[macmac]

One of the franchise companies ran a big advert type thing in our local paper a few weeks ago and stirred up quite a bit of interest. If i had gone down that route when i started i would have been close to bankrupt in my first year. Unless your very good/lucky in canvassing for work - particularly commercial work then it's always going to be a struggle to survive and build a decent paying round. But if you've forked out the kind of money they wanted then your 90% shure to be shafted.

Take a franchise & you become just another number filling someone elses pockets. this trade is not the rocket science some would benefit from you believing is it?

Tony

[MJH]

It doesn't particularly bother me as i am busy with work, but i have been noticing alot more window cleaning van in my area, i saw 7 today (yes counting them now i must be going mad )
Anyone else noticed this in there area??

i said that a while back and they are all in flash new vans all with the wfp gear in
how was you r hols

Thanks Martin, cracking holday mate, didn't want to come back to work ha!!

I agree window cleaning is not for everyone and most will jack it in the winter, i have considered it for the last 5 winters lol!!, it doesn't help that we splash the cash but new starters will realise its not easy to earn very good money for several years...

One thing that concerns me with wfp is the possibility that its driving the prices down!

I priced up a commercial last week and the lady was amazed i could quote so high for just jetting the windows down, it was a very easonable price i hasten to add!!

[Dale Smith]

A lot of good points on this thread.
I must admit that we started out like some of these guys, and wish we had slowly built upto it now.
We were lucky that we had some money behind us, as I now know how long it takes to build a decent round.
We would have started in a more modest way if we had the benefit of hindsight.....

[MJH]

A lot of good points on this thread.
I must admit that we started out like some of these guys, and wish we had slowly built upto it now.
We were lucky that we had some money behind us, as I now know how long it takes to build a decent round.
We would have started in a more modest way if we had the benefit of hindsight.....

It has taken me a long time to build a decent base, thats why when some folk talk of making big cash almost instantly i struggle to believe, in my experience it takes hard work and im very determind!! It is definatly more competitive in my area of late...

[Rob.Hall]

I have to laugh at some of the boys round me. One is expressionless when I give him a nod.

The other two who work as a pair are like Loral and Hardy. You would think they had never tried wc before.

Then there is the old boy who has been around for years, has a nice round with some good commercial. He thinks he is the king around here.
I did a bit of canvessing last year and picked one up of his. The people were not to pleased with the dirty cloth and a quick whip over job. He should have known better. A nice house as well.

I have seen 3 or 4 new boys around inc a reach and wash chappy. His h and s is much to be desired.
Ran the pipe across a pavement then between an open fronted block of flats to get around the corner to the shop front. then you saw the sign......Window cleaning in progress!!

Would have loved to see the H and Safty boys jump on that one.

Im glad I can trad as well as wfp because some people do not seem to pleased with the wfp, especially on painted windows. No care whilst cleaning. Chipping paintwork etc.

[MJH]

i think wcs should have to do a trad apprentiship before wfp it baffles me that some can't trad!!!!

[m.b.s.]

A lot of good points on this thread.
I must admit that we started out like some of these guys, and wish we had slowly built up to it now.
We were lucky that we had some money behind us, as I now know how long it takes to build a decent round.
We would have started in a more modest way if we had the benefit of hindsight.....

It has taken me a long time to build a decent base, that's why when some folk talk of making big cash almost instantly i struggle to believe, in my experience it takes hard work and I'm very determined!! It is definitely more competitive in my area of late...

It is definitely more competitive in my area of late have to strongly agree with you there m8 it very competitive were i work too as for the trad post yes every wfp user should be able to do trad as trad has its place in any job   

[davids3511]

i think wcs should have to do a trad apprentiship before wfp it baffles me that some can't trad!!!!

Why? I get through about 230 properties a month (going up every month) and have never once traded a house. I know you will say it limits me and I'm not a proper window cleaner but ask my customers what I am. Their reply is all I am worried about.

[MJH]

i think wcs should have to do a trad apprentiship before wfp it baffles me that some can't trad!!!!

Why? I get through about 230 properties a month (going up every month) and have never once traded a house. I know you will say it limits me and I'm not a proper window cleaner but ask my customers what I am. Their reply is all I am worried about.

I am sure you are excellent at your job, but you can only limit yourself as you say!!

Without getting into the usual boring rubbish of wfp v trad i believe if you promote yourself as a window cleaner you need to be able to blade i have a lot of commercials that are not suited to wfp, and internal work!

