[poleman]

Me to if it cant be done with WFP it dont get done FULL STOP

[brett walker]

I only use my double ladder a couple of times a month but i regulary use my pointer to unlock gates, i think ladders will aways be needed in one way or anothr for this job
When people see ladders or a pointer on a van it obviously distinguishes you as a window cleaner, so i leave my ladders on my van all the time because you never know what they will come in handy for as they are just another tool for the job

regards

Brett

[Paul Coleman]

I also clean windows on balconies, climb over gates and garages, so what? The pole goes with me.

What do you do? Pole vault?

His pole has a spring in the end and he uses it as a pogo stick.

[Paul Coleman]

I know what you're saying, but I didn't want to have two lots of kit.
The idea was to replace ladders, not have them as well.

I don't knock everyone first, only the ones that look like they might be out.
Some who aren't in I just get on with and they send a cheque.

Squeaky.
I think you will have trouble ditching ladders completely.  I need to carry one for a few jobs (above flat roofs etc).  I often go a few days in a row with the ladder untouched but it's a useful tool to have.

[macmac]

totally honest answer:-

you will NEVER eliminate ladders,

WFP does NOT work on every job,

sometimes its that much hassle draggin hoses etc that its far quicker and easier to do trad,

i have both and NEED both,

when the windows are suitable wfp is BRILLIANT,

you WILL have jobs that require both trad and wfp,

going wfp without a van IS more hassle than its worth,

there are days when i HATE wfp,(especially in winter, you sometimes create a skating rink for your customers, and your equipment freezes up in van at night unless you bring it in- more hassle)

i know a guy who got wfp, he boasted so much about it (he spent 9 grand including van) that he talked his friend into getting it.most of his friends work wasnt suitable for wfp so he lost loads of his work and ended up selling it for a huge loss!

take HONEST advise, if its not broke dont mend it is sometimes a good frase.

[windows_chepstow]

totally honest answer:-

most of his friends work wasnt suitable for wfp so he lost loads of his work and ended up selling it for a huge loss!

take HONEST advise, if its not broke dont mend it is sometimes a good frase.

Macmac,

I think you're being honest, but how do you know that this bloke who lost loads of work wasn't a case of 'user error', rather than unsuitable work?

[macmac]

hi tosh

it was both user error and unsuitable work, work that was easier and faster to do trad (rat-runs of council estates, old oxidised farm house sash windows etc). i felt for the guy to be honest, he'd taken bad advise.

for example:- if he did loads of commercial work with big panes and new frames and modern detatched houses with new pvc windows i would have said to him YES get wfp you will benefit no end, but that was not the case. he had been led to beleive that he no longer needed ladders, he would be done in half the time etc..............

what i'm trying to say i suppose is that everyones work is different and not everyone can afford to say "if it dosn't work with wfp then it dosn't get done"

my pal earns 30k per year doing trad, he works 6 to 7 hours per day at a very steady pace, 5 days per week (weather permitting) + a good lunch break.

i personally would swap him tomorrow and i've got wfp.

[AuRavelling79]

You can go completely ladders free if you want to - I have. It took fifteen months.

First my commercials - no sweat - 25% of the round.
Then a three/six months later the farms/bigger properties/posher areas, now 80% of the round.
Then six months later the small terraces, village houses with steps and awkward access - a backpack sorted that - now 95% of the round
Finally the die hards! See below:-

Half a dozen elderly folk (some with new pvc, some with wood)who didn't want water running down their walls. A couple living in an 18th Century house with old leaky sash georgian windows.

In all about ten final customers who I knew were going to be difficult. Total spend, about £100 per month out of about £2500. Because all the rest were "in the bag" and had been converted with explanatory leaflets, downstairs trad. (initially) etc. I knew I could lose them if necessary.

I wrote a final letter explaning WAHD, insurance etc and three adamantly refused and seven said they'd try it. Of those seven, six have stayed. And of the four that have gone I was glad to see the back of three of them anyway.

My round has gone from just under £2k to about £2.5K and it takes me 30 hours instead of 35.

All is good.

[Moderator David@stives]

Malc

You know that is a mirror image of what i did and felt.

The percentages of money and time are about right to.

