The Rise Of The App' Based Service Middlemen

Apps do your chores: shopping, parking, cooking, cleaning, packing, shipping and more.

There’s an Uber for Everything Now - Apps do your chores: shopping, parking, cooking, cleaning, packing, shipping and more: The fabulously wealthy may call their servants by ringing a little bell. In the lifestyles of the geeky and lazy, one can now summon a household staff just by tapping on a smartphone.

There's a maid, masseuse, doctor, chef, valet, personal shopper, florist and bartender. Each has his own app and can arrive at the door in as little as 10 minutes. Yes, this sounds ridiculous. But it might also be the future of how busy non-billionaires get all kinds of chores done.

A concierge economy is sprouting up on phones, and no place more so than in my city of San Francisco, the capital of Internet La La Land. These startups like to say they’re just like Uber, the car service that has upended transportation, because they use phones to connect customers with nearby workers on demand.

All of these prices could go down if services became popular, but that’s a big if.

There’s an Uber for everything now. Washio is for having someone do your laundry, Sprig and SpoonRocket cook your dinner and Shyp will mail things out so you don’t have to brave the post office. Zeel delivers a massage therapist (complete with table). Heal sends a doctor on a house call, while Saucey will rush over alcohol. And by Jeeves, cutesy names are part of the schtick—Dufl will pack your suitcase and Eaze will reup a medical marijuana supply.

Q Raises $775,000 From Big-Time Angel Investors To Become A Godsend For Office Managers Everywhere: When your day at the office is ending, it's just beginning for another set of workers: the cleaning staff. Cleaning staffs are often hired by buildings or companies through legacy agreements. There isn't some sort of app to help speed up the scheduling, management, or payment process between the cleaners and the offices who book them. Often, companies have to hire employees dedicated to office management to oversee the process; they also handle day-to-day issues such as changing lights, fixing Internet problems, and stocking fridges.

Q (named after the Star Trek character and James Bond's Q Branch) is a software and management startup that wants to make it easier for companies to work with cleaning services and other service providers on a routine basis. Its mobile platform allows office managers to book cleanings, leave notes for the cleaning staff, assign tasks to be completed, and pay for the service all in one place. Q buys hours in bulk from cleaning services in the NYC area, then turns around and sells them to offices at a slightly higher price, for $25 an hour.

When a cleaning is booked through Q, the workers clock in on a Q-provided iPad in the office. They can check off what they've done (vacuumed floors, cleaned desks, etc) so the office manager can see. Offices are required to book at least 4 hours worth of cleanings per week on the platform. Q also has a network of local service providers (electricians, exterminators, etc) that can be booked and payed for through its mobile app.

Founded by Daniel Teran and Saman Rahmanian, Q launched this past April with 15 customers. The technology is used by companies like Uber, Elite Daily, and Flatiron Health, and Q estimates it will be used by over 100 offices by the end of this summer. "Right now, no [office manager] really knows what they’re paying for," Teran says of hiring a cleaning service. "There's a paper list of things people say they’re going to do...We're creating an operating system for offices, providing the products, services and technology to make it easy to run an office."

Already, Q's looking at an annual run rate of more than $1 million. It recently raised a $775,000 seed round from notable angel investors including Behance co-founder Scott Belsky, College Humor founders Ricky Van Veen and Josh Abramson, Barkbox co-founder Henrik Werdelin, Max Burger and Jay Livingston. Path founder Dave Morin and early Facebooker Kevin Colleran also invested through their fund, Slow Ventures, as well as Panarea Captial's Len Blavatink and Alex Zubillaga.

MyClean is a similar mobile platform for booking residential cleanings in New York, but there didn't seem to be similar widely-used product for local businesses. So Teran and Rahmanian met with 30 local cleaning services to gauge interest and onboarded some of them to Q.  Q currently has 14 employees including a former Apple employee who leads its tech operations. The team is split between New York and Buenos Aires.

Eventually, Q wants to expand beyond cleanings to run more like one of its customers — Uber — with on-demand services for anything offices need. Scott Belsky, an early investor in Uber, sees that promise in Q. "I love businesses that replace the pipes and upgrade the user experience for some aspect of everyday living — I  call these 'interface layer' businesses," Belsky told Business Insider via email. "Uber did this for transportation. Shyp [another investment] is doing it for shipping. And Q is doing it for office/space management."

Belsky says that Q might look like just a cleaning service platform right now, but it has the potential to become a lot more than that. "I was impressed by the potential for customers to rely on Q for other services such as ordering more office/cleaning supplies, handymen, etc.," he says. "The interface of Q has the potential to revolutionize many industries that operate underneath."

We're operating in Delhi right now, with 1,500 service providers.

Is There a Market for 'Uber for Handymen' in India? These Startups Think So: Need to get your AC repaired? Maybe your door's latch has gone out of alignment and needs to be fixed? Or perhaps your fridge has developed a strange odour and you want someone to come and clean it until it's as good as new?

There's a whole crop of Indian startups that now exist to address such needs; companies like Mr Right, Housejoy, Local Oye, and Urban Clap allow you to hire a carpenter, a plumber or a cleaner with just a few taps, while others like Goodservice and GetMyPeon offer a digital concierge where you can ask for a wide range of services through the apps. But are they finding many takers in India, a country that has traditionally relied on the unorganised sector to bridge this gap?

Most of these startups are inspired by international companies like Homejoy (not to be confused with the Indian company Housejoy) that have shown the model works. The Indian companies have added local flavours like cash on delivery and are finding favour, especially with young professionals relocating for work across cities or to a new part of town. If you're busy with a demanding job - very likely in a startup yourself - then you won't be able to track down the various handymen you need around the house.

Even if you find someone, there's no guarantee of quality, and no way of knowing what a fair rate really is; instead, you just have to hope that the electrician didn't fleece you when he came over to repair your malfunctioning switches.

Interest in the space is booming; Mr Right was launched three years ago, as a full service company that had a regular staff of cleaners and other handymen on its employee-list, but changed into an aggregator at the start of last year. Meanwhile, the idea of an Uber-for-repairs has been gaining traction in India. Housejoy, which launched in January and already has a pan-India presence appears to draw inspiration from the US-based Homejoy for both its name and its model, and the company has raised $4 million (approximately Rs. 25.5 crore) from Matrix Partners.

Local Oye, which operates in Mumbai, started operations in 2013 and in April it raised $5 million (approximately Rs. 32 crore). Urban Clap, which was founded in October 2014, has raised Rs. 10 crore from various funders, also in April. Mumbai-based errand running service GetMyPeon just raised its first round of seed funding for Rs. 1.5 crore - clearly the sector is seeing a lot of interest from investors, if not customers themselves.

Also see:

Amazon Now Offering Home Services
Now Google Go Head to Head with Amazon Home Services

McMahon Window Washing Versus Department Of Employment

Plaintiff L.A. McMahon Window Washing (McMahon) sought administrative review in the circuit court of Cook County of a decision by defendants Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) and its director, Jay Rowell (the Director) (together, the Department), which affirmed the decision of IDES that window washers who performed services for McMahon were employees for purposes of the Illinois Unemployment Insurance Act (the Act) (820 ILCS 405/212 (West 2010)). Pursuant to an audit and a fact-finding hearing, the Department determined that McMahon failed to establish that the exemptions from "employment" in section 212 of the Act apply to the workers in question. The circuit court upheld the Director's decision. McMahon appeals, contending the Director and the circuit court erred in their determination that the McMahon workers were "employees" and not "independent contractors" under section 212 of the Act. Affirmed. 

