[Mark Dee]

What is classed as compact work, obviously the goal is to have a number of jobs on the same street which can be cleaned without moving the van and that, if priced correctly, will give you your best domestic work rate.  But in reality life isnt like that until you get well established in an area. What would you consider as compact given you need to move to complete the next job.

How much time in a working day is lost moving, once you have travelled and got onto the round?

Regards Mark

[windowswashed]

I have several days where my van barely moves all day.

[DJW]

My van doesn’t move at all on wet days.

[tlwcs]

I work locally and register 9000 miles a year. Calls are grouped in areas, never more than 5 houses done from the van. Plenty of drive to single calls

[dazmond]

What is classed as compact work, obviously the goal is to have a number of jobs on the same street which can be cleaned without moving the van and that, if priced correctly, will give you your best domestic work rate.  But in reality life isnt like that until you get well established in an area. What would you consider as compact given you need to move to complete the next job.

How much time in a working day is lost moving, once you have travelled and got onto the round?

Regards Mark

I have 280+ jobs within a 3 mile affluent area,sometimes I only move the van once in a day,others it might be 5 min drive time in between larger jobs...

It's been a constant refining process over 30 years to build this work up to what it is today

I do around 3000 miles per year in my van

[Stoots]

Some guys have proper compact rounds as in a dozen houses or more on one street.

Sadly these days unless buying work or canvassing constantly your work won't be like that.

99% of my round is 1 job then move van. However for the most part I'd still call it compact, usually only a minute or 2 between jobs.

[Pete Thompson]

I’ve never really understood the fascination with “compact” work.

All that matters is profitability.

If you get asked to quote some work that’s a 15 minute drive from an area you currently cover, simply price that travelling time (both ways) in at your usual rate plus diesel. Make sure to tell the customer that you need to charge more as it’s not your usual area, and 90% of the time they’re fine with it.

(Bonus : when winter comes, you can consider that you’re being paid to sit in a warm van driving as well as actually doing the work)

Some of my work is compact, some isn’t. A few days a month I drive for an hour or so to reach a particular area, do the work, then drive an hour back. These are amongst the most profitable days I have, as I priced the distance in when I took the work.

Mostly though, it’s a mixture of 1 minute drives between jobs, then 15 minute drives between areas.

Compact work is boring in my opinion.

[Ste M]

I have over 1000 houses, the main van does less than 4k a year, most of the days are compact and majority of work is in the same road or connecting. we average around 40 houses a day 5 days a week and no more than 6 hours, perfect example of compact round. The most compact day is 60 houses and the van moves 4 times with the hoses left out. all one estate

[High-Tower]

I have over 1000 houses, the main van does less than 4k a year, most of the days are compact and majority of work is in the same road or connecting. we average around 40 houses a day 5 days a week and no more than 6 hours, perfect example of compact round. The most compact day is 60 houses and the van moves 4 times with the hoses left out. all one estate

That’s incredibly compact. It must be very profitable if they are reasonably priced.
How long have you been established?

[zesty]

Some guys have proper compact rounds as in a dozen houses or more on one street.

Sadly these days unless buying work or canvassing constantly your work won't be like that.

99% of my round is 1 job then move van. However for the most part I'd still call it compact, usually only a minute or 2 between jobs.

Same as me mate.

But then again, it’s usually only a couple of mins drive to the next 1 or two houses. Usually my prices mean only cleaning 10 - 15 houses a day. Never home later than 1pm, in fact more like 12-12:30pm

My favourite days at the moment are pressure washing driveways, van doesn’t move once, Job done in a couple of hours max and full days ‘wages’ paid by that single customer - perfect!

[Slacky]

I’ve never really understood the fascination with “compact” work.

All that matters is profitability.

If you get asked to quote some work that’s a 15 minute drive from an area you currently cover, simply price that travelling time (both ways) in at your usual rate plus diesel. Make sure to tell the customer that you need to charge more as it’s not your usual area, and 90% of the time they’re fine with it.

(Bonus : when winter comes, you can consider that you’re being paid to sit in a warm van driving as well as actually doing the work)

Some of my work is compact, some isn’t. A few days a month I drive for an hour or so to reach a particular area, do the work, then drive an hour back. These are amongst the most profitable days I have, as I priced the distance in when I took the work.

Mostly though, it’s a mixture of 1 minute drives between jobs, then 15 minute drives between areas.

Compact work is boring in my opinion.

Compact work would drive me pants. The remarks in this post about driving time and pricing this in to the job is exactly how I’ve always viewed these types of jobs. I get paid the equivalent of £60 an hour to drive round the countryside.

[Ste M]

I have over 1000 houses, the main van does less than 4k a year, most of the days are compact and majority of work is in the same road or connecting. we average around 40 houses a day 5 days a week and no more than 6 hours, perfect example of compact round. The most compact day is 60 houses and the van moves 4 times with the hoses left out. all one estate

That’s incredibly compact. It must be very profitable if they are reasonably priced.
How long have you been established?

I do ok out of it haha. Been going for over 20 years now. Never advertised or leafleted. Only ever bought 3 parts of it as well that equates to around 120 houses, the rest is all word of mouth. None of my vans have any sort of signs on them either

[aaron musson]

made a concerted effort to not have a compact round from day 1 . I felt that eventually might be bored shirtless if i did. i like working in totally different areas . Everybodys different and i know a very compact round makes sense money wise just not for me

[dazmond]

Compact work is best for me....

Less mileage
Less wear and tear on the van
Less fuel used
Reduced driving time between jobs

I class compact work as hundreds of jobs in a 3 or 4 mile area not just a group of them on one street next door to each other....

[Dry Clean]

Stand alone work for window cleaning is ok if you can get the money needed for it, I tended to go down the compact route for no other reason than my stand alone window cleaning quotes rarely got accepted, if the money was right I would have no problem doing either.

[Dry Clean]

Its also easier to get word of mouth work when your round is compact, cant remember the last time I needed to advertise.

[dazmond]

made a concerted effort to not have a compact round from day 1 . I felt that eventually might be bored shirtless if i did. i like working in totally different areas . Everybodys different and i know a very compact round makes sense money wise just not for me

Keep your shirt on then you might not get bored!🤣🤣🤣

Why the hell would you want to be driving here,there and everywhere wasting time and fuel?

Each to their own...nowt as strange as folk as they say!(or window cleaners!)😄😄

[aaron musson]

made a concerted effort to not have a compact round from day 1 . I felt that eventually might be bored shirtless if i did. i like working in totally different areas . Everybodys different and i know a very compact round makes sense money wise just not for me

Keep your shirt on then you might not get bored!🤣🤣🤣

Why the hell would you want to be driving here,there and everywhere wasting time and fuel?

Each to their own...nowt as strange as folk as they say!(or window cleaners!)😄😄

i work in 3 cities/towns,just drive there and stay allday then go home. This forced me to take on employees which iv not ever regretted.  I found out early on that concentrating on getting a big workload was what worked for me,money  followed in secondary. Every window cleaner is different theres no right or wrong in this trade .i know plenty of windies with a compact round just trundle around  local streets really many end up  as the classic weirdo !!!