Yeah, the tracks and the frames were in really bad shape
Also, the half of the interior protectors were already peeled off by other contractors. The Windows with every protector on were easy work.
Also, some of the protectors were sealed to either the top of the frame, or the bottom, and trying to remove without scraping resulted in such:
I needed to razor the edges in a neat line to remove that remaining protector.
And yes, I donāt have alot of tools needed, I had to buy scraper, blades, and other neceities that I was ill prepared for, hence the time it took me.
No shop vac either yet, so thatās another issue with the tracks.
And everybody else learns from the person who has a theory about other peoples mistakes.
And I donāt think thisāll help in the moment but at least for me looking back I ask myself, āWere there any near death experiences?ā And if everybody walks away from the job in one piece then I find anything less isnāt worth stressing overā¦ Then again itās easy for me to say that now that Iām not in that position, itās much more tricky when youāre in the thick of itā¦ I feel for ya man!
If you had this job to do tomorrow you would be so much more prepared on how to tackle it.
Maybe not give up on ccu since you learned how too be better prepared for them. None are completely the same but you get better at adapting on each
Funny enough, I bought a townhome 3 months ago, and there are new units that are near completion, and the care for the windows is obviously more meticulous, the tracks are protected, the entire exterior and interior are protected, I watched the construction for the past 3 months as it was happening. If I can get a job cleaning those as another CCU, I could literally walk out my front door and be on the job site. Lunch time would be in my house. I have the construction manager I k ow personally picking up a survey from my experience as a homeowner tommorrow morning, and I might ask him about the windows.
Next timeā¦
Shop vac first (we use a 12ā, 2.5ā fav hose) - use the brush attachment to get in all the crevices. It will remove 99% of all that dry, loose stuff (probably drywall dust from sanding). We use shop vacs with a 3 layer filter (usually blue) and also equipped with a āhigh efficiencyā bag - I hate washing/cleaning filters, so we just toss the bag after the cleans and put on a new one on for the next job. The 3 layer filter will stay good for a few cleans, but it is just a quick rinse when it becomes necessary to clean. If you use a normal filter and no bag, most of that dust will slip right through and be blown back up into air. Also, never use a residential vacuum for drywall dust - it will kill your vacuum.
Razor window film BEFORE trying to remove. Cut around edges holding razor at 45 degree angle toward the frame (it wonāt scratch - if you do it right - but if it does, youāll never see it because it will be ābehindā the frame.
**Make sure nothing flammable is by the window - check the other side of the glass too!! Static electricity is produced when you peel off the film and it could ignite flammables. It looks pretty cool when you do it at night
Use razor to start peeling a corner. Again, wonāt scratch if youāre doing it right but if youāre nervous (first time) use a plastic putty knife.
Pull film more downwards than straight off the glass. I like to start in top left corner and pull toward bottom right corner. If you pull straight back toward you, it has a tendency to ājumpā and leave adhesive āstripesā on the window (if youāve done this before, you know what I mean).
**Always remove (or try to remove) window film when the window is in the shade or sun has set. If you remove in direct sunlight, I have found that a thin layer of adhesive will stick to window. We try to go the night before the clean to remove the window film.
If there is adhesive left on the window a lot of different stuff will remove it (including scraping) but we like to use Contractors Solvent - works on stuff all over the house. We keep it in a spray bottle. Lightly mist the area (or the whole window), let sit for a minute (razor and take film off next window while it dwells), then wipe up with towel/microfiber/etc. It should all come off rather easy.
I think you know how to finish the process
Thanks OCDmike!
I can relate on the film about the strips left over.
I would start with a corner of the film, and peel all the edges, them after all the edges were peeled off nice and clean, I would bundle both the top left and right together ,and pull downwards.
The strips left over would be due to cement, paint, or stucco that made the film in that specific spot a bit trickier.
If the film was ābehind the frameā I did exactly as you entailed: 45 degree angle, and made sure the blade was behind the visible glass, and used the frame to guide a straight line, then pulled the rest off.
I developed a process from the 80+ windows I removed film from during the job, and itās exactly how you described, with small exceptions such as the way O would remove the film.
One thing I didnāt use was the contractor solvent, what exactly is the solution you used?
Also, I definitely need a shop vac for the sills next time, thanks!
I bought a case of the 12oz bottles (or maybe 16oz - forget) and then we refil the small spray bottles with the gallons now. I like to have manufacturer labels when possible. Too many random spray bottles around with who knows what in them.