APPELLATE COURT OF ILLINOIS: L.A. McMAHON BUILDING MAINTENANCE, INC.,  L.A. McMahon Window Washing, (Plaintiff-Appellant),

v.

THE DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT SECURITY, and JAY ROWELL, Director, the Department of Employment Security, Defendants-Appellees. PRESIDING JUSTICE FITZGERALD SMITH delivered the judgment of the Court, with opinion. Justices Howse and Cobbs concurred in the judgment and opinion.

Plaintiff L.A. McMahon Window Washing (McMahon) sought administrative review in the circuit court of Cook County of a decision by defendants Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) and its director, Jay Rowell (the Director) (together, the Department), which affirmed the decision of IDES that window washers who performed services for McMahon were employees for purposes of the Illinois Unemployment Insurance Act (the Act) (820 ILCS 405/212 (West 2010)). Pursuant to an audit and a fact-finding hearing, the Department determined that McMahon failed to establish that the exemptions from "employment" in section 212 of the Act apply to the workers in question. The circuit court upheld the Director's decision. McMahon appeals, contending the Director and the circuit court erred in their determination that the McMahon workers were "employees" and not "independent contractors" under section 212 of the Act. 

McMahon provides window washing services for clients. In 2009, the Department initiated an audit for the years 2006, 2007, and 2008 (the audit period) to determine whether McMahon was required to make unemployment contributions for its window washers. Following the audit, in January 2010, the Department issued a determination that McMahon's window washers were employees and ordered an assessment against McMahon for $64,051 in unpaid employer contributions for the audit period, as well as $35,773 in unpaid interest.

McMahon then filed a protest to the determination and assessment in February 2010, in which it requested an administrative hearing. In its protest, McMahon described itself as "in the business of window washing." It stated:

McMahon characterizes this service in its appellate brief as "operat[ing] a call center where predominately residential customers call in to request window washing and gutter cleaning services" and independent contractors perform the window washing services. It also states that "McMahon is in the business of connecting customers of window washing with certain workers which it treats as independent contractors to provide window washing." In its protest following the Department's determination that the window washers constituted employees of L.A. McMahon Widow Washing under the Act, however, McMahon characterized its operation as: "McMahon is in the business of window washing. McMahon's customers are residential homeowners. McMahon secures customers through general advertising, word-of-mouth marketing, and repeat business. Customers call McMahon to schedule an appointment for their windows to be washed. In the context of its business, McMahon utilizes the services of certain independent contractors to wash its customer's windows."

"In the context of its business, McMahon utilizes the services of certain independent contractors to wash its customer's windows. In general, McMahon has contractual agreements in place with Workers, specifically identifying the relationship between McMahon and individual Workers as that of 'Employer' and 'Independent Contractor' (the 'Agreements'). The Agreements are non-exclusive, and remain in effect until terminated either by completion of a project, or upon cancellation of a project by any party other than McMahon, or by McMahon if either (i) reasonable notice *** is delivered to the Contractor; or (ii) reasonable evidence exists that the services provided by the Contractor are either unsatisfactory, incompetent, unprofessional, or untimely. McMahon does not prevent the Workers from working with any person or entity in addition to, or instead of, McMahon.

The actual work-relationship of McMahon and the Workers functions as follows: First, Workers who are interested in obtaining work from McMahon either call McMahon or go to McMahon's office to see if there are any appointments set. McMahon does not call any Workers, nor contact Workers in any other manner, to arrange for work to be completed. The Workers solicit McMahon for window washing appointments of their own volition. McMahon will then tell an inquiring Worker of any relevant appointment, and offer the Worker the opportunity to take the appointment. Workers are free to decline any appointment for any reason, whether it be because the Worker does not care for the location of the home, size of the home, the time of the appointment, or any other reason. In fact, Workers often do decline appointments. 

When this happens, McMahon offers the appointment to the next inquiring worker. The frequency in which the Workers contact McMahon for work varies by worker; some contact McMahon daily, some contact McMahon weekly, some contact McMahon yearly, and some are more sporadic. McMahon has no requirement for the Workers to contact McMahon at any certain volume or on any certain time table. After agreeing to work at a specific appointment, a Worker travels to the customer's home within the timeframe quoted to the customer. Workers utilize their own vehicles for transportation, and use their own supplies to complete the work. Workers are not reimbursed for any travel or supply costs. McMahon provides no training to the Workers, and does not direct a specific method of cleaning. 

Workers are not required to wear a uniform. Workers have their own business cards and advertise their own services in the yellow pages and elsewhere. Workers also hire their own helpers and/or employees, for whom McMahon provides no reimbursement nor supervision or training. When the work is completed, the Worker invoices the customer. If the customer pays the Worker on-site, the Worker submits the payment to McMahon either in person or through the mail. Otherwise, the customer mails payment to McMahon directly. McMahon then generally splits the payment equally (fifty/fifty) with the Worker.

McMahon also employs workers, separate and apart from the Workers at issue, which it classifies as employees [as] office personal. McMahon makes appropriate withholdings with respect to these employees." In September 2010, a representative of the Director conducted an administrative hearing on the protest and objections to the determination and assessment. At the outset of the hearing, the representative told the parties he was looking for answers to three inquiries: (1) the nature of the business; (2) the nature for the services performed by the individuals at issue; and (3) the nature of the relationship between McMahon and the individuals at issue.

McMahon presented evidence and testimony from general manager Mark Crane, as well as from two window washers, Henry Garduno and Leon Juarez. Counsel for McMahon opened his argument saying, "McMahon Window Washing is an Illinois corporation in the business of providing window washing services primarily to residential customers." McMahon general manager and part owner Mark Crane explained that McMahon has a call center in Schaumburg where mostly residential customers call in to request window washing and yard cleaning services. He explained McMahon takes incoming calls from prospective clients and gives out work to "independent contractors" when those contractors call in and are available for work. 

There are five employees who work in the Schaumburg office and who are issued W-2 forms, receive employee benefits, vacation, and sick pay. These employees do not perform any window washing. McMahon is a seasonal business, and each year it performs work for 10,000 to 11,000 customers. Crane described the McMahon window washers as independent contractors. The window washers did not receive employee benefits, and their incomes were reported on 1099 forms, used for independent contractors, to the Internal Revenue Service. However, McMahon keeps a workers' compensation and general liability insurance policy that covers the window washers. The cost to McMahon for that policy was based on the amount of work performed by all window washers. Crane explained that the window washers are required to carry their own policies in addition to the policy carried for them by McMahon.

Crane described McMahon's methodology regarding clients: customers who request window washing services from McMahon call the Schaumburg office and are given a two hour time slot that is convenient for the customer during which the window washer and possibly his assistants will arrive and begin work. No specific start or end time for the work is given the customer. When the customer calls, Crane gives a price estimate over the phone based on the customer's description of the work to be done. Upon arrival at the customer's home, the window washer verifies the conditions on site and gives the customer an updated, actual price estimate, which the customer is free to accept or refuse.

