[davids3511]

Hi

Good luck with it. I am nearly a year in this trade now and earning well, getting fit and enjoying the hard graft. There will be bad days when you think 'why did I do this' but there are many more good days. Stick with it and it will work out.

[sjm]

Simple answer is , can you motivate yourself ? Do you like your duvet ? Can you set off even though it is raining ? 

[Rob.Hall]

All the best.

Just remember the weather is great now and many people try this bis thinking its a doddle..........
Come the winter......They cant hack it.
Dark mornings. Dark early.
Rain and freezing weather. Work gets behind.
Freezing hands, gear, and body at times.
Money drops off if you cant keep up.
Not such a glamerous job then.

Take a look back to earlier on in the year on this site and you will see what I mean.

If you think you can handle this then you will be fine.

Personally this site is great because when you are on a downer their is always someone here to cheer you up or stear you in the right direction.

Its like a second family so to speek.

Get out their and dont look back

[Joe Lauzon]

Stay safe, and you you can't go wrong in this trade.  Thats the main thing that can stop you really - your health. 

You will be earning double your previous wage and having an easy life soon enough.

Oh, make sure you don't leave the ladder unattended and let it drop it on someones car, especially if your not insured!

[jaykie]

Get in contact with other trades people and tell them youll pass on there info to your custys and they do the same for you, I got 4 jobs in the last 2 days from a local gardener.

Chris

[Niall McAllister]

I agree with what has gone before, but also check with the tax credit people, you might be entitled to something. do a cash flow projection and go to them with your worse case income after overheads. also remember with buying a round you only get a list of names, canvasing takes a bit longer, but the people you talk to have no preconseptions about the service so you are not tied to the other guy's pricing.
a friend passed 30 custs to me, but he charged way under the odds. my only upside is they cost me nothing to get, but it is more hastle getting them to a good price, than i have with canvaced custs.
but you get out what you put in.
 
Niall

[macmac]

Hi
I've dicided to take the plunge headfirst and go into window cleaning full time. I'm in the throws of buying a round and with the customers that i already have it'll be around 260, I should ? i should make a decent wage.
The wife is absolutley worried sick about going self employed as i'm just about to give up a comfy wage of around £1,200 pm but that is doing 12 hour days/night shifts.
I'm fed up of working those long hours and i don't see the point in working for 12 hours for the same money if i can earn it in 6/7 hours.
Are their any words of wisdom from anyone that you could please tell her that i am doing the right thing?

I was also in your shoes once, 12 hour shifts, double back shifts, working weekends. did it for 13 years & hated it, the shifts controlled my life, my moods, everything!
I left & took up w/c, was a bit scary at first but 5 years down the line my life is totally my own. I have way more money & free time, never work a weekend (only the very odd saturday if it's rained all week) i used to think i earned good money on shifts , i look back & laugh now. Best move i ever made.

Good luck

Tony

[ftp]

Ditto, i was round an old mates house last week when his neighbour wanted a quote for windows, gutters, facias, cladding, soffits and conservatory roof i quoted and did it next day. Mate couldn't believe how much i made in three hours (and i'm cheap!). Shift work sucks.

[chrismroberts]

Oh, make sure you don't leave the ladder unattended and let it drop it on someones car, especially if your not insured!

Ouch, sounds like youre speaking from experience mate? 

[karygate]

i used to be like you on about 1200 a month 12 hour night shifts. got made redundant so started window cleaning. am up to about nearly that now but only work two days a week at moment but building all the while . a lot more time to do family stuff etc. you will never look back and with a few customers already well done and good luck

[Helen]

So good luck mate, and as for the Mrs just show her a few threads where people are boasting on how much money they earn I'm sure she will see more positives then lol.

Paul

Yes good luck to you. but don't take it as gospel these so called threads where people say they are earning vast amounts per day. Yes it can be done and yes some people achieve it, but mostly it is when you have been going for a few years and have more confidence in what you are doing you then get the odd day which turns out to be really good.
Someone else said about viewing it as a job and not a doss.....true words, but don't view it as a job,otherwise it will own you!!! view it as a business that you run and control.
Good points on the downside whoever made them, yes there are downsides i'm afraid and I expect like us all you will get some that nobody else has ever experienced, just go with the flow and keep on at it. IT may be hard with the so called finance problems in the world at the moment, but if you think cleverley and keep focused you should be ok.

[suds window service]

martin read some of my threads i made the same move in march,built up my own round ,then bought some more.
left a well paid job in retail like you rubbish hours plus stress...........now i have 265 customers and a different lifestyle and love it!
still not an expert but if you need any advice call 07949995475.....good luck dave