[Sir Squeaky]

Right, now listen up you lot!

I'm getting very bored of climbing ladders and doing the same old stuff for £100-130 a day.
I'm tired and fed up.
Luckily for me it's bungalows tomorrow.

Looks like if I'm going to carry on I'll need one of these Bogbrush things.

I can't do much about it now, as I've got no ready cash, and no van or place to make water.

However.....

Am I really going to be that much better off?
Is it really that much less tiring?
Am I going to get annoyed with constant problems, like it seems on here?
I need to make enough extra to pay for equipment and a van and still be better off.

I know some like Neil are going to say I'll be an overnight millionaire, but I'd be interested to hear from Ross or Dave of St.Ives, as they seem to not had a major increase in profits.

Lets have some good answers, not "it's safer", I know that. :

Lets not have a load of abuse either, I never said I was going to prefer the results, just the effort and the money.

Cheers, Rog. (sorry it's been a long post)

[Fast 1 *]

WELL I BE DAMNNED               

[Sir Squeaky]

It's not that I really want one.
I still disagree with the principle.

I just can't see profits changing much as it is...

[windows_chepstow]

Propole, stop gloating and let Squeaks get some proper replies from some impartial posters.

[Pj]

Right, now listen up you lot!

I'm getting very bored of climbing ladders and doing the same old stuff for £100-130 a day.
I'm tired and fed up.
Luckily for me it's bungalows tomorrow.

Looks like if I'm going to carry on I'll need one of these Bogbrush things.

I can't do much about it now, as I've got no ready cash, and no van or place to make water.

However.....

Am I really going to be that much better off?
Is it really that much less tiring?
Am I going to get annoyed with constant problems, like it seems on here?
I need to make enough extra to pay for equipment and a van and still be better off.

I know some like Neil are going to say I'll be an overnight millionaire, but I'd be interested to hear from Ross or Dave of St.Ives, as they seem to not had a major increase in profits.

Lets have some good answers, not "it's safer", I know that. :

Lets not have a load of abuse either, I never said I was going to prefer the results, just the effort and the money.

Cheers, Rog. (sorry it's been a long post)

Will you take any notice of me?

[Extremeclean]

Am I really going to be that much better off?  YES within 4 to 5 months you should be around 50% faster.  Yes Squeaky I know you say you are fast trad.

Is it really that much less tiring?  YES  when you get over the new way of working.

Am I going to get annoyed with constant problems, like it seems on here?  NO.  do it right and prepare well. The best investment I have is a spare pump on every van.

I need to make enough extra to pay for equipment and a van and still be better off. Payback period can easily be less than 6 months.

Having said all this to be better off finacially if you dont have the customers to fill the spare time you will have to get some more. Either that or have even more time off.

Anyone who cant make an investment of a grand or so pay off with WFP very quickly in this game is doing something wrong in my opinion.

Sorry Squeaky  a bit more than a grand.  I just re read your post and you will have to buy a van.

OK have I just fallen for a wind up?  

Rich.

[neil100]

Squeaks.

It wont make you into a millonaire. Your right on that score.

I dont know how much extra income you would make as your very quick as it is.

It depends on the type of houses that you will do.

Is it halloween night?

Come on Squeaks its a wind up.

Boss as just told me to get a shower. Have to go.

Nel.

[WavieDavie]

NURSE!! Fetch my pills!

Well done Squeaks - it takes a big man to admit in public that he might have got something wrong and has seen the light.

Your best bet is to go out for a day with an established wfp-er, but maybe not someone on here who's going to rip you up for arsepaper! Don't worry, it's just a different method to be used, and is another string to your bow.

Use it for the jobs that need it, and ladder the others, and use extension poles on the other ones, and use applicators and blades on some others, and use microfibre/scrims on the other ones after that.

[Pj]

You know you'll get an honest answer from me Rog.

But before I waste my time, do you want my thoughts?

[Sir Squeaky]

Ha ha! No wind-up honest.

It just rubs it in when Gilesy tells me what a day he's had, and it's more than I've ever made in a week.

