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Window cleaning business viable ?

mondeo

I have a cousin who is only 19 and he wants to start a window cleaning business. Is it realistic to buy a small van and drive around knocking on doors these days offering this sort of service ? Would be profitable ?

Any opinions would be good thanks.

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callaway92

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058240538/window-cleaning-business-viable

In my eyes, there's only one thought I have in my head when someone comes asking to clean my windows/gutters....

I think to make it viable, make sure he has an actual website and social media with good examples of work done on them

To say if it's going to be profitable, it's up to him how much he needs to charge to make it viable. Market Research etc. would tell how much people would pay.

Moving on from doing one-off houses etc, try to get in contact with potentially Property Management companies to see if there'd be interest in taking him on on a larger scale.

phormium

I think driving around is pointless, everything seems to be on SM these days, on my local town FB page lots of people advertise these sorts of services and also the question is often asked 'who does x/y/z' and then names are recommended. Plus not a hope I'd hire someone that appeared at my door even if I wanted the service!

For example if I wanted chimney cleaning in the morning I'd do a search of the local page to see who was recommended before, most people though I think don't bother searching they just stick up another post but either way the names get out there, a FB page would do these days, can't see the need for a website, get a few good reviews asap up on the page.

Any of those service type things are busy these days as people in general don't do their own jobs like that anymore, I do but among my friends I would be in the minority although I'm going to call it a day on cleaning the gutters this year and get someone to do it!

coolisin

Is it viable, sure could be.

No1 would be answer a phone get back to people as soon as you can. Next would be soical media and word of mouth in a locality, google reviews build them up.

Im never convinced by the knocking on doors really, seems like you maybe checking the place out.

If you do knock on a a door leave a business card/leaflet and be genuine have a clean van look professional, like a labelled polo shirt or fleece.

Actually got a local person to clean our windows lately from a cold call knock on the door. €40 for ten/twenty mins work cleaned the windows.

They send a text once a month asking should we call around again.

However remember you will need to have the correct insurance and all the assoiciated costs with owning a business.

The Continental Op

Definitely viable I know people who make a wage at it and only work 3 days a week (and no they don't sign on).

One charges in excess of €100 and hour and has more work than he can handle.

exitstageleft

I know of people who do it for businesses in their area. They clean well, every few weeks, and don't charge much. But they are very quick and have all the gear.

Del2005

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058240538/window-cleaning-business-viable

Commercial vehicle insurance for a 19 year old is going make it hard to be viable and a small van won't do as all the commercial window cleaners I see bring their own water. If they are planning on using ladders there is a lot of regulations that need to followed, not many people will allow their walls to be drilled for window cleaners.

mondeo

I'll pass the advice on, he is just a lad who doesn't really know what to do with himself work wise. He doesn't want to work in an office with a boss watching him. I think it's admiral for a young lad at 19 to want to start their own business. No one said it would be easy and yes there is certain types that also do these services that I would prefer not to have lurking around my house to. He is far from a waster and is actually pretty well spoken from a decent background. Just chatting to him you would know straight away he wasn't a chancer or that way inclined. He would just get the job done and wouldn't mess around the place.

Insurance at 19 ye is abit of a killer but it is what it is.

black & white

I'm in a large town in Clare and getting a reliable window cleaner is impossible. There are a few guys doing it, as each has come to do my house, I've asked them to call regularly (every 4-6 weeks or so) all have agreed but then only come when I ring or text. It's a semi and they charge 30/40 yoyos, depending on who it is. Gutters and windows together are 60ish. There's def a bizz here, depends on where your cousin is living.

mondeo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118890452#Comment_118890452

South Dublin is where he is living

NSAman

Window washing in Ireland? Not so sure. It would need to linked to other washing, power washing etc.

Where I am in the States, window washing is easy to start and rather lucrative. just quoted 700 dollars to wash the house, 600 to wash the office.

3DataModem

Getting someone to post to some of the newer estates whatsapp groups is a goldmine.

One company came in to our estate (new, Fingal) and signed up dozens of houses on a 6 week cleaning cycle. They rock up, do the outsides, drop a card in the door to remind payment, and head off. They get so much efficiency for doing houses all on one day in one estate, its reflected in the price.

Tork

Is window cleaning a thing in Ireland? I know a few people in the UK who get their windows washed reasonably regularly but they're not paying a lot of money to have it done.

Would he be open to cleaning gutters as well? From personal experience, it took a while to find somebody reliable to do our gutters.

BailMeOut

Yes if done right and try to focus on local businesses who like their windows cleaned on a schedule so you sell once and you just keep coming back every xx weeks.

Supermarket or local FB notice boards are also good to get business and again try to focus on recurring revenue so maybe with home cleaning sell a monthly or quarterly package where you just keep coming back.

listermint

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118890411#Comment_118890411

Tell him to apply for ESB apprenticeship that's opened in march.

He'd probably make more money delivery food than cleaning windows tbh

Gussie Scrotch

I notice that some of the window cleaners in London no offer cleaning of solar panels too.

Pistachio19

I pay €20 to get my windows cleaned - 10 windows and a patio door. Guy just calls when he's in the area and I pay via revolut which is handy as I never have cash. If he can't get around the back due to locked gate he charges less to do the front/side windows that he can access. He gets a lot of business via word of mouth. If possible have a sign on the van especially if calling door to door - looks more genuine than a plain van.

AlanG

Can be a very good business with a nice income but remember it is not going to make him any more money in the long term, once his time is filled. So he needs to think, would he be happy to be doingit in 10 years when not living at home. It would be best to use it for an income while having another plan.

[Deleted User]

To make a living out of it you need public liability insurance, a card machine, vat registered, and water in your van.

No commercial operation will take you without the above .

going around door to door you might get a bit of work or you might get someone calling the garda and warning everyone on the resident's association Facebook.

If he went around house to house where was he going to get the water from? ask the householder, was he just going to rock up to a house with a ladder and a bucket? I wouldn't let anyone use a ladder on my premises unless they had public liability insurance.

screamer

i can’t believe people pay to have their windows cleaned! Anyways I don’t but I do pay for gutter cleaning and chimney cleaning every year. He might look into that side too. Good luck to him, so many young people who couldn’t be bothered working so fair play to him.

rob316

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118890411#Comment_118890411

If I was 19 again I'd go do a trade. 4 years, loads of side work, go out on your own when qualified or move abroad. A skill in demand across the world. Any spark, chippy or plumber I know is pulling in atleast €60k a year.

listermint

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122456441#Comment_122456441

That's just working for someone else. You can pull in 80 plus working for yourself..

enricoh

Tell him not to think about it n just do it- a fella locally does it with a lance , cleans gutters out etc.

Has a water tank in back of van , booked out for weeks.

sheejo

Cleaning solar panels too would be something he could add on. I think this request is getting popular from what I can see.

[Deleted User]

I have a young man (early 20s) who cleans my windows every 5/6 weeks for a set fee. He has a van with a water tank and all his own equipment on board. As far as I know, he only does windows and uses a pure water cleaning system.

He is very professional and business like, and whatsapps me a reminder a few days before my repeat visit is due.

I found him via his business card, which he left in local shops - in my case, on the counter in my butcher's shop.

I am delighted with the service. Two of my neighbours approached him while he was cleaning my windows, and now I see him doing theirs as well.

[Deleted User]

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122458441#Comment_122458441

That's the way to do it professional and businesses like

, insured their own van, and water.