[JBC88]

I'm currently self employed and want to build a business and do better for myself.

The thing is I think after doing the numbers that the only way to do it is charge so much to my existing 400 customers so that I can afford to finance a van and system and pay someone £25k to do the work while I focus on canvassing and running things off the tools. All while providing for my young family as my wife is on mat leave and doesn't have a highly paid job to go back to.
Most window cleaners around me charge between £10-16 for a 3bed semi. I'd need to be atleast £20 and I don't think it would ever work.

Getting enough work for yourself is the easy part it's expanding that's difficult because it's all such a price sensitive industry.

If you have a multivan business how have you done it? And how would you do it in my scenario being the sole bread winner?
DM me if you prefer

[Smudger]

I'm currently self employed and want to build a business and do better for myself.

The thing is I think after doing the numbers that the only way to do it is charge so much to my existing 400 customers so that I can afford to finance a van and system and pay someone £25k to do the work while I focus on canvassing and running things off the tools. All while providing for my young family as my wife is on mat leave and doesn't have a highly paid job to go back to.
Most window cleaners around me charge between £10-16 for a 3bed semi. I'd need to be atleast £20 and I don't think it would ever work.

Getting enough work for yourself is the easy part it's expanding that's difficult because it's all such a price sensitive industry.

If you have a multivan business how have you done it? And how would you do it in my scenario being the sole bread winner?
DM me if you prefer

Not really in the mood to blow sweet nothings up your behind but I have highlighted a couple of things for you to consider

1 - why would people pay you 20 for a clean when others are charging 16 - if you need 20 for the amount of time its taking you then learn to speed up!

2 - getting work is easy for yourself - then its no different than getting work for your staff. - you sound typical of some on here, that you should be making the same from an employee as if you were working it yourself - there is always a give - how much of a give is dependant on how good you are - how good you train the staff - then how good the staff member is

Expanding is a balancing act - sometimes you take a financial knock in the very short term

you cant have your cake and eat it

Darran

[Shrek]

£20 for a 3 bed semi in Leeds & Bradford area? I thought it was grim up north 😁

[JBC88]

£20 for a 3 bed semi in Leeds & Bradford area? I thought it was grim up north 😁

£20 is ideal, it's very grim up norf, even the £16 guys are expensive to be fair 😄

[JBC88]

You've completely misunderstood me I think.

I just get by ATM at current prices and cost of business.  There's not enough profit for another lot of equipment, van and wage plus marketing costs etc.

1. I wouldn't expect anyone to pay £20 instead of £16 unless the value was better. I've not factored speed into it, this is all about finances.

2. I don't expect employees to work as fast or be as motivated as me, it's not their business so I'd assume they'd clean less per hour than me.

This is why I'm asking multivan owners because you have the experience of doing this.

[NWH]

You need to target better work that would be a start you’re never gonna get far especially employing doing houses for £16-20 a time trust me,look at what you need to Net at the end of every month it’s way more than you think.
Employing 10 odd bods after Tax and Vat ain’t that attractive,want serious money get into a serious industry window cleaning is a great lifestyle job with good money for little effort but it won’t make you Rich.

[DJW]

Trust me 

[NWH]

If I paid an employee 100 a day I’d want him to be cleaning at least 300 quid worth,everytime I put 100 in his hand I’d want or expect 300 to be coming back in after he’d been out for an hour or 8 hours or it’s not worth it.

[NWH]

Build it up and try and sell it 🤣🤣 I’m sure you’ll have plenty of enquiries lol,yeah yeah yeah oohhhhhh  innnnnddeed I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve heard the word indeed over the last month.

[JBC88]

Build it up and try and sell it 🤣🤣 I’m sure you’ll have plenty of enquiries lol,yeah yeah yeah oohhhhhh  innnnnddeed I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve heard the word indeed over the last month.

Yeah there's almost zero point building to sell to window cleaners. I don't think many have the money.
There's a guy near Newcastle with a massive round he was selling in lots because no one would buy it as a business. It was turning over silly money per month and he was still getting people saying "youre only buying good will etc it's worth f all"...he can't give it away if he wanted it's absolute bonkers.

[JBC88]

You need to target better work that would be a start you’re never gonna get far especially employing doing houses for £16-20 a time trust me,look at what you need to Net at the end of every month it’s way more than you think.
Employing 10 odd bods after Tax and Vat ain’t that attractive,want serious money get into a serious industry window cleaning is a great lifestyle job with good money for little effort but it won’t make you Rich.

