[david68]

 (First time out today with my Freedom Trolley.
Only did 4 houses (Tops Only).
Gave customers a phone and they advised me to return and look at the results
All i could see was dirt spots over their windows, especially the top little openers.
Luckly they know that its new to me and will be patient with me, But some are saying they prefer the old method  .

This quite a concern for me as i have only been doing Traditional for 3 months and would like to follow the future of WFP.

My customers have been hard to get and i would'nt like to lose one as i dont have many.

What i did was to scrub all plastics and glass, then rinse by movin by brush from top to bottom and side to side.

I have my VARISTREAM PUMP CONTROLLER set half way for all operations.

Any helpful advise would be great

Dave 

[Paul Coleman]

(First time out today with my Freedom Trolley.
Only did 4 houses (Tops Only).
Gave customers a phone and they advised me to return and look at the results
All i could see was dirt spots over their windows, especially the top little openers.
Luckly they know that its new to me and will be patient with me, But some are saying they prefer the old method  .

This quite a concern for me as i have only been doing Traditional for 3 months and would like to follow the future of WFP.

My customers have been hard to get and i would'nt like to lose one as i dont have many.

What i did was to scrub all plastics and glass, then rinse by movin by brush from top to bottom and side to side.

I have my VARISTREAM PUMP CONTROLLER set half way for all operations.

Any helpful advise would be great

Dave 

The advice that was given to me was to scrub the top frames really well and then brush and rinse the glass using a highish water flow.  When you've done that, go back to the start and brush and rinse the glass only this time using lots of water on the rinsing.  It still may not be perfect first time but you will find that subsequent cleans are easier.
If you find any customers trying to force you back onto the ladder against your wishes, they may well try to control other areas of your working life if you give into them. I find that such customers are better as ex-customers.  I realise it's not nice losing work if you are short on it but it's better than feeling that the customers control the business.

[pylofm]

Hi David I have recently bought a Freedom trolley( brilliant bit of kit), I have found that treating the window as 2 seperate entities is best:

1st I give the top frame a really good washing and then the side frames, then bottom and then glass....return to top and rinse, rinse, rinse....

2nd go back and clean the window itself....again rinse, rinse, rinse...So far this has proved to do the job....I like youself contact the customer on the first clean in the evening and ask if all is well...so far...everything fine.

I will not win any speed competitions at the moment but I am trying to ensure that each customer is left happy.

Good Luck
Dave.

[AuRavelling79]

If you were using fairy when trad then this gets swept into the rubber seals by the squeegee action and the scrim and it may leave spots on the windows (typically under the top frame and any transom bar) for the first wfp clean or two (until the detergent is washed out by subsequent cleans)


For wfp IMHO
 
UPVC is best (but watch out for perished rubber seals)
Well maintained wooden windows is next and usually fine.
Poorly painted and old aluminium are worst.


But scrub that top frame and then go back and do the glass with a higher powered rinse.

[david68]

Thanks all for advise

Plylofm what setting on the VARISTREAM PUMP CONTROLLER do u use?
Also do u just do tops only with wfp ?

With a 25lt drum how many houses do can u clean

Thanks Dave

[pylofm]

David....at the moment I am using about 3O litres per house....I know I am kicking the ar@e out of the water usage but I am really washing and rinsing.....as all my customers are currently first cleans...

Had a 47 windowed detactched the other day, it took me about 3 hours.... and I think I used about 125 litres (come to think of it...it was poss more)....

I am no expert and if you were to watch me muck around with the pole, hoses, trolley...you'd pi@s yourself laughing for a week...I can make a simple job look very complicated indeed.

I hope this answers your question.....the end result is that I am using alot of water for my first cleans...I suppose I am finding it difficult to walk away and trust the method....this will come, so I am told....

I would suggest that if a fellow window cleaner is willing to show you the ropes...bite his arm off for the opportunity....I do not have this type of offer here in Holland...So given that someone MAY help....go for it.

Never the less...Keep the 'faith'....I loathe ladders and as such believe that the WFP gives me the route to earn a reasonable living in time...

I as you may know have just started and started WFP from the word go...I am gaining new customers each day....I have a few customers take me on, just because I have said that I will clean the property and if they are not happy...don't pay me...it's a risk but one I am willing to take.  I am very slow...but with all things speed I hope will come later.

Cheers
Dave.

[craig jwc]

I keep my flow rate at about 2 - 3 and use the Freedom Trolley.

Like already said scrub the top frame really well and rince, then do the pane.

Most of my work was done from ladder before wfp and i cleaned all the frames by hand so i didn't really have too much of a problem.

If it's a 1st clean with wfp then i usually clean the window twice too make sure i got all the dirt off.

Plenty off rincing on a 1st clean is best, especially if the pane will not sheet.

As for the amount of water you use, i can do a 3 bedroom house by me on just over half a 25 litre container of water. But this is not a 1st clean.

I mainly run my 250 litre tank in the van with the trolley now and only get the containers out for those jobs where a hose is just a pain in the arse.

[DASERVICES]

  Dave,

  My advise is spend a day with someone who uses WFP, you will learn loads.

  WFP is a tool which you need to be taught on how to use it, this is the best
  way I learnt. If I did not go that way I would be struggling still.

  Doug

[pylofm]

Sorry David, all that rambling and I did not answer your question...my flow rate is normally set about '12 o'clock', sometimes higher, but I use a flow valve so I can adjust it without going back to the unit.

Cheers
Dave.

ps Good luck today....I have no work today. so back out onto the streets...me and the misses tell each other..."if we put in the miles, we get the smiles"

[supernova77]

Regardless of whether its a first clean or not I always scrub the frames - expecially the top frame - and then scrub the glass... I then rinse rinse rinse the glass only making sure I take the brush off of the window.

Andy

[david68]

pylofm do you think sometimes the back pack would have been a beater piece of kit.....

Dave

[pylofm]

I love my trolley and am thinking of having it put on 'pimp my ride' and doing the whole bling bling thing, perhaps a nitro kit...

No serious....I am now targeting more rural houses in the 45 quid and up range....and as such may well use the trolley as a van mount and mobile unit....

But I do not have alot of terraced houses and as such the backpack whilst could come in useful, I am sticking with the trolley at the moment.

Cheers
Dave.

[gaza]

PYLO:It would help if you wrote your flyers in Dutch in stead of swengali
I carnt believe how  many youve put out and the misarable reply rate youve recived,
       face  to face ,put them on the spot maybe a bit better for results,plain do you have a w/c  .NO , would you like for me to give you a free quote?  nodding you head up and down in a yes motion slightly while replying,make a mental note of price while walking to the door look up at the side ,and a quick visit around the back and return to your customer quickly[knowone likes hanging about] give them your quote saying is that alright for you [not many people like to disagree]If your gettinng yes alot try a few more dollars onn your quotes, THE WORST  thing you can do is under quote to get the work, Believe me its easier to have less work and have time to canvass.than to work all hrs for peanuts and not have time to canvass for good price work.

 GOODLUCK

GAZA

[pylofm]

Yep it is taking time, but that is something that I have a lot of and this for me at the moment is the best way...So. it's boots on the deck and off for a trek....have another 9 quotes for this week...so fingers crossed...

I have a minimum of 8.33 (12 euro's) and am getting a few large house's in the 75 euro and up range which is helping....

But yes the hit rate is low but I did not expect much higher...I aim to get 1000 - 1250 leaflets out each week....more if I can....

[gaza]

WITH THAT ATTITUDE YOU WILL GET THERE GOOD LUCK

 GAZA