The window washer arrives on-site carrying a McMahon business card, on the back of which is a price list. Through this price list, in addition to other price list postings, the window washer knows what price should be charged per window. The price list is set by McMahon. If a window washer is on-site and notices more work that could be done, it is not McMahon's policy that the window washer should drum up more business. However, if, for example, a window washer notices the customer's gutters are full of debris, he might tell the customer the gutters need to be cleaned at some point in the future. If the customer decides he wants the gutters cleaned by the window washer, the customer—not the window washer then calls McMahon, is given the price of the gutter cleaning, and McMahon then adds it to the customer's bill. 

Crane explained: "MR. CRANE: Well, if [the window washer is] up on the roof and he looks down and sees there some debris in the gutters, he might say to the customer there's some debris in your gutters, somewhere down the road you're going to need to get your gutters cleaned. But he's not here to tell the customer what to do or offer services, he's just there to complete the work that's been given through the office. If the customer does want to add something like gutter cleaning to the bill, he must be approved through the office and put on the invoice."

During the audit period, McMahon had 15 to 18 window washing crews, each of which would call in to receive work. Crane testified that window washers do not receive special training from McMahon.

They drive their own vehicles and supply their own equipment. They are not required to wear specific uniforms. The company provides company t-shirts, but does not require the window washers to wear them when working.

Customers pay for window washing services via credit card over the telephone or by giving cash or check to the window washer on-site. If by check, the check is made payable to McMahon Window Washing. If by cash, the window washer delivers the cash by hand or mails it to the Schaumburg office. When the window washing work is completed, the window washer fills out an invoice provided by McMahon Window Washing and gives copies to both the customer and the Schaumburg office. Window washers are not required to go to the Schaumburg office at any time, but some do in order to pick up business cards and blank invoices, as well as to drop off cash and check payments.

In order to get paid, the window washer turns in both the invoice and any cash or check payments to the Schaumburg office. McMahon pays the window washers "bi-weekly though a payroll system." Window washers are paid 50% of the total amount billed for the work, based on invoices submitted to the office. Crane explained that McMahon works on a "good faith" system that the homeowners are going to pay. Therefore, if the window washer has submitted the invoices to McMahon, but the customer has not yet paid, McMahon nonetheless pays the window washer.

Additionally, in the "rare" case that a customer refuses to pay the invoice through no fault of the window washer, McMahon nonetheless pays the window washer. If, however, the customer refuses to pay the invoice because he is unhappy with the work done by the window washer, the window washer has the opportunity to return to the site and redo the work on his own time, to the customer's satisfaction, and then get paid. If, however, the customer remains unsatisfied and continues to refuse to pay the invoice, McMahon does not pay the window washer. If a window washer damages something at the customer's property, it is the window washer's responsibility to fix it.

McMahon hires its window washers on a seasonal basis and has them sign an "independent contractor agreement" at the start of each spring window washing season. These agreements remained unchanged during the audit period. McMahon can terminate any window washer with 30 days' written notice. The independent contractor agreements, samples of which are in the appellate record, stipulate that the window washers must obtain their own workers' compensation, general liability, and general automotive insurance.

Crane testified that, if window washers want to procure other window washing jobs while not on McMahon jobs, they are free to do so. Window washers are only barred from soliciting customers met while working for McMahon. Each window washer provides his own transportation and is not reimbursed travel costs. McMahon does not provide its window washers with company vehicles or with special decals.

Crane testified that each window washer can hire any assistant or assistants he needs, without control or input from McMahon. McMahon only pays the window washer who signed the contract, and the window washer is responsible for paying any assistants directly.

Garduno and Juarez also testified at the hearing. Both Garduno and Juarez signed the independent contractor agreement form with McMahon, which form required them to obtain their own workers' compensation, general liability, and general automotive insurance. Nonetheless, neither Juarez nor Garduno carried his own insurance during the audit period. Beginning in 2009, however, a number of window washers obtained their own insurance, designating McMahon as the insurance certificate holder.

Garduno testified he has worked as a window washing subcontractor for McMahon for 10 years. When he first started working for McMahon, he was not provided any job training seminars on how to wash windows or clean gutters, but had learned the skills in prior employment. He described how the work is seasonal, and he calls McMahon to see if there is work available. He testified that McMahon does not require a minimum number of hours from him. Garduno also has other window washing customers beyond those from McMahon, as he has a separate window washing business called Father & Son Window Washing, which he started in 2009. Garduno also worked in a flea market booth doing air brush work and selling tattoo supplies.

Prior to 2009, Garduno referred to his business as Henry's Window Washing. He did not request an employer identification number until 2009, at which time he requested the number "to make [his] company legit," because he had heard from other workers that he should do so. Garduno keeps a list of his own window washing customers, advertises for his own business in the newspaper, and has his own business cards. His company was started in 2009, and Garduno did not testify to whether he actually had business cards or advertised during the audit period. Also in 2009, Garduno began to carry liability insurance for his own company's window washing work.

Garduno testified that, when he does jobs for McMahon, he drives his own vehicle with no special "McMahon" markings on it, is not reimbursed for travel expenses, does not wear a uniform, and brings his own equipment. He explained he knows the McMahon pricing for window washing jobs because it is marked on the McMahon business cards, which he gets from the office. During the busy season, he goes to the McMahon office every week or two, but there is no requirement that he do so.

Juarez testified that he, too, works as a window washer for McMahon. He also has his own window washing business called Leon Juarez Window Washing, for which he has business cards. He purchased his own liability insurance in 2009. He testified he uses his own equipment and does not get reimbursed for travel expenses when on jobs for McMahon. 

A recommended decision was issued in March 2011, recommending that the determination be affirmed. In September 2011, the Department issued a final decision of the Director, adopting the recommended decision. McMahon filed a complaint for administrative review in the circuit court. After briefing and oral argument, the court entered an order in September 2013 affirming the Director's decision and entering a final judgment.

McMahon appeals.

CONCLUSION: For all of the foregoing reasons, we find no clear error in the Director's conclusion that the window washers were employees rather than independent contractors. Accordingly, we affirm the circuit court's judgment upholding the Director's decision. 

Now Google Go Head to Head with Amazon Home Services

Now Google Go Head to Head with Amazon Home Services. It will all end up as a price war for window cleaners.

Google to go Head to Head with Amazon Home Services: Later this spring, Google is expected to officially launch its online, on demand home services site, comparable to the recently launched Amazon Home Services as well as Angie's List, HomeAdvisor, and Thumbtack. Currently available for finding car insurance, Google Compare may become the location-based evolution of Google Places as the platform for connecting searchers with local services in their area.

Google Follows Amazon Into Home Services: Google's ambitions are virtually limitless: curing death, teleportation, renewable energy and so on. Add another one to the list: fixing your clogged toilet.

