[Luc]

Im keeping busy with just cleaning carpets but im thinking of branching into other areas, adding more  strings to my bow. Im thinking of doing a leather restoration course and also a hard floor course. Im also looking into buying a new rotary system for lm cleaning.
If you guys dont mind me asking what other areas  apart from carpet cleaning have you guys succesfully added to your business that have been profitable .
Im happy with what im doing but im looking at other areas that I can make money and providing more of a service to my existing customers.

Many thanks
Luc

[derek west]

I'm considering ovens. i just can't seem to find more carpets to clean. frustrating cos i love cleaning carpets and would rather do that all day than any other add on.

seen a company that does training and equipment as a full package, only problem i have is room in my van.

[Len Gribble]

Gardening green thumbs get a fortune out of me and very little equipment 

[bennymon]

Same as Derek I quite like carpet cleaning so to top it up  I have a mate who does oven cleaning I do the advertising and take a cut . I get more calls for ovens than carpets  now . del

[creighton foyle]

whats the company Derek ?.

 the training I have seen advertised in the past for oven cleaning always seemed very expensive compared to carpet cleaning training.

[Carpet Dawg]

Oven cleaning courses are over priced IMO.

Do a search for Colin Day's post where he pretty much outlined, step by step how he cleans ovens. Think he used very easy to find products that you can buy on the high street.

[Mike Halliday]

Why spend time doing something that pays less than carpet cleaning?

Oven cleaners around here charge £55 -£70 and it takes them 2-3 hours.

Unless you have a ready market for it then why go looking for it,  you would be better spending your time looking for more carpet cleaning

[Shaun_Ashmore]

I think oven cleaning is easier to get customers compared to carpet cleaning, Derek why didn't you carry on with the pressure washing? just as hard to get cc customers but it's still an add on.

Shaun

[Carpet Dawg]

If I was going to add anything on it would be pressure washing or/and window cleaning. Wouldn't want to do any of that work myself though.

[derek west]

tried mike but any other methods ive tried don't seem to generate enough to cover the costs.

i think you can earn around £40 to £50 an hour from ovens, certainly 4 a day is achievable.

this is the company i was looking at,

http://www.ovencleaningequipment.co.uk/training/


didn't like pressure washing. and TBH, worried i won't like oven cleaning as well. probably why i'm dithering about the idea.

[Carpet Dawg]

or contract cleaning. But again, get someone else to do the actual cleaning. Will also lead to commercial carpet cleans.

[cannon]

Oven cleaning is the pits on many occasions I would have happily walked out half way through a job, connected up a hose pipe to the van exhaust and ended it 

Its horrible work (though some people claim to enjoy it) and less £££ per hour than other services quite a bit less.

But its not all doom and gloom 

Initial outlays low, demands quite high, lower marketing costs compared to carpet cleaning infact very little additional cost, much lower consumables cost.

The best thing about oven cleaning is your getting in to customers homes, after their oven comes up sparkling good as new clean if any other work is required your the one who should get it.

But like I say I don't like it and soon as I get the chance Ill hook up with an oven cleaner and ditch it.

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Derek I didn't like PW either funny how you either get along with it or not, window cleaning would be a good add on if I were to start again as you have regular customers from day 1 and also the a base of customers to market to.

Shaun

[cannon]

tried mike but any other methods ive tried don't seem to generate enough to cover the costs.

i think you can earn around £40 to £50 an hour from ovens, certainly 4 a day is achievable.

this is the company i was looking at,

http://www.ovencleaningequipment.co.uk/training/


didn't like pressure washing. and TBH, worried i won't like oven cleaning as well. probably why i'm dithering about the idea.

Derek there's a fella next to Pontefract offers training I think he offers equipment aswell.

I think its  http://www.ovenbrite.co.uk/Pages/default.aspx 

[bennymon]

The guy who does the ovens for me can sometimes be there 2and a half hours for £50 quid if its a minger and some of the ranges and agas can take up to 5 hours for £110 .and it's filthy work . Del

[Allan Simmons]

Derek, Although we don't do ovens we know a few carpet cleaners who do and run their oven cleaning using a small trailer for the gas bottle and dip tank, that way they only take it out when they have an oven to do. One guy runs Berlingo's for carpet cleaning and a trailer for the ovens.  I've seen one who's trailer has advertising banner sides, and it has his advert for ovens and/or carpets on it.  One guy we know says the cross sell is easy and although the ovens aren't as profitable they go more often.

[John Kelly]

I used to love pressure washing. Getting paid for playing with a hosepipe. Prefered that to carpet cleaning especially in the summer.

[Hilton]

In my patch a guy I knew bought one of the oven clean franchises (not oven clean), he was trying to sell up after 6 months absolutely hated the work...

[neil pownell]

We added oven cleaning last year, one thing we have found where carpets tend to be seasonal and there is a definite decline in the winter months, ovens remain steady.

3 ovens a day is easily do able, we dont even use a dip tank, just a soak tray, boiling water and the cleaning solution (vanquish and astonish), and while some I have found myself running away screaming like a girl from, once you get into a routine, its not usually too bad. Failing that I send the wife to do them 

Cross selling has already been mentioned, and often while you are there up to the waist in the oven the customer decides they then want a chat, mentioning you also do carpets has often led to them booking that as well.

Ditto EOT cleans, while many younger tenants will eventually run around with a bottle of cif, when it comes to carpets and ovens they haven't got a clue the time, so we get calls to do both on the same day.

[wynne jones]

The most lucrative add ons are cleaning more carpet, protector and setting up the maintenance of the carpet. Which would you prefer protecting a carpet or cleaning an oven?