Firstly, wow, what a great resource this site is. I have been lurking in the shadows for the past two months, I must have read every post by now. The knowledge and willingness to share that knowledge on this site is fantastic.
I hope I can contribute, I plan on uploading some leaflet and promo materiel that I have designed (Graphic designer by trade) as my way of giving something back.
I have just started out window cleaning and am getting to the stage where I can see the potential of taking it full time.
Everywhere I go I see dirty, filthy windows. I feel like the kid from “The Sixth Sense” only instead of dead people, I see dirty windows and money to be made.
I have a few question that I can not find answers to on this fine site.
Firstly, I live in Ireland. It rains a lot, I mean pretty much all the time. The area I opporate is the second wettest place in Europe.
My question is this, how many of you clean windows in the rain? What are the pros and cons, if any?
I am also, when returning to places I have cleaned after 4/5 days, noticing a lot of water marks from the rain…I am using GG4. Is it that I am not cleaning well enough so as to remove all the dirt (I am pretty sure I clean the windows as well as can be) Is there another cleaner I could look into?
My last little question is, I want to at some point in the near future bid for bigger jobs where I can use WFP. I have seen a number of units second hand, is this a no no or can good used units be picked up?
Welcome! As for the water marks it could be runoff from the frames. Even if the window is cleaned if the frame is dirty and the water runs off it will leave a drip mark or streak.
Welcome! I was born in Drogheda myself. Moved to California when I was 3 though. Window cleaning is big business in Ireland. Definitely a totally different ballgame I hear. My uncles tell me the WC’s over there are loaded! What city are you in? Its probably from the frames unless you live in a big city and the rain is just dirty from the air. I think Water Fed Poling is king over there from what I hear. In the rain that would be my choice
The water marks are not from the run off from the frames, I am very careful to rub the frames, it is also spots, like rain drops all over the glass. It is not drip or streak marks…I am also not in a built up area so I would rule out dirty rain, all of the rain fall here comes from the Atlantic.
I am on the west cost, WFP are not everywhere here, there are some. The companies here have little to no marketing that I can see, I picked up my first few jobs because the customers could not find anyone to do the job.
Let me tell you this, everything here is crazy expensive, people charge way too much for the smallest of jobs, it is not called the Rip Off Republic for nothing. I do not doubt for a moment that WC’s here are laughing all the way to the bank.
I plan on marketing the crap out of the customer base here, it will cost me next to nothing, I do all my own design and what not and have good experience in marketing. I am sure I will get kicked in the teeth a few times, just have to pick myself back up!
theclearchoice, do you ever come back here? And California, right now, looking out my widow with the rain lashing down I would kill to be there!
Hello Godskitchen, another ex-pat here, originally from Cork
I know that a lot of windows over there have smaller panes above a larger pane, and with wfp water settles at the edges of the smaller panes and later runs down the middle of the window. Is it possible the same thing is happening with trad equipment.
Yeah it was my old auntie that said it was a couple euros that they paid the window cleaner. That mustve been a while ago I go back every couple years or so. Last January I was there and the economy was in complete shambles. The whole bank scandal thing was scaring the crap out of everyone. Its funny you meantion the rain, we actually had a little sprinkle this morning. Wouldnt mind being in ireland now. Too hot here!
hi kitchen,
where on the west of ireland are ya . maybe we can help each other out .im in mayo and tryin to get my business running along the lines of our friends in the states .but im c r a p in designing and marketing ,but a good window cleaner .get back to me to let me know where ya are and i will try and help ya out if ur havin probs .been up and running now nearly two years and the gang on here are the best in the business and in the world .look forward to hearing from ya ok.
I go back every couple years or so. Last January I was there and the economy was in complete shambles. The whole bank scandal thing was scaring the crap out of everyone. Its funny you meantion the rain, we actually had a little sprinkle this morning. Wouldnt mind being in ireland now. Too hot here!
