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Scottish Cleaning Service

  • Posts: 517
Still using Ladders
« on: January 16, 2025, 12:55:26 pm »
Turned up to clean 5 flats in a council estate and got talking to the local windy and young guy who still use ladders. They only charge a fiver a clean and I charge £7 a clean. Anyway, I cleaned my 5 and drove off when  they were still cleaning the fifth one. They stop at 1pm and head off to the office (pub and bookies) till they head home around 5pm.
I just wonder how long folk with ladders will last because wfp is over twice as fast.

Soupy

  • Posts: 20991
Re: Still using Ladders
« Reply #1 on: January 16, 2025, 01:14:52 pm »
Turned up to clean 5 flats in a council estate and got talking to the local windy and young guy who still use ladders. They only charge a fiver a clean and I charge £7 a clean. Anyway, I cleaned my 5 and drove off when  they were still cleaning the fifth one. They stop at 1pm and head off to the office (pub and bookies) till they head home around 5pm.
I just wonder how long folk with ladders will last because wfp is over twice as fast.

They should be charging double what you charge.

You should be charging more.
#FreeTheBrightonOne
#aliens

zesty

  • Posts: 2538
Re: Still using Ladders
« Reply #2 on: January 16, 2025, 02:08:52 pm »
I don’t think I’ve ever heard of a window cleaner finishing at 5pm, that’s the most insane part to this story.

Tam1872

  • Posts: 85
Re: Still using Ladders
« Reply #3 on: January 16, 2025, 03:01:26 pm »
Wfp isn't twice as fast, sometimes it's quicker with a ladder, the trad people will likely be doing glass only.  I could do 5 bog standard council houses with a ladder doing just the glass, than you could do it wfp.

Tam1872

  • Posts: 85
Re: Still using Ladders
« Reply #4 on: January 16, 2025, 03:23:36 pm »
Turned up to clean 5 flats in a council estate and got talking to the local windy and young guy who still use ladders. They only charge a fiver a clean and I charge £7 a clean. Anyway, I cleaned my 5 and drove off when  they were still cleaning the fifth one. They stop at 1pm and head off to the office (pub and bookies) till they head home around 5pm.
I just wonder how long folk with ladders will last because wfp is over twice as fast.


Splash and dash

  • Posts: 278
Re: Still using Ladders
« Reply #5 on: January 16, 2025, 04:23:05 pm »
£7 a clean I wouldn’t get out of the van for that don’t care what it is that’s way to cheap

Bungle

  • Posts: 2486
Re: Still using Ladders
« Reply #6 on: January 16, 2025, 04:53:39 pm »
I don’t think I’ve ever heard of a window cleaner finishing at 5pm, that’s the most insane part to this story.

The way I read it was they're in the boozer from 1pm to 5pm.
We look at them, they look through them.

dazmond

  • Posts: 24172
Re: Still using Ladders
« Reply #7 on: January 16, 2025, 05:06:39 pm »
£7 a clean I wouldn’t get out of the van for that don’t care what it is that’s way to cheap

Some parts of Scotland are like Bolton for very cheap window cleaning prices,some parts of Yorkshire too.....

I can't think of a worse place to be a window cleaner TBH than Scotland.....Terrible weather and terrible prices!

Some have to do all sorts of other jobs to scratch a living together!
price higher/work harder!

Tam1872

  • Posts: 85
Re: Still using Ladders
« Reply #8 on: January 16, 2025, 05:34:46 pm »
£7 a clean I wouldn’t get out of the van for that don’t care what it is that’s way to cheap

Some parts of Scotland are like Bolton for very cheap window cleaning prices,some parts of Yorkshire too.....

I can't think of a worse place to be a window cleaner TBH than Scotland.....Terrible weather and terrible prices!

Some have to do all sorts of other jobs to scratch a living together!

Prices are terrible up here, I average a very good hourly rate though.  I charge more than the others though, in some streets it's more than double.  Some other window cleaners have asked me how I'm able to get it, I tell them, unless you ask for it, your never going to get it.  First wee while I wasn't that confident when asking for it though.  When I seen the customers weren't put off though and said that's fine.  It just feels normal now when I say a price.

Slacky

  • Posts: 8360
Re: Still using Ladders
« Reply #9 on: January 16, 2025, 05:50:22 pm »
You don’t ‘ask’ surely.

