etc whilst laddo does the hard graft. Maybe you do the bottom windows .

[Jay Le Huray]

Hey Jay,


Hope it all pans out for you, all the best.

Still appreciate that hands on experience.

cheers buddy, how's it going with you now?

Very slow overall. Everywhere I seem to leaflet there’s already window cleaners in the area doing it a lot cheaper.

yeah it's not easy when you first start out, keep trying and you will get there

[Jay Le Huray]

The £14 job would be £35 @ x2.5

opps stupid me

[Jay Le Huray]

There's plenty of canvassers around who charge 3x. So nothing wrong with your pricing.

There will always be a demand for canvassers because despite its drawbacks of picking up messers it's still the best way to get compact work.

Why not put your canvassing skills to use to build a round and employ lads to work it.

Or as suggested get a young lad working with you as a 2 man and you just take it steady doing the driving and the slips etc whilst laddo does the hard graft. Maybe you do the bottom windows .

I did think about getting someone to run it for me, many years ago I had 3 guys working for me including my own son but sadly it caused me nothing but headaches so I've decided not to go down that route.

Best to get rid of (sell up)  then it no longer becomes a problem for me.

[KS Cleaning]

The £14 job would be £35 @ x2.5

From
opps stupid me

Don’t you mean oops🤐😂😂

[Ooooooog]

There's plenty of canvassers around who charge 3x. So nothing wrong with your pricing.

There will always be a demand for canvassers because despite its drawbacks of picking up messers it's still the best way to get compact work.

Why not put your canvassing skills to use to build a round and employ lads to work it.

Or as suggested get a young lad working with you as a 2 man and you just take it steady doing the driving and the slips etc whilst laddo does the hard graft. Maybe you do the bottom windows .

I did think about getting someone to run it for me, many years ago I had 3 guys working for me including my own son but sadly it caused me nothing but headaches so I've decided not to go down that route.

Best to get rid of (sell up)  then it no longer becomes a problem for me.

I bet the freedom seems attractive.

[lee_dewing]

Good luck Jay

Your plan and pricing seems good
Happy canvassing 🤗

Maybe try Glucosamine Sulphate with Chondroitin and MSM

For the 😖 aches and pains

If you haven’t already 🤐

[Missing Link]

However I now find it getting harder every day as the old bones are aching worse on a daily basis especially the arthritis,

Don't do it, Jay.

Once you stop moving, you'll go downhill.

Keep your work, start exercise; lifting weights, cycling, running (find what you can do).

Lift weights though. 

I know shed-loads of blokes in their 60s (and 70s) who're still proper athletes.  I met a bloke at the weekend doing the same 185 mile ultra marathon as Wor Lass (she came third female and is 47).

Use it or lose it.

[Spotfree]

Can't agree enough with the above "use it or lose it" the human body is extremely effective at working out what's being used and what is not, then concentrating energy on what's needed. That's why if you break a leg all the muscle shrinks while the bones healing and the leg is out of action.

I remember canvassing whilst building up my round, all that walking is a hard days graft, I felt knackered after a while.