[davids3511]

i think wcs should have to do a trad apprentiship before wfp it baffles me that some can't trad!!!!

Why? I get through about 230 properties a month (going up every month) and have never once traded a house. I know you will say it limits me and I'm not a proper window cleaner but ask my customers what I am. Their reply is all I am worried about.

I am sure you are excellent at your job, but you can only limit yourself as you say!!

Without getting into the usual boring rubbish of wfp v trad i believe if you promote yourself as a window cleaner you need to be able to blade i have a lot of commercials that are not suited to wfp, and internal work!

I know you are right, however, I have more work that is suited to WFP than I can handel right now. In my particular circumstances I don't need to be able to trad. If that changes, I will learn how. Personally I try to avoid insides, I'm often a  little accident prone and don't really want to be trashing about inside someones house.

[MJH]

A lot of good points on this thread.
I must admit that we started out like some of these guys, and wish we had slowly built up to it now.
We were lucky that we had some money behind us, as I now know how long it takes to build a decent round.
We would have started in a more modest way if we had the benefit of hindsight.....

It has taken me a long time to build a decent base, that's why when some folk talk of making big cash almost instantly i struggle to believe, in my experience it takes hard work and I'm very determined!! It is definitely more competitive in my area of late...

It is definitely more competitive in my area of late have to strongly agree with you there m8 it very competitive were i work too as for the trad post yes every wfp user should be able to do trad as trad has its place in any job   

Other than the economy down turn, why do you think Leeds is now so competative M.B.S :

[MJH]

i think wcs should have to do a trad apprentiship before wfp it baffles me that some can't trad!!!!

Why? I get through about 230 properties a month (going up every month) and have never once traded a house. I know you will say it limits me and I'm not a proper window cleaner but ask my customers what I am. Their reply is all I am worried about.

I am sure you are excellent at your job, but you can only limit yourself as you say!!

Without getting into the usual boring rubbish of wfp v trad i believe if you promote yourself as a window cleaner you need to be able to blade i have a lot of commercials that are not suited to wfp, and internal work!

I know you are right, however, I have more work that is suited to WFP than I can handel right now. In my particular circumstances I don't need to be able to trad. If that changes, I will learn how. Personally I try to avoid insides, I'm often a  little accident prone and don't really want to be trashing about inside someones house.

Internals are good for the bad weather m8 and if you can blade quickly they pay well, i guess you only do domestics!!

[ftp]

I started wfp - never picked up a squeegie in my life! Was going fine untill i was asked to quote a school inside and out - had to learn trad pretty sharpish for the insides. I actually enjoy using the blade even though i haven't fully mastered it or got up to speed yet.

[MJH]

I started wfp - never picked up a squeegie in my life! Was going fine untill i was asked to quote a school inside and out - had to learn trad pretty sharpish for the insides. I actually enjoy using the blade even though i haven't fully mastered it or got up to speed yet.

Thanks FTP you answered in a nut shell my point, its like saying your an electrician that can't change a lightbulb :

[m.b.s.]

i think it because more and more w/c  are now coming from wider afield
as wfp is quicker so they are traveling further and further to get a decent clientele
and also i have seen a lot more wfp cleaners about this is what i think what about you  

[ftp]

I had no intention of using trad when i started but it's opened up so many chances to earn more money, you would be daft not to use it in my opinion - so many customers want the insides done.

[m.b.s.]

I had no intention of using trad when i started but it's opened up so many chances to earn more money, you would be daft not to use it in my opinion - so many customers want the insides done.

theres always a place for trad ok your round is allwfp but if a large com job come your way would you turn it down because you cannot trad also you said you will learn if the com job came up its not a job to learn on imo

[MJH]

i think it because more and more w/c  are now coming from wider afield
as wfp is quicker so they are traveling further and further to get a decent clientele
and also i have seen a lot more wfp cleaners about this is what i think what about you  

You probably hit the nail on the head, i have seen a few wakey vans etc etc around here big city - big money, it doesnt always work like that, commercial here is busy to say the least, and good point about wfp only!!!

[m.b.s.]

thanks mjh
im both trad and wfp but had years of experiance trad before i went wfp the trusted old blade is always in the van and comes out at least once a week for shops and at least once a week for the odd domestic and com window

[MJH]

My blade is out daily mate, bit of fairy and blade is faultless every time!!