Following closely behind its arch-rival Amazon, Google is planning to launch a new product connecting users with home services providers like plumbers, housecleaners, electricians and carpenters.  The move, expected to be announced within the next few weeks, is in keeping with a broader corporate strategy of "closing the loop" between buyers and sellers rather than simply introducing the two through advertising. Google Express, its e-commerce service, now serves six urban areas, including Chicago and Boston.

But for a company that prides itself on total informational awareness, the home-services market poses unique challenges. “Local services will be harder because the data’s not as transparent on what you can provide,” says Manpreet Singh, founder of TalkLocal, a startup that helps customers book appointments with approved service providers. A contractor doesn’t know how much it will cost to retile your bathroom until she goes in and sees it.

For that and other reasons, Singh expects Google to partner with companies like his rather than try to go it alone, even though it will mean cutting in another middleman. That’s the approach Yelp has taken in its own efforts to close the commerce loop, and it’s also how Amazon, which has a partnership with TaskRabbit, is easing into the home-services game.

One unanswered question in all this is how Google will square its new push with the $100 million investment it made in Thumbtack through its Google Capital arm last year. The San Francisco-based company provides essentially the exact same service Google is looking to start, connecting service providers to customers for a commission.

The apparent conflict of interests is reminiscent of the situation unfolding between Google and Uber. Google Ventures has invested $250 million in the car-service startup, but Google is also said to be developing its own ride-summoning product, a development that would put the two giants into direct competition.

Did Google Just Declare War on Amazon (Again)? Pull up a chair, and get the popcorn out… We have yet another fierce scrap between two of the world’s biggest tech giants. In the race to develop new technologies and innovations – and break into untapped, highly lucrative markets –  such scuffles are common. In August 2014, for example, Google (GOOGL) went public with “Project Wing” – a previously secretive project to develop a drone-delivery service. The revelation was a shot across the bow of fellow tech juggernaut, Amazon (AMZN). Eight months earlier, CEO Jeff Bezos had appeared on 60 Minutes to announce Amazon’s own drone-delivery ambitions – Prime Air.

Well, if the latest rumors are true, the search giant is stirring up trouble again. This time, in a high-dollar market, worth up to $400 billion per year… A Whole New Spin on “Google It” Now, you’d think that Google’s latest venture would be another cool, high-tech offering like drones. But instead, it’s rather low-tech… involving plumbers, electricians, and roofers.

There are increasing rumors that Google is preparing to expand its specialized search capabilities in order to connect consumers with local home service providers. Currently, searches for things like plumbers only return links to local contractors’ websites or contact information. Then, consumers must navigate strategically placed advertisements, as well. But Google’s new service will reportedly connect search users directly with contractors.

In other words, while a regular search just spits out a list of options and a few ads, Google will now act as a middleman and actually allow you to set up and schedule the service. In return, it’ll take a cut of the fee. Again, this is all speculation. But keep in mind that in 2014, Google led a $100-million investment in home service company, Thumbtack. So it’s obviously interested in the home services market.

Sources say an official announcement is likely to come at Google’s annual advertiser summit in May.

Coincidence? Hardly… Not even two weeks ago, Amazon launched a similar service, which allows customers to schedule home services after making purchases. Dubbed Amazon Home Services, it was beta-tested in major cities – including Seattle, Los Angeles, and New York – as Amazon Local Services. Now it’s available in 41 states and 30 of the biggest metropolitan areas in the United States, according to Peter Faricy, Vice President for Amazon Marketplace.

Say, for example, you order a new sink. Amazon will hook you up with a plumber to install it. Or if you buy a new, 60” Samsung (SSNLF) LED TV, Amazon has a guy who can come mount it on the wall for you. Amazon benefits by taking a cut (anywhere from 5% to 19%) of the service providers’ fee.

So why in the world are two of the biggest technology companies interested in such a low-tech, local opportunity? It’s All About the Money… or Is It? Although the home service market might consist of a lot of small ticket items – $150 to install a ceiling fan… $600 to clean out a chimney… they add up.

“It’s a huge market,” says Gartner analyst, Jason Daigler. Indeed. Estimates peg the overall addressable market size at $250 billion to $400 billion. To put that into perspective, the high end of the estimates is bigger than Google’s or Amazon’s current market cap!

So expanding into home services and capturing a meaningful market share could contribute substantial profits to the bottom line. At the same time, home services represent a low-risk expansion opportunity for both companies. As consumers, we clearly don’t like to go it alone when it comes to finding service providers. Consider that the likes of Angie’s List (ANGI), Yelp (YELP), Groupon (GRPN), and Craigslist already connect us directly to service providers. So they’ve validated that demand exists.

Obviously, Amazon and Google believe they can do a better job of helping us. I tend to agree, given each company’s platforms, extensive reach, and the invaluable intelligence gleaned from a near-endless supply of data on consumer habits.

But it’s not going to come without challenges…

Wanted: A Critical Mass of Contractors. The home services market is extremely fragmented and localized. Think about it: Very few, if any, national chains exist for plumbers, electricians, roofers, etc. It also lacks uniformity. Some handymen have nothing more than a truck and a sign. Meanwhile, some service companies boast fleets of trucks and technicians. Local… fragmented… heterogeneous. Add it all up, and it requires a highly customized approach to succeed. And that inevitably cuts into margins.

Even more so when we throw in additional layers of complexity and due diligence, such as performing background checks (for example, Amazon has a full-time vetting team in Seattle) and providing a platform for reviews and consumer protections for bad service. But, as I told CNBC’s Morgan Brennan in a recent interview, “If anyone can automate a seemingly daunting market via data, it’s Google.”

Above all, Google and Amazon need to get a critical mass of service providers on the system in order to make it a true benefit for consumers and a boon for shareholders. But the tech behemoths’ move into home services isn’t simply another opportunity to make money, though…

Show Me the Money: The desire to “go local” serves a much higher purpose – expanding each company’s reach and entrenching their services into our everyday lives as much as possible. And Rolling Stone thought Goldman Sachs (GS) was the vampire squid, “relentlessly jamming its blood funnel into anything that smells like money!”

Bottom line: By offering more services, Google and Amazon can keep us – and our hard-earned capital – from straying elsewhere on the web. In the process, we’ll give both companies even better data to keep serving us even more services. Talk about a domino effect. And with an entire world of consumers to go after, it’s no wonder the two companies are squaring off again in what promises to be another fierce battle.

Australian Window Cleaners Tied Up In Red Tape

Frustrated: Business owner & window cleaner Selwyn Jones says burdensome legal requirements are harming his small business and others like it.

Contractors struggle with red tape: "Tradies" and other contractors are struggling to cope with requirements to pay for separate registration processes on work safety inductions for each of the hundreds of sites they cover. Window washer Selwyn Jones, of C-Thru Window Cleaning, said he had to submit dozens of pages of paperwork and fees of up to hundreds of dollars for each of his employees at each site they attended.

"I spend most of my time doing inductions because every company has its own course and its own individual requirements," he said. "Every petrol station, every bank, every nursing home, they all have their own inductions, and companies are now charging us to do their induction courses." A nursing home whose windows he had cleaned since it was built had charged him $49.50 for a site induction, he said, and a major retail store had asked for $800 for the right to clean its windows for two years.

