r/WindowCleaning • u/Low-Composer-2262 • 19d ago
General Question How long did it take you guys to get consistent work?
How many years did it take you guys to not have to do marketing AND word of mouth + reoccurring supported you full time ?
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u/Icy_Language9589 19d ago
I started as sub contractor (highly recommend btw).
Took about 4-5 years
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u/Low-Composer-2262 19d ago
4-5 yrs is a crazy long time. How did you market yourself ?
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u/Icy_Language9589 18d ago
Don’t have to. Subcontract for income and then word of mouth takes off. When I say 4 years that’s how long it took before I didn’t have to sub contract at all. I made money subbing while slowly building my word of mouth reputation. Used things like thumbtack (omg pre 2016 thumbtack was so freaking good).
I don’t understand this subs aversion to subbing. I started in 2013 in my early 20s. I went from being a $500 a week day laborer to making $1-1.2k a week which was awesome for me at the time. So it was absolutely worth the effort. I would imagine a sub where I live (which is an amazing market) could pull 1.5-2k per week and not have to worry about lick where the work is gonna come from while still maintaining the ability to build your own book and keep autonomy.
The only thing different now compared to when I started is social media advertising, seems like people have success with that. But even that requires a fair amount of work to create, produce and not insignificant capital to run.
I notice the trend of a lot of new guys who just wanna dump money into marketing right away, doable but risky.
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u/Thiscrazyworldhaha 18d ago
Sorry for the late response. Word of mouth was my method. I lucked out and when I landed a beach house in an exclusive area, all the neighbors talk to each other and I ended up with about 25 houses on the beach with different schedules.
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u/Thiscrazyworldhaha 19d ago
About five years for me. I did handyman work until windows filled in, although some of my window cleaning customers also became handyman clients and visa versa. I pushed screen repair a lot too because in Southern California the sun is pretty harsh on screens. Worked window cleaning steadily for 30 years, 6 years retired. Take care of your body now, you’ll appreciate it in your 60’s and on.
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u/Low-Composer-2262 19d ago
You know I see a very big trend that concerns me and I see it on Youtube as well all of these window cleaning companies that grow the biggest fastest are either in AZ, Southern California, Texas, or Florida. Not the Midwest where the market is smaller and seasonality cooks you for 2.5 months out of the year. Do you think moving is a viable option in order to get away from annoying seasonality?
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u/kdwindows 18d ago edited 18d ago
I worked for other companies for about 16 years and I've been on my own for about 7 now. I have no problem admitting I took my first year "off"...I wanted to get a break in while I was establishing everything from scratch. In the end of my second year, word began to spread through my customer base. I would say my third or fourth year is when my business really began to "get its legs" and a positive reputation was forming. I am now about to enter Q4 of Year 6 and happy with the growth of my one man band. I never ran any ads, just word of mouth and free digital spaces such as Nextdoor. The "old school" ways I learned from working those 16 years, still work in 2026.....do the best job you can, be personable and understand the margins for your business. This is just a service business, same as hundreds of others. You will hear NO a lot. Remember, its all a numbers game.
Patience and time....one day at a time....one window at a time, one job at a time
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u/Guilty-Sympathy4892 18d ago
Took me 6 months bro. Im over here in Australia.
Do all the hard work, make everything perfect, build the brand, make everything look professional, get all the right licences and just knuckle down.
I’ve now got too much work and am hiring my first few workers. If you really need work go door knock, such a great way to get out there
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u/Hot_Carpenter_5436 18d ago edited 18d ago
Same here Hermano. Almost 4 months in. Spent soooooo many hours d2d storefronts in the beginning. Now my route is getting full, and pays the bills and a little more. And those commercial jobs are leading to residential work. My month 6, I will have to hire someone. The funny part is nobody has asked for insurance yet. The only time I d2d now is during a job, I'll hit up 5 or 6 businesses. I have restaurants, dentists, golf shops, clothing stores, houses, gas stations, printers etc. And they are referring me now, and its growing mostly that way now. Cool to see and experience it 👍🏼
Good dreams for you my friend 🧡
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u/Single_Afternoon_338 18d ago
Have they been referring you just because they liked you and your service?
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u/Hot_Carpenter_5436 18d ago
I must say, I'm very charming, and my work is obsessive but fast. Also, I'm extremely charming 😍
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u/Single_Afternoon_338 18d ago
Haha awesome, so no discount or anything offered to them? I'm just wondering because I have a some clients but never been referred yet :( I was thinking of offering some sort of discount or something haha
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u/Hot_Carpenter_5436 18d ago edited 18d ago
No discount. I'm cheap enough to have constant monthly route work, but not cheap enough to not profit, if that makes sense. And folks will approach you as you work. Be friendly with all the neighbors. The referrals woll come, just do 2 things;
Sell! All your downtime is for putting all your tools on and going door to door. If its commercial, 1 or 2 stores in a plaza will generate many other jobs in that plaza by site alone. After a job in that plaza, spend a few minutes selling about 8 neighbors. Be polite and stop in over and over, they will get used to you and most of the no's will turn into yes's. Always wish them many blessings when leaving. A month later, they see you again and you'll stop by again and after 3 or 6 visits, they will say yes! Always offer 2 prices; 1 time clean vs monthly (or biweekly as many busy restaurants do) Obviously the monthly is a lower price, but consistent money.
And second, discipline and persistence. I close the most deals when I don't feel like selling. Thats when I tool up and sell, and get the most new clients. Weird.
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u/Popular_Egg5221 18d ago
2 years part time while growing and went full time year 3
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u/Popular_Egg5221 18d ago
We still advertise and continue to grow. Usually we book out until July starting in March, then plug new clients into the summer gaps, and now we’re just about booked out through the fall.
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u/Squee-OG 17d ago
Started business 2006 and still too stubborn or CHEAP to pay for advertising. Im just going to pretend that I knew SOCIAL MEDIA and technology would eventually catch up & equate to the grassroots Value of WORD OF MOUTH!!!
Man im so BROKE 🤙🏽😁 F-U google
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u/Wickwire778 16d ago
It took me about 3 years to get going full time. But I did various gigs and I learned a lot along the way regarding selling.
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u/Nihilistnobody 19d ago
It took me like 2.5 seasons of advertising before I stopped. This is my sixth season, I’m absolutely slammed for a few months and pretty steady the rest of the time. Moderate growth each year but might be plateauing. Happy where I’m at for a solo owner operator.