[Smudger]

Well said splash and sb - those going up all the time don’t have the correct equipment or technique

Last year gutter clears were worth 55k  ( that’s gutters only not part of a bigger clean - if we had to go up every time it would just defeat the object of using a vac and mean having 2 men on the job

Darran

[Stoots]

I have a gutter sucker junior, which isnt the most powerfull but the poles are really lightweight.

Very rarely use it but did so last week on a job. the entire gutters were clear except for a 1m length which was chocka with stuff growing out.

Got it out i did but was there 30 mins on it and it was less sucking but more whacking it lol

I did a video as it was quite amusing, if i had ladders it would have been cleared in 5 mins.

No doubt a top of the range vac would have performed the task a lot easier.

My main worry with having no ladders is what happens when you knock an end cap off or pole comes apart and lands on the extension roof (both of which ive done  ) . Ive also knocked them swan neck downpipe things off when doing fsg and without a ladder sometimes its just impossible to rectify.

[Splash & dash]

I have a gutter sucker junior, which isnt the most powerfull but the poles are really lightweight.

Very rarely use it but did so last week on a job. the entire gutters were clear except for a 1m length which was chocka with stuff growing out.

Got it out i did but was there 30 mins on it and it was less sucking but more whacking it lol

I did a video as it was quite amusing, if i had ladders it would have been cleared in 5 mins.

No doubt a top of the range vac would have performed the task a lot easier.

My main worry with having no ladders is what happens when you knock an end cap off or pole comes apart and lands on the extension roof (both of which ive done  ) . Ive also knocked them swan neck downpipe things off when doing fsg and without a ladder sometimes its just impossible to rectify.

From time to time ladders will be needed in our line of work  you always have tk be prepared for the unexpected.

[Smudger]

End caps being knocked off - 1 in a few hundred poles coming apart never on standard stuff - once only on a 4 storey but I now have a fix for that 😇

Darran

[Stoots]

End caps being knocked off - 1 in a few hundred poles coming apart never on standard stuff - once only on a 4 storey but I now have a fix for that 😇

Darran

I must be clumsy because ive probably done less than 20 gutter vac jobs over the years, very rarely do them and dont promote it.

Ive had poles come apart on a flat roof extension and had to scramble up on a wheelie bin lol

Ive knocked a couple of end caps off too.

Funny game is gutter cleaning, ive had some horrible jobs that took forever with the vac as gutters were chocka but on the flip side ive had some that took 5/10 mins running the vac around a 3 bed semi that was totally clear for 60 quid.

[Smudger]

Like anything else it’s down to experience and equipment

We’re currently doing our “regulars” which are cleared every year - none take longer than 20 mins and one guy does 15 in a day

Darran

[Splash & dash]

End caps being knocked off - 1 in a few hundred poles coming apart never on standard stuff - once only on a 4 storey but I now have a fix for that 😇

Darran

I must be clumsy because ive probably done less than 20 gutter vac jobs over the years, very rarely do them and dont promote it.

Ive had poles come apart on a flat roof extension and had to scramble up on a wheelie bin lol

Ive knocked a couple of end caps off too.

Funny game is gutter cleaning, ive had some horrible jobs that took forever with the vac as gutters were chocka but on the flip side ive had some that took 5/10 mins running the vac around a 3 bed semi that was totally clear for 60 quid.

Lol sounds like you better stick to window Cleaning , we vac tens of thousands of meters every year never had poles come apart , as for  knocking ends off that s down to wrong Technics start at the gutter end and work away from it , when quoting a job always put the camera up so there are no nasty surprises when you come to do the job , we love it and earn very good money from it .

[JandS]

I always go quote for these.....stick the GoPro on the pole, mobile on the bottom of the pole  and you get a good idea,  and you can also take pictures, and, if they are in , show customer live what's up there.

[robbo333]

I’m after some tips and advice with regards to gutter cleaning with gutter vac. Never done it before but thinking of buying one. It obviously needs plugging in…is it a ball ache if the job doesn’t have outdoor electric supply? Do you always have to use extension lead? Any more tips and advice would be much appreciated cheers.