I always found the way was to sell yourself through confidence. And that doesn’t mean being Mr Braggaddocio.

NBwcs

  • Posts: 919
Re: Still using Ladders
« Reply #10 on: January 16, 2025, 08:22:38 pm »
Turned up to clean 5 flats in a council estate and got talking to the local windy and young guy who still use ladders. They only charge a fiver a clean and I charge £7 a clean. Anyway, I cleaned my 5 and drove off when  they were still cleaning the fifth one. They stop at 1pm and head off to the office (pub and bookies) till they head home around 5pm.
I just wonder how long folk with ladders will last because wfp is over twice as fast.
[/color]


Its 20 years now since the WAHD came in, and there's still plenty of ladder monkeys about. Its an incredibly cheap business set up so unless something drastic happens , i think ladder using wc are here for the duration.  Oh, and yes its faster on 1st floor properties but not twice as fast.

Scottish Cleaning Service

  • Posts: 517
Re: Still using Ladders
« Reply #11 on: January 16, 2025, 08:33:37 pm »
I don’t think I’ve ever heard of a window cleaner finishing at 5pm, that’s the most insane part to this story.

The way I read it was they're in the boozer from 1pm to 5pm.
Exactly, he is semi retired and spends the money between pub and bookies. Actually quite a nice life as he has a public service pension. Had to laugh, when I watched him clean a wide window. He bumped the ladder over a bit so he could reach and then bumped it back again. 😂

Scottish Cleaning Service

  • Posts: 517
Re: Still using Ladders
« Reply #12 on: January 16, 2025, 08:35:43 pm »
£7 a clean I wouldn’t get out of the van for that don’t care what it is that’s way to cheap

Some parts of Scotland are like Bolton for very cheap window cleaning prices,some parts of Yorkshire too.....

I can't think of a worse place to be a window cleaner TBH than Scotland.....Terrible weather and terrible prices!

Some have to do all sorts of other jobs to scratch a living together!

Indeed, the only thing going for us is the free tap water and we can take as much as we want. Best thing I have done is invest in an RO system.

Scottish Cleaning Service

  • Posts: 517
Re: Still using Ladders
« Reply #13 on: January 16, 2025, 08:44:49 pm »
In the end its a council estate or one and two bedrooms with 4 in a block. Say you had the whole estate, even at a fiver a time its actually quite a good earner. Plenty of room round the back and wide roads means parking is easy. I started off cleaning a friends and now I have a dozen on the estate. I got a few care homes from it which are good earners so worked out well for me. If I went in at a tenner I don't think I would have got my first clean so its worked out well for me. I get all the gutter clears aswell.

KS Cleaning

  • Posts: 4029
Re: Still using Ladders
« Reply #14 on: January 16, 2025, 08:47:05 pm »
£7 a clean I wouldn’t get out of the van for that don’t care what it is that’s way to cheap

Some parts of Scotland are like Bolton for very cheap window cleaning prices,some parts of Yorkshire too.....

I can't think of a worse place to be a window cleaner TBH than Scotland.....Terrible weather and terrible prices!

Some have to do all sorts of other jobs to scratch a living together!
Weather is perfectly fine where I am, I bet it’s a lot drier than where you are!
Prices aren’t great where I am but go up the road 35 mins to St Andrews and it’s a different kettle of fish.

james peters

  • Posts: 983
Re: Still using Ladders
« Reply #15 on: January 17, 2025, 07:09:54 am »
In the end its a council estate or one and two bedrooms with 4 in a block. Say you had the whole estate, even at a fiver a time its actually quite a good earner. Plenty of room round the back and wide roads means parking is easy. I started off cleaning a friends and now I have a dozen on the estate. I got a few care homes from it which are good earners so worked out well for me. If I went in at a tenner I don't think I would have got my first clean so its worked out well for me. I get all the gutter clears aswell.

sorry, but I dont get this mentality........ I charge £12 for small council bungalows  5 windows and 2 doors.
I just cant see the value in being cheaper.   it seems like a race to the bottom.... all that collecting as well .   
I f you had gone in at a tenner you likely would have got the first one and the others .
perhaps your mind set is holding you back.


