[L.Doubtfire - The Blade Runner]

Hi members,been looking at gutter cleaning as an add on now
Autumn and the leaves are falling are here.
These 1400 to 2000 watt vac motors are they robust enough
For just standard 2 story residential and light commercial work ?
Ya see some `pricey`pieces of kit around.
Jeff Brimble has pointed me in the right direction to start with.
What are normal type prices for cleaning.?
Also what tools are used for unblocking down pipes ?

Thanks in advance


Lewis  Doubtfire

[Ged]

was considering gutter cleaning last autumn. did some research then put ad  in local paper for couple of weeks to gauge response. there was zero response. could be a good add on maybe if you are a window cleaner with regular customers  i guess but for me it was a non starter. no doubt in some areas people make a go of it.

[rycalshaw]

i mentioned in a previous post about maybe using groupon for this type of work, say you offer 40 metres of gutter vaccing +external gutter clean( ave 3 bed semi i think) for £110,discounted to £50 so you and groupon end up with £25 each,i reckon it should take about an hour and half,but i think you could do really well on the upsell because when the external gutter is clean and white it will probably show up the fascias and hopefully you,ll get rebooked, you could do a deal with groupon as a trial ,lets say offer only 50 jobs so your not snowed under and also limit the postcodes to 7 miles or so..

[BDCS]

Are you a rep for groupon ? Would it not be better to get your own work and not fill someone elses pockets - these things seldom work as they are greedy

[rycalshaw]

no i,m not a rep mate and i don,t think groupon would work on carpet cleaning or things like that but i can see it maybe doing ok with this sort of thing,your only going to be on site for a shortish period of time and the upsell potential i would imagine is quite good, how long would it take you to canvas for 50 jobs or how much would you spend in advertising,apparently you do the deal with groupon and they drop em in your lap (hopefully),you could also add the custies to your database, i know groupon is a touchy subject on this forum and i don,t think anyone is under any illusions as to who the big winners are but i think it could be quite successful for certain trades...

[mike roberts]

i mentioned in a previous post about maybe using groupon for this type of work, say you offer 40 metres of gutter vaccing +external gutter clean( ave 3 bed semi i think) for £110,discounted to £50 so you and groupon end up with £25 each,i reckon it should take about an hour and half,but i think you could do really well on the upsell because when the external gutter is clean and white it will probably show up the fascias and hopefully you,ll get rebooked, you could do a deal with groupon as a trial ,lets say offer only 50 jobs so your not snowed under and also limit the postcodes to 7 miles or so..

For a change i agree with bdcs 
Where do we start.......for starters 40m 3 bed semi what?  bloody big 3 bed semi ! so house is 20m long er no... ...you end up with £25 for cleaning internal / external guttering - thats so under priced - crazy.
I have never never had a customer with white upvc ask me to clean guttering only inside and out... we always clean fascia and soffits as well which then requires the windows cleaning wfp  - hour and a half more like 1/2 day

If you are thinking of pushing groupon atleast get the basics right - personally would not touch it - As for this massive rave with gutter cleaning----- sell the whole dam package gutters/ fascia/soffits windows all the upvc far better returns! Sorry for rant but been on a roof all day hot hot  as for groupon i think you have been in the sun as well!

[rycalshaw]

most semis where i live have three sides of guttering and not two, i based it on two 12 metres and a 16 metres ,i know that most cleaners do a whole package thats the whole point,they would have to pay the going rates for the fascias and soffits hence the upsell,the exterior gutter is just a loss leader if you like,and by the way it was just a thought and i,m so sorry for dissagreeing with you, i,ll consider myself severely repremanded ...smart arse

[mike roberts]

sorry mate but another point ' 50 new custys to database' why would I want 50 new custys - who think they can pay 'jack all' for services to be added to my database 
I prefer custys who pay sensible rates... you can have the 50  

[rycalshaw]

are you sure you know how this works mate,when they buy a groupon they don,t get it cheap indefinately ,if their impressed with the job you do they may well book you in the future,i suppose there are a lot of penny pinches out there but there is also some genuine people who apprieciate a good professional job and are willing to pay the going rate. your probly going to say why wer they buying groupon in the first place,i get emails from them everyday don,t even know how they got my email address.

