[mark shannon]

Try to aim for £75p/h but often end up working for a lot less. Commercial often over 100p/h but thats weekends

[carpet guy]

Why would you need a Transit to work with a portable ? That is absolute crap. I and many others, including franchisees, run perfectly well with, little Diahatsu, Suzuki, Vauxhall, Renault, etc, small vans, which have room for two large portables, plus everything else, you need.

C/D have a number of those little vans.

They cost half as much as a Transit to buy and to run and they can access properties which larger vans can't, plus they can be parked in very small spaces.

When I started many years ago, I had a Transit sized van, but soon realised the problems which could easily be overcome, by using a small van.

So, my little Suzuki cost £5400 two years ago, does over 60 mpg, costs £80 a year to service.

[Mike Osbourne]

Who remembers Cleaning Co. ?

He used to get a lot of stick for having a little van (OK and some of his claims about portie vs truckmount results)

But he successfully ran a portie FROM the van and that was only a susuki sized jobbie.

Takes me 30 mins to set up and pack down, plus all the hassle of filling buckets (sloooow taps, custu washing up etc : ) whereas fill up with a hot water tank in the morning and you are independent and ready to go.

A smallish van allows you to park up probably 10ft away from where you would plonk the portie anyway on most jobs.

If I did this I worked out I'd make an extra 100 a week without a loss in quality of work. 

[Straker Cleaning]

My beloved Peugeot Expert fits into same space as my Focus ............ parking bays, multi storeys etc.
Every square foot of floor and wall space is used though .......... thinking bigger may help more than it hinders 

[Mike Osbourne]

The Expert is the route I'll be taking.

I've heard they aren't overly reliable, but they are excellent value and exactly the right compromise in terms of size for kit a residential access.

[Ian Gourlay]

I find  they get through Disc Breaks and clutches quickly,

[Dave_Lee]

I have the Citroen Dispatch (same van as the Expert) still on original clutch after 86,000 miles, and carried a Truck Mount with 300Ltr water tanks Reels etc for 75,000 of those miles. Still original clutch and rear breaks, though is on the 3rd set of front disc brakes. I would say ideal van for porty set up, but a bit small for TM.
Dave.

[Straker Cleaning]

Got mine on eBay at 18 months old ............. now 4 years old and never let me down ........... still only 38k on clock 

Sails though MOT and only needed wiper blades this time  :

Did have new brake shoes on its first MOT and not that expensive, even from Warwick Wright 

[psg]

Mike ,
Brag as much as you want mate but their is no way on gods green earth can you be doing a good Job. So a 3 piece suite & Livingroom carpet. Realistically I am sure some will agree, vac, prespray, spotting dwel time start to finish abt 2 and 1/2 hrs to do properly thats both sides cushions frames inside & out inc. the back, prespray & clean the carpet.

So you get 250:00 for 2 & 1/2 hrs you got to be in the 40% tax bracket and VAT registered.

P.S. Mile you don't want to now what I make an hr you would be sick.

Cheers Jim

[Joe H]

Do remember that PSA (Peugeot-Citroen group) consistantly make the best diesel engines for motor vehicles.
I have not heared of any bad reports re clutches nor brakes, so bit confuesed on that comment.

Do have problem with heater fan at the moment. Working one day then zilch, nowt. I have checked the fuses - OK. Its a bit cold to do without but need the van on the road as well.

[Mike Halliday]

jim your right, on the example you give I could never earn £100 an hr but I've already said that , you need to read all the posts not just jump in at the end.  

I'm basing my figures really on carpet cleaning, suite cleaning will always be lower.

I bet I would be sick if you said what you earned an hour but I'm just a lowly carpet cleaner, your Ireland No1 carpet cleaning entrepreneur

Mike

[psg]

Mike,
You no the funny thing I don't actually clean that much carpet now. The type of work I do has changed. Probably being a bit petty with my post, I can see it possible on large commercials a 100 an hr. I now the guys over here i.e the decent carpet guys are struggling a bit. I don't even think its the the cheap boys doing the damage its that s£&" brown on your side of the pond doing the damage nearly aiding & abetting another full blown recession.

Jim

[paul wright]

Who remembers Cleaning Co. ?

He used to get a lot of stick for having a little van (OK and some of his claims about portie vs truckmount results)

But he successfully ran a portie FROM the van and that was only a susuki sized jobbie.

Takes me 30 mins to set up and pack down, plus all the hassle of filling buckets (sloooow taps, custu washing up etc : ) whereas fill up with a hot water tank in the morning and you are independent and ready to go.

A smallish van allows you to park up probably 10ft away from where you would plonk the portie anyway on most jobs.

If I did this I worked out I'd make an extra 100 a week without a loss in quality of work. 

cleaning co is still alive n kicking with his little van setup and allways earns £100 plus hour

[garyj]

Hope Gary is still about, used to enjoy his posts. Thought he sold up and moved abroad.
He did talk sense.

PSG, please don't blame us for Gordon Brown, we didn't vote for him either. Wish we lived in a democracy   

[Ian Gourlay]

Paul.

We knew it was you but you are in Essex not Norfolk