Tam1872

  • Posts: 85
Re: Still using Ladders
« Reply #16 on: January 17, 2025, 12:32:55 pm »
In the end its a council estate or one and two bedrooms with 4 in a block. Say you had the whole estate, even at a fiver a time its actually quite a good earner. Plenty of room round the back and wide roads means parking is easy. I started off cleaning a friends and now I have a dozen on the estate. I got a few care homes from it which are good earners so worked out well for me. If I went in at a tenner I don't think I would have got my first clean so its worked out well for me. I get all the gutter clears aswell.

sorry, but I dont get this mentality........ I charge £12 for small council bungalows  5 windows and 2 doors.
I just cant see the value in being cheaper.   it seems like a race to the bottom.... all that collecting as well .   
I f you had gone in at a tenner you likely would have got the first one and the others .
perhaps your mind set is holding you back.

5 windows and 2 doors would literally take 5 mins,  you could easily make £80 an hour at £8.  If you can't see the value in £80 and hour then I'd love to know what your hourly rate currently is.

james peters

  • Posts: 983
Re: Still using Ladders
« Reply #17 on: January 17, 2025, 02:37:31 pm »
In the end its a council estate or one and two bedrooms with 4 in a block. Say you had the whole estate, even at a fiver a time its actually quite a good earner. Plenty of room round the back and wide roads means parking is easy. I started off cleaning a friends and now I have a dozen on the estate. I got a few care homes from it which are good earners so worked out well for me. If I went in at a tenner I don't think I would have got my first clean so its worked out well for me. I get all the gutter clears aswell.

sorry, but I dont get this mentality........ I charge £12 for small council bungalows  5 windows and 2 doors.
I just cant see the value in being cheaper.   it seems like a race to the bottom.... all that collecting as well .   
I f you had gone in at a tenner you likely would have got the first one and the others .
perhaps your mind set is holding you back.

5 windows and 2 doors would literally take 5 mins,  you could easily make £80 an hour at £8.  If you can't see the value in £80 and hour then I'd love to know what your hourly rate currently is.

No it doesnt take literaly 5 minutes...... bungalows for the elderly means they will pay by cash  or card..... therefor you need to knock and collect , have a short " how are you, isnt the weather awfull etc" I alocate 15 minutes for the job to allow for these type of things.
I am 53 , I have been doing this for 32 years , I dont want to be zooming around like an idiot...
sure I have patches  where I can do a nice hourly rate , but it is no where near £80
I am a realist. not a billy big balls

֍Winp®oClean֍

  • Posts: 1760
Re: Still using Ladders
« Reply #18 on: January 17, 2025, 04:04:27 pm »
£7 a clean I wouldn’t get out of the van for that don’t care what it is that’s way to cheap

Some parts of Scotland are like Bolton for very cheap window cleaning prices,some parts of Yorkshire too.....

I can't think of a worse place to be a window cleaner TBH than Scotland.....Terrible weather and terrible prices!

Some have to do all sorts of other jobs to scratch a living together!

I earn more than you Daz and worked every day last week while you were stuck in for over a week because of snow and ice!!.... terrible in Scotland!!🤣🤣🤣

Geeze Daz, you live in a very small bubble!!
Comfortably Numb!

dazmond

  • Posts: 24172
Re: Still using Ladders
« Reply #19 on: January 17, 2025, 06:03:36 pm »
In the end its a council estate or one and two bedrooms with 4 in a block. Say you had the whole estate, even at a fiver a time its actually quite a good earner. Plenty of room round the back and wide roads means parking is easy. I started off cleaning a friends and now I have a dozen on the estate. I got a few care homes from it which are good earners so worked out well for me. If I went in at a tenner I don't think I would have got my first clean so its worked out well for me. I get all the gutter clears aswell.

sorry, but I dont get this mentality........ I charge £12 for small council bungalows  5 windows and 2 doors.
I just cant see the value in being cheaper.   it seems like a race to the bottom.... all that collecting as well .   
I f you had gone in at a tenner you likely would have got the first one and the others .
perhaps your mind set is holding you back.

5 windows and 2 doors would literally take 5 mins,  you could easily make £80 an hour at £8.  If you can't see the value in £80 and hour then I'd love to know what your hourly rate currently is.

Another unrealistic window cleaner!🤣👍

You would have to run round each bungalow and not even stand and chat for even 30 seconds on each job!

I can't remember the name of the window cleaner who put a video up on here many years ago now of him running around with his pole to show how quickly he could clean a house!

A complete idiot but it did make me laugh!🤣🤣
price higher/work harder!