[Liam Williams]

Hi there,
I am looking into taking my business a little further and including carpet cleaning on a permanent basis. I have cleaned several carpets now for friends and family and find I get great satisfaction from seeing the end results. I have, therefore, decided to look at purchasing my own equipment (I currently hire equipment as and when I need it) however, there seems to be so much to choose from

Can anybody offer me some advice on what equipment would be best for my first purchase?

Thanks in advance 

[john martin]

Would need to know how much you are prepared to spend  .

[Craigp]

This is all you need, and a cheap start up at 800 quid, spend more on getting the work than on kit.

Dam good buy too;

http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=178419.0

[Liam Williams]

Was looking to maybe spent £300-£500 second hand of course. Its not something that will be used on a daily basis as carpet cleaning is only 1 aspect of my business.

To be honest, I have been looking at cleaners for sale but they all seem so different to one another. I guess im looking for the best option to purchase...or if I would be better to continue to hire equipment for the time being. I get discount on the hire, for example, I pay approx £38 inclusive of solutions for a full weekend hire. However, I have read on other websites that hired cleaners dont provide as good a result.

Thanks 

[Simon Gerrard]

For three to five hundred quid you'll end up with something way short of what you actually need. If you can't afford a proper machine why not wait until you can?
Also, you could do with booking yourself on a training course before even thinking about doing this professionally. You can do a hell of a lot of damage in little more than a blink of an eye, you will also need insurance so perhaps think of a more realistic budget.

Simon

[Craigp]

300 to 500 isn't enough.

Your best option is hot water extraction machine. Not rug doctor type rubbish.

[Liam Williams]

Hi Simon,
Thanks for your reply. We are already looking at insurance quotes and also training courses. Im am new to the forum so still searching for a course fairly local as id like to do a carpet and upholstery cleaning course. This is one of the reasons for the low budget as I need to think about paying for courses also.
Craig, thank you also for your reply. It doesnt suprise me that the budget I have would not be sufficient, so im thinking that continuing to hire for the time being is the answer for me at this time. Its a Karcher Puzzi 100 that I hire...it seems to do a good job but whats your thoughts on this cleaner?

Thanks

[Radek Jablonski]

Liam

You are looking for two-engine machine with at least 135-150psi.
prochem powermax, ashbys ninja, altec etc.

[Simon Gerrard]

Liam,
The Puzzi 100 is a joke for a professional carpet cleaner to show up with, especially as I think of the broad spectrum of jobs we turn up to do on a daily basis and then having to do them with what is in effect a valet ing machine and that makes me cringe.
If you want to build a successful carpet cleaning business then you need to start out with the right equipment, insurance and training.  If you're really serious about this then you will have to sit down and think it through and get costings on what it will take to get you up and running as a professional carpet cleaner. This business is about quality and little else. If you ever want to see your customer again then the quality of what you do has to be there from the outset otherwise you will never build a loyal customer base.

Simon

[wynne jones]

Everyone starts off with this idea. Then, like the gambler on the chase, you end up spending more and more money in pursuit of a living wage. Two years down the line and maybe three or four grand in debt if you're lucky, you start to see some sort of light at the end of the tunnel.

Hopefully I have done you and everyone else a favour and put you off the idea. But usually at this point suppliers chip in. 

[Liam Williams]

Thank you for all your replies, your advice has definately given me food for thought 

[qginsburg]

I hope the light at the end of the tunnel is not a train

[Paul Moss]

 

[Neil Williams]

This topic is a wind up surely 
(Where's the smilie for rolling around the floor p&ssing myself)

[neil 47]

This isn't the place to find out how to start carpet cleaning
You need to find someone who is retiring or retired and ask their advice or find someone you can meet that is a cc and get them to take you out for a couple of days .

carpet cleaning machines and cleaning are about 30% of running the business , more importance should be put on marketing and daily running of the cc

a lot of the successful  cc that i have met where more interested in up-selling than carpet cleaning machines etc

Neil

[tim handley]

research research research................................  forget the puzzi............!!!!!!

[Seymour Sunshine]

This might give you food for thought as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9iYuxZj02c

[wynne jones]

All I know is when Ive cleaned a carpet and the previous clean was a LM boy, the customer is gobsmacked by how much better the result is. (Yeah I know the LM guy wasn't doing it right )

Also the guy in the video is doing a low profile commercial, which Mrs Jones with two kids and a puppy isnt going to have.

[neil 47]

Wynne

Your wrong . I nearly always hwe , but for about a while back we cleaned only using lm and the comments we got were great even more tips than usual .

the only reason i went back to hwe is its What   I   like to use its all about my thoughts the customers were perfectly happy .

Neil

[wynne jones]

Wynne

Your wrong . I nearly always hwe , but for about a while back we cleaned only using lm and the comments we got were great even more tips than usual .

the only reason i went back to hwe is its What   I   like to use its all about my thoughts the customers were perfectly happy .

Neil

I think because you're a professional Neil and you have access to both systems, your customer may not realise the difference but you know its a better job. Don't get me wrong I will use LM in lots of situations, especially commercial because its better in many cases.