Where are all the Window Cleaners?

J_Wholesale

I've lived in the same house in Carlow for 5 years. It's in a decent estate near the town centre, populated by young families with kids and older retired couples, all in nice semi-detached houses. In those 5 years, I've only ever had a single person knock on my door offering to clean windows. I work from home, so I'm always here if someone knocks. Most houses around me have someone in during the day.

Seems to me that the old and traditional business of cleaning windows would be ideal for many of those currently out of work. It could be started up for a few Euro - an old car with a roof rack for the ladder, and you're away.

I would genuinely love to know why people are not willing to start these types of businesses. You might not get rich quick, but you could make a good living charging €20-€30 per house, and easily do 10 houses a day. I'd pay it easily every couple of months.

So why are there so few window cleaners? Has this country lost the true entrepreneurial spirit?

ssbob

J_Wholesale wrote: »

I've lived in the same house in Carlow for 5 years. It's in a decent estate near the town centre, populated by young families with kids and older retired couples, all in nice semi-detached houses. In those 5 years, I've only ever had a single person knock on my door offering to clean windows. I work from home, so I'm always here if someone knocks. Most houses around me have someone in during the day.

Seems to me that the old and traditional business of cleaning windows would be ideal for many of those currently out of work. It could be started up for a few Euro - an old car with a roof rack for the ladder, and you're away.

I would genuinely love to know why people are not willing to start these types of businesses. You might not get rich quick, but you could make a good living charging €20-€30 per house, and easily do 10 houses a day. I'd pay it easily every couple of months.

So why are there so few window cleaners? Has this country lost the true entrepreneurial spirit?

Used to do this as a young fella along with cutting grass and cleaning shutes etc, would be a great money spinner for a college student looking to find work during the summer, also if you did this once then people would ring again and again so you would prob only need to call to doors once.

unnameduser

I wouldn't be happy letting someone scale a ladder on my premises unless I knew they had insurance. So there is more to it that getting an old car with a roof rack for the ladder.

That being said there is probably an opening for this type of business.

In my local town there is a guy who has been doing the windows for years. He has a few lads working for him washing windows (primary business premises windows once a week) He swans around the town just collecting the money. That being said, a standard shop front window is only €5.50 a week.

ssbob

unnameduser wrote: »

I wouldn't be happy letting someone scale a ladder on my premises unless I knew they had insurance. So there is more to it that getting an old car with a roof rack for the ladder.

That being said there is probably an opening for this type of business.

In my local town there is a guy who has been doing the windows for years. He has a few lads working for him washing windows (primary business premises windows once a week) He swans around the town just collecting the money. That being said, a standard shop front window is only €5.50 a week.

And do you get your windows washed every week for €5.50? Thats a good deal.

unnameduser

Yes - I too was surprised when I was quoted €5.50! In fairness it does only take a guy 3 mins with the right gear.

kennyb3

I'd say this along with carpet cleaning and a few other areas is one of the first things businesses cut back on once the recession hit - as its sort of 'discretionery spend'.

Hard to make a proper business out of but as you say ideal for a few quid if out of work. A mate of mine did it for a while while trying to get his band off the ground.

Pandora2

Was looking for a window cleaner in Tallaght for 4 years...moving in 2 months and one knocked on my door the other day!! Think there are people out there who have recognised these were jobs that almost disappeared during the Celtic Pussy but still need doing!

mac123

ssbob wrote: »

Used to do this as a young fella along with cutting grass and cleaning shutes etc, would be a great money spinner for a college student looking to find work during the summer, also if you did this once then people would ring again and again so you would prob only need to call to doors once.

Myself and a friend did it during college. We did it all year round. Around Christmas was always busy. We ended up building a fairly steady customer base and didnt have to do door to door anymore after a while.

We did pretty well from it, alot better than we would doing a typical min wage student job!

antoinolachtnai

Working at heights using a ladder is extremely dangerous unless you have the right equipment and skills. It is strongly regulated by the working at heights directive. There will be difficulties insuring this business. I would not engage a window cleaner to work at heights unless he could prove he had proper insurance. It is just too dangerous.

The correct way to clean windows on upper storeys is from the inside, or else using a pole system.

IpreDictDeatH

Silly question this......but were would the window cleaner source the water needed for this from if he/she is to be out in a van or car?

Might look into doing this on my day off for a few extra quid.

Pandora2

It is fairly standard for the householder to be presented with the bucket and to fill it with hot soapy water (I used to add a dash of malt vinegar for shine!).

It must work out!! Never saw a window cleaner stuck for water yet:D and if such a thing happened surely somebody would have come up with a portable tank during the Celtic Pussy!!

In my experience the guy knew if you were at home mid-week or a weekend customer and he wanted to get paid so in his interest to call when you were around..didn't seem like rocket science........he always caught me in!!

scottyboy1973

You know what, I just think that people are feeling battered and bruised and that, if you're out of work, its better (from a benefits perspective) to stay out of work - to me it's a shocking travesty! Be interesting to see what impact these new govt initiatives have?

I've lived in this entrepreneurial country for 12 years now but it just seems like people have given up hope and are less willing to try stuff any more.

It makes me a little mad I have to say when I hear all the giving out - I just want to kick them up the @rse and tell them to give it a go.

OK - rant over! :-) And yes, I firmly believe that there is definitely a market for this - €20-€30 6 times a year - Id pay it (and we do actually). it's a business with almost zero startup costs - a bucket, squeegee, sponge and some elbow grease (and the latter is free!)