It depends on so many different things:
1. Are you going to be doing it full time, or just the odd few job for your custys.
2. Are they high buildings or just a 3 bedroom semi.
3. How much room do you have in your van.
4. what is your budget and more importantly what is your expected turnover for the year.
5. Customer electrics is never a problem for me, but get a good extension lead and a separate RCD for added safety.
Perhaps you could borrow a gutter vac from a mate to try, or maybe hire one and you will see the problems for yourself.
Also a camera is good (it's a good selling point for customers).

[Spruce]

I’m after some tips and advice with regards to gutter cleaning with gutter vac. Never done it before but thinking of buying one. It obviously needs plugging in…is it a ball ache if the job doesn’t have outdoor electric supply? Do you always have to use extension lead? Any more tips and advice would be much appreciated cheers.

It depends on so many different things:
1. Are you going to be doing it full time, or just the odd few job for your custys.
2. Are they high buildings or just a 3 bedroom semi.
3. How much room do you have in your van.
4. what is your budget and more importantly what is your expected turnover for the year.
5. Customer electrics is never a problem for me, but get a good extension lead and a separate RCD for added safety.
Perhaps you could borrow a gutter vac from a mate to try, or maybe hire one and you will see the problems for yourself.
Also a camera is good (it's a good selling point for customers).

Definitely. You need a camera to see what you are doing.

I always go quote for these.....stick the GoPro on the pole, mobile on the bottom of the pole  and you get a good idea,  and you can also take pictures, and, if they are in , show customer live what's up there.

The trouble is that if there is a clear gutter because it's running correctly and you involve the customer, he could ask for a price reduction as there was nothing to clear. Got that Tee shirt.

Now, we don't offer a customer pre-inspection and I have removed the sd card from the viewer/monitor screen, so I can't record any work done. The cleans are done when the customer is around as we need an extension cable. They can see we have worked all the gutters.

If they ask after the job is complete, I will tell them that there wasn't much muck in that gutter, but this gutter was full. We leave evidence of how much we vacuumed out in a convenient flower bed.

I watched a gutter clearance franchisee working across the road from us. I have no idea how much he charged, but he spent at least half an hour doing a survey and showing the customer what was in his gutters. He got the job and left a while later. The home owner never asked for another 'survey' to ensure the gutters had been cleared properly. I was a bit puzzled by that tbh.

[Smudger]

I’m after some tips and advice with regards to gutter cleaning with gutter vac. Never done it before but thinking of buying one. It obviously needs plugging in…is it a ball ache if the job doesn’t have outdoor electric supply? Do you always have to use extension lead? Any more tips and advice would be much appreciated cheers.

It depends on so many different things:
1. Are you going to be doing it full time, or just the odd few job for your custys.
2. Are they high buildings or just a 3 bedroom semi.
3. How much room do you have in your van.
4. what is your budget and more importantly what is your expected turnover for the year.
5. Customer electrics is never a problem for me, but get a good extension lead and a separate RCD for added safety.
Perhaps you could borrow a gutter vac from a mate to try, or maybe hire one and you will see the problems for yourself.
Also a camera is good (it's a good selling point for customers).

Definitely. You need a camera to see what you are doing.

I always go quote for these.....stick the GoPro on the pole, mobile on the bottom of the pole  and you get a good idea,  and you can also take pictures, and, if they are in , show customer live what's up there.

The trouble is that if there is a clear gutter because it's running correctly and you involve the customer, he could ask for a price reduction as there was nothing to clear. Got that Tee shirt.

Now, we don't offer a customer pre-inspection and I have removed the sd card from the viewer/monitor screen, so I can't record any work done. The cleans are done when the customer is around as we need an extension cable. They can see we have worked all the gutters.

If they ask after the job is complete, I will tell them that there wasn't much muck in that gutter, but this gutter was full. We leave evidence of how much we vacuumed out in a convenient flower bed.

I watched a gutter clearance franchisee working across the road from us. I have no idea how much he charged, but he spent at least half an hour doing a survey and showing the customer what was in his gutters. He got the job and left a while later. The home owner never asked for another 'survey' to ensure the gutters had been cleared properly. I was a bit puzzled by that tbh.

Exactly - I will show them clear gutters after if they insist

Darran