Ideally, he said, there would be an industry-wide accreditation scheme similar to the construction industry's white card. "There has got to be somewhere you can go to get your orange card without all these inductions, all these requirements," he said. "It's not about window cleaning; it's about killing small business with red tape and bookwork."

He also mentioned the costs of WorkCover and police clearances as imposts on small business. Member for Hammond Adrian Pederick said such issues were on his radar, and on the small business commissioner's as well. "He believes the codes under workplace health and safety need review, and that's the position of the Liberal Party," he said. "I certainly think there's space there to have a card that lets them visit similar sites over a period of time."

Prime Minister Tony Abbott announced last week Federal Parliament would hold a "red tape repeal day" within the month to remove more than 9000 individual regulations in an effort to save businesses $1 billion per year. "As Sir Robert Menzies once said, "we want less forms and more reforms"," he said. "We are doing this to make your life easier and our economy stronger."

Californian Window Cleaners Liens

This bill would allow an employee to file a pre-judgment lien for the full amount of any wages.

California Bill Would Authorize Pre-Judgment Wage Liens On Real And Personal Property Of Employers And Third Parties: I often say that to be an employer in California is to be sued.  California is litigious and its labor (and other) laws are maddingly complex.  Last spring, Assembly Member Bonnie Lowenthal submitted a bill, AB 1164, that would add to the woes, not just of employers, but also of any person who has property upon which an employee has “bestowed labor”.  This bill would allow an employee to file a pre-judgment lien for the full amount of any wages, other compensation, and related penalties and damages owed to the employee.

It’s hard to imagine any property owner who at some time doesn’t have third party employees performing work on their property.  For example, a building owner may contract with a third party for window washing service.  If enacted, the bill would allow any employee of the contractor to lien the building owner’s real and personal property.  Of course, a building owner or other business is likely to have scores of contractors performing labor and thus could face a continuing barrage of employee liens.

Homeowners are allowed limited exemptions.  In the case of an employer, the lien would apply to the employer’s principal residence only to the extent that the employee provided labor to the benefit of that household or residence.  In the case of third party owners, the lien does not apply to a claim relating to property bought or services furnished primarily for personal, family, or household purposes, including those benefiting any real property that is the principal residence of the owner.

Importantly, the proposed employee lien would lack many of the limitations and procedural safeguards that apply to mechanics liens.  If enacted, I foresee an ocean of misery for California property owners, including interference with financings and costly litigation to remove liens.  For those inclined to worry about AB 1164 only if it should become law, that doesn’t appear to be unlikely.  It has already passed out of three committees in the Assembly (Judiciary, Labor & Employment, and Appropriations).

About the Author (Keith Paul Bishop - Partner) Keith Paul Bishop is a partner in Allen Matkins' Corporate and Securities practice group, and works out of the Orange County office. He represents clients in a wide range of corporate transactions, including public and private securities offerings of debt and equity, mergers and acquisitions, proxy contests and tender offers, corporate governance matters and federal and state securities laws (including the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the Dodd-Frank Act), investment adviser, financial services regulation, and California administrative law. He regularly advises clients on compliance.

Window Cleaning Fall Update - Anchors Suspect

VERY LUCKY: The man, put in a neck brace on a rigid stretcher, was later found to have only minor injuries.

Landing on a parked car probably saved the life of an abseiler who fell five storeys while cleaning a high-rise building, says a paramedic who treated him at the scene. The Labour Department is investigating what caused the window cleaner to plummet from the eighth storey of the Corrections Department's 14-storey Mayfair House off Aurora Tce into a third-floor car park below. He was taken to Wellington Hospital with suspected back, leg and pelvis injuries, but was later found to have escaped with simply a dislocated toe.

Wellington Free Ambulance team manager Kate Worthington was one of the first to arrive yesterday after the man fell from his rope into car park No93 soon after midday at the site near The Terrace. She said she had seen people die in falls from shorter distances. "It's really been quite a fortunate day for him. "He's free-fallen ... and the way the building's positioned there's a row of car parks at the bottom, and he's struck one of the parked cars with his leg, which was enough to slow him down. "He's certainly been injured, but nowhere near as badly as he could have been."

Paramedics cut the man free from his abseiling harness, fitted a neck brace and stabilised him on a rigid stretcher to minimise potential spinal injuries. Mrs Worthington said the man was lucid and able to talk to paramedics after his fall. "He was being quite brave. I would have been performing far more than that in his situation. He had been anxious about what caused the accident and did not know what had gone wrong, she said. The man and his workmate told paramedics he had been using a safety rope as well as his primary abseiling rope, but both had failed.

Wellington industrial abseiler Karl Millanta said he did not know the circumstances of yesterday's accident, but if safety regulations were followed, it was "pretty much impossible" to fall while abseiling. Backup mechanisms were designed to stop abseilers falling more than 600 millimetres without locking up. Mr Millanta said he thought there should be tougher training standards for new abseilers. "There's two- or three-week courses, but the problem is, these new guys do the course, then don't go abseiling for another six months, so they forget everything."

Cleaner jokes after 6-floor plunge: A window cleaner who fell up to six storeys from a Wellington building and on to a car was last night "chatting and joking" in his hospital bed - his only injury a dislocated toe. The man fell from the Mayfair House building on The Terrace about noon yesterday, partly landing on the parked car. He clipped the right front of the car above the bumper.  His boss, Mike Roche, the co-owner and director of Window Cleaning and Contractors, told the Herald the man's leg hit the bumper. He said his staff member was "safe and well" and had been visited in hospital by his daughter. He was expected to be discharged last night after getting the all-clear from doctors, who were checking x-rays and scans. A hospital spokesman said medical staff were amazed at the man's recovery. "I think he's still coming to terms with how lucky he is. It's amazing."

Police at the scene yesterday spoke to several people, including the man's colleague and an office worker on one of the top floors who had waved to the window cleaner moments before he fell. The man's safety gear, including a helmet, helped to save his life, police said.  Earlier, Wellington Free Ambulance team manager Kate Worthington, who was at the scene, said the man had been "quite upset, as was his colleague who was with him at the time". St John medical director Tony Smith said it was a miracle the man was alive. "It's extraordinary for someone to fall from that height and survive. "We only see people fall and survive when something significant has broken their fall and in this case it was the car."

Dr Smith said the vehicle would have been an important factor in saving the worker's life. "The rope may not have completely given way, for example, and that could have helped ..." Dr Smith remembered a young man who fell from the fifth floor of an apartment building and was saved because he hit the awnings at each level. The Mayfair Building is 13 storeys high and houses several businesses, including a dental clinic and the Department of Corrections information centre. A Corrections spokeswoman said last night that no staff member had seen the fall, but workers rushed to help the man. A Labour Department investigation has started.

Mr Roche (pictured) said as well as that investigation, the company had launched its own inquiry using an independent investigator to find out what went wrong. "I don't know exactly what happened." But the fact the man emerged with only a dislocated toe, he said, showed there were systems in place that prevented a worse outcome.

