Closing business

I’m thinking of closing business. I am getting jobs, but I am completely frightened of heights. I try and try, but just can’t do it. I can’t afford waterfed pole, so that’s out of the question, but I’ve run into situations where if I had water fed pole, I wouldn’t be able to use it anyway. I just wanted to thank everyone for all your advice on my past threads, seems like the window cleaning community is tight and wants to help others. I need to find my passion, which window cleaning unfortunately is not. Good money, but money doesn’t drive me if I hate what I’m doing.

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Can you do something on the ground level? Residential/Storefronts
How long have you been doing this?

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I’ve been doing it since January. I guess I could stick to storefronts /restaurants, and ranch homes. I was hoping to just stick with residential, but I just can’t do these 2 and 3 story homes.

It’s a long ruff road that’s definately not for everyone. At least ya gave it a shot.

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Sorry to hear that, Steve. I agree, though: good money isn’t worth spending your time doing something you hate. Especially if you’re​ uncomfortable with ladders, this may not be for you.

I will mention, however, that a friend of mine has been in business for 15 years and never ever climbs a ladder, so it can be done. And he wouldn’t even know what a wfp is.

Regardless, sorry to see you go. Good luck on whatever road you travel next.

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How many jobs do you get where you have 2 or 3 stories? I’ve had one in a year plus now. I didn’t take them at first because of my lack of a ladder. Now i just prefer not to. Storefront can definitely pay the bills. Good luck.

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So do you know your market area well? Around here we definitely have areas / subdivisions
where there are little to no 2nd story homes. Could be a way to go if you want to stick with residential.

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I’m curious, is it just the heights that you hate or you don’t like cleaning Windows?

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I was about to ask that as well.I’ve never heard of someone becoming a window washer that didn’t want to get on a ladder it seems pointless.is it just a fear of heights or is it reaching from the ladder?I understand there are ground level jobs and there is window cleaners who only do store fronts and single level only but it may be just me here but would think ladders and heights are pretty much part if the window cleaning game and I would think a requirement

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when i first started i got ladder fright. i was only about 2 weeks in and i was up my ladder and looked down to talk to an old man-he was discussing how in WW2 his plane had splat landed at night into a forest because there had been some mix up with its altimeter. it was flying 1000feet too low but they did not know it - some died as he explained the awful night. the guy in the control tower who had fucked up the alitmeter settings was quietly shipped off somewhere else. flying for my man resumed only a day or 2 later it was insisted on after a crash situation
from then on i really was scared ,each day i clawed my way up the ladder, hated the job. sometimes i froze for a second or 2 ,sure i was about to fall off

day after day this was how it was… i continued on . but suddenly,one day 3 months later i was ok. i could look down and talk to anyone . yahey id done it! i was over my fear

ladder fear or fear of working at height is more common than you think. the way over it is to get on doing lots and lots of ladderwork.

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A wfp set up could be very affordable. A aluminum pole and a di tank. Thats just about it and youre on your way, of course down the road you will want to upgrade but this will get 2nd story windows . With some quality info on how to use it i dont see why you wouldnt be able to get almost any job done with it. Storefronts and commercial are extremely under rated …id keep at them if it was me. Either way i wish you the best of luck.

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Hire employees to climb the ladders. You would be surprised how many owners of large companies in this industry have never climbed ladders or been on a roof

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Hire @Kyle to climb the ladders :face_with_head_bandage:

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Watching new hires climb ladders and roofs is always hilarious. Had one yesterday that looked like he was about to crawl on a roof and when we went to climb back inside through a window he about went head first lol.

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I have always had a fear of heights. Just something some people have and others it doesn’t seem to bother.

I had a job building pool enclosures and rescreening them for a while. I hated that job - mostly because the foreman was a complete racist idiot, but also because doing those enclosures meant I had to put myself in precarious positions up high.

When I started my window cleaning business I chose homes that were single story and easy reach with a short ladder. I needed to pay the bills and this was my chosen profession, so I started to manage my fear of heights by identifying when the fear happened - it happened when I looked down; problem solved (mostly) just don’t look down! I know, sounds too simple, but most things stemmed in fear are mind over matter. I set my ladder being sure it is stable and safely placed, I then ascend the ladder up to my work area which is only arms reach with no stretching - THAT is my work area; anything else requires a new safe ladder placement. I clean the window in THAT work area and only look down to assure foot placement on the ladder rung occasionally (NOT BEYOND THAT) and mostly just look ahead and reverse step down the ladder - who can’t do that without looking down? Each rung is just one foot apart below or above each other. Climbing is the same way, look up to your work area or ahead and one foot above the other. Soon fear of heights is a non issue because you are not feeding into it AND you are focused on ladder safety. You do know ladder safety, right? I now do up to third floor windows (reluctantly) but I know how to safely do that; more often than not I just try not to get those jobs. I end up with 2 or 3 a year and NEVER ones that have any difficulty in reaching the window. It has to be a straight shot easy reach from one ladder placement per window. Been doing this for going on 9 years now.

I guess I typed all of that to say this - if you want to make this a successful business venture then adapt yourself to what it takes to be successful; Use Google, OSHA, and Keyword Search. With the internet there is tons of information on everything you need. There is also tons of misinformation. Worth repeating! There is also tons of misinformation. Identify which is which and focus what works.

If it is a matter of this business is just not for you, then props for giving it a chance, now go find something that does suit you and your financial needs. Some people can make a killing doing power washing (from the ground), furniture building, dog obedience training, boat building, truck driving, IT technology, landscape designer…The opportunities out there are endless. If you can think of it and it provides a want or need for someone willing to pay for it, then you are in. Best of luck to you.

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Oh man, don’t close up shop! Restructure your approach and stick to storefront work! Hit the restaurants and car dealerships, heck even some commercial complexes are one floor buildings you could be hitting!

Storefront is great work, I wish I had more of it these days. You could always clean windows part time, work a 2-11pm shift full time somewhere. I bet you could get a nice and cheap insurance policy if you’re not up on ladders and going into residential properties.

I started my storefront route work with $100 (barely) and a crappy two door cavalier.

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My issue is more looking up, looking down sucks, but not as bad as looking up. I will not climb to the top 3 rungs of the ladder like I’ve seen on a lot of window cleaning videos, just seems extremely unsafe. I have a fear of falling off the roof, I’ve gotten on, and hold onto the window sill, along with almost having panic attacks. I don’t want to reach above to clean, I’m afraid of losing my balance, or the ladder tipping back or slipping out. I’ve fit many quadraplegics, paraplegics, and traumatic brain injuries for wheelchairs at my last job who received their injuries from ladder falls, so you can understand why this might scare the he’ll out of me. I do enjoy doing the work, I know I won’t make a killing like those who do upper floors, maybe I will stick with it for a while trying to gain commercial accounts, and single story homes for now. Eventually, when I can afford it, I will get a water fed pole.

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Sorry to hear this. Maybe do as others suggested. Just stick to single story homes and storefronts if you aren’t into ladder work. I personally I have never had a problem claiming ladders and working off of them. Guess its just from being in the construction industry for so long.

We all have limits and get to choose what is acceptable. Nothing beyond second floor, and no roof walking are my limits. That leaves an absolute ton of glass to clean, and there is plenty for you too, if you like the work.

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If you are not going up the ladders thats fine. Why not become the best window cleaner with a pole.

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