[Stuart Webster]

Do any of you guys use a wfp in rural areas?

My work is mostly villages. Dont have the luxury of blocks of flats.

Would the set up time make wfp's too time consuming?

[mark f]

Im in the same boat. rural domestic england!! I think the big houses would be good but the little intricit leaded and georgian high streets could be fun! Anyhow do we have a choice.? When the regs kick in could we still do a round with ladders. An idea for a thread i think!!!

[thewindowcleaner1]

At first I only did plain windows with WFP but over the last couple of years do all high windows with pole including georgian and leaded,getting that idle now that do ALL leaded windows with pole  (so quick and easy) georgian also done with pole good washing first then no problem customers think its great as the frames get washed and don't look like they need paining all the time

[Stuart Webster]

The problem is not the high street but 30-40 smallhouses in a village, not all in one place, but spread out. How many houses do you need within 30m of your van? Q's like that prevent me from spending.

[AuRavelling79]

With a huge three weeks experience of an Aquatec trolley and one village on my round I would say that one cluster of houses I do in Sth Glos all within thirty metres of where I park is quicker and far safer off the pole. They are

2 1840's cottages side by side - mixture of real Georgian and UPVC Georgian (bars between the glass units)

1 detached cottage plus conservatory UPVC

1 semi-detached house 3 storey at back, two storey at front plus conservatory UPVC and some painted

1 semi detached house 3 storey at front two storey at back sliding sash - real but newly painted

(cross road with trolley - 20 metres to:-)

1 detached cottage UPVC
1 semi detached cottage UPVC
1 bungalow UPVC

Total £95

1st I do all the tops and any bottoms above 2 metres with wfp, then  I do some bottoms to use up what water I have on the trolley, then the conservatories and bungalow by blade (mainly to save on water). There are five windows I can only readily get to with a pole - above porches etc.

But there are three windows down steps and round the back which I get my ladders out for (a back pack would work here or 50m of hose might just reach) There are four third storey windows together at one property which I previously did with my ladders (and me) at full stretch. Now I take my battery and pump and 15 litres of water doen the steps connect up and pole them.

Total time off ladders  3.5 hrs
Total time as above    3 hrs very first time and two totally inaccessible (with ladders) windows reached
                                   and no precarious third storey stuff!

[Ian_Giles]

Most of my domestic stuff is well spread out, although it is quicker to whip ladders of a roof rack, that is cancelled out by the speed at which you can worlk with the WFP, and the bigger the account the more this shows.
With each account you have to re-learn the best way of getting around it when you change over to WFP.
Its a steep learning curve and you never stop learning.
If an account took you 15 minutes traditional, and it is a stand alone account, which means you then have to drive to the next one, well, you won't save a lot of time with the WFP, but it's SO MUCH EASIER!!! I'm not really including the safety angle, that goes without saying of course.
On a full days work, whether its spread out or not, you will definitely be noticably quicker.
How much so will depend on your own ability and how quickly learn to use the system.

Ian

[Duke]

about 20% of my round is in small villages in Gloucestershire and Worcestershire (all around the border, near Tewkesbury)...places like Pendock, Berrow, Birtsmorton, Apperley,Forthampton,etc, etc. All get done with the pole,up and down, front and back, no matter what type of window they are. The trolley rarely comes out of the van, due to a 35 metre extension to the hose.No setting up, just park, take the pole off of the roof, switch the trolley on....and go...easy peasy....

[Stuart Webster]

Duke,

how much would the system you use cost?

thanks, Stu

[Duke]

If you buy your water (as I do , through our company) then a short and a 24 foot powerpole from Omnipole, an Omnitrolley (50 litre) and a bit of customisation has cost me about £1200. I'm still changing and improving things all the time mind you....but I'd say you'd be up and on your feet (assuming you already have a van/car) for about a grand...(but you'll need to buy water, or spend about another grand on a tank and RO unit, etc)

[Stuart Webster]

Thanks Duke

[AuRavelling79]

My wfp trolley from Peter Fogwill plus water butt for storage plus extra containers (8 x 25 = 200l) and extra hose is about £1500 inc vat inc R/O and unger poles to 40ft.