[BDCS]

I don't understand how finding work is so difficult. You walk down a road with the type of houses you can clean obviously swerving the difficult and rundown ones. Only do this when its Pi 55 ing down with rain and bang the door and say "sorry to bother you but I noticed your gutter overflowing - would you like a quote" - If not give them a card which mentions on the reverse the other services you do. You will find with this you get to choose the customers and the work you want. If you don't like the look of them when they get to the door give them a watch tower and leave 

[rycalshaw]

i do get quite a bit of gutter work through my window custies but if i went asking to give quotes i,d feel like a pikey lol, obviously it would be better to get your own work but brass is a bit thin on the ground and if we get another crap winter it could be very bleak,working cheap must be better than sitting at home, the groupon thing was just a thought,it seems a couple of carpet lads are doing ok (very surprised), monty rooney says he,s already secured 300 bookings for next year at the normal price...food for thought

[mike roberts]

I don't understand how finding work is so difficult. You walk down a road with the type of houses you can clean obviously swerving the difficult and rundown ones. Only do this when its Pi 55 ing down with rain and bang the door and say "sorry to bother you but I noticed your gutter overflowing - would you like a quote" - If not give them a card which mentions on the reverse the other services you do. You will find with this you get to choose the customers and the work you want. If you don't like the look of them when they get to the door give them a watch tower and leave 

starting to warm to u 

[mike roberts]

i do get quite a bit of gutter work through my window custies but if i went asking to give quotes i,d feel like a pikey lol, obviously it would be better to get your own work but brass is a bit thin on the ground and if we get another crap winter it could be very bleak,working cheap must be better than sitting at home, the groupon thing was just a thought,it seems a couple of carpet lads are doing ok (very surprised), monty rooney says he,s already secured 300 bookings for next year at the normal price...food for thought

I dont think we are on same wave length ;
In basic I would prefer to source new custys by door knocking (thats how most people build up wc rounds) or marketing online (so much you can do online) as oposed to working for somone for f**k all. I would feel like a pikey for doin it for £25 is that cash lol

Food for thought who books carpet cleaning 4 mths in advance eh ... as posted most carpet cleaners only work 1 wk maybe 2 in advance! Most equiries we get want it done asap regular custys will wait ....Believe what u want

[rycalshaw]

ok pal ,they must be liars,obviously mikey knows best

[mike roberts]

ok pal ,they must be liars,obviously mikey knows best

no not all but some - the point I was trying to make serious customers for carpet cleaning want them cleaned fairly quickly, customers after bargain will wait 4 mths  . I dont want customers after a bargain.

If you think its so good then u do it - as oposed to sugesting it to a new starter original post

keep hidding pal lol

[rycalshaw]

i wasn,t suggesting it to anyone, it was actually in response to geds post about not being able to get much nterest,it was never a suggestion,just a talking point but you had to jump in with your sze 10s and cocky obnoxious attitude, if you don,t agree with peoples opinions thats fine,its what an open forums for but theres a right way and wrong way of getting your opinion across,,

[L.Doubtfire - The Blade Runner]

Jee Whizzz,hardly any posts at all on my original,then they come
`pouring in`(wish the work did )
Mike ( Roberts) just do window cleaning now,but could I recon,
Get some gutter work,had a chance yesterday of 100 running yards
Of it blocked solid I recon.I have a small ( 20 liter wet/dry) pick up
From my carpet cleaning days.
There seems to be some big money `kits`out there,camera`s and petrol
Driven generators,I want something for small residential that ya plug
In and works off domestic `lecky`,with perhaps an extention lead.
  :

P.S.  fella`s can I ask, please please leave the Groupon `thingy`alone,
It`s not what I`m asking thanks.

 
Lewis  Doubtfire

[rycalshaw]

absolutely right lewis,sorry about that mate,think me and mike got a bit carried away ,good luck with it anyway and mike,thanks for the sparring session and no hard feelings

[mike roberts]

always a laugh  would be good if you other guys can show prices for comparison - fair play mike

[Total shine cleaning services]

Hi I'm a window cleaner in Milton Keynes,average prices round here is £20 per length for standard size houses,just about to take delivery of a Clarke 30 litre gutter vac and don't mind leaving some feed back once it has been used for a while

Graham