Always looking for more efficiency while on the job. Anyone have any simple tips that save time?
for me having my van organized is a huge time saver. Also bringing everything I might need on my person before starting including extra rubber in the pocket. Im thinking about getting some scrim. That might help too.
x
I agree about the belt.
As for the bigger squeegees I agree w/ it when were talking storefront. For residential I find a 16" to be as big as is necessary.
Yeah, thats what I am all about, time saving stuff. I use a hammer slingers belt from home depot, the velcro one, take one side of the bags off, and put my pulex bucket. I am able to put my scraper in the outside pocket, my putty knife for removing screens, plenty of towels rolled up in the main bag, the one for the tape measure works great for a bug spong too.
I try to have my bucket already with soap and water before I get to the job.
I make sure my rubber is good when I get home and change it if need be right away.
I print out directions right after I am done invoicing at night.
Just got a trailer so when using a wfp, I dont have to always move my tanks around up and down…got hose reels for everything…quick connects, keep plenty of extra gaskets and shut off valves…wash screens as I go instead of at the end…
I dont know…I think you will find little things as your day gos, and at the end of each day, ask yourself, “how could I have made this go faster” what could you have done to be more productive. I am sure answers will come to you.
The best time saver for me has been filling my van tank with pure water at home. When I get to the job, storefront, lowrise , house. All I have to do is pull my pole out of PVC pipe grap the hose on a reel and go. The setup is simple
Ok guys,
Here are two things that I made to save time. I don’t have any pictures, but I can take and post some if needed.
I haven’t graduated to scrim yet, so I use xxl white cotton T-shirts, they work great for me. Problem, I sweat, I can’t throw my t-shirt or soon to be scrim, over my shoulder when I’m not using it, it gets wet. Solution, I took a wire handle from a drywall bucket and made a hook that attatches to my belt. When I don’t need my rag, I literally just have to drop it near my hip and the hook catches it, timesaver.
I don’t use a traditional tool belt. I just use my regular leather belt and I add hammer loops, pouches, and a boab as needed. I also wear suspenders.
Next tip. I took one of those cheap little razor holders that doesn’t have a cover and zip tied it to one of those springloaded rectactable key chains. This keychain is designed to clip onto your belt but I have it attached to my suspenders up by my right shoulder. Its out of the way and works great. Perfect for that one little bug egg or fleck of paint that got missed. It may not seem like much but it does save me time.
Those are my simple timesavers,
Here are a couple of pics, I put the handle in for perspective.
Thanks for the tips. I mean weve got ourselves pretty organized and we are way faster than we used to be. One thing Ive realized saves tons of time is prioritizing… Certain windows just dont need to be absolutely perfect. I try to do everything perfectly but a bathroom window or a kids room window does not have to be absolutely perfect like a big living room window. My WFP setup is really primitive so I dread even setting the thing up. I’m still using garden hoses and no hose reel. I have to lift my DI tank out of my van too because it doesnt fit in the van with the top fittings on. Im just being a cheapo… I need to get the hose reel and some smaller hose.
Ya Colm,
Being too picky can knock the production rate way down. I tend to be a perfectionist and it costs me money.
PS
Hey Colm,
I just took a peek at your web site, nice. How are the 3 different levels of service, [B]your three packages[/B], working out for you?
Maybe you could start a new thread if packages has not already been discused. 
I would have to say that a G.P.S. has been my best investment so far. I have 4 of them and they are worth every penny. My first GPS cost me over $600.00 but now you can get em anywhere from $99.00 to $150.00 for a decent one.
Steve
I actually have gone the opposite way. I use to carry a big belt system, boab and towel carrier and some other stuff. After doing some training on a few guys I have found the basics to be more efficient. They carry only a bucket with 3 squegees, 14, 18, 22 backflip. they run with 2 scrim which they stuff one in their back pocket. going back to the basics has saved me and my guys a lot of time.
I think as men we want more tools and cooler tools and more manly accessories on our belt, makes us feel like real pros.
But the real pro is who can get the job done the fastest with the highest quality; which = more profit.
that’s my tip yo
Matt,
Where do you put your tools when you are cleaning windows on a ladder?
That was the selling feature that got me to switch.
as far as commercial goes we never really use a ladder.
some jobs you can tell there’s gonna be a lot of ladder work, so they do put on a BOAB. In that situation you’re right, a boab would be a time saver.
I’d say 70% of the time there’s just a bucket and some squeegees
I see. 100% residential here. I used to keep all of my stuff in one of those yellow Ettore buckets with the sieve inside. I remember those days of wringing out my brush and climbing the ladder with my brush dripping on my shoulder as I climbed up (Interiors). I made all of my holsters by hand back then out of thick cowhide I bought from a leather distributor. It was a replica of the Ettore holster but had an extra loop on the outside for a small 6" squeegee. When I started using the BOAB,I figured my holster was obsolete (to me that is).
I’ve only bought the magnets so far, but my intent if to sew the magnets onto the back fabric of the front of my left tool belt suspender. I could then quickly place and remove my 2" razor from up by my shoulder. Since I use my 2" razor frequently I anticipate that this will save me a lot of time. I can then pass the savings down to my customers since I basically work by the hour.
My tip is that before we even head out in the a.m. everything is ready to go on the van. the bucket we carry w/us is filled along w/the 2 larger refills, our tool belts have our squeeges in the holders, a clean soaper head on our tbars, so only thing we need to do when we get to job is grab a few towels,clip on our belts and go. Any way you can save time no matter how small, adds up. Organization is the most important timesaving tip i think…a place for everything and everything in its place.
We organize/straighten-up/fill buckets with water, load tools and towels, etc in the evening when we are done. I figure that if we have a quicker start in the morning, that sets the tone for the day. If the guys are slow to get started because they are getting ready, the pace for the day is slow too.
I also have a GPS in the truck. Great tool.
I also have the girls in the office put invoices together for the next day. At the start of each day, the invoices are written out with only the date, price and signatures needed to finish them. They also have a schedule (courtesy of TCF) to follow each day with times and notes for the guys.
We have everything we need to clean windows (different for each type of job) on our person when we leave the truck. We carry a small squeeze bottle to re-wet the scrubbers when needed instead of carrying the big water bucket around.
We also wash screens at the begining of every resi job. They are drying while we are cleaning the glass. By the time we are finished with the outs, usually they are dry, if not, then when we are done inside.
that’s so funny…I was the same way 
Hello
I’ve done a lot of software training. Many times the learning part of the course is to introduce the software and give an overview of its features or basic uses. I like to call it “show and tell” training.
There are many ways to approach software training. You can make it as complex or simple as you want. It really depends on your needs and the software. I’m not going to go into great detail about how to design software training. However, I will show you some simple tips and tricks.
Uh, Clark, would you mind telling us what your comments on sofware training have to do with “time saving tricks”?
The GPS is a time saver. I try to put what I need in my bucket and keep my “blue rag” in my back pocket and my towel over my shoulder. Small scraper in my pocket. Belt attachment for a big scraper if needed on a particular job. Less is better. I may have an arsenal in my vehicle but what I anticipate that I am going to use is checked and ready before I leave for a job.
I don’t get the T shirt thing. For detailing? Do you have an old windshield wiper nailed to a stick
for a squeegee?
[B]THEGLASSMACHINE[/B]
[I]“because glass looks it’s best when you can’t see it”[/I]
