I count all travel time hours at my normal rate, since I am paying employees the same rate, whether in transit or on the job. Furthermore, you need to figure a reasonable per diem and overnight hotel rate. I use $75 a night as a basis for hotel cost, and I reimburse my employees $20 each per day for per diem. Furthermore, I reimburse them $.40/mile if they use their own vehicle. All of this goes into my price. I've learned through experience that, for me, all of that usually adds about 30% to a job's raw price on a site 1.5 to 3 hours away. You'll have to watch your travel costs and gain experience over time on how much, on average, they add to your raw cost.

One out of town job, I added my customary amount for hotel nights, per diem, mileage and travel time and it bumped the sum out of reach. Or so I thought - but the customer asked me why my price was so low! You never know.

Evan Pyle
Expert Window Cleaning - Baton Rouge, LA

You can use a rubber bathmat with the little suction cups, and drape a wet terry cloth towel over that to protect marble.

But don't assume an acid is the only answer. Polishing is also an option and much safer than taking unnecessary risks with any acids or other products that could be detrimental or unsuccessful.

Even vinegar is an acid and could pose problems depending on exactly what type of marble.

Also, vinegar or any of the "basic" shower products, Lime-Away, CLR etc. at best will only remove "basic" hard water deposits made up of calcium or magnesium. Where you are located I believe that what exists in this particular shower is not only basic water deposits but also silicates which in most cases require polishing/abrading the substrate to remove.

With silicate deposits you can use hydrofluoric acid, but that is extra hard on the marble, it's dangerous and you have to be sure you don't use it on the "tin" side of any glass.

Craig Aldrich
Sparkle Window Cleaning - Canyon Lake, CA

I would endorse a window cleaning position that does not shy away from the reality of fabricating debris on heat treated glass and how it affects us. It would also be helpful to highlight the fact that this "inherent characteristic" (GANA's terminology) may be greatly minimized at the plant by following known and accepted maintenance procedures. An effective joint bulletin must be truthful on all sides of the issue.

Paul LeGrand
Blue Sky Window Cleaning - Stowe, VT

I'm worried. If you read that announcement carefully you'll realize the IWCA is only hinting about GANA support. GANA members would throw a fit if their association helped produce window cleaners produce a document that challenged GANA own position that "Heat-Treated Glass Surfaces Are Different".

Apparently the IWCA is counting on a few volunteers to take this on, without support of GANA or any other affected parties. Not the building industry (which the IWCA and GANA are currently confronting over glass protection.) Without lawyers, insurance companies, window cleaners, plasters, film applicators, home and building owners, window or door manufacturers. No one with expertise in manufacturing defect issues.

We need to realize there would be a huge downside for window cleaners if IWCA volunteers start something they are unable to finish. Without widespread support from affected parties, we would be powerless keep the powerful glass industry from turning this ASTM into another "Inherent characteristics" document. Losing out on an ASTM standard would be devastating to window cleaners and anyone else who needs to prove fabricating debris is a defect.

Gary Mauer
Window Cleaning Network - Oconomowoc, WI

Anyone who's attended a GANA convention and their seminars will discover GANA is already dialed in with best practices for tempering. I know because that's where I started my education on how to fabricate "Quality" heat-treated glass that does NOT scratch during standard window cleaning (scrapers or not). Then GANA refused to let me renew my membership, so I already know where GANA stands.

But the IWCA continues to think GANA wants to help the window cleaning industry, while GANA continues to suggest "Heat-Treated Glass Surfaces are Different". We need to have enough builders, associations and lawyers get on board for the long haul, and we need to have a "Best Practices for Tempering" standard in place before any glass cleaning guidelines are developed for publication anywhere. Otherwise, the scraper will be banned first.

It's that simple.

Dan Fields
Fields Construction Services Inc. - Livermore, CA

How about you as a manager? Are you a micro-manager, or able to give direction and step away? Will you give your office manager room to make mistakes and grow? What will you do if it clearly isn't working? How will you handle that?

With anybody, you should clearly define what is expected in the position, and give constructive advice along the way. With family it depends on the kind of relationship you have. Are you able to resolve conflicts and still like each other afterward? You will be the C.E.O. as well as D.A.D.?

Paul LeGrand
Blue Sky Window Cleaning - Stowe, VT

She has to be treated professionally as an employee while on the job and her performance expectations need to be clear from the beginning. Also, the most difficult thing is to have to fire a friend/relative/spouse that isn't performing - when you have to make it clear that you love someone as a relative, but perhaps not as an employee.

Ed Samson
Ameri-Clean Commercial, Inc. - Northbrook, IL

The MSDS sheets say that, among other issues ammonia is corrosive to the respiratory system. I used to use ammonia all the time, until one day 25 or 30 years ago I overheard two customers at a fast food restaurant complaining about this awful smell. I apologized for not noticing and asked if it was ammonia. In the course of that conversation another customer jumped in with the same complaint.

So I'm realizing two things at once;

1 - Ammonia bothers normal people - and
2 - What have I done to myself if I can't smell it anymore?

I stopped using ammonia that day. It wasn't long before I could smell it again, but I don't ever want to get used to vapors and odors even in small amounts. I want to be the first to notice.

Gary Mauer
Window Cleaning Network - Oconomowoc, WI

Furthermore, read the MSDS for ammonia. Ammonia can result in possible loss of vision if splashed in the eyes; cause dermal burns, necrosis & scarring. It is corrosive to the respiratory system and is potentially fatal. It has a hazard code of 3 meaning "serious hazard." Contact with certain chemicals can form explosive compounds.

Ed Samson
Ameri-Clean Commercial, Inc. - Northbrook, IL