Do you also have an employee? Or you just work by yourself?
It’s difficult to increase your productivity and profit without employees.
What do you think?
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I am my only employee and intend to keep it that way until I develop a succession plan I am comfortable with. The key in my current situation to achieving profitability is to charge appropriately. It is my first year in the business but I’m getting the high end residential jobs I want and am growing in my confidence to raise my prices or charge for extras that make my business profitable. I’ve already reached the point where I am a little disappointed if I send out an estimate for a new job that is less than $1,000. Eventually I want to reach the point that those are the only jobs I take. If I can do that, then I expect to be very productive with the time I actually spend on the business.
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Congrats
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I disagree… perhaps your not in demand yet
Why? Can you share your thoughts
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I did, with demand u will learn to utilize the best tools and capitalize on efficiency. Predict your next move while in motion. This may all sound like bullsh!t but alone I can average as many as 3 medium sized homes a day. how bad do you want it and are u capable of thinking outside of the box
Agreed…
You can be more productive and efficient to a point, but how many successful small business owners do you know that do not have any employees?
I used to work myself to death and then I hired employees. My business simply grew beyond what I was physically or mentally capable of doing.
That happened to me also. But finding help you can trust and depend on day after day, week after week, month after month and year after year makes my job more of a babysitter/employee vs a business owner.
Where I am, a lot of the window cleaning that takes place is done by “cleaning companies” - essentially high-end janitorial work I suppose. They do carpet cleaning, house cleaning, window cleaning… heck, they’ll even wash your dog in your bathtub if you want.
I think these type of companies started as house cleaning companies and just kept adding “add on” services.
The quality is what you would expect from housecleaners who haven’t specialized in window cleaning - they tilt in all the windows and clean them with sprayaway and a microfiber. Any window that is difficult to access, they either skip or use an extension pole with a swiffer on it and just knock the dust off it.
The profit margins on the jobs they get are, no doubt, only slightly above the rates they charge for house cleaning. With 10+ people working for them, they can make decent money… but they have to deal with constant employee turnover and “babysitting” of employees.
I occasionally compete with these companies when bidding jobs. The homowner tells me that I am twice the price as the other people they got bids from. When I am twice the price, I know that I am up againts “cleaning companies” instead of “window cleaning companies.” If all they care about is price, I tell the customer to go with the cheapest. I don’t even want the job.
I want all the jobs that the cleaning companies can’t do. Hard to access windows, old divided windows with storms (cleaning companies hate these jobs and won’t even do them), houses with vaulted ceilings that require inside ladder work. The harder it is the less competition there is and the more $ I will make because I’ve got the hard jobs down to science.
At my rate of growth, next season I may have to add employees to handle the work load but I will have to be very selective in who I hire. I can’t expand as fast as the cleaning companies because I can’t have just anyone do what I do. I don’t like babysitting so I will have to pay better wages to get a higher quality employee.
You can make a ton of money with 20 employees cleaning medium sized houses with microfibers and sprayaway. I’m not dissing it. However, your real job will be supervising people, hiring people, and handling customer complaints / resolving issues.
I’m more interested in creating a high-end company with around 10 people who are supremely capable who I will be confident can handle any job. I will have to spend much more $$$ on the best equipment, and it will take a lot longer to grow my company because I will have to find the right people and clients.
There’s no right answer. It’s all in what kind of company you want to run.
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What are you saying is true. The regular house cleaning companies create add ons. They don’t invest in quality equipment for window cleaning. In my experience window cleaning companies earn much more than maid services.
I’m currently have a residential and commercial cleaning service with 2 employees. I’m creating my plan B that is window cleaning company. Eventually my plan B is going to be much better than my plan A.
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The only reason I have the moment to post a comment during the day is because of employees in the field 
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[MENTION=36471]anyhousecleaning[/MENTION]
“Eventually my plan B is going to be much better than my plan A.”
