[Davew]

I couldn't understand why so many w/cleaners packed up in my area but I can see why now. It takes such a lot of time and effort to build your round, then when you get a load you start to run into the bad payers, the not today thanks, the we will call you thanks, the ones on holiday, the forgot you were coming so left the gate locked, is that five weeks already? I'll have to pay you next time. Then there are the ones who couldn't get a cleaner for five years! (and you soon find why!) Then the filthy dog/ cat poo infested back gardens and general filthy humans. Cleaned the wrong friggin house, get my pipe caught on the wheely bin again, the consevatory is just a little green , my pipes caught on the car, the pumps stopped pumping, nuts I've missed a window, I've underpiced again. My pipes pulled a plant pot over, no I don't dry the windows, And to top it all there is the weather!
  But overall it still beats the factory treble shift mundane job I have done all my life.

[gary999]

and its t-shirt ,shorts and sunglasses time

[windolene]

Hi,

What sort of person works in a mundane factory job for most of thier life? Yukl.

Kevin WINDOLENE.

[captain lard]

Yes, I have been at it a year and the initial enthusiasm is worn away. I am fed up of access issues, dog poop, collecting payment and getting messed about at times.
Had big problems over the winter with the weather.
At the minute am keeping going but might change and am thinking of setting my own taxi up. Benefit is i can work in all weathers and if it is dark which I cannot do with the window cleaning, plus the customer comes to me and pays there and then.

[russ_clark]

yes captain a mate of mine does the cabs
every friday saturday night with all the p$%s heads
puke and punch ups
people making off without paying
not a lot of money to be made doing 9-5 mon-fri on the cabs
no thanks from me on that one

[DASERVICES]

But when your round is big enough then you can pick and choose your customers and then end up with a lovely bunch customers 

[matt]

i know some1 who onlyu does airport runs, makes a ok earning out of it

Another thought is Limo hire, those guys work for 150 - 200 quid a night for parties / birthdays etc etc, 2 nights per week and you have done ok

limo's are fairly cheap these days aswell

[captain lard]

yes captain a mate of mine does the cabs
every friday saturday night with all the p$%s heads
puke and punch ups
people making off without paying
not a lot of money to be made doing 9-5 mon-fri on the cabs
no thanks from me on that one

I havent looked into this without asking about and I know I can make really decent money on the taxis and having asked about there is not that much bother really in the location I am looking to work in. Sorry to hear about the problems your mate has and it is inevitable some of that will happen to me.
 Who said I would be restricted to 9-5? If you set up your own car you are  self employed. Work the right times and you can clear several hundred if not a grand a week.My father in law has a mate who drives his own taxi and is finished by 6pm and does very very well for himself..
 At the minute with my round etc it is going to take a very long time to make that sort of money by doing windows.
I am not knocking window cleaners. But I cannot command the prices some folks manage so I am fighting an uphill battle with the prices people expect to pay, attracting customers, collecting payment, the weather etc. If I could get anywhere near the prices some people on here say they get I would be looking to expand but I need to earn some serious money from June onwards and for me the safer option is to do the taxis.i am in the north East not the South where you seem to have a different attitude due to the cost of living down there I suppose.

[russ_clark]

go for it then mate
each to their own
good luck too

[captain lard]

Thanks mate, I am not dropping the windows straight away, I mean once I get into it and if I find mornings arent much cop on a taxi I can do windows then start on the taxi later in the day. I might keep what I have and pick up good paying stuff only.
Just depends on how things pan out.
If the taxi doesnt work out then I am going to get a WFP backpack and see if I can get an edge/better earnings using that.
But if anyone was to say to me windows is easy money I would have to put them right, might be ok for the 2 bob cowboys looking to supplement the giro but anyone who has a go and can keep at it and succeed really has my respect.

[Davew]

Yes dog nuts

funny things forums

[chrismroberts]

I guess everyones experience of the windows is different.

I've also been going about a year and I absolutely LOVE it  Winter was hard work, but relatively warm compared to last years.  There were a few really bitter weeks and lethal winds... but there wasn't a moment I thought of jacking it in. My mate and I always say "Carlsberg don't do offices.... but if they did..." 

Good luck with the taxis! I think ferrying business guys from the airport could be lucrative too. Lease a nice Mercedes E class and charge a fortune! 

Chris

[russ_clark]

Captain
have you already got your cabbie ticket??
In case you have not you have to be approved by doing a council run 'knowledge' of all the local roads/places to go.
I actually had a go at it once and failed miserably.
I know local taxi firms to me run courses to get you through it but you have to sign up
for something like a year to drive for them.
So if you are going for it you will need to get the 'knowledge' test under your belt first and that could take a while mate.
 

[captain lard]

Good point russ, I have to get my Hackney license which includes a medical and a police check and I think there is a general sort of test but I think it is supposed to be a pretty straightforward thing from what I have read, its nothing like the test the black cab lads have to do in London but I will check it out a bit more just in case.
Cheers.

