[user001]

Hi All,

Well i have been lurking the forums for some time but now getting to the point where i am almost ready to give up the day job (around £28k a year)! but need some help!

How is the market at the moment?

I plan to go full steam, stop the day job and go canvassing 5 days a week until i pick up business.  I will be using a hot water WFP system so my outgoings will be there from day 1.

I need to cover my overheads as soon as possible! (i know i prob should get a ladder out and start small but that's not my plan). 

I really want to make this work and there is good money to be made.  I live in the Surrey area (where the average clean is about £15/£20+)

In your experience, if i canvass 5/6 days a week, how long should it take to pick up a good amount of work?

Oh, and i use to be a salesman so canvassing isn't an issue at all!

Thanks all!

(p.s. i am fully ready not to go undercutting business, i don't want to tread on local window cleaners toes to much, after all, we're all trying to make a living).

 

[dazmond]

I found it v.difficult to build a round from scratch when i started 15 years ago.most areas have got a window cleaner but u will pick odd ones up usually badpayers and awkward access unless u know a local window cleaner who is retiring unless ur lucky and stumble on a unserviced area.canvass,canvass,canvass.leaflet then go back 3 days later.maybe buy a little round.also advertise the fact u got HOT WFP.u should be able to do the big awkward houses and add on jobs that TRAD like me would pass on.also i find its the trust as well up here in manchester.its took hard work,persistence and always have a friendly smile.i pick work up off people who say they dont like the look of their other WC and he not v.friendly,not regular etc.i ended up buying a small round and worked with another WC until i had enough to go it alone.dress clean and fairly smart,do a good job and dont undercharge and u will pick u
p work.never undercut but dont go in sky high with the pricing.u can do that when u dont need the job

best wishes pal.this site has been fantastic for my changed attitude to my business and even gona try WFP myself next year with new van etc

[user001]

Thanks Dazmond.

I'm trying to be realisitc but can't help thinking that i will have a sustainable income within 3 months... probably a bit hopefully but if i put in the work, is it realistic?

[dazmond]

isuppose it depends on ur bills every month and how much work u can pick up.most off my work is about 10 to 15 mins away in a v. upmarket area but i started local and cheapish then sold this on when i got more quality work.if ur outgoing and approachable thats always helped me.its not as easy as some make out on here and dont be put off by people saying its a recession blah blah but u wont earn 28grand in ur first year.remember drive,determination and hard work are indispensable.keep knocking and youll get there in the end.lots of good advice on here and some crap from time to time but a good mixture.i think u should learn TRAD as well for insides and the odd windows that come up bad{oxidised frames,flakey paint etc}.most of my work monthly and the odd 2monthly.GOOD LUCK

[user001]

hmmm, maybe im unrealistic... i was hoping (and informed by someone) that i should look at bringing on £1k of new business a month?

I'm moving out of the counrty in about 12-18 months and wanted to make more money before this...

[smearo]

where abouts in surrey r you mate..

[user001]

Heya,

Epsom, Weybridge, Oxshot etc way.

[AuRavelling79]

hmmm, maybe im unrealistic... i was hoping (and informed by someone) that i should look at bringing on £1k of new business a month?

I'm moving out of the counrty in about 12-18 months and wanted to make more money before this...

If you're looking to move away in 12/18 months and are on 28K I don't see the point in starting a new business venture. Even if you're very self-disciplined, by the time you've bought and set up your kit, got a van and canvassed like Billy Whizz I reckon you'll take at least six months to get up to 2.5K a month and be able to service it properly if you've never done w/c before.

So let's say that in those six months you've lost 14K in earnings, spent 6K setting up then that's 20K to offset against earnings. By the end of a year I reckon you'll have done extremely well to have built up and earned 20K of turnover, so you are only at zero after a years graft. It'll take another year to get to where you are already I suggest.

Why not knuckle down to your current job, cut your outgoings for a year and stash that dosh away for your move abroad?

[user001]

Hmm, you might be right with that one..

I was running through figures with concept2o and the figures they sent me were for £75k turn over taking home about £45k in first year of business.    Hence my thoughts about getting into it!

I have not heard about anyone NOT hitting them figures (you would think there would be some form of bad press if this was the case) .... 

 

[C.C.S.]

it's going to take a few years to get to those figures especially if you are alone into business.but good luck anyway you might prove us wrong.but like has been said what's the point of starting a business if you are moving abroad?and also when you want to sell the customer base only beeing one year old it's not very promising for whose buying.and  it's harder this days not only because of recession but of the competition as well.i have to spend twice as much on advertising  than last year and get half of the response i use to get.

[Alistair@AWC]

User001,

I would say Malc is about spot on there, if you were in it for the long haul I would say go for it but working on your 18 month timeline I think you'd be crazy to give up your guaranteed 28k.


You say you have worked in sales, so you'll know that some of your sales patter should be taken with a pinch of salt - Concept2o are trying to sell you a Van complete with a WFP system, they are not a social advice service!

Regards

Al

[user001]

Its very confusing! the company, who seem very nice and helpful, seem convinced that this a 1st year figure.... but not to sure.... I appreciate they want something out of it, but they haven't tried to sell me the big franchise packet..just the system and not even the van, they have advised renting the van (considering my times scales).

I would be selling it to someone i know that has a round in the same area - so he is happy as he knows i would of serviced the customers well and he knows that his round will increase..

but before i came on here, i was all ready to drop my job and start... and now, i'm not to sure.

in regards to whats the point.. simple really, my £28k, will still be £28k by end of next year... but i want to clear off debts, and i thought by doing this, i will be earning enough within a few months to put enough aside to pay off debts before we leave...

[R W C]

Hmm, you might be right with that one..

I was running through figures with concept2o and the figures they sent me were for £75k turn over taking home about £45k in first year of business.    Hence my thoughts about getting into it!

I have not heard about anyone NOT hitting them figures (you would think there would be some form of bad press if this was the case) .... 

 

Ive gotta concept will do all they can to get you to buy from them, 75k I think there talking out there little back passage, after my 1st year i was minus, which i new was going to be the case but my missus is in work and we where sorted,

[tomy jackson]

thers a giraffe in this tale 

[user001]

? think there spinning me one? 

[ftp]

I was given similar figures by Concept - they all do it. They find someone who is using their kit with a long established, compact round that's earning the money.
The van earns you absolutely nothing without the round or the customers. Work won't come pouring your way just because you've got a van. For an ex salesman you are very, very naive.

[ftp]

You will earn far less than most windowcleaners on here. Think about it, you are going to spend what £25,000 or more with no work whatsoever. How are you going to pay back the loan with no income? It takes years to build a business that turns over £75k and I think you'll find that's a two man team hitting those targets.

[user001]

For an ex salesman you are very, very naive.

Or very hopefull!

[lee09]

Its very confusing! the company, who seem very nice and helpful

Priceless, I don't mean to be rude but he is trying to sell you a system.
If you think it is that easy, see if the salesman will give you a list of all his past customers and speak to them directly. Maybe take a couple off days off and work for someone locally to you to see if you like doing such a mundane job in all but mainly crap weather.
Please dont buy the dream, as for you it maybe a nightmare!
Good luck.

[tatman]

45K   @@@@ I KNEW I WAS DOING SOMETHING WRONG