[greg2040]

A few questions from a newbie - sorry if they are very basic!

1/ I want to ideally leave the carpet cleaning machine downstairs. As a general rule what length of hose should cover 90% of houses without having to move the machine?

2/ I have a steempro with 2 x vacs and 150psi solution line - what length hose could I get away with without comprimising on the suction? 

Also what do you do about furniture. Do you work around it? Ask the customer to move it? Move it yourself and asorb the cost into your quote?

Thanks again
Greg

[Simon@arenaclean]

You should be able to run 50ft of hose from a twin vac, it should be enough to do most properties. I did push it to 75ft with an Alltec but it needed patient wand work. Furniture is generally part of the job. large pieces like suites etc I move. Large units stay in place unless they are completely empty. I ask customers to move small items/kids toys etc. If they do not then I will charge after dicussing it. To protect furniture & carpet I use furniture snap blocks for large stuff, sticky tabs for most everything else. Most suppliers have them if not RESTORMATE or CLEANSMART will supply both.

[garybristow]

vacuum wont be a problem with a long hose ,i was told by a prochem distributor its the pump tha t comes under pressure !!

[Fran84]

vacuum wont be a problem with a long hose ,i was told by a prochem distributor its the pump tha t comes under pressure !!

How long are we talking??

I ran a steempro and found that 500ft was just about maximum. As stated above though this should be enough for most houses.

[Neil Jones]

500 ft, that must be one big house, probably would have moved the machine closer if that was the case

[Fran84]

500 ft, that must be one big house, probably would have moved the machine closer if that was the case

 

50ft

[Deep Cleaning Solutions]

2 x 25ft hose's will give you the flexibility and length for 90% of domestic work, for three storey houses you can either ask the customer to help carry it to the next floor ( try to avoid this if they are over 80   ) or use a smaller back up machine that is easier to carry to the third floor.Moving furniture is part and parcel of doing the job, i won't move tv's or really heavy furniture or anything stuffed with ornaments.You will find with experience when you first talk to a customer, whether if they are the type to want you moving the sofa ect or if they are not bothered.

[Carpet2Clean]

I use 2 X 25 ft and on town houses i run the hose up the middle of the staircases and tie them off with large twist ties from 99p shop.

Going to get a 35 ft hose next from Ametech uk for the 2up 2 down houses, 25 ft just to short.


Richard

[Adrian Marsh]

2 x 25ft hose's will give you the flexibility and length for 90% of domestic work, for three storey houses you can either ask the customer to help carry it to the next floor ( try to avoid this if they are over 80   ) or use a smaller back up machine that is easier to carry to the third floor.Moving furniture is part and parcel of doing the job, i won't move tv's or really heavy furniture or anything stuffed with ornaments.You will find with experience when you first talk to a customer, whether if they are the type to want you moving the sofa ect or if they are not bothered.

I strongly advise you don't ask the customer to help move your machine. Your insurance covers YOU not the customer. If they have an accident or put their back out lifting your machine you can kiss goodbye to your business.

[benny d]

As above, also you will own the OAP.
Costly... and smelly 

[Max Campbell]

3 x 25' won't be a problem with a twin vac.

Re furniture, etc, you've got to decide how you position your business. Full service = do everything you imagine your customer will want - move all the furniture, always go that extra mile, etc, etc - and price accordingly. Cheap = decide what price you need to charge then work out what you can do within that price. It's up to you.

We've always gone the "full service" route, and we'll move everything - full cabinets, pianos, plants, and then coaster it all up, and we try & charge a lot!

[*Hector*]

re furniture...
I always tell them that I am not covered for electrical goods ie tv stereo etc, so if they want them cleaned underneath or behind then they should move them themselves....

Also I will not move anything that will break, or give me a hernia......

This usually works... suites can be moved as 99% of them are on castors these days..

[Mike Halliday]

We give a 20% empty room discount,mainly aimed at empty rentals or people who are decorating...., it's amazing how many people will completely move the furniture.

[JandS]

I recently did a 3 storey but with an attic bedroom to boot
so 4 storey really.
Machine outside front door and 50 foot up the middle of the
staircase got me halfway up the third set of stairs.

John

[M.Acorn]

you can either ask the customer to help carry it to the next floor

If your a big wuss yes, I can quite easily carry my prochem up to the middle floor, although have no need to do that now,50ft plenty for most.
Did carry it up after filling it once and dropped it half way up, never again 

[John Kelly]

Hated cleaning empty rooms, especially lounges. The contrast between the new carpet beneath the sofas etc and the worns areas used to look terrible and always thought the customer would pick up on it.

[Fran84]

Hated cleaning empty rooms, especially lounges. The contrast between the new carpet beneath the sofas etc and the worns areas used to look terrible and always thought the customer would pick up on it.

Couldn't agree more John, I personally cringe when I see it but for some reason the customer never seems to pick up on it

[david@zap-clean]

I can quite easily carry my prochem up to the middle floor, although have no need to do that now,50ft plenty for most.
Did carry it up after filling it once and dropped it half way up, never again 

Did it go through the wall?

This descent was a bit intimidating last week:

[M.Acorn]

No thankfully it tipped up once it hit the bottom step,but it was not much fun sucking up 30ltr of fluid from the hall carpet !!

[greg2040]

Thanks for all the replies guys.

David your picture alone has convinced me to buy some more hose. I don't like the idea of lumping my machine down some stairs like that!