How to Start a Roof Cleaning Business in Uganda

One day, a youth asked me to tell him the kind of business he could start with UGX 500,000 (approx. $135). He had the money, but he did not have a business idea yet. Many Ugandans are like him, with the same challenge of coming up with a feasible business idea. It is why, through our blog, we come up with a few simple ideas to help, especially the youth, to begin their own business with little capital. Let me share how to start a roof cleaning business in this post. 

In Uganda, people tend to get into one business as if there were no other unique businesses they could start. Take an example of the bodaboda business. How many Ugandans are in it? Everyone buys a bodaboda to ride for money on the streets of Kampala and other places. A motorcycle (bodaboda) costs not less than UGX 6,000,000 (about $1,675). This money can start many other small and profitable businesses. However, the challenge has always been a lack of exposure among most Ugandans.

The cleaning industry is vast, with great opportunities to make money in Uganda. A roof cleaning enterprise is just a component of it, and it is one of the low-cost businesses you can begin from home. You do not need much money to start it. However, it needs some professionalism because of the risks involved. Not everyone can climb to the top of buildings to clean them. It is one reason why it is suitable for young skilled people.

Roof Cleaning Detergents

8 Steps to Start a Roof Cleaning Business

The following steps will help you get started from scratch and expand your customer base gradually if you are convinced and determined to begin your own roof cleaning business.

1. Make a business plan.
2. Get the skills you require to do your business.
3. Choose your business name.
4.  Register your business name.
5. Look for funding.
6. Purchase the equipment and chemical supplies.
7. Market your business.

#1 – Make a Business Plan

Before you venture into the roof cleaning business, you will have to make feasibility studies. You do not just wake up and jump into it. Do research before going out to look for people who need cleaning services.

As a new business owner of a roof cleaning business, you need to spend valuable time and resources to create a business plan to guide you on what to do. It will enable you to beat your competition. In modern times, success in entrepreneurship depends significantly on how you plan your way. Please do not take it lightly to write a plan for your roof cleaning business.

Most novice entrepreneurs in Uganda choose not to write a business plan because they do not think it is necessary. Others believe it is costly. Yes, it is expensive if you engage the services of a consultant. But you are not too bad not to write the business plan yourself. You only need a considerable amount of research, being passionate about your business and a little bit of insight into the roof cleaning business.

The easiest way into the steps of writing a business plan is to look at an existing one. You can visit a bookstore and buy a book to guide you on how to write it. Alternatively, you can search the internet to look for free business plan samples.

#2 – Get the Skills for the Roof Cleaning Business

Acquire Skills

Skills give you money. Did you know that? Starting a business without acquiring the skills for doing that business is dangerous. If you do not get the skills yourself, you will have to employ others with the required skills.

The roof cleaning business requires trained personnel because of the risky nature of working on top of roofs. Do not expose yourself and your workers to such risks. Get the appropriate hands-on training to avoid unnecessary risks and damaging the rooftops.

Some of the risks involved are:

Stability – Is the roof stable enough to support a human being of your weight. If the top is weak, you risk falling with it.

Weather conditions – In the rainy season, roofs become slippery, while in the dry climate, they are too hot. What are you supposed to do to protect yourself in such changing weather conditions?

Pitch – Some roofs are so steep that you have to take precautions before setting your foot on them.

Holes – An open roof hole can be deadly to you or your workers.

Ladder – The ladder you use must be strong enough to ensure your security. Secondly, ladder placement is a skill you have to learn.

Step Ladders

Rooftop safety must be your number one responsibility if you plan to start a roof cleaning business. You have, first of all, to get the appropriate apprenticeship. The training you get must be hands-on. Skills related to working on top of roofs are not acquired by just reading a book. You have to get firsthand practical experience. Secondly, you have to protect yourself against the risks involved.

