Hello, Full disclosure my business is in its infancy, although I did this for a summer a few years ago. Because of Covid 19, especially here in Ontario Canada(lock down capital of the world), it seems like there is a lot of window cleaning businesses popping up, including mine. Are you finding there are more than usual? I think people not being able to work are pushing them to go out on their own.
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I have seen more yard signs and wrapped vans for window cleaning than Iâve ever seen. Not sure if there new companies or old ones just stepping up there game. But I have had some of the same thoughts as you.
Welcome to the business and glad to see a neighbor. Down the road here in Montreal itâs the same. Lots of people getting antsy after blowing through their government handouts.
As long as you carve out your niche and present a professional image youâll get a head in no time as the vast majority of new startups wonât last long.
I was cleaning 4 story town houses yesterday right next to another company, new service van, 3 guys. 2 showed up in the van and the third rolled up in a new white Mercedes ( 
) Poor dudes had no idea what they were doing. Terrible equipment, terrible squeegee technique, standing on top step of a 32+ foot ladder. I did 10 townhouses in the time it took them to do four. They get an âAâ for effort but I felt bad how dangerous and hard they were working for $10/hr. These types of operations pop up and disappear everyday.
What part of the market are you focusing on?
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every area is different, I think a lot of guys dropped off during the pandemic here . Iâve never been busier in my life than now
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I try to focus a lot on my image. Nice business cards, decent website, professional logoâd attire, donât smoke, swear etc. Itâs just me working part time right now. I donât do sketchy or under the table work, clean windows arenât worth it. Invested in professional tools, few ettore squeegees, a couple excelerators, wfp system, screen cleaner. One thing I would like is to move away from my personal unwrapped car but Iâll get there eventually, pay cash for things. Considered offering a dealership to clean windows in exchange for purchasing a transit connect so the numbers work out but havenât gotten there. As for Niche, I started because A)I didnât want to have to work for $17/hr doing continental shifts in a factory for a temp agency, and B) I want more time to raise my family and enjoy life, so I thought bi-weekly business cleanings would be the way to go. With Covid I have primarily been doing houses which wasnât my plan, but its been going well.
Also, just checked your website out. Really cool business you have going!
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I like paying cash for things too. I also choose not to wrap my vehicle, but I also split it between my work truck and my personal truck. I put large magnets on the two front doors and the tailgate when Iâm using it for work, and just take them off when it is âMe Timeâ.
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âWindow Cleaningâ
âNo ladders, no cranes, just clean windowsâ
Wfp technology has been super slow to take hold here. Iâve seen maybe 10-12 companies using wfpâs in 12 years. The number of companies that can produce a good end result with wfp is even less. So, itâs a selling point for me.
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Youâre right, but its a double edged sword.
A few well established companies dropped out around here, but for every one that dropped out, 4 bucket Bobs popped up. That fine by me because that left a void in the industry that helped us, an established company, to thrive.
The only thing that gets my goat are the ones that claim â10 years experienceâ (you worked for a bank before the pandemic, bruh), âfully licensed and insuredâ (bruh, I checked, youâre not registered with the state), etc.
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Dude whatâs gets me going is when they start to steal pictures from other cleaners and use them like itâs them
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