I dont know where these firms get 400% faster from lol, perhaps they cant add up

Dave

[Terry_Burrows]

I fail to see how wfp can be faster than trad ???time you have pulled all that hose out,trad would be done and gone,the stuff I see in the west end of london going on,is nothing but laughable when it was much easyer to trad it in the first place,just my thoughts and then you have to pack the lot away again I just could not be bothered with it,now winter is coming and the freeze facter on pavements etc with all that water flying around you have a portable skating ring

[P®oPole™]

I fail to see how wfp can be faster than trad ???time you have pulled all that hose out,trad would be done and gone,the stuff I see in the west end of london going on,is nothing but laughable when it was much easyer to trad it in the first place,just my thoughts and then you have to pack the lot away again I just could not be bothered with it,now winter is coming and the freeze facter on pavements etc with all that water flying around you have a portable skating ring

Hi Terry,

You wouldnt get know were near those houses/buildings in the west end with your ladder tho would you? how would it be much easier with trad they are all 3/4/5 old floors high. sit out on the window job?



ProPole

[Sir Squeaky]

I dont know what you have seen around there, but its certainly not me working it. Because if you did you would of had a little think to yoursef "good gosh he looks very pro" then the bells would ring in your head ££

Oh, come on Propole!

I may be looking at wfp myself, but that's silly.
No way does any wfp user look as pro as Terry!

[Ian_Giles]

Well as Terry is the fastest window cleaner in the world, what an earth would be the point of him going WFP?
His bag is trad
But for us lesser mortals WFP makes life very much easier, its still hard work, but it requires less physical effort.
And by and large you will be roughly 30% quicker, and that even applies to the guy on the forum (forgive me, I can't remember his tag now! ) who claimed he was lightning with trad, he got derided something rotten, but he also put it on the line and proved it too.
He went WFP and is now more profitable than before.
As I've said before, you have to re-learn how to clean windows, if you want it to work then it will, but it really is a whole different board game in approach and execution.
I am not religious, but I thank god that I made the change. Truth.

Ian

[Paul Coleman]

Well as Terry is the fastest window cleaner in the world, what an earth would be the point of him going WFP?
His bag is trad
But for us lesser mortals WFP makes life very much easier, its still hard work, but it requires less physical effort.
And by and large you will be roughly 30% quicker, and that even applies to the guy on the forum (forgive me, I can't remember his tag now! ) who claimed he was lightning with trad, he got derided something rotten, but he also put it on the line and proved it too.
He went WFP and is now more profitable than before.
As I've said before, you have to re-learn how to clean windows, if you want it to work then it will, but it really is a whole different board game in approach and execution.
I am not religious, but I thank god that I made the change. Truth.

Ian

I think you might be referring to Steve Richardson (also called himself UBA1 or similar.  I remember the name because I travelled a long way to spend half a day or so with him.  It was a pity that this was not too long before I changed to WFP because I wish I had been out trad cleaning with him years before.  I didn't make all the changes he suggested as a couple of them didn't feel safe for me but I changed enough to speed up considerably.  Although I earned a lot more over the short sprint, he is 15 years younger than me and a lot fitter so I would not have been able to sustain the pace consistently.  However, it was a very big help.
Even bought me breakfast too 

[freshwater]

Looks like you have allready sold it to yourself

"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"

steve@freshwatersystems.co.uk

[P®oPole™]

Ian & Squeaky,

Officially Terry is the world champion, but the Americans seem to think differently they have made the likes of Hugo Bordet, Franck Lauret, Jim Willingham and the small japanise guy I would put my money on all day long. The ultimate flying squegee, Takeo Sato.

Mark my words fellas Takeo Sato, will be the next champ.

ProPole

[windows_chepstow]

Mark my words fellas Takeo Sato, will be the next champ.

ProPole

Takeo is my Japanese Grandad's name; no poo!

Coincidence or what?

Howay the lads!!!!!!

[poleman]

Mark my words fellas Takeo Sato, will be the next champ.

ProPole

Takeo is my Japanese Grandad's name; no poo!

Coincidence or what?

Howay the lads!!!!!!

[P®oPole™]

The big boys.....


Left- Right

Jim Willingham, Franck Lauret, Hugo Bordet.

Who knows what terry set the record at?

[Johnboyfree]

Hi,his record is 9.24 seconds.....and that is for 3 seperate windows at 45 inches square,no runs no drips and wipe the Sills..I can do one in that time