[Richy L]

Richy - Cleaned one today £480.00.
Only managed to get half of it sanded so have to go back but the doctor was very happy with the outcome.
We use a 4000 psi powerwasher and a flatdeck cleaner.
We are averaging about 10-12 cleans per month but we also have the window side so this is just an add on to offer to our clients.
I do not think you could get a fulltime living from it as I would imagine it will be very quiet over the winter months.
Good Luck
Robbie

how do you manage to get 10 - 12 cleans a month?
im lucky to get 1 every two months!

[poleman]

I am looking around at the moment for a pressure washer - and some good advice I can give the cheap ones are for domestic use only - best type to get would have to have a honda engine and would need to be rated for commercial use

Andy

[Richy L]

the one i use, and share with my father cost us £3000 so its a good one. Its a diesil engine, 3500psi, 250 bar(i think)

i dont use a flat surface cleaner, just a spinner and fan for floors, with a 7mtr lance for gutters, etc.

[Clive McDonald]

I'm looking too. There are some good back posts on the general cleaning forum.

The consensus is that there isn't enought domestic, there are a lot of pit falls and things you can get the blame for, and to do it properly you need to weed kill the week before, have tamper block lifter etc, and some knowledge of sealants.

[steve k]

there are thousands upon thousands of block paved driveways...you do not weedkill the week before...the pressure washer gets out weeds from roots up...you do not lift blocks...no need to do this.
If the blocks have sunk due to the layer not doing job properly/settlement whatever, you simply inform the owner of the fact.

You are there to clean the surface and joints...this is done so easily with pressure washer and flat surface cleaner.

When using lance, try and direct jet away from house...this is easily done.
Direct sand with your lance to a wall area away from drain and shovel up into a bucket.

After cleaning, and resanding, tell the owner to apply "pathclear" weedkiller to the area over the next week or so and repeat in 6 months and they should have weed free driveway for 12 months...then tell them to call you back to reclean.

I don`t even offer a sealing service...too many problems, too many return visits.
Keep it simple...clean, resand, drive away with money in your hand and your contact details in theirs.

I average 2-3 good jobs a week from advertising in local magazines @ £315 for 3 months in 4 magazines covering a population of 14000...those 14000 are the areas I want and they get my half page colour ad in their letter box every 4 weeks for 3 months...£315.00 all in.

[Clive McDonald]

Steve, we have a local directory that i am going in.
Is what you are talking about (mags) a bit more up market lifestyely and glossy. We have those as well but I'd never really considered them before.

[Easyclean Windows]

Im going to branch out now into office cleaning,carpet cleaning,pressure washing and maybe also car valeting.

Expand expand expand take chances i did and they have all paid off

[Clive McDonald]

You are right of course Easyclean expansion is a good strategy. It's doing it well that's the problem.

I think jetwash/drive restoration cleaning is younger than office & carpet cleaning and therefore more accessable. No extra employees are required(theres only me).

It probably boils down to what you say, taking a chance. That and not expecting everything to just happen without hard work.

[TVCS]

I started out as a pressure washing business and had to get a window cleaning round to make ends meet.   
Now after about 18 months I have got a steady stream of jobs coming in, nearly all of them from word of mouth.
Wasted alot of money in the first 12 months with advertising and got nearly nothing from it.  The van is sign written for pressure washing and not window cleaning.  I  figured its easier to get window jobs so just use the van space for pressure washing  and that gets a few jobs now a nd again but word of mouth is the best. 
Did a block paved drive this week and that has got me 2 more jobs lined up thanks to nosey neighbours.

We also do van / fleet cleaning for a couple of local firms. Regular monthly income from that is a bonus in the winter I can tell you. 

[Clive McDonald]

Those Yank websites are very go getting. I think it must be a hot bus over there, and we're normally only a few years behind. I remember watching a docu about a guy who'd gone over there and was making a good living mowing lawns, it'll be happening here next people said.

How about some tips on eqiupment, whats a reasonable but not over the top petrol machine to power a surface cleaner or whirl away, and do you use a resovoir tank?