[colin bird]

Hi thanks for reading
I've been cleaning for 13 years all wfd,I've been contacted by a local window cleaner,that I've known for 10 years plus,he's a nice guy,he is a reliable cleaner and offers a good service,
He is looking to sell £300 of work a week based on six weekly visits ( this suits me as I'm six weekly) his work is also wfd,he advises that a few jobs need ladders to access the odd window,I've said those jobs are not for me as I'm nearly 60 and not willing to use ladders.also some of the work is charged at less than what I would charge.
I'm guessing a few will fall by the way side due to price increase that I would put in place,some customers may also not like me ,or like the look of me (having said that I'm a genuine person and offer a good service

So what's the way forward that will work for him and me ?
I've not purchased work before so any help and advice would be much appreciated
Many thanks for reading

Forgot I have enough work but could do with a few more as lost some due to covid and don't want to canvas any longer due to age

[KS Cleaning]

Is it £300 of work a week or £300 in total? When was the last time he raised prices? If he hasn’t raised the prices for a long time you may get away with raising the prices next year. I wouldn’t raise them right away unless they’re priced way too low.........in which case I would probably walk away. As for the ladder access ones, I wouldn’t take them on if they couldn’t be done with a longer pole.

[colin bird]

Is it £300 of work a week or £300 in total? When was the last time he raised prices? If he hasn’t raised the prices for a long time you may get away with raising the prices next year. I wouldn’t raise them right away unless they’re priced way too low.........in which case I would probably walk away. As for the ladder access ones I wouldn’t take them on if they couldn’t be done with a longer pole.

Thanks for your reply it's £300 a week every week  I  believe so approx £3600 per year,I don't think he's raised prices for a few years,he reckons its between £30 to £50 An hour (the work is in West Sussex )

[NWH]

For a start I would say I don’t want any of the ladder work I keep a ladder on the van because I have a couple of flat roofs I have to go on but those couple of houses have a lot of windows on them and big roofs over kitchens etc so they have to be done every time,if I do  them houses together in one day I take the ladder off for the next 6-8 weeks. My advise would be look at it or at least most of it and like I say drop any ladder work,I WFP everything unless it’s got a leaking letterbox or obviously I’m going indoors it ain’t worth the hassle of having to get a ladder off.

[NWH]

I know a window cleaner he’s got a 300ltr tank in a  van and 4 ladders on the roof 2 of them huge,ive had many chats with him about a bigger van etc like they say you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink.

[KS Cleaning]

Is it £300 of work a week or £300 in total? When was the last time he raised prices? If he hasn’t raised the prices for a long time you may get away with raising the prices next year. I wouldn’t raise them right away unless they’re priced way too low.........in which case I would probably walk away. As for the ladder access ones I wouldn’t take them on if they couldn’t be done with a longer pole.

Thanks for your reply it's £300 a week every week  I  believe so approx £3600 per year,I don't think he's raised prices for a few years,he reckons its between £30 to £50 An hour (the work is in West Sussex )

If it’s £300 worth of work every week that’s approx £15 000 a year!
If it’s £300 worth of work to be carried out on a 6 weekly schedule it’s approx £2500 per year.

[Gringo]

You seem a bit confused on numbers as KS says £300 a week is £15k a year extra if you have a lot on at 60, could you really fit thatvin

[colin bird]

You seem a bit confused on numbers as KS says £300 a week is £15k a year extra if you have a lot on at 60, could you really fit thatvin

I get what your saying,and I possibly  have the wrong end of the stick,I was happy with £300 every six weeks to top up my round,an extra 15 k a year on what I already have isn't possible on my own,I will have another chat with him and re post when I have the correct information.

[colin bird]

You seem a bit confused on numbers as KS says £300 a week is £15k a year extra if you have a lot on at 60, could you really fit thatvin

I get what your saying,and I possibly  have the wrong end of the stick,I was happy with £300 every six weeks to top up my round,an extra 15 k a year on what I already have isn't possible on my own,I will have another chat with him and re post when I have the correct information.

Yes I got it wrong it was a total £15000 per annum so I'm not interested
The work for salesis in West Sussex if anyone is interested

[steve worsnop]

Whereabouts in west Sussex?

[Smudger]

So the one days work a week - not too bad a top up

what sort of price is he asking ?

I'm not in that area - just interested

Darran

[colin bird]

Whereabouts in west Sussex?

Hi a lot is in the mannings Heath area

[colin bird]

So the one days work a week - not too bad a top up

what sort of price is he asking ?

I'm not in that area - just interested

Darran

Hi Darren
Don't know how much he wants for it,due to the conversation being just a general chat asking if I would be interested,he doesn't really know what it's worth ,but did mention  three times the value,I also don't know what it's worth and wouldn't know that if three times is the going rate.
My concerns with buying work is
You see the work,you agree a price,you then pay,you get all the customers details,you then start booking the work in,on arrival gates locked,they want to talk you to death and waste your time.( because the previous cleaner liked to talk ) they then sack you as they think you being funny as you don't want to talk for 30 mins,other customers sack you as they  just don't like the look of you,my way of thinking is you could lose a good percentage of the work just because your face doesn't fit ,in previous life as a salesman we were were told people buy from people,if they don't like the look of you there not going to be a customer.
When you buy work do you ask for a three clean guarantee ?

Apologies that's a side tracked reply to your question,when you only asked the price ,I got a bit carried away

[Smudger]

Hi Colin, never brought work, I got close once but I felt the price too high at 5x the clean.

3x sounds excellent price ive seen many for sale at 7x and even 10x - but this is the monthly value or in your case six weekly value so that would be £1800x3 = £5,400

The thing with buying is its all about good will ( as with a shop business ) I don't think you can get a guarantee - really its just a bit trust and hope - I would expect him to do the first round with you and  where he say introduce you as a "partner" or something like this as a continuation of service not that he has sold the work - then that paves the way for you to be on your own the next clean.

Value is subjective - what I cn do in a day maybe twice what you do - or half - what I do know is at the moment is there are lots of people on the edge and will pay silly money to springboard into a running biz - you could buy - take the cream - in 3 month bundle up the average stuff - add a few or your own and punt it out at 5x for a profit

Darran

[NWH]

3 x for decent work is a give away imo I would sell any work well in advance of me needing to so I got what I wanted for it,if it’s decent someone would let you work it with them and introduce you maybe not for that small amount needed to buy it but for a larger turnover it would be necessary.

[colin bird]

Hi Colin, never brought work, I got close once but I felt the price too high at 5x the clean.

3x sounds excellent price ive seen many for sale at 7x and even 10x - but this is the monthly value or in your case six weekly value so that would be £1800x3 = £5,400

The thing with buying is its all about good will ( as with a shop business ) I don't think you can get a guarantee - really its just a bit trust and hope - I would expect him to do the first round with you and  where he say introduce you as a "partner" or something like this as a continuation of service not that he has sold the work - then that paves the way for you to be on your own the next clean.

Value is subjective - what I cn do in a day maybe twice what you do - or half - what I do know is at the moment is there are lots of people on the edge and will pay silly money to springboard into a running biz - you could buy - take the cream - in 3 month bundle up the average stuff - add a few or your own and punt it out at 5x for a profit

Darran

Hi Darren
Thanks for your reply,I've decided not to buy the work,what I've done over the last three days is to tap into my existing customer base ,which I haven't previously done.
Whilst cleaning the windows I look at the soffit and facias,if there upc and straight runs,easily accesible I leave  an extra note advising the extra service I offer,this has generated £300 of  extra work in three days,so if it carries on that way through spring it will give me the boost I'm looking for.
The reason for targeting the jobs I want to do is due to age