[steve Garner]

Truck Mount/Airflex/ Rotovac 360/ Advice.
I am new to this business, my other work involves working mainly for Estate and letting agencies, I produce Energy Certificates, floor plans, and property photography. After the suspension of Home Information Packs my work has dropped off dramatically. It occurred to me that I am in a good position to pick up work from my existing client base as they are either selling or renting property and may need carpets and hard floors, and upholstery cleaning.
After research, I realised that some of these clients would not have hot water and decided a Truck mount would be best, but cannot find a suitable second hand one, my budget is £10K max including van. I am now considering an Airflex Turbo, inline heater, and Rotovac 360i. I intend to use the Airflex Truck mounted with two 250 litre fresh and waste tanks. Thought I could also offer Driveway pressure washing.
I work in Altrincham and 15 mile radius.
Can anyone offer any advice, and or equipment for sale?

[Mike Halliday]

my opinion is too keep looking for a truckmount they do come up very regularly, i think Hydramster has a used one in stock.

but don't think you have a ready stream of customers awaiting your service, what research have you actually done?

the combination you suggest would work but don't think an inline heater will provide sufficient heat from cold water out of a holding tank...it won't.

[Marti]

My advise is to stear clear of expensive TM's, get yourself a decent porty & keep your money in the bank.

[Joe H]

So Martin, what TM have you had that you can say what you just have with conviction.

[Marti]

So Martin, what TM have you had that you can say what you just have with conviction.

My opinion is this:-

TM's are ok for commercial jobs with easy access but how many of them does one actually get in a week/month??

I know a guy who just sold his TM to get a Porty, why? because he was fed up in passing on work to a porty operator ie flats, 7 floors up, city jobs where parking is difficult etc.

Lets be honest, do you really want a noisy van going outside your house for hours on end disturbing the neighbours, with hoses sprawled across the garden, front door wide open, I know I wouldn't.

Why spend £1,000's on a bit of kit you can't use 80% of the time, when you can use a decent porty and do the same job for a fraction of the cost.

[Joe H]

The majority of my jobs are domestic.
I put my van on the drive, the hoses are on the path (not the garden), if you use a porty it shouldnt really go inside custys house as it cause air pollution, so it doesnt matter that the door is open - same for porty or TM.
True I personally dont like using my Prowler for flats, running hoses vertical on outside is ok if you are working as part of a 2 man team and one can watch the outside for safety issues.
So for flats I have a porty - a 3 vac Scorpion which is really good.
So I dont loose out on jobs.
As for noise from a TM,yes I do want it outside custys homes, noise attracts people who then are amazed at the biggest carpet cleaning machine they have seen.

This Friday afternoon I will be doing a small office job probably with my rotary of Cimax - not decided which yet.

[MAX Carpets]

Marti

That is 100% nonsense! You cant use a TM 80% of the time???.............................Are you drunk?

[Colin Day]

I started out with £21k when I was turfed out of the Royal Navy (Fleet Air Arm) with a knee injury...

I bought a twin vac 100 psi Porty and a Combo Van.... Do I regret not finding a forum like this and having the option to ask professionls the very same advice Steve?..... You bloody bet I regret it....!

Buy the best you can afford NOW! You will be able to take on commercial jobs with more confidence than I did....

I would opt for the Prowler if I had the cash....

[Cleanbright UK]

So Martin, what TM have you had that you can say what you just have with conviction.

My opinion is this:-

TM's are ok for commercial jobs with easy access but how many of them does one actually get in a week/month??

I know a guy who just sold his TM to get a Porty, why? because he was fed up in passing on work to a porty operator ie flats, 7 floors up, city jobs where parking is difficult etc.

Lets be honest, do you really want a noisy van going outside your house for hours on end disturbing the neighbours, with hoses sprawled across the garden, front door wide open, I know I wouldn't.

Why spend £1,000's on a bit of kit you can't use 80% of the time, when you can use a decent porty and do the same job for a fraction of the cost.

We dont even own a portable now, We seem to cope just fine with the Truckmount, Infact I couldnt even tell you the last time that we couldnt do a job because of it

[Marti]

So Martin, what TM have you had that you can say what you just have with conviction.

