[Dave JP]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to the forum and to window cleaning - please excuse my subsequent lack of knowledge !

I've recently been made redundant and with the small payout, purchased a van, obtained a licence and insurance and I'm about to start a new career in window cleaning....

I live in a small town in Northern Scotland (pop about 3000), without a single window cleaner ! Hopefully I'll clean up....  :

I'm thinking about purchasing / leasing a WFP system, but don't know much about them, my van is a Renault Kangoo and I'd like to get a van sysytem.  Can anyone recommend a budget, good value / good quality system ?

Plus is it easy to learn the WFP system without any previous knowledge....?

Thanks for your help,

All the best,

Dave.

[SparklingWC]

if you dont yet have a customer base, i wouldnt go WFP yet. could end up being  a large payout with little income. start doing them traditionally and maybe in a few months change over to wfp. he trad gear will also be good to keep in the van anyway just incase something goes wrong, you need to do the insides, etc etc.
by doing this you wont lose much money if you ended up with no customers as trad gear is not expensive, but wfp can cost a lot more

[Majestic]

There are a couple of suppliers in Scotland

Peter at

http://www.window-tools.com/

Or Mike at

www.cleantech.co.uk

[windowwashers]

For a water fed pole system you will be looking at about £3000, you more than likely need traditional window cleaning equipment aswell. What sparklingwc put about doing trad first I would say the same thing to start with unless you are made of money. If you do have money to spend and do not mind the outlay go straight to wfp.

You could start off just using ladders and a squeege etc or go straight into wfp.
Pros for the trad setup is cost only a couple of hundred.
pros for wfp gets windows and frames cleaner quicker than trad and stay that way longer work can be done quicker after first couple of cleans. (cons for wfp is will take more time at first to get used to it and cost alot more than trad)

There are a few things I would be first before going to buy anything.

1, window clean your own house (that is if you have not window cleaned before)
2, go out and get some customers either leaflet/ knock doors or both. without customers you cant work so dont go out and spend money if there is no need.
If there is not a window cleaner then you should pick up quite alot of work. (remember to dress smartly"smart casual" if knocking on doors)

set a price you want to earn per hour or per window and stick to it.

The list could be alot longer but you can get info overload  

[pure-water]

Hi & welcome

Like most of us you must have lots of questions & many will be answered as you ask them.

But a very informative way of finding out about various things is by using the “Search” button at the top. For example type “pics set up” & click to see the comments.
You can spend hours becoming very familiar with the wealth of knowledge previously given. Also visit “How to get started” at
http://www.gardinerpolesystems.co.uk/acatalog/shop.html

Also log in to forums at  http://www.window-tools.com/    and http://www.d.co.uk/

All the best

Martin

[MNWC]

Hi and welcome

Firstly i would strongly recommend to build up a round using the traditional methods first. You can set youself up in business that way  for a couple of hundred quid.

Wfp, if you do it yourself (which i would also recommend can be done for about 1k but get a good customer base first.

Get some leaflets printed canvass the whole village leave it a week and then follow it up with a doornock this way the custumer will already know if they want a w/c ( Make sure you are polite, do not underprice yourself and get a printed t shirt or sweatshirt as first impressions matter)

There you go what are you waiting for 

Marcus


 
   

[Village Gleam]

First off you live in Scotland.

This probably means your tap water has a very low tds. This will save you a lot of money- but you need to check what it is.

Don't take on more work than you can cope with.

Phone Mike at cleantech and he will advise and give you a price on what you need. i suggest 400l tank.

[a-r window cleanin]

purefreedom do decent systems give and a call his number is on there website

[simon knight]

Hi Dave, You mentioned the population as being about 3000, but the population count isn't important. It's the number of houses you should be counting.

Generally 3 to a house would = 1000 houses...if you end up cleaning 1 in 5 = 200

If it's bi-monthly= 1200 cleans per year= 24 a week=5 a day

You may need to travel outside of your town.

Definitely start trad and move on to wfp if business warrants it.

Good luck mate.

Simon

[Dave JP]

Thanks to everyone for all your advice. 

On this basis, i think I'll look initially to set up as a 'traditional' w/c.  And build up the round a bit, before I splash out on some wfp equipment.

Again, many thanks - look forward to getting out there, and of course will be in touch on the messageboard, no doubt looking for more advice as I progress.

Cheers,

Dave.

[Dean Aspects]

where are you located as someone close to you maybe able to show you the ropes either trad or wfp if that is what you require and it always helps to have a local w/c as a friend

Dean

[john tomkins]

Just go WFP, like someone else says you may just need resin to produce pure water, then get a backpack and a 18 ft x-tel pole any you'll be flying.....
well cleaning at least, save all that starting trad then changing over to WFP lark

[Village Gleam]

You do need an 18' x tel pole.
a varistream pumo board.
Tank
DI.
Trad squeegies and applicator and bucket.

Do you want a business or a job? I think you answered that when you bought a van.
Get up in the morning and get on with it.

[Kwackers]

Just to let you know you can set yourself up DIY with a Decent system for about £900 Van Mounted or £500 backpack

[Kwackers]

But definately go with the advice, start with trad, a bit cheaper

[Davew]

But...... if you've got the money ie redundancy, then why not go straight into wfp before someone else does. It looks like this system is going to be the future like it or not. I think there are at least a dozen wfp'lers in my town alone in one form or another.