[colley614]

Hi guys,

I've been thinking for a while now what to do. Basically I've been subbing from a company and they have been putting a lot of work my way. This has been good although I've ended up loosing quite a bit of my own work and now they are starting to slow down with the work they give me. I have been doing nothing for the last few weeks but put complaints right that other subbies have messed up. I keep getting overlooked when contracts come in but end up having to put work right before this company takes work off one subby then passes it onto another. I could really go into detail about this but don't feel the need to. In the process though I've been told I need more insurance this kit that kit a new van. Staff all sorts thats bumped my over heads right up. Now I'm thinking of jacking it all in and starting again with the few customers I have left. I think when I started up I went the wrong way and its going to cost me more before I start earning any money again. What would you do in my shoes, would you carry on? 

[d s windowcleaning]

i would put my own work first , dont be loosing it as you will allways have it to fall back on good luck with what you decide .

[colley614]

That what I've been thinking dave. I've just been a little worried about my overheads at the moment. I should put my own work first.

[colley614]

As I was asking the other day. Is it faster to build up a good domestic round? I was thinking of getting out with my ladders and building up a round and then changing it over to my wfp.

[AJ]

Definately put your efforts into your own work. I started subbing when I started the business. You end up getting brainwashed into thinking that their work is the be all and end all, so in the end you have no time to build up your own business. Nothing wrong with subbing if you get the mix right, after all, one lump some cheque each month does help out.
but good luck with it, I know its a tricky one.

[Clive McDonald]

This might not help but....

You've been doing the job longer than most of us and as an employee you were excellent, preferred by customers and given resposiblity by the boss. You are very hard working and full of drive and just the sort of person who not only should succeed, but deserves to succeed. Now the big but.

This working for others is a bit of a recuring theme and it seems something you always go back to.Why?This is just an observation, not a dig.

[colley614]

Yeah I see what your getting at. I don't take it as a dig. I just went to a big company to see if I could sub work from them. They had loads of work and basically dangled the carrot. A lot of the other sub contractors say " I had to kick off to get noticed..." Thats not me, I couldn't walk in the place and start screaming and shouting.
I'd rather build up my own round and just get on with it. If they stop phoning me then thats what it takes I suppose. Maybe I should flog all the kit I've got a buy a round I can build up instead of keeping hold of it all and hoping I get the work in. Before I started to go quiet over the last couple of weeks I had been thinking of renting a unit. Now I'd rather not. All the business decisions I've made this year have been spare of the moment things and 'advice' on what I need. Now I have got all sorts of kit I don't need and I don't have the round that I do need. Maybe I should just get out there and canvass my round back up over the bank holiday weekend.

[colley614]

by the way. Whats the best way to find some work up for sale. I always try the dalton's and things like that but can't find any. I could do with 2 days a week really?

[Tim82]

A company can give you lots of jobs but can take them all away too! I just make sure i have lots of my own smaller jobs and the odd contract.

The best way to get work is to ask around, ask other window cleaners (like your doing on here!) Work is scarce on ebay! 

[colley614]

Hi guys,

After yesterdays advice I went out today and picked up 4 new jobs. A semi with conservatory. A terraced house in an area that has no window cleaner and there are about 200 houses not covered  I picked up a shop and the owners house and a vicarage. The vicarage is quite small so I done a deal with him that I'll clean his windows if he puts me an advert in his parish magazine. 

So all in all not a bad days work.

[Paul Coleman]

Definately put your efforts into your own work. I started subbing when I started the business. You end up getting brainwashed into thinking that their work is the be all and end all, so in the end you have no time to build up your own business. Nothing wrong with subbing if you get the mix right, after all, one lump some cheque each month does help out.
but good luck with it, I know its a tricky one.

I do a bit of subbing too.  I do about 3 days domestic each month and I have a few commercials that I sub.  Sometimes it causes a couple of days delay on my own work but it doesn't cause a problem because, doing my own work at 6 weekly intervals, it's easier to lose or gain a couple of days than when doing them monthly.
Obviously subbing can pay less because it has an extra layer of profit to go through but having a cheque in one lump is a help.

[colley614]

Hi guys,

Just to keep you up to date. I've picked up 9 jobs today already.

[davids3511]

As I was asking the other day. Is it faster to build up a good domestic round? I was thinking of getting out with my ladders and building up a round and then changing it over to my wfp.

No, I wouldn't do that if I were you. Start the way you mean to go on if you can afford it at all, otherwise you will be worrying again in a few months when it comes time to change over to WFP.

[colley614]

I've been considering getting my ladders back out for a while mainly because I seemed to asked more to give people quotes when I've got my ladders out working. When I've got the wfp out I don't seem to get as much interest from passes by. I get a lot of comments about how good it is but when I ask if they would like a quote I usually get " Oh no, not me."

So far today I've picked up 11 new jobs. I've got 1 house to quote tonight and an apartment to quote Monday. I've also got a Children's Centre to quote Tuesday.

I've spent most of my day canvassing and I'm gonna spend most of tomorrow on the same. I've been leaflet dropping today so hopefully I should get a few phone calls over the next few days.

[colley614]

12 new jobs today