Admittedly I don't have large commercial jobs, and I'm never going to make his ort of money, but even on my round he'd surely make more...wouldn't he?

[Sir Squeaky]

You know you'll get an honest answer from me Rog.

But before I waste my time, do you want my thoughts?

Of course Pj, you're one of the people I trust most.

Davie, I intend to cut out ladders full stop, if it can't be done then so be it.
I don't want to have to carry them around as well.

I'll still do my shops trad, as it's far too much bother moving a van about shop to shop for 3 or 4 quid a time.
I know I'm quicker on them, and besides which I enjoy squeegeeing.

But everything else will be ladder-free.

[Pj]

Give me a few minutes, I'll answer you.

[pylofm]

For whatever my opinion is worth...I am finding that yes in the begining everything did seem hassle....water, TDS, Pole, hose....but like many things in life we as individuals make things far more complicated that needed and just like starting to learn to drive, there are a thousand and 1 things to do at the same time...after a while driving becomes such a simple process.

Now I do not have anywhere near the amount of experiance that you have (spent 6 months doing trad about 18 years ago) but I am finding that I am picking up work (slowly) that many other w/c are dropping because they either find the heights not acceptable (safety) or too much hassle.

As for useage the many members here have pointed me in the right direction and been fantastic with the advice....

I imagine the changover period will 'hurt' a little but I am find that as I am coming to 3rd and 4th cleans for some of my customers, the cleaning process is taking so much less time ( I appreciate that if you an I were to do the same job, you would more than likely beat me) but then again I am very much still taking my time because I do not have a 'full' round, so I take the extra time.

You have read the gazillion posts as have I....I am just very happy that I can keep my feet on the ground and feel safe about the work I am doing and know that when the insurance companies get themselves locked onto window cleaners....I will not be penalised for working with ladders...lets face it, the insurance companies will more than likely push the ladder usage rules further than HSE will.

Here in Holland....you'll find that w/c tend to stick away from anything over 7.5 meters...I am starting to get jobs from them as they do not want it...

We live in a litigation based world and when the insurance companies find they can wriggle out of claims....and use the regualtions to back themselves up...they will !

Cheers
Dave.

 

[Fast 1 *]

how about getting a lad out with you?ive been doing that lately and made more money.Im not up for wfp yet.I think i would only invest in it if the majority of window cleaners used it.

[WavieDavie]

Davie, I intend to cut out ladders full stop, if it can't be done then so be it.
I don't want to have to carry them around as well.
Good for you, but I've had wfp for about 3+ years now and still trad or pole more than I do wfp

I'll still do my shops trad, as it's far too much bother moving a van about shop to shop for 3 or 4 quid a time.
I know I'm quicker on them, and besides which I enjoy squeegeeing. Smiley
Never a truer word - but wait till you do shopfront paintwork washdowns with wfp! YeeHaa!!

[WavieDavie]

pylofm

I thought that new ventures requiring ladders in Holland couldn't use ladders and existing ones had two years to change their ways. Are the older w/c firms just giving in and packing up, or will they change to wfp as a last resort.

Sorry for going off topic.

[pylofm]

Not heard that, I did ask at the KVK (companies registration), they seemed happy with ladders....but I know w/c seem to be dropping work especially 3rd story+.

I think that just like UK, trad/ladders will be around for many years but insurance will be the problem.

Ladders are very much the norm...as far as I am aware I am the only one using wfp for domestic for at least 50km radius....and other w/c that I have met do not know of others using wfp for domestic and most have said that wfp for 'normal' will not work.

Cheers
Dave.

[WavieDavie]

That's strange - when the WAH stuff first got known about over here, the general story was that Holland had given existing ladder-using businesses two years, and insisted that any new companies use alternate methods.

Oh well, these things seem to evolve and become urban legends - I'll have to check on www.snopes.com 

[macc]

I'll reply later, in total shock at the moment 

[brett walker]

Rog

good luck with whatever you decide 

this forum wont be the same if you go wfp

but you will earn more money.

a shocked 

Brett