Building's anchors not tested before cleaner fell: The high-rise building from which a window cleaner fell five storeys yesterday was not part of a Department of Labour review of the safety of roof anchors, the department said today. The anchors are used for wires holding the platforms of window cleaners and other workers. In February last year the department announced an independent engineer would oversee testing of the abseil anchors on some Wellington buildings. The investigation was started after claims that anchors on a 12-storey apartment block were unsafe and that one had pulled out.

In yesterday's incident a Window Cleaning and Contractors worker fell from the annex of Mayfair House on The Terrace, about midday. He escaped with just a dislocated toe when a parked car partially broke his fall. Investigations by the Department of Labour as well as the cleaning company into the incident have begun. A department spokeswoman told NZPA the Mayfair Building's roof anchors had been tested, but the annex where the cleaner was working was not part of last year's review. The incident is still under investigation and it cannot be determined that anchor bolt issues are involved, the spokeswoman said.

Window cleaner survives 14-storey fall: Heads are still shaking in Wellington over how a window cleaner survived a five story drop from a building on The Terrace. The incident happened around midday yesterday when the man was cleaning the Corrections Department's 14-storey Mayfair House. He plummeted into a third-floor car park from about half way down the building, escaping with just a dislocated toe. Wellington Free Ambulance team manager Kate Worthington says if a parked car didn't break his fall, things could've been much worse. "His lower legs have landed on the bonnet of the car, it would appear if that car wasn't parked in that particular position he would've impacted the concrete below."

Neil Thomson, associate professor at the University of Otago’s physics department, spelled out the unlikely escape from more serious injury or death. He said a person falling from 45 to 50 metres would reach a speed of 100km/h by the time they struck the ground. Coming to rest over 5 metres mean the person’s force of impact would have been approximately 10 g – twice as strong as slamming on the brakes in a Formula One car at full speed.

Picture of the Day + Window Cleaning News

Picture of the day, titled "A hopeless job to do......" Click to enlarge.

Counting the cost of Bath's gulls: A wildlife expert is asking people in Bath to help him compile evidence of the impact of gulls on the city. Researcher Peter Rock will be applying through Bristol University for a grant to research the breeding habits of the birds in the hope of uncovering possible solutions to the myriad problems they cause. Mr Rock conducts annual counts of the urban gull populations in Bath, Bristol, and Gloucester and all three cities would be involved in the three-year research project.
Now he is asking businesses and individuals to tell him about the impact of gulls on their operations and lives as he presents his case for research funding to the Natural Environment Research Council. He said that many of the methods so far used to control the birds - such as nets, spikes, wires and even plastic owls - had had "no effect at all on populations." He added: "Actually, these so-called solutions have been little more than guesswork. And it seems that every new idea costs more than the last. "The question is this: when have we ever solved any problems in any sphere without first understanding exactly what we're dealing with? The pest control industry has had 20 years to tackle the urban gull issue and it has already cost plenty. It will continue to do so until we start to take urban gulls more seriously. It's high time, then, that we got the science done."
He said the kind of research he was proposing had never been done before and would involve satellite technology to track the birds. Mr Rock said that the best techniques for sorting out the problem would emerge from the research: "The birds will show us the way forward." He added: "The bottom line is that without the research there will be no solutions, local economies will continue to suffer and for those whose experience of urban gulls has been poor, it will get worse."
He wants to look at the options so far tried - from egg oiling to spikes - and the costs people have incurred, as well as the volume of repairs, maintenance and cleaning local people and organisations have been involved in.
Mr Rock is also keen to hear from tourist businesses about the impact of gulls on their customers, from city centre residents about sleep disruption and from people forced to spend money on car, window or dry cleaning. All information will be kept confidential and should be emailed to pete.rock@blueyonder.co.uk

Please keep pants on....found on the internet.

Windows of opportunity: Local businessman Steve Burbidge thought he'd moved to Cornwall to take things a little slower but it hasn't worked out quite how he'd planned! He'd run a successful cleaning business in the South East for 10 years, but about six months ago, following a family holiday, his wife decided that they were moving here. The London business was doing well, but after a few months, Steve began to feel the need to do something more, and started doing a bit of window cleaning for friends. It just snowballed from there, and six months on, he has 60 employees across Cornwall, working in a variety of roles from telesales and canvassing to cleaning. Now Steve and Jobcentre Plus are working together to recruit a further 20 staff at a recruitment and information event tomorrow, from 10am to 1pm at Truro Jobcentre. If you would like to know more about vacancies, then contact Neil on 01872 355123 or Steve on 07530 207493,

What To Expect From Your Window Cleaning Contractor: How good is your window cleaner? Here are some ideas on what you should be expecting. Much will depend of course on the nature of your building and other constraints you are under financially. Building useage can also play a large part in the extent to which you need your contractor to perform. Are all aspects of their business able to provide you with the information you need, when you need it? Is that communication at the standard you would hope for? Does their publicity information tell you clearly and professionally what you need to know? Are their proposals comprehensive? A really thorough proposal is a sign of a well-organised business. Is their invoicing detailed, timely and accurate? When you contact them, do they answer promptly and do they resolve your query quickly? Do they email you an attendance sheet to confirm that the work has been done?
Do they have a Health & Safety policy? What evidence is there that the policy is adhered to? How do management check that it is being adhered to? What action do they take when there are problems? What is their accident record? What standards do they expect from their own staff? When cleaning internally, you should expect their staff to be trustworthy, smart, conscientious, non-intrusive, ask before they move anything, remove shoes where appropriate, knock on doors before entering, be respectful, polite and friendly without distracting staff who are working and finally, clean and tidy up when finished
It is not unreasonable for you to expect your window cleaners to turn up on time! Inevitably, occasionally delays do occur, but when they do a phone call to warn whoever is expecting them is the least that should happen. When you select a window cleaning company, you want someone you can rely on. To give you the confidence you need, the company should be prepared to offer you guarantees. You should never receive an invoice unless they are completely satisfied that the job has been completed to the standards agreed. If you are not happy with any part of the work carried out, they should revisit the site and put it right within 48 hours of being notified.
What is their staffing like? Each staff member should have been trained and certificated to the relevant standards. There should be a training record available for you to see. You should establish whether staff undergo security checks and what the length of service of all staff are. The longer they have been employed, generally the more secure and well-run the company is. How many of the staff are full time and how many are on contract or subcontractors? If you are The Buyer for arranging commercial window cleaning make sure you read Marcus P Weeks’ very good free guide called ‘Everything you need to know about buying commercial window cleaner services’ or go to the MPW website.