#3 – Choose Your Business Name

Naming a business is like building a foundation for a house because a great name is the beginning of a great brand. A great name should have the following:

• Simple – a great name should be simple to pronounce.
• Memorable – your targeted customers should find it easy to remember your business name.
• Meaningful – a big name should have meaning to your audience, not just you. You do not need to explain it to others because you will be bringing down your business.
• Lends itself to wordplay – play with words that have meaning to your audience. For instance, a garbage collection firm named its business – HomeKlin. I like it because it blends well with what their business is all about.
• Must not be a copy of another name – Do not imitate other business names. Remember that uniqueness is essential. One day a firm in China wrote to me asking me to use – golaserengraving – for their website but use a different extension. That is imitating, and it is not healthy for your business.
• Should be usable in all your marketing strategies – select a suitable name for any marketing strategy you intend to use. For example, you can use it as a domain name for your website. If you select your roof cleaning business name as – RoofClean, you will be able to use it as the domain name (i.e. roofclean.com, roofclean.biz, etc.)

To get a big name, you need to do some research. Brainstorming is one of the techniques through which people come up with proper business names. When choosing a name for your roof cleaning business, make sure that you select one in line with your brand image.

#4 – Register Your Business Name

Register Business Name

After choosing a suitable name for your roof cleaning business, document it. Many people in Uganda do business with a name that they do not bother to register. That is the wrong approach, and you should not follow that way of doing business. There are advantages of registering your name, which include some of the following:

• Brand protection – After sweating with building your name, it can be disappointing if another business steals it from you and registers it. That business will claim ownership and even stop you from using it. If he takes you to court, the chances are that he will win the case just because there is nothing to show your ownership of the name.
• Professionalism – When you register your business name, it makes a difference as you approach your customers. It communicates to your customers that you are a legitimate business rather than a briefcase business. It helps you to turn people into buyers.
• Easiness of getting a loan – if you want to get a business loan, you have to prove to the bank that the business is yours. It is possible if you have registered the company.

To register your business name in Uganda, you go to the Uganda Registration Service Bureau – URSB. Learn more about how to do business registration by reading this write-up posted by Uganda Registration Service Bureau.

#5 – Look for Funding

Business Funding

Starting a roof cleaning business does not require much capital. It is not a capital-intensive kind of business. You can start it small and then build it slowly. That said, there are several sources of funding that you may explore to start your business. They include:

• Self-funding – This usually is from your savings. If you have saved some money to set you off with the equipment and cleaning detergents, that will save you the huddle of looking for funds elsewhere.
• Partnership – You can partner with someone to provide you with funds since you already have the idea written down.
• Friends and family – You can source funding from your relatives or the people around you.
• Loans – You can try the option of getting a small short term loan from your bank
• What else? Try to explore around you for funding opportunities, i.e. government programs for funding youth with businesses.

#6 – Purchase the Equipment and Chemical Supplies

Roof Cleaning Tools

Starting a roof cleaning business necessitates that you acquire items like a ladder, strong brushes, pressure washer, safety boots, safety hand gloves and other small items. It also requires that you purchase enough cleaning detergents. With time, when you have established yourself with a good customer base, you can consider buying a truck. After acquiring the track, use it also to advertise your business.

#7 – Market your Business

People cannot know the kind of business you are into unless you let them know. You have to embark on marketing your business through various marketing strategies. These may include the following:

• Business cards – Print some promotional materials, clearly stating what you do and give them to as many potential customers as you know will likely need your services in the neighbourhood.
• Do door-to-door marketing in your community. One of the effective door-to-door marketing techniques is the use of door hangers.
• Create a website for your business – Having a website for your business is one of the most appropriate ways to reach out to many people and retain old customers. Most people who need your services may find you by searching the internet. If you have a presence online, you miss out on tapping into the big market, thanks to the existence of the internet.
• Create a Facebook page to share information with your fans. It is recommendable that you acquire a digital camera to take photos of your works to post to your page.
• Use other social media networks, i.e. Linkedin and Twitter, to market your business.
• Write articles on the services you offer and post them on your website. You will get business from people who search the internet looking for the kind of services you deliver.
• What else? Think of other ways to market your roof cleaning business!

Conclusion

Having shared the above information with you, I am now optimistic that you can start a roof cleaning business if you have a passion. It is easy to establish and does not require colossal start-up capital. I am waiting to hear from you that you got the inspiration from reading this post. Do you have any questions? We want to hear from you!