You who started up in window cleaning, and expanded to pressure washing

Do you prefer pressure washing over window cleaning?

I used to run a window cleaning company several years ago that I sold, then recently started again with window cleaning and pressure washing… But I actually found window cleaning extremely boring at times… Before when I could make a quite decent money doing window cleaning 10 years ago, but I often postponed starting the day and dreaded doing the jobs at times…

Do you enjoy the job better doing pressure washing?

It will all get boring eventually. But yeah, I think I find power washing a little more fun. Maybe the newness just hasn’t worn off completely yet? Double or better profit margins don’t hurt, either.

I can relate to this. I think the physicality and the intensity required to really make it cleaning windows can be mentally overwhelming at times. You’ve gotta wake up with your game face on to have a really good day window cleaning.

Whereas, if I’m not 100% feeling it at the start of a day power washing, the aerobics of moving around a house with the hoses, along with the relative ease of the actual labor, can get me into a better headspace by mid morning.

I think WFP work falls somewhere in-between power washing and trad window cleaning. With all of the outside work I’ve done this year due to Covid, I think I’ve been a lot happier at work overall.

Wish I had never picked up a squeegee.

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Ditto.

I don’t regret window cleaning, it’s been a good career for me but I look back over the years and cringe at some of the things I had to do.

Now that various parts of my body are not happy, I’m so glad I can simply unreel a hose and make $300 in an hour without risking my life on a 28’ ladder.

Oh, and if I hadn’t started PW in 2018 and learned from the guys on here, I’d likely be financially sunk due to lack of WC work with this pandemic. People want them done but outs only jobs are somewhat rare here.

@Infinity…do you ever use belay glasses? Thought about getting a pair.

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@dcbrock you should buy belays, especially if your doing 3rd floor up with wfp. Ive even pulled them out on some 2nd floor work. Around $20 on Amazon. If you don’t like them then you spent 20, but if you do they can help save your neck. Be careful on uneven terrain as they can be a bit disorienting/distracting.

To the OP, I wish I would have been interested sooner in PW. Could have been making more by now, but financially I don’t know if I could have gotten into it sooner. I am glad I found it and I have been a bit board/tired of being tired from window cleaning, so looking forward to something new, and physically easier.

@Infinity, I find wfp is a bit weird. For homes, I feel like its so much easier and faster. Commercial I find it is literally the most physically draining window cleaning I have done. (Also the most profitable, and very mentally boring) I usually space this building out over a week or two, and after I’m done I look like I’ve been on a diet and hitting the gym. :rofl:

Totally. Those huge plates of glass, one after another. I’m kinda glad I’ve only got a couple of larger commercial jobs. I’m broken the next day.

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The only redeeming thing about window cleaing, wfp or otherwise, is the ability to listen to audiobooks and podcasts all day. Lol, I’d be fine if I never cleaned another window in my life…

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Great to hear :slight_smile:

That we like :wink:

Yeah, I also think that in general people are more cautious with HSE these days, even things I did 10 years ago I would not do today.

Great your happy with your situation! :smiley:

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You can not do that while PW? :slight_smile: Yeah I love to listen to something, I go crazy doing work like that without something to listen to…

Same here I started out only doing trad window cleaning, then after 3 years got a waterfed pole and now have almost phased out inside window cleaning. Probably about 20% of my work is window and most of that is outside.

For me the money is better, the work is much easier and I am home by 1:00 most days. The only downside to PW is the cost of the equipment and constantly replacing things.

There are days I make better money window cleaning, a lot better but those are rare, rare. I wish I had started this 20 years ago, my body would thank me. Oh well.

Joe

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Of course you can. I was mentioning that for window cleaning specifically it is the only redeeming factor.