My opinion is this:-

TM's are ok for commercial jobs with easy access but how many of them does one actually get in a week/month??

I know a guy who just sold his TM to get a Porty, why? because he was fed up in passing on work to a porty operator ie flats, 7 floors up, city jobs where parking is difficult etc.

Lets be honest, do you really want a noisy van going outside your house for hours on end disturbing the neighbours, with hoses sprawled across the garden, front door wide open, I know I wouldn't.

Why spend £1,000's on a bit of kit you can't use 80% of the time, when you can use a decent porty and do the same job for a fraction of the cost.

We dont even own a portable now, We seem to cope just fine with the Truckmount, Infact I couldnt even tell you the last time that we couldnt do a job because of it

You're obviously the exception......

[MAX Carpets]

That must be at least 2 of us. I sold my porty ages ago. In fact I wouldnt even use a porty! I have cleaned apartments 3/4 storeys up, no problem. You only have to carry the hoses/wand up. With a porty you have to lug a bloomin great big elephant up!

Sorry Marti, but are you for real? 

[steve Garner]

Many thanks for all the replies.
If a good second hand TM becomes available at the right price I would buy it, but if not a top end portable may be the answer to start with.
Does anyone use a Rotovac 360i for carpets and hard floors? Perhaps I could be wasting my valuable start up money? Are they as good as some sat they are.

[Cleanbright UK]

You're obviously the exception......

Obviously not judging by this thread

[Simon Gerrard]

Marti,

Why spend £1,000's on a bit of kit you can't use 80% of the time,
You're talking complete and utter tosh - but a very typical comment from someone who clearly has never owned one and therefore knows nothing about what they can do for your business.

Steve,

You need to get this buying decision right - now! There is a monumental difference between the performance of a TM's and even the more powerful of portables and thinking of fitting an Airflex into a van as if it were a TM and then  doing rental properties with it, some of which could be many floors up and very dirty, has more than a hint of folly to it. I'm not knocking the Airflex, it's a great machine but you have to match the kind of work you're intending doing to the machine required to do it. If I were you I'd keep my money in my pocket for now and try and find a TM operator that will take you out for a day and give yourself the opportunity to see one in action. Likewise, do the same with an Airflex guy, so that in the end you can make an informed decision.

Simon

[Dave Roberts]

Before anyone suggests it ............ "Marti" is NOT me..... !!!!   

I knew what some of you were thinking   

Dave.

[james roffey]

I would advise given my own experience in start up costs over the last 18 months that you may regret spending too much on equipment and leaving nothing or little left over for finding your customers i kept £5000 from my initial £15000 budget for marketing, of course you can do more jobs with a truckmount but unless your phone starts ringing the day you buy it and continues it will be sitting outside your home most of the time, get a good portable like the Airflex and an envirodri this will enable you to do a very good job and build your business and leave enough in the bank to market your business and have some set aside for that enevitable rainy day when the phone stops ringing  like it did for me in January, or you have to carry out urgent repairs. 
You can always get that truckmount if you get snowed under with work, but unless you have Richard Branson's marketing budget that will take a while to happen.

[Colin Day]

Steve, I know of a TM for sale 1600 hours on the clock... £2500...

Contact me at daysdeepclean@msn.com and I'll put you in touch with a man

[Simon Gerrard]

James makes a very good point, you do need to consider having the funds to run your business while it gets established so his choice of equipment may be the better one if your funding is tight in the short term.
Simon

[cleaningmaster]

Steve,

You could save the money on a 360i and put it towards a Prowler, just a thought.

Ask Joe i'm sure he could talk to you about them.

Regards

Daryl

[steve Garner]

Again many thanks for your comments, it's fantastic to be able to learn from other peoples experiences at the touch of some buttons.
Has anyone used a Rotovac 360 ?
Regarding TM v porty I can only decide that  both might be the answer so far!! Though I can see the benefits of pulling a hose out and having Vacum, heat and pressure in abundant supply.
kind regards to you all,
Steve.