[zesty]

Just a bit of different thread to the usual Covid ones...

I was that close to giving up back in 2014, I’d been window cleaning since I was 18. Went on my own, and strarted my own round in 2011.

I was trad, doing 3 storey work, and had loads of leaded and modern Sash style windows. (The ones with tiny panes of glass effect, with plastic criss crossing them)

In the summer of 2014, I’d had enough. I began to hate the job. Taking ladders on off all day and cleaning those horrible windows by hand all day. It was sapping me of life.

I went home one day and said to the wife, ‘that’s it, I’m done, I hate this job’

I also said, ‘I either invest in WFP as a last resort, or I’m done. ‘

Thank God we took the ‘gamble’ a few days later and bought a 2nd hand wfp setup and transit connect.

Never looked back! Love the job now!

[P @ F]

I get those feelings pretty regular TBH , have been at it 15 year now  !
If I had a better financial situation I would probably sell up and concentrate on the heaters and electric reel side of things

[jk999]

Same here it was 25 years ago had enough of ladder climbing every day so nearly jacked in until a couple of windy mates told me about wfp so did it and was best move of my life

[NWH]

I agree could never go back to traditional method I still see a few guys working like this and it’s like what are they doing do they not see that probably 95% of WCs are now WFP,I had to move a ladder round my house earlier in the week and I was thinking to myself as it was bruising my shoulder I could never do this day in day out anymore.

[NWH]

The thing is jobs you used to hate you now love with WFP,a lot of houses that were a nightmare years ago if no ones about take minutes these days I would also say that when most used to say it’s twice as quick were way out when you know what you are doing and where your going,some jobs are 4x quicker.

[johnny bravo]

If you have had full time employment before you will know the restrictions on you.
 Starting time,  setting Alarm
Punctuality,
Finish on time     9 / 5
Ask for holidays.     hope you can get those dates.
Plan holidays ahead.      regardless of weather you have to take them
Cover for someone off sick.
Work week ends when you don't want to


Dare I say more.       This is what stops me thinking there is something better.     

Lottery win.       This is now the only thing that will make me stop.     Even that I may keep a few nice areas on to keep my Sanity.

[P @ F]

I agree could never go back to traditional method I still see a few guys working like this and it’s like what are they doing do they not see that probably 95% of WCs are now WFP,I had to move a ladder round my house earlier in the week and I was thinking to myself as it was bruising my shoulder I could never do this day in day out anymore.

I did that the other day , only took it around the back , I was knackered 

[jonboywalton75]

If you have had full time employment before you will know the restrictions on you.
 Starting time,  setting Alarm
Punctuality,
Finish on time     9 / 5
Ask for holidays.     hope you can get those dates.
Plan holidays ahead.      regardless of weather you have to take them
Cover for someone off sick.
Work week ends when you don't want to


Dare I say more.       This is what stops me thinking there is something better.     

Lottery win.       This is now the only thing that will make me stop.     Even that I may keep a few nice areas on to keep my Sanity.

Well Johhny, thanks for reminding me why i gave up a good job at ICI 20 years ago to be a self employed WC.
FREEDOM 

[Dry Clean]

Boring, thankless, soul destroying, demeaning work with nothing other than money to show for your efforts,  Iv never liked window cleaning and I suspect if most were honest with themselves they would say the same, that said I do like being my own boss/employer and cleaning windows is an easy way to achieve that so it will do for now.

[NWH]

Once you are up and running and have good work it’s not like a job tbh,not to me anyway I enjoy the job ok it’s not gonna make your brain ache but all jobs are the same after a while once you’ve mastered them they all become the same old same old.
Spoke to a surgeon customer he wants to get out of the particular field he’s in wants to perform different operations,that says it all we all get bored it’s human nature.

[Smudger]

Boring, thankless, soul destroying, demeaning work with nothing other than money to show for your efforts,  Iv never liked window cleaning and I suspect if most were honest with themselves they would say the same, that said I do like being my own boss/employer and cleaning windows is an easy way to achieve that so it will do for now.

I second that

Darran

[deeege]

If you ever feel you may want to quit window cleaning, go and spend a week doing 12 hour shifts working in a factory.

It’ll make you realise that you actually don’t hate window cleaning so much after all.

[SB Cleaning]

I have been window cleaning 10 years, wfp from the start,  first 3 years were great ,bored out of my head for the other 7.

I much prefer doing the add on jobs especially pressure washing, been doing it 2 years and love it much better job satisfaction and customers always over the moon with results.

[j timms]

32 years and counting.
Paraffin and scrim . Blade and doofer. Wfp.
It was just a laugh when I started I was young and just wanted money to go out.
I find it soul destroying now and if the money wasn’t good I’d pack up yesterday.
Anybody could do it especially since wfp.
Add ons make me scream as I have too much work .
At least it was dangerous 20 years ago was quite exciting doing 4 storeys off ladders at the colleges.
f*** it’s so dull now

[Dave Willis]

I love it, I dream about it, can’t get enough of it, seven days a week for me?
As for cleaning windows 

[The Jester of Wibbly]

As some say boring as hell.

But compared to being stressed to the hilt, long hours and sleepless nights resulting in bad heath from a high flyer employed job I am happy being bored.

[nathankaye]

Ive never thought about it really.  Personnally I enjoy it.   Outside working, in the trad days it helped to keep fit.  I enjoy meeting people from all backgrounds and so I dont mind the odd chats here and there.   Lol, at the moment though, its a little frustrating as everyone wants to chat though 🤷‍♂️🤦‍♂️

When it was starting to get boring, i switched to wfp and that gave a new leash of life to it and started to expand other aspects of cleaning. 

To be honest, it would bore me more going back into employment and to conform to somebody else's rules and to be paid an hourly rate........No thank you!

[TomCrowther]

I have been window cleaning 10 years, wfp from the start,  first 3 years were great ,bored out of my head for the other 7.

I much prefer doing the add on jobs especially pressure washing, been doing it 2 years and love it much better job satisfaction and customers always over the moon with results.

Exactly the same for me. Ten years in, bored of it and much prefer pressure washing. Better for my neck too. I would like to get an honest, reliable, hard working, non smoking, polite, well spoken, not too ambitious, punctual, tall, with common sense and a clean driving license employee to do the bulk of the windows. How hard could it be?

[zesty]

I have been window cleaning 10 years, wfp from the start,  first 3 years were great ,bored out of my head for the other 7.

I much prefer doing the add on jobs especially pressure washing, been doing it 2 years and love it much better job satisfaction and customers always over the moon with results.

Exactly the same for me. Ten years in, bored of it and much prefer pressure washing. Better for my neck too. I would like to get an honest, reliable, hard working, non smoking, polite, well spoken, not too ambitious, punctual, tall, with common sense and a clean driving license employee to do the bulk of the windows. How hard could it be?

Tall? So he can use an slx18 on 3 story work?

😁

[NBwcs]

Trouble is I dont think i could work for anyone else again now.  Theres been a couple of occasions when out where ive heard shop managers abruptly dishing out orders to staff with out a please or thankyou  , I  actually spoke up to one member of staff in Next and congratulated him on his patience and said im afraid if hed spoken to me like that id have told him to fornicate off. I realised then im destined to be a sole trader for the rest of my working life.