Window Cleaning

[andy-hughes]

I know that window cleaners buy a 'round' - an area where they inherit customers over a given area of roads and streets.

How is the value of such a 'round' calculated? Is it worth a hundred pounds, or a thousand? Who sets the rate, and how does a new operative know if the price is fair or not?

And once estbalished, what's to stop anyone else simply knocking on doors and offering to clean the windows for less money - and take over the 'round'?

Any information gratefully received.

[ToraToraTora]

that may once have been the case but these days I see little evidence of a "round" in the sense you mean. Random guys show up now and again, I doubt they bought a "round" off anyone.

[alavahalf]

Rounds are a thing of the past .. . this guy is possibly the most successful window cleaner in the UK.
'Straight from the horses mouth' .

https://youtu.be/-AjYlZ9191I

[riptide]

Our window cleaner sold part of his round to someone else, trouble is they never turned up. Now looking for a new window cleaner.

[woofgang]

my bloke didn't buy his round, he came around leaving leaflets. He's a nice bloke, very reliable and does gutter clearing and minor repairs as well.

[alavahalf]

It's so simple .. turn up when you say you will, do a good job, charge more than the rest and never take cash.
( Get every customer to pay by DD)..

[TonyV]

Our window cleaner inherited his business and round from his father. Hasn't put the price up in 10 years, always gets tea and biscuits. He does ours once a month, when he does the rest of the street.

[Buenchico]

As others have said, some window cleaners who're new to an area (and possibly don't mind if business is a bit slow to start with) simply blitz the area with leaflets and these days, no doubt, advertise through social media as well. So not all rounds are traded.

However if you want some rough guidance as to how the price of a round might be calculated, see here:
https://www.windowcleaningroundforsale.co.uk/buysellround.php
and/or here
https://www.cleaning-matters.co.uk/page_616929.asp

[Gizmonster]

I can assure you that "rounds" are still going strong, as long as they are worked regularly :)

As for pricing, it pretty much is a case of "how long's a piece of string?"
To give you a rough idea, I paid £3500 for a round over 20 years ago that earned approx £330 per clean, once a fortnight.
Another round I bought approx 20 years ago, earned approx £320 per clean once a month and I paid £1000 for it. I sold 3/4 of this work approx 15 years later .... it earned approx £1050 per clean per month and I sold it for £6500.
The above just shows how varied the pricing can be.

With regards to people knocking on customers' doors, once you've been established and a the customers get to know and trust you, these people usually get told to sod off. A few years ago I had a guy knocking on one of my rounds, offering to clean houses for 50p less than whatever the current window cleaner was charging. I think he manged to get 4 houses - all houses that I sacked because they were bad payers, etc. Needless to say he didn't last long :)

Any further questions - feel free to ask :)

[Barmaid]

I don't think there are rounds around here (small rural hamlet). We had one guy who was quite unreliable and irregular. My neighbour had another guy who was equally as bad. Two doors down they had a different bad one. We have now moved (only a few hundred yards) so I'm looking for a new one which ought to be none of the above!

But I do not think there is anything to stop a new outfit moving in on an established "round". I would guess that it is convention that not every one sticks to.

[woofgang]

yes Giz, I know and trust the man who does mine. I have no idea whether his price is reasonable or not. He is kind and reliable and that is what matters

[tamborine]

Just checked my wcleaner travels 113miles to do my house (18 windows in 30mins) @ £30 monthly cash,with dbl bonus at xmas; he does other local props.