The mechanics of robotic success: BEIJING -A rickshaw pulled by a robot wearing a cowboy hat and sporting a dandy plastic moustache jerks into life and then clicks and whirrs its way across a component-strewn courtyard. For many years the man controlling the machine, Wu Yulu, was seen as the village idiot, a crackpot inventor of robots who would do anything to avoid the farm work he was supposed to do. “This path has cost me a lot. At first everyone thought I was mad. I’m a farmer, I should do farm work,” he says. But Mr Wu, 46, is having the last laugh. His amateur robotics earned him the title “China’s Cleverest Farmer” on a popular TV show in 2004 and now the contracts are rolling in from companies keen to exploit his peculiar genius.
“Dajia hao [hello everybody],” a metallic voice says as the rickshaw driver lurches up and down. “I am a robot and my father is Mr Wu,” the man-machine continues as it makes its way through the inventor’s courtyard. The area is littered with automatons made out of scrap metal and what look like watch parts and dolls’ heads to which Mr Wu adds liberal doses of genius and love. Among the robots he has built are machines for making tea, for lighting cigarettes, even for playing the traditional Chinese erhu, a type of violin. He is now building a window-cleaning device for company based in the capital Beijing.
Once viewed as a bit of a madman, Mr Wu is now revered as a “teacher” by visiting university students from the city. His brother has even taken over the family’s farming duties to allow Mr Wu to concentrate on his inventions. “I stuck with it and when I won my prize of 10,000 yuan (Dh5,376) they all changed their minds,” Mr Wu says. “They realised I could make money with this.” Mr Wu has made more than 30 robots, from one-legged ones to those with two, four and even 20 legs. “Some can jump, some can clean windows and some can climb the walls. Every one is different,” he says in a tone which could only be described as loving. Climbing aboard one of his later walking machines – basically a car seat atop six robot legs – he says: “I do all of this just for fun. I only went to primary school, I have no education and I’m a farmer.
Many people visit him at his home which is in a village where everyone has the same surname.
College students visit him to seek inspiration. “They call me laoshi (teacher). They want to learn skills,” he says. The corner of the room is decorated with the various awards and prizes he has won, including the Smartest Farmer award. “All my inventions are called ‘Wu’ and then a number. This is ‘Wu 25’,” he says, as a purple-haired robot, whose body looks like a petrol can, approaches. In fact, many of Mr Wu’s robots exist solely to show different ways of walking. “This machine is straightforward, a fanning machine I made when I was wooing my wife. In hot weather it keeps her cool,” says Mr Wu, as a four-legged machine begins to frantically wave a plastic fan, sending oil-scented air in my direction. The next mechanical marvel, “Wu 22”, is a jumping robot which leaps like a Meccano gymnast. Its head is made from a ping-pong ball and gives it a sinister edge, making it look something like one of the evil mutant toys in the animated film Toy Story 2.
Indeed, Mr Wu’s machines have inflicted injury on their creator. Over the years he has been treated in hospital several times after being hit by flying spare parts and his obsession with robots has alienated him from his children. But his wife, Dong Shuyan, has stood by him. As she climbs aboard the rickshaw for a jaunt across the courtyard, she says: “It’s been hard to accept. But he’s done good.”

“Law of Window Cleaning: It's on the other side” - I'm taking out the back door screen today and admitting defeat. Putting in the storm door means I have recognized the end of summer. The house is quite chilly in the morning and leaving the door open for Gracie to come and go is just too much. I remember it was around this time my dad would replace the screens with storm windows. He'd drag the storms out of the cellar, sit outside on the front steps and clean every one of them until they met his approval. He always used rags to clean his windows. Most times they were old t-shirts. Next, he'd take down all the screens. In those days putting up the storms wasn't ever easy. Each was placed over a window in a put slot B into slot A process, and it took both hands. Slot A was just above the windows and slot B was at the top of the storms. The storm windows had to fit exactly. It got tricky for the second floor when my dad had to haul the storm windows one by one up a ladder then attach each to a second story window. We always feared for his life. He always cursed. Storm windows got easier, but they were always my dad's job. He still cleaned every one of them and he still used a rag. I swear it was the same t-shirt year after year.

Smith Field shows grass-roots power: When the imminent closure of Smith Field made news more than six years ago, pilots and others rallied to its defense and ultimately saved the small north-side airport from extinction. Next week's scheduled temporary shutdown for more than $1 million in runway repairs isn't nearly as noteworthy, except for one thing: It offers a timely reminder of how powerful ordinarily quiet people can be when they decide to fight for a cause. But those what-ifs should not obscure what SAFE members and others accomplished - a grass-roots effort being duplicated on a national scale today in various tea parties and town-hall meetings organized by people who object to what government is doing.
“We're very happy. What happened is probably better than we could have hoped for,” said DeWald, a pilot and owner of Real Clean, a window-cleaning business. But both O'Donnell and DeWald say the success of the “Save Smith Field” movement indicates a potential shortcoming of grass-roots politics, as well: People who get involved for the wrong reasons may not stay involved once the battle is over. Some people who supposedly wanted to place their planes at Smith Field in an apparent effort to prove its viability never followed through after its survival was assured, O'Donnell said. “Sometimes people are just looking for excitement and a good cause,” added DeWald.

Building blitz finds dozens of dole cheats and lethal lorries: More than 40 people were caught working on building sites while claiming unemployment benefits during a crackdown on benefit cheats and bogus workmen in the Lothians. Officers swooped on dozens of small construction sites alongside investigators from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) in a string of operations. The clampdown also saw 37 vans or flat-bed lorries used by tradesmen taken off the roads after they were ruled too dangerous to be driven. As well as finding benefit cheats and unsafe work vehicles in West Lothian, Operation Flush was aimed at catching bogus workmen ripping off vulnerable people through cold-calling victims to sell unwanted services, or carry out shoddy or unnecessary work at inflated prices. Officers put up posters and distributed leaflets to legitimate tradesmen asking for intelligence about unscrupulous operators, and said they were given a number of tip-offs. Sergeant Jamie Hood, from Broxburn police station, said: "We focused on small building sites, like work being done on private houses. They usually gave the same excuses, such as they were not being paid and only helping out a friend. Officers also caught three people behind the wheel of work vehicles without driving licences, while three were not insured. Operation Flush began with two one-day initiatives in January, followed by two four-day operations in mid-June and the end of last month. Officers were joined during Operation Flush by officials from HM Customs & Excise, who caught three workmen illegally using red diesel in their vehicles. Red diesel is sold at a cheaper rate and is only permitted for use in agriculture. Aside from the builders, five window cleaners were caught working while claiming benefits and without council certificates.

Robert E. McGill Jr., passed away at his home in Destin, Florida September 20, 2009, several weeks after celebrating his 88th birthday. Robert grew up in Alexandria during the depression years. After the war, he attended Louisiana State University where he studied chemistry and physics. He remained a loyal "Tiger fan" to the end. He started "Baton Rouge Window Cleaning Company" while at LSU, and moved into the real estate business in the 1950's. Among his notable business achievements in Baton Rouge are numerous residential subdivisions, including Plantation Trace, as well as, several commercial projects including Cortana Mall in 1967.

Window Cleaning News

Tony Evans a.k.a. Mr Squeegee of "A New View" Window Cleaning in Iowa has just followed on from his Winter how-to series: "Weather or not" for the new Summer version. The third episode & fourth episodes are below.

Contractors.com was founded in 1997 as one of the first Internet sites to help homeowners locate, free of charge, reputable contractors in their communities. Contractors.com has the world's most comprehensive, most researched online contractor directory with more than 1.2 million residential and commercial contractors across the USA and Canada, including thousands of registered Members. Having been voted "Best of the Web" by Forbes Magazine two years running, Contractors.com continues to provide top quality service to both homeowners and contractors. We make it easy and quick for householders to find and to get in contact with the nation’s top contractors. We value the contributions of homeowners by posting their reviews of contractors and testimonials about their home improvement experiences.