[russ_clark]

I tried the Knowledge test in Essex
I had worked the same area for 13 years in another profession
(won't go into that one)
Thought it would be a piece of cake
WRONG WRONG WRONG
They asked me all the hardest cul-de-sacs
The newest clubs and pubs
and where all the bowling greens were
Did I have a scoobie? 
It is not as hard as the black cabs
but trust me it is hard work studying for this.
Good LUCK and don't forget the rear seat covers and the stab proof vest 

[Davew]

Joking aside one of my ex work mates got tied up and robbed a short time ago and the attacker made off with his taxi. In the terrible rough area of Somerset!

[captain lard]

God I hope its not that detailed, nasty story about the lad in Somerset.
Actually I was going to see if I could put something into the back of the drivers seat to stop a stabbing.

[steve k]

get in touch with your council...they will send you details of the knowledge test...they give you all the routes you may be tested on...you have to know them all and on exam day, they can ask for any of them...it is not easy.
Window cleaning is a monotonous job and can be very lonely
I`m starting to offer other services to my customers...the more I can sell them the better.
I certainly do not see myself doing this forever...
Everything we attempt in life serves us well whether it went to plan or not. You will have learnt something from the experience...guaranteed!
Good luck and whether you are earning your wage a day from driving a cab, pressure washing patios, cleaning windows or whatever...it is still the income that keeps you and your loved ones heads above water...

[niceandclean]

yes captain a mate of mine does the cabs
every friday saturday night with all the p$%s heads
puke and punch ups
people making off without paying
not a lot of money to be made doing 9-5 mon-fri on the cabs
no thanks from me on that one

I havent looked into this without asking about and I know I can make really decent money on the taxis and having asked about there is not that much bother really in the location I am looking to work in. Sorry to hear about the problems your mate has and it is inevitable some of that will happen to me.
 Who said I would be restricted to 9-5? If you set up your own car you are  self employed. Work the right times and you can clear several hundred if not a grand a week.My father in law has a mate who drives his own taxi and is finished by 6pm and does very very well for himself..
 At the minute with my round etc it is going to take a very long time to make that sort of money by doing windows.
I am not knocking window cleaners. But I cannot command the prices some folks manage so I am fighting an uphill battle with the prices people expect to pay, attracting customers, collecting payment, the weather etc. If I could get anywhere near the prices some people on here say they get I would be looking to expand but I need to earn some serious money from June onwards and for me the safer option is to do the taxis.i am in the north East not the South where you seem to have a different attitude due to the cost of living down there I suppose.

I did taxi work for a while, private hire work thurs, fri and sat nights, also did a few weekend day shifts! I bought a cheap M reg mondeo, had a taxi test done, paid for medical, police check and licence. Insurance was £2500 per year, wow!! Spoke to the company who i was going to drive for and he put me and car on his insurance, cost me £20 per week and my desk fee was £75 per week. On top of this running costs and petrol! I could on a good night, depending on what jobs were given to you (the key is to get in with the controllers) the most i earnt in a night was £230, norm £160-£180. 8pm till 4-5am. Good money but running round like an idiot, breaking speed limits and over charging the drunks! To earn good money in any business takes commitment,  takes lots of hard work, im glad i canvassed like mad every night to build my round, now i only canvass every now and again as i now can afford to employ Gemma @ Roundbuilers. Im making really good money with window cleaning, it all depends on how much time and effort you want to put in to how much you get out! We all have friends that say im making easy money doing this and that, are they really telling the truth? I am now making good money window cleaning because of the time and effort i have put into my business and thats how i treat it as a business, have just taken on a new guy and van to work with me in the last 3 months. I started in July last year with a set of ladders and trad cleaning equipment, now have another guy working for me and using waterfed pole systems! So what im trying to say is there is no easy money to be earnt in any business, you just need to focus, put the hard work and determination into what you are doing and trust me it will all come good in the end!

[AuRavelling79]

Captain Lard - a rolling stone gathers no moss. Believe me I've rolled and "not gathered" myself. (Modified to add - you could always try pimping Swedish princesses, of course! )

A personal experience or two:-

Two brothers I count as friends:-

1. Used to sell insurance, bit of building/roof work/window cleaning. Was fast trad. but a bit slapdash but would do £150 on a dry day at average prices. Window cleaning "did his head in" was boring and so he concentrated on roofs & gutter repair and replacement only. Sign written van, presentable chap and now regularly tops £1k a week (including profit on materials) for himself.

2. Not as up together as above and drove a taxi in Lancashire town/city sprawl, held up at knife point twice, moved south and took up w/c part time and helping above brother part time. W/c = £150 a day plus subbing for Bro. above = £80 a day.

Don't look for gold on someone else's land when there could be nuggets on your own if you look hard enough.

Different strokes for different folks!