If you are a schemer / planner, you are in the right place 
I have done custodial work, carpet cleaning and some residential house cleaning. Residential housecleaning is backbreaking work that is often very underappreciated. I have had a few window cleaning jobs where the homowner was totally pleasant with me but awful to the housecleaner who seemed to be doing a good job.
I think with a waterfed pole on the outside and squeegee & mop on the inside, you’ll be leaving the other “cleaning companies” in the dust.
I think the trick to happy customers is happy workers. Make it easy for your workers to do their jobs. Small things make a difference. If you are having women employees do the work, you may want to think about keeping everything as light as possible (this applies to all workers but especially smaller folks). Even the difference in weight between a steccone aluminum squeegee and a heavy brass one will add up and effect how much work your employees can do day in and day out.
Even with a waterfed pole, you’ll want at least a folding combination ladder for vaulted ceilings and high inside windows (they’re good for cleaning chandeliers too) the little giant ladders are the lightest of the combination ladders. You can also use them for high dusting. Glad I saved a backpack vacuum from my custodial days.
Good luck with plan B. You picked the right place for getting the information you need to make it a success.
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in my opinion , you should start to employ when you sense you are getting burnout and not before . At that point dont delay or you risk everything due to fatigue . start with a parttimer ,then 2 parttimers rather than 1 fulltimer. having 2 workers means you wont risk employing a fulltime deadbeat who could seriously undermine your authority. its far easier to spot [and get rid of ] a skilled underhand deadbeat when you employ 2 people rather than 1 .
be fair with anybody you employ but make sure they pull their weight and no excuses .
You will have a period of uncertainty when you first employ,where you might be short of work for the 2 of you. make this new employee part of a serious effort programme to find fresh work by leafletting . you must make sure the new employee knows he/she is sure of a proper regular wage they are safe in their job [or they will quit ]
Are you a team builder kinda guy? Have people listened to you and followed your suggestions your whole life? Do you have an air of authority about you? Are you the guy people have always turned to for leadership at work? If not building a business with people working for you may be difficult.
Motivating people to work who don’t really want to work is a skill most people do not possess, that’s why most people are not the boss. It’ll be about motivating people not cleaning moving forward. Cleaning is the easy part, real easy.
[MENTION=4338]CapeCodCleaner[/MENTION]
"If you are a schemer / planner, you are in the right place "
Thank you for your advise.
For me is better to work with smart tools. I like to invest in good tools. I just upgrade my pole to carbon fiber. I’m waiting for my pure water system. I didn’t decide yet which one. I need one that is compact, easy to use, reliable because I’m not a handy person and I’m always busy. I was thinking in wash it pro.
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The easiest way to use pure water would be to use a DI tank. If you’re not using your system everyday for hours on end it’s the best route, especially to start out.
For a small investment you can have a DI tank, put the tap water in one end/pole at the other. Boom ready to go and so easy to use. It’s small enough to fit in a small vehicle, but gets the job done very well.
I only use a DI tank, my TDS ranges from 45-800 depending on where I work. I use it a couple days a week on residential jobs. I use an aquatap as my on/off to conserve water that way I get more out of my DI tank.
I would suggest the reach-it mini, which I think also comes with a free DI tank right now. Good residential pole and you’re all set up to clean windows right away. Just order some extra resin so you have it on hand when the time comes to change it out.
Mike Radzik
Pro Window Cleaning
Central Massachusetts
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I already order my reach mini and yes it will come with a small di. My tds here change too between 150-300. I will use it at least three times a week bc I do post remodeling and they request Windows too. I have been reading postings before and I read that if you have tds more than 100 you also need a RO.
I wish than the mini di that comes with reach it pole help me ( I’m not sure)
It is very important for me to have the right equipment so any advice will be more than appreciate it guys.
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You don’t need an RO, it helps make your DI resin last longer… Unless I start using my WFP all day everyday on huge jobs I don’t think I’ll switch to an RO/DI system
Mike Radzik
Pro Window Cleaning
Central Massachusetts
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I’ve made more money every year for the last seven years working solo.
