[Jayy]

Hello forum. Just wondered if anyboady has bought a franchise type cleaning business (like Kwik Jet, Hydrotech....etc) and how you got on. I like the idea of having some people behinde you reagrding training, support and activly sourcing commercial work for you.

Thanks

[REVIVE-A-DRIVE]

i brought from hyodrotech.
had no help yet! not to happy with them!

[Paul Forster]

Only the franchiser makes the money not the franchise  :)if the company is not well known the you have no advantage other than loseing a percentage of takings.

Paul

[Jayy]

Thanks guys. I was seriously looking into hydrotech. ( as they seem to get work for some big companies, which I thiugh they passed onto there sub contractors)

I do want to go it alone, but feel I will need some help to make it a success.

[REVIVE-A-DRIVE]

if i want to email me i'll tell u abit more about hyodrotech!

[Ged]

all the info is out there you just have to do the reseasrch

ring various suppliers of equipment . it's in their interest to help you. try tech-clean and ask for jan see the website.

Contact your local chamber of trade they will more than likely run courses on small business start up

most answers to your questions will have been covered on this and other forums so time looking at back posts and searching the data base will be time well spent.

gradually you will build up a picture of what you need to do

be prepared to actively seek work yourself . as a new business you will need to go knocking on peoples doors big time to generate an income. advertising pressure washing and leafleting doesn't do it in my experience.

finally have a second income stream cos at first you will need it.

Regards and good luck

Ged

[Jayy]

Thanks for the advise Ged, much appreciated. REVIVE-A-DRIVE, an email on it's way to you.

Cheers

[dustdees]

DON'T BOTHER!!

[exoclean]

Hi Jayy,

When I started up all of 6 months ago I researched a couple of well known franchises and looked at what they offered as part of the deal. I soon went of the idea when I realised that the bulk of what was being charged is for the privelge of using their name. Having spoken with a couple of guys in the business who have bought franchises I reckon I made the right choice.

As Ged mentioned Tech Clean do a good range with everything you could poosibly want to start-up with and the after sales is the best I have ever got from ANY company. There is no hard sale with them, they demonstrate their equipment and, if like me you like it, you buy it. Simple. Just get what you think you may need to start with and then add gradually as your business grows. It cost me approximately £2,500 - £3,000 on equipment to start.

Good Luck

Paul

[preston powerblast]

Franchising I think, is like the donkey and the carrot.
They seem to offer you the world.
On paper it looks all so very worthwhile.
My advice to you is go and get your own kit. then get out there and get your own work. It can be done and I have done it.
Its been hard and Ive nearly thrown in the towel a couple of times.
But now I'm glad I didnt, because things have never looked so good.
Do the best job you can and dont leave until you are completely satisfied.
Good jobs are your best advertisement and news travels fast.
But always chuck a little freebie in, because customers like freebies.
Good luck in all you do.
                                  Gary

[Jayy]

Thanks for the replys guys, much appreciated. I'll have around 5k to invest initally, and Tech Clean have been mentioned a few times so will look at there products/ equpiment. I'll proberly start of with WFP cleaning and gradually buying equipment for cleaning driveways, patios....etc.

Thanks

[Jayy]

Thanks for the comments. well, i was looking to franchise (possibly with Hydrotech) but I think I will just go it alone and buy the equipment myself. I will look into tech clean and landy pressure washers, cheers.

I will also keep an eye out in for 2nd hand machines in the these forums. I will be looking for a pressures washer, a rotarty flat surface cleaner , hoses and chances are I will need a van of some sort. Would anyone recommend any other equipment I will need to clean driveways, patios...etc.

[Ged]

Hi

before you splash out on a van weigh up the pro's and cons of  a trailer.
i see the pros as


1. cheap .get a really good one for about £600 or less.
2. no road tax or insurance ( a trailer is covered by your car insurance in most cases)or maintenance
3. when you finish for the day you can use your car as normal. so you're not running two vehicles and going to the shops/ on holiday in a bloody great van.
4. with mesh sides are easy to work from as a trailer mounted system and open to the air so van not full of exhaust fumes and easy access to water tanks etc.
5. as an articulated vehicle they are far more manouverable than a rigid van ( once you get the hang of reversing with one.)

cons

1 you definetly need secure garaging if leaving loaded.
2 your stuff wil get wet. but you can put your bits and pieces in the back of the car/4x4 /estate.

Can anyone think of other pros/ cons ?

Ged

[Paul Forster]

Hi I use a 6'x10'  flat bed ifor williams trailer and a 6'x4' p6e mesh side ifor williams trailer. Ifor williams trailers are galvanised and of a bomb proof construction . My P6E has wide tyres and is perfectly stable at  high speed (in excess of 85mph unladen)

If going for a trailer remember that your equipment is ALWAYS visible, also remember that light items will need securing or they may well fly out at speed. Having said all the above I have managed well for the past six months using the trailer for my Pw equipment and for the past four years using trailers for my grounds maintenance equipment. Make sure any trailer you buy has a tail ramp and that you fit a good quality jokey wheel and invest in a hitch lock.

Iam upgrading come January to a transit MWB due to the conveince of being able to leave my equipment overnight and the ablility to provide 24 hour drain jetting and pest control services.

Personaly on meeting a 17 ton lory in the narrow lanes around me I would out of experience prefer  to reverse a jumbo transit half a mile  than a 14' trailer,  however you soon get used to reversing and it becomes second nature.

Will post pictures of my van and set up on the other forum when I get it all sorted.

regards  Paul

[Eureka Ventures]

Perhaps not exactly franchising but I have been a contractor with one of the office cleaning outfits for a year now. I didn't have the confidence or know-how to prospect for my own contracts. And I needed to be earning from day one.

On the up side, the admin etc was taken care of by the outfit. But on the down side, I feel, the jobs are (inevitably) priced skinny. And by the time the monthly charges and (hefty) interest charges are subtracted, the decision to find your own contracts is almost made for you. Couple this with the risk of having all your eggs in one basket and the question isn't if, but when.

A year down the line I now feel quite comfortable estimating the time each cleaning operation would take, based on my current types of contracts. Though until I started delving into the archives here I was still shakey on pricing.

It was this pricing and other pieces of the jigsaw that I was googling when I stumbled upon this forum. I was immediately impressed as much by the generosity of spirit of the members as by the content of some of the posts - Petra, Timbob and Fox amongst others.

However it was a couple of posts by CMS on Prospecting and Quotations that gave me that EUREKA! moment. Although I haven't tried his system, I'm confident it's the way to grow this business.

Finally, my view on franchising is this: it isn't so much serloin steak as spare ribs. For me it is serving as a means to an end. The journey continues...

Thanks to each and all.

Freddie