TORQUAY'S most expensive new-build home has been unveiled at Ilsham Marine Drive — with an asking price of £2.2million. Sunset, the second of two dream properties built by Martin Marine Homes Ltd on the road popularly known as Millionaires' Row, is billed as the Bay's highest-spec home. Chaz Martin, of Martin Marine Homes Ltd, said: "All of the rooms are bristling with cutting-edge technology. "There's no need for a window cleaner as the windows are self-cleaning, and the arctic blue tint stops the house from getting too hot on sunny days, with a type of glass on the inside which retains the heat in the winter." .....we're not taking bets!

A Tennessee window washer was arrested Saturday after he hit a traffic signal control box and a business sign at the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Little Road, and then ran away, police said. When police caught up with Anthony B. Oszaniec, 23, he told them he had taken a Xanax and drunk half a bottle of whiskey. "I get stupid when I drink," he told the Florida Highway Patrol. "At least I didn't hurt anyone." He did damage the box, the sign and his 2008 Hyundai, and he was driving with a suspended license, police said. Oszaniec was taken to the Land O'Lakes jail and will be extradited to Tennessee, where he has three active warrants for charges of burglary and vandalism.

Teen Summer Worker Safety Campaign Kicks Off: The Indiana Department of Labor (IDOL) has launched a Teen Worker Summer Safety Campaign. The campaign, aimed at educating and informing Hoosier employers, teens and parents on occupational safety and health hazards and Indiana’s Child Labor laws includes a series of informative bi-weekly press releases. Prohibited and hazardous occupations for teen workers are discussed in this series of the scheduled releases.
Indiana Child Labor laws regulate the employment of minors ages 17 and younger. These laws, enforced by the IDOL’s Bureau of Child Labor, establish specific requirements applicable to the employment of minors, including restrictions on the hours teenagers are permitted to work, types of establishments in which minors are prohibited from working and the types of jobs they are prohibited from performing.
Including: Outside window washing that involves working from window sills and all work requiring the use of ladders, scaffolds or their substitutes,

Jason Thompson, a 28-year-old Santa Rosa Beach man, is facing a rare and extraordinarily aggressive cancer. After pursuing a diagnosis for more than three months, doctors at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Fla., are still not entirely sure what type of cancer is present. What they do know is that some of the multiple tumors which have been detected in Thompson's body have doubled in size in the past two weeks. Since treating one type of cancer may actually spur the growth of another, informed treatment decisions are critical to Thompson's chances for survival. As a result, a large team of specialists has given his case extensive attention, including daily interaction with doctors at the Mayo Hospital in Rochester, Minn.
Thompson came to Santa Rosa Beach more than four years ago and has been self-employed as a window washer and in the post-construction cleaning business. His mother later joined him, moving from Michigan at his invitation two years ago. She has since assisted her son in the cleaning business, which is now under extreme duress during the busiest season, with both mother and son at the hospital in Jacksonville. Thompson's brother has postponed his wedding and has travelled to Santa Rosa Beach to help out with the business during this time.

Police close in on burglary gang: The net is closing in on a team of bogus window cleaners who burgle Islington homes, Islington Police said this week. But detectives are still looking for witnesses to help their case. DC David Poole, of Islington’s burglary squad, has issued a warning to residents to be vigilant following four similar burglaries in the past couple of months. The most recent theft occurred just after 5.30pm on June 10, in Wallace Road, Canonbury, when three men pretending to be window cleaners targeted the home of a 35-year-old woman. They said they had just finished her neighbour’s windows and offered to give her a quote on work at her house. The victim let them in to the house to see her rear windows, agreed on a price and then one of the men went to the kitchen to fill his bucket.
A little while later the victim, who was in the sitting room, realised the men had left and her purse containing £130 cash and bank cards had been taken. One suspect was described as being in his mid-twenties, tall, with dark cropped brown hair, stubble and wore a royal blue t-shirt and stubble. A second suspect was around 28 to 30 years old, large, with short clipped, light brown hair. The third suspect was about 40, tall, skinny, with wispy brown hair. DC Poole said there were definite links between two of the burglaries but that he believed up to four were connected, adding: “We’re hot on their trail”. He said: “It appears they might actually genuinely clean windows, although not very well, and take the opportunity to take things when they can.”
He added: “I want people to be very careful when they employ people to work in their homes. They need to make sure that people knocking on their doors are VAT registered and give receipts for their work. “Common sense needs to be used. If they are offering to do things cheaply then the chances are they are not likely to be bona fide.” • Anyone with information can call DC David Poole on 0207 421 0371.

A FAMILY has paid tribute to a man whose body was found on a seaside path at Saltburn. Luke Welsh had just marked his 32nd birthday two days before his death - but his family said his heart had been a “time-bomb waiting to go off.” His mum Patricia Welsh, of Darlington, said Luke had a passion for rave music and had a collection of hundreds of records, disks and CDs. She said: “His ambition was to go into the Royal Navy following his grandfather Bob Welsh, of Redcar, with whom he lived for much of the past year. “But he had a hearing defect as well as a heart problem. “He loved life and was popular with a wide circle of friends, many of whom attended last week's funeral at All Saints Church, Skelton.” He met his fiancee Sarah Wood in April, and she said: “I want to remember and I want other people to remember Luke's love for life. “He always wanted to live for the moment and was always happy and smiling.” The former De Brus School pupil gained a retail management diploma in Middlesbrough and worked at a Middlesbrough electrical shop. When he was about 23 his health started to deteriorate, and more recently he took on window-cleaning franchises in Carlin How and Brotton, living most of the time in Saltburn. He leaves two children, Sophie and Stephen.

UK rental company, Blade Access took delivery of its 12th truck mounted platform at the Vertikal Days exhibition last week: a 70 m Wumag WT700 bought from UK dealer Skyking. Mark Bell and Jamie Bairstow co-directors of the company, based in Bradford, Yorkshire, first came into contact with aerial platforms through their industrial window cleaning business, now the company is a thriving access rental business with a fleet which also includes van mounts, self propelled booms and scissors and track mounted platforms. The new Wumag was particularly appealing said Mr Bairstow because of its "far superior technology and the reliability and service are second to none. We also liked the vertical rise which keeps the operator parallel to the face of a building." The Wumag also offers the capacity to narrow the jacking so the machine can be used in more restricted spaces. Click on pictures to enlarge.

Homespun guide to economic survival: REPORTS indicate that members of our community, like communities generally, are altering their lifestyles and adopting various schemes to cope with the economic crisis. There is even talk that bartering is being introduced, with points being given for goods and services. Older folks are exchanging gefilte fish, chicken soup and other popular foods for mowing lawns, window cleaning and a diversity of activities.

In the Good Morning Maryland @ 9 series, Get Back 2 Work, we usually try and give unemployed people the chance to talk about their struggles or help those of you looking for jobs find the best path to a new job. Today, we found a different way to help people either find that new job or make the decision to find a new career. Jamie introduced us to Sean Carr. Sean is a former teacher who probably thought he would retire as one. But he literally looked out his window and found his new career. Sean now does windows and it has been one of the best decisions of his life.