window cleaners (merged threads)

windowstuart

The_Shiner wrote:

Stuart. I haven't been able to verify it but apparently the HSE have given the window cleaning industry until April 2007 to comply with the law change of April 2005. The exception to this are new startups who have to go straight in with the pole.

lots of people have said that (usually window cleaners who are still using ladders!). the regs have been in place since April 2005, and they apply to EVERYONE!
HSE has already been fining window cleaners for using ladders. one of the 1st cost him £3000 in fines, and £3500 in costs! others have been prosecuted too, so it obviuosly applies

Tosh1

Window cleaners are a rip off though!

Round here they charge £8.50 to £10 for an average semi-detached house.

I reckon they can do three of them an hour at least and that works out to over £25 an hour - for one person - with very little overheads. It's a mainly cash business too, so I bet the minimum gets declared to the tax man.

Just over the road from me, while waiting for the kids to come out of school, I saw two window cleaners flying round a row of terraced houses; a male and female window cleaning couple. Within fifteen minutes they'd cleaned two of them and they charge £7.00 per small terraced house. That's over £50 per hour shared between them.

Anyway, that's why I do my own windows, when my Missis forces me to do them.

PS.

I'm a window cleaner that works with my missis; it's a great job.

mistresslenore

I pay £3 for 2 front windows in an upstairs maisonnette in Birmingham

bonvonnie

we got 12 windows, and double patio doors, he comes every 2 weeks, and costs £3.50. BARGIN!!

The_Bargain_Hunters

We have a window cleaner who comes around once a month, I thought £6.50 was a lot but spoke to my neighbour, who has a smaller conservetory than us, he charges her a pound more! - Work that one out - she is a stuning size 10 blonde and I am - lets say a little larger (Fat) brunette!:rotfl:

mrs_bouquet_3

my windowcleaner sold up and another chapie came round, he was full of himself,he said they were going up by £1.00 and he will not be using a ladder but a big pole it just looked like a toilet brush, there was water every were he must of used a bath full of water,well i said if thats the best you can do for a fiver, we have a detached house you know with a garage,ill get my berte to clean them with our toilet brush,so i told him not to come on my property agin ill get my berte to clean them,and i had a word with next door, they to are going to make mr windowcleaner redundant .:T

windowstuart

mrs_bouquet wrote:

my windowcleaner sold up and another chapie came round, he was full of himself,he said they were going up by £1.00 and he will not be using a ladder but a big pole it just looked like a toilet brush, there was water every were he must of used a bath full of water,well i said if thats the best you can do for a fiver, we have a detached house you know with a garage,ill get my berte to clean them with our toilet brush,so i told him not to come on my property agin ill get my berte to clean them,and i had a word with next door, they to are going to make mr windowcleaner redundant .:T

most would class you as a oldie who's scared of change!!! these new systems are the only way to clean windows whilst conforming to new laws by the government that ban un-necessary use of ladders! if your harold uses ladders, who could be liable to prosecution and a nasty injury (lets hope that NEVER happens!)

put it this way...give it 3 months, your husband norman will be sick of cleaning windows, if he's even managed to get around to doing them, and you'll want a window cleaner...which you wont be able to get because you sacked him for making your life simpler and safer.

its ashame us window cleaners have to put up with sad customers who don't like change, but its a part of the job. you are in the minority (i havent lost any customers when i changed to the `giant toilet brush', in fact i gained some!) and world progress will carry on without you!!!

p.s...he actually uses less than a bucket of water...it just looks like lots. and who cares...ITS WATER...IT DRYS!!!

chubster

£13 for a five bed detached in Cornwall though cleaner refuses to do some windows as they are too difficult to get to. Thought that was quite expensive, looking at everyone else's prices think I am overpaying!

BobProperty

http://www.pilkingtonselfcleaningglass.co.uk/howitworks

Annie_pips

4.50 for a three bedroom semi with big bay window and large conservatory. He does them twice a month. I know when he's done them 'cos the marks have gone from the patio doors where our puppy licks them! Seriously - he does a good job and I think it's more than a fair price to pay, saves me doing them anyway.