Thanks, I will definitely look into that for the future!
@Windowmen
I donāt know if its been mentioned yet, so if it has please forgive the oversight.
I see youāre on day 2 already right?
Iād talk to the foreman or manager or whoever and tell them that they need to give up some more money or they can pound sand.
Iād have done it after the very first window tho, and go get his butt to bring him in and show him why that āeasy to remove filmā aināt so easy to remove like he said.
THEY should have done it, but its true they donāt do it always, even stillā¦thats ridiculous!
You have to try tho.
Feel him out and see if heāll help you out. You may be suprised.
Hereās where you made the mistake (Iām sure you already know this; but you might want to make a punch list procedure for your ccu estimates so you or anyone else in your outfit donāt go thru this again)
-anything they have to say after āI need an estimateā and āhereās my info and the addressā is meaningless as far as what they believe to be the level of difficulty for the scope of work. You just need to know the scope, nothing else.
-CCUās pricing is NOT set in stone. All large scale jobs have wiggle room for the unexpected so the contractors can recover expenses. You DO NOT need to eat the costs unless YOU screw up on the bidā¦this instance it was partially on you because you waited to bring it to him to change it up, or at least to give him the opportunity to call someone else.
Doing it now may be seen as extortion in a way, but depending on how you approach him you may come out of this with more money and a good reference.
Thanks for The advice, but I was already cleaning the windows without pulling out my cohones until a day late to voice the problems I had, so the fault is largely due to me.
Even though I feel like a day laborer picked up from a home depot curb to provide the work I did from the manager who knew how inexperienced I was in this scope, I personally view thatās itās mainly my fault, not taking advice, not walking through, etc.
But I am being paid for my expenses during the job, Iāve itemized the materials I bought, and included labor, and as a professional courtesy for the job, taking more blame than I am actually due to save face by including a 10% discount due to lack of proper estimating.
I wont be so inconsiderate to myself in the near future, trust me on that.
I will be back on this section, hopefully not crashing like I already have, and have something more positive to input!
EDIT: I really appreciate the input, and I do have to mention before even registering to this site that I read alot of your posts through Google searches and browsing of these forums, and I have a ton of respect for you!
Ask him if you can use him as a reference man. I do this when I drop the ball tooā¦it shows what you do when you screw the pooch.
Sorry about your job man. You got a good view of things man. Way to man up bro, your a stand up dude.
I think your input and honesty on your situation has been very valuable here.
How many times do each of us make mistakes and have to learn from them. Itās helpful to learn from others mistakes also. By you being so honest through the process will help many people.
Agreed.
Now we can bookmark this thread for the next guy!
100% right here.
It is your business and you are providing the service. Your price, your rules, leave the option at the onset to stop and point out the unexpected.
If the Contractor does his/her job right then the work crew before you protects the windows during remodel/construction.
This is why CCU charges as a factor of 2-3 times more than regular.
Your job is to do the final clean and detail left over debris. Thereās a charge for that; take it or leave it.
The responsibility of sloppy work is only on your work, not someone elses.
I recently had a CCU, huge home. The crew did an outstanding job of cleaning up after themselves. Therefore I did a $100 surcharge because of this and the customer was happy, and I only did minimal mitigation as far as debris went. That was totally out of the ordinary though. Most contractors do not look over their workers shoulder when they are sloppy paint, stucco, and drywall debris everywhere. Thereās a charge for that. 
I would tell the project manager or the superintendent that the windows were compromised by other subs leaving a mess and the plastic was supposed to peel off and itās not. (Likely because it wasnāt pulled off in time per manufacture time limit.) Causing much more work for you then agreed. Then get a change order signed and charge double or
triple.
Tell them if they want the crap off, you will use a scraper. Get a signature approving use of a scraper (just as good as a scratched glass waiver except better imo, because no one will sign a waiver in my experience so far).
Since they are superintendents and their job is to know how to supervise and inspect each trade and they basically work for the architect, then if they gave you permission to use a scraper then thatās that. Or, if the crap was on the windows have them get the subs to clean it off otherwise if the plastic was on too long, and since stucco and plaster stick to the window right through the plastic (it never ācomes right offā every window), the longer it sits the harder to get off and all those guys know there is a time limit to remove. They are trying to get rich off of you and hoping youāre too naive to request a change order.
It really is!
@Windowmen How did the job end up going? Can you look back and laugh at it, now?
NEVER do CCU it takes way too much time and dosent pay like it should.
Charge as you should or walk away.