Tbh it's the dependable repeat business that makes window cleaning attractive, but yeah it's so hard to build to something good hence why I'm asking advice.

[NWH]

Forget the small jobs you may as well take up running you want to earn as much as you can per hour every hour everyday,if you get someone working for you get him to do all what you do now on his own.
After you’ve paid him and all expenses paid yourself a wage you should be able to just concentrate on getting more work,be aware though of the fools that usually come for a window cleaning job,just as you are about to get it off the ground their lives collapse with benefits being stopped coz they haven’t stopped claiming and haven’t told you,the girlfriend that has 5 kids from 5 dads is playing up the list goes on.
Sometimes you’d be better off having to employ 4-5 over 1 because if 1 drops you in it you can end up in more trouble if you have lots of work.
That’s why you want big jobs but fewer of them.

[NWH]

Build it up and try and sell it 🤣🤣 I’m sure you’ll have plenty of enquiries lol,yeah yeah yeah oohhhhhh  innnnnddeed I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve heard the word indeed over the last month.

Yeah there's almost zero point building to sell to window cleaners. I don't think many have the money.
There's a guy near Newcastle with a massive round he was selling in lots because no one would buy it as a business. It was turning over silly money per month and he was still getting people saying "youre only buying good will etc it's worth f all"...he can't give it away if he wanted it's absolute bonkers.

It’s all good will even if you have contracts etc it means nothing if they don’t like or want someone they won’t renew when the time is up,they want it all their own way when they buy they expect 1/2 year contracts on everything lol,it’s like I’m not risking 10 quid that’s why they have nothing to spend when the time comes.
The jokers I’ve seen over the last 4 /5 weeks we could do a comedy sketch show.

[Lee Pryor]

Mod note. If you wish to advertise please contact forum admin

[Smudger]

Careful Lee - the Troll will be after you !!

Darran

[Lee Pryor]

Yep. That’s why I don’t get involved here anymore. Shame really but this post struck a chord.

[Smudger]

its unfortunate - i've talked to over a dozen on here outside the forum over the years and always been more than happy to give experiences and pitfalls I've come across but now its just Troll. Troll Troll - so I think a slow a quiet exit would suit me best

Darran

[Stoots]

Not far from you, I work in wakefield/leeds also.

£16 for a 3 bed semi is good going as it is most of mine are about £13 average and always felt im quite high at that a lot I know are still a tenner.

That said £15 x 30 houses a day is 450 quid.

Even if you "only" had someone out doing 350 quid a day how is that not enough to employ ?

I personally do about 300 quid a day in 6 hours. with an employee you have 8 hours and better prices than me it would seem so I don't see the issue.

It depends on how big you want to grow.

Why not stay under vat and pay someone 25k a year. You'd only have to work a couple days a week tops. If you plan to go over vat then you need to price higher but 16 quid a house is really good if you can do 25 to 30 a day you are laughing.

[NWH]

Have you ever employed Stoots I’m not sure you have m8 but those figures don’t add up to anywhere near enough,in this game you can’t guarantee you will work everyday that’s why people on here that do employ are hellbent on working in terrible conditions weather wise coz they have to.
Earn 300 next day you don’t work that previous day gets chopped in half so on and so forth for subsequent days off,
I had 1 month last year that I had to pay a months wages coz he was sick unexpected van repairs,the month before 2k to Grippa lol,the best scenario is stay small get someone working full time and take a part time wage for doing nothing 🤣,

[Stoots]

Have you ever employed Stoots I’m not sure you have m8 but those figures don’t add up to anywhere near enough,in this game you can’t guarantee you will work everyday that’s why people on here that do employ are hellbent on working in terrible conditions weather wise coz they have to.
Earn 300 next day you don’t work that previous day gets chopped in half so on and so forth for subsequent days off,
I had 1 month last year that I had to pay a months wages coz he was sick unexpected van repairs,the month before 2k to Grippa lol,the best scenario is stay small get someone working full time and take a part time wage for doing nothing 🤣,

The problem you have mate is you talking about the north as if its the south.

I understand you work in an affluent area charging affluent prices.

I dont think you've managed to grasp the north/south divide. You act as though it doesn't exist which is understandable as if you've always eaten caviar then I guess you assume everyone does lol

25k up here isn't a part time wage, it's a very respectable income. I dont know many people earning that it's enough to get you a reasonable standard of living.

350 a day should be plenty. 150 to cover wages and all costs 200 in pre tax profit.