Ready to Jump in Head First but I Need Some Help!

I want to control my own destiny and I KNOW that if I put my mind to something, I can do it. I've been doing a lot of reading on this forum and I'm enthusiastic about the opportunity to get out there and making it happen for myself.

I have $400 to start out with.

I'd like to lay out my plan and
I appreciate feedback and constructive criticism.


From the reading I've done I feel like the best way to start is the old fashioned way of going door to door offering my services. My first call for help is: I'd like to target neighborhoods as strategically as possible. My thinking is to find out what type of homes are a window cleaner's "bread and butter" or "money makers" if that makes any sense. For example, "Home's in the X,000 sq ft range seem to bring me my most business" or however you can put it best.

Also, I'd like to come off as professional as possible to potential customers so I've thought about creating a laminated flyer with some well written copy that helps me come off as a legitimate business. If a customer were to ask me if they could have a copy of the flyer, instead I can give them my business card with a link to my website that has the same copy as my flyer. Does this sound like a good idea? Do you see any improvements I can make to this idea?

Last, I'd like to begin by offering both window and gutter cleaning but do I have the funds? The $400 is all I have to buy tools so I'd like to try and make the most of my initial investment. I'm going to type up a list of tools I want to start out with so I can get some feedback on that too.

Thanks for the time and I appreciate all responses!

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I know your trying to be nice...

but shut your pie hole.

Backstory time. Thursday and Friday I was up at cleaning at 6am for a chain of restaurants that are owned by one family. People think these places are franchises, but they're not. So when the owner decides he wants to visit, ALL the managers clean from the lowest corner to the highest ledge getting their places ready for inspection. Some managers only got like 8 hours sleep all last week because they were cleaning. Other managers from texas, colorado, and california flew in to help out. It's a Big Deal.

I rearranged my schedule and went in early thursday and friday and pretty much only cleaned these places. A 45 minute job became 3 hours. Windows, sills, awnings, the frames under the awnings, high ledges, etc. So when a customer says "Oh, it's supposed to rain today." Yeah, shut your pie hole. Then another customer says "You're fighting a losing battle (with the incoming rain)" yeah, shut your pie hole. I'm tired, cranky and you really don't have a clue why I'm here cleaning and yes I know it's going to rain and I know your trying to be friendly, but please, shut your pie hole.

Of course, I didn't say that to my customer's customers but it was harder and harder to not say anything the longer I was busting it.

Have any of you guys been so worn that you actually said something to a passerby?

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Anyone use an arborist ladder for windows?

I was looking at these, and noticed they could be useful for window cleaning. Anyone do this?

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Hello From Las Vegas

Hello everyone at WCR . I just started a new window cleaning service in Las Vegas and I just wanted to say Hi and thank you for all the valuable information available here .

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Resin/DI question

2 questions.

1 - What's the lowest temperature ya'll have used your DI tanks in?
2 - What price do ya'll pay for resin?


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Ladder as part of a supply quote on a big commercial job.

If you have a huge job with windows above stairs etc. (commercial-office), is it appropriate to add a $300 LG multi-ladder to the "supplies-quote"? I think it crosses my boundaries of integrity because it works it's way into a bit of greed, but if the job was $3k+ before supplies and requires a bucket lift, I don't think a ladder would be... not sure. It doesn't stay at the property, my guess is that it can't be part of the supply list.

WFP for exterior is next. I just prefer traditional on first cleans.

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How long did you work for a company before you cast off on your own?

I'm second season in, and learned while working for a reputable company for 5 months. I told the owner that I was interested in starting on my own, but will put in good, hard work while I was there. I started with CCU's and weird cut-up jobs. I think the dude just wanted me to give up. I pushed through, and became a supervisor in a month while getting my own work on the side. I find everything much easier now than when I went through this "hell-week" process of WC boot-camp.

How long did you all work for a company before starting off on your own?

I also want to hear about those of you who started without experience, and some stories that came from those learning days!

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