Today I cleaned a couple of storefronts that were right next door to each other. Without taking a break or anything they took me three hours. I’m worried that it’s going to take a seriously long time to finish them every time I do them. It is the first time I’ve clean both of them on the one that only wanted the lower windows was much quicker and not as dirty. Can anyone tell me if it’s a store you’ve cleaned in the past do you get much quicker if it’s clean or do you not typically get THAT much faster?
Yes you get faster. The more you do this job, the more you build up your muscle memory so you do things on instinct. You’ll learn how to wash faster, develop a better technique, be it straight pul or fanning.
It’s called experience which you only get by sticking at it and building your craft.
Keep building your round and you’ll get quicker.
Inside and out… Maybe an hour depending on what’s inside. Outside only maybe 20-30 minutes.
It’s about having the technique with your tools and knowing how to use the pole. It takes a new person anywhere from 30-90 days to matter storefront pole.
Like Giles said, you’ll get faster as you practice. When I worked for a company the owners had me wash their house windows I don’t even know how many times before I hit the store fronts. I was slower than a snail in January, I promise. I’m not that fastest guy around now, but I was able to get a large medical office done with a good amount of weird obstacles to overcome with a ladder in about 3 and a half hours. Just keep with it and keep practicing your technique, it will come.
Guys, I know I’ll get faster as time comes on. That’s not what I’m asking. I’m asking if the time it takes you to finish a store is different between the first day you do it and it hasn’t been done in a year or at least several months and, say, you’re fifth month. Not off memory or experience, but off of the windows being less dirty. Does that happen any noticeable amount? How much?
The cleaner they are already the easier or faster they will be to clean them. Of course at some point you will peak out at a time without compromising your quality of work. As someone new as it was in my case, I didn’t even worry about time, I worried about the quality of work I was providing, period. Time will come with experience and keeping the windows up on a regular basis. To this day I worry more about getting the job done right and a happy customer then time. Although time still plays a part just not my top priority. With quality work will come referrals, I haven’t advertised in over 20 years, just this year got a website and on google. Quality work pays and if your fast it really pays, lol!
So far I’ll say I will say I think my work has been crap. I mean it sucks, but my clients all love it. I did three jobs today and everyone of them loved the job I did. One asked me to expand it and do the inside next time and one was an inside job for an outside I did over a week ago.
I counted 26 windows between the two locations. That would put me at about an hour inside and out both locations. But again, it depends on what the inside looks like, whether there’s anything impeding me, etc.
I never use a ladder on storefront work, it’s always pole work. If a commercial/storefront job requires a ladder, I charge for it. It usually takes a while of eating and sleeping with that pole to get really comfortable. Swivel tools like the wagtail or moerman make really quick work of transoms.
I would also achieve the same time as @JaredAI and @SimplyCleanKentucky
BUT that is with NO impediments on the inside sometimes with moving displays and stuff u can easily double/triple your inside times if required to move and replace intricate displays.
But with no restrictions it will only take one hour (inside and out) for both stores which is why an experienced window cleaner can achieve closer to 150/hr and a novice 50/hr or an experienced windy can work at 100/hr and be more competitive than a novice.
In regards to your initial question;
YES they definitely get faster the cleaner they are, especially if the initial clean was heavy build up you should be able to cut your time by at least 1/3.
Even experienced window cleaners move slower on really dirty glass otherwise you will spend a lot of time detailing and going back over areas missed when you don’t scrub hard enough due to moving to fast.
Yes definitely. Not only does the glass become ‘easier’ to clean cos there’s less dirt but some glass ( I don’t know why) almost becomes faster to clean because it’s somehow shinier/glossy and thus cleans up quicker. You’ll also find that if it’s becomes a regular clean there will be a certain routine that’ll make it quicker.
Eg. I do a hotel every month. When I started it took ages to do because a) it had never been cleaned for years; b) I was new and c) I hadn’t found the routine. Today I was in and done under 2 hours because I know which ladder to use where ( I use an A frame and a small step ladder), I know where the cleaners are and avoid being in their way. I know exactly where to go next as I start a set of windows as there are multiple rooms/kitchen/bar/dining areas. When I’m nearly finished I can tell if my timing is good or not as the mechanics across the road stop for morning coffee at 10am and walk to the shop next door, which is about 15 minutes from my finish time.
So yes you should get faster not only in technique but in the process of doing the job that is unique to that client.
Reanna and I cleaned the exterior of this in 8 min today. I timed it lol. Like to see us beat our previous times.
I dont think this is a record or anything. You will get faster. A huge part of time saving is muscle memory, and it takes time to build this. You wont have to even think about what your doing. Another is working in consecutive order. For example Ill clean all 6 large bottom panes on the left and then put my tools away and detail and then do ledges. Not 1 at a time. Then doors and so on. Also another huge time saver is cleaning with both hands . Once you get this technique down you will be able to dramatically move quicker on these jobs.
We would play games and challenge ourselves to cut our time each visit. As Luke said the muscle memory and a system works to your advantage. Every time I had a new helper it slowed everything down because of the routine
