[Londoner]

Everybody has something about this job that they really hate. Today I would say rain but thats just because its today.

My real hate may make you laugh because it has never occoured to you. I hate that gravel they spread on flat roofs.

First of all, why do they do it? what purpose does it serve?

Had to go on a roof yesterday and it was covered in a thick layer of white gravel the size of small peas.

When you get to the top of your ladder you have to swing your leg onto the roof and then transfer your weight onto that leg.
As your weight goes onto that leg you can feel all the stones moving beneath the sole of your boot. You get to that queasy point where you are half on and half off and you can't feel your foot gripping. Its like stepping onto a load of ball bearings.

Also the gravel traps moss over time and that is really slippery.

Is it just me or does everybody get that moment?

[frames to panes]

Any form of animal poo.

[Londoner]

Yes, that one as well. Even worse, human poo. Doing a house a few weeks back with big bushes in the front garden. There was something behind one of the bushes that looked highly dodgy. Looks like someone was taken short. yuk

[xxmattyxx]

Customers 

[Paul Coleman]

Everybody has something about this job that they really hate. Today I would say rain but thats just because its today.

My real hate may make you laugh because it has never occoured to you. I hate that gravel they spread on flat roofs.

First of all, why do they do it? what purpose does it serve?

Had to go on a roof yesterday and it was covered in a thick layer of white gravel the size of small peas.

When you get to the top of your ladder you have to swing your leg onto the roof and then transfer your weight onto that leg.
As your weight goes onto that leg you can feel all the stones moving beneath the sole of your boot. You get to that queasy point where you are half on and half off and you can't feel your foot gripping. Its like stepping onto a load of ball bearings.

Also the gravel traps moss over time and that is really slippery.

Is it just me or does everybody get that moment?

I'm not certain if I'm right about this but I believe that the "gravel" (we used to call them chippings) serve a useful purpose.  As a flat roof gets a bit older, blistering heat sometimes melted the bitumen joints between the strips of felt.  This could make the joints vulnerable to water seepage if we had weather of blistering heat immediately followed by heavy rain (not unknown in some Summers).  I was once told that the chippings help to protect the joints from direct heat exposure from the sunlight.  It sounds possible I suppose, though I question how effective it would really be.
While we are on the subject of gravel, I do dislike large gravel driveways.  They can really sap the energy out of me at the wrong end of a day.  Depending on my footwear, they can get stuck in treads too.

[frames to panes]

Wheely bins.

[Sir Squeaky]

Moaning old bags.

[windowwashers]

cat  p: : and plant pots, flower sticks, self closing gates, padlocks, wind, paying tax bill, paying bank charges thats enough starting to get depressed.

[cat9921]

cat  p: :

Sorry But when you got to go

[Conflagration2000]

Dogs with sharp gnashers 

[Jonathan Spencer]

Rosebushes.  My mate laughs his head off as I always seem to get tangled up in them.

[Tim Rose]

Rain

[Ian W]

Thorny bushes in front of windows, rain, wind, animal poo, big pot plants right where your ladders need to be, seeing a spot on the windows when you have moved away from them. That's enough for now.  

[D.Salkeld_Ltd]

Moaning old bags.

Wot..........................like you Squeeks

[Dean Aspects]

When i was trad it was rose bushes you would get half way up the ladder and realise it had stolen you scrim  
Now its wheelie bins they are designed to catch your hose even if your hose is nowhere near them

Dean

[D.Salkeld_Ltd]

Wheelie Bins

I quite like em

Just the job if a custie invites me in for a cuppa.  I can back up to a wheelie and drop my Backpack off on top of one

[MSTAV]

customers that arent in

[dai]

When I was trad, Sky dishes, they were either sited on corners so that you could bash therm with your ladder, or under windows where you wanted to put your ladder. Now it's dog poo getting on my hoses. dai

[jeff1]

People that come upto you in the street and ask if your a W/C : Eer! all the gears out, T-Shirts and coats all embroidered with the words WINDOW CLEANER, Trailer with the same words, i often reply, No I'm a Burglar and just sussing this place out for tonight :

Also when I was Trad and England were playing, all the flags hanging out of windows and you had to fight with them  to just get at the window.

[tonylee]

hi
customers who follow you round
customers who open the door while your wfp ing it
who stop you mid flow to pay you
who see you arrive but the keep you waiting while they unlock the front door and then the porch door only to tell you to wait while they find their purse.
the not today merchants.
the pole hose caught on everthing
the idiots who forget to leave the gates un paddlocked
who offer you tea as your packing up the van
those who have conservatorys tha fill the whole of their gardens giving me 2cm to work around it.
those that tell you your too quick
those who tell you 'you must be rakeing it in'
and those who tell you IT LOOKS LIKE RAIN

 i love all my customers dearly but they have all been tw4ts today.
on the other hand my mrs says its just me (bitch)
tomorrow WILL be better
tony