[Dave-mac]

Hi everyone
I am about a week away from buying a new host Freestyle and pos
the espirit. I am brand new to carpet cleaning and intend to keep my current job for a couple of months.
Is there anyone out there who cleans only with a dry or low moisture system only. I also intend to do the ncca course and the woolsafe course to start out with. Any help or advice would be appreciated.
I am certainly not knocking porties or Tms I think the dry sytem is best for me to start with
Dave

[stevegunn]

Don't you'll regret it.

[Dave-mac]

Thanks Steve
Any chance you can expand on that perhaps by e-mail
address on profile.
Dave

[david_m]

  hello dave
 
 agree with steve on this one get some training and buy  hot water    exstraction machine , eg prochem, ninja, alltec

          davy

[Dave-mac]

Hello Davey
I wanted to contact these people Host tell me about to see if they are real wont give me contacts until I sign .Im not that green
If theres any out there apart from the Franchisees contact me by e-mail.
I looked at Alltec advantage and the package inc. Fast track but people on this forum say theres problem with motors or pump. its a minefield for new starters, every ones own m/c is the best.
I have a good job but I want to work for myself. Where do I go from here apart from going on courses
Dave

[david holland]

i do not answer to many topics often - but with respect  to get any chance of you surviving in this industry - do not use this system as your main arsenal- you will need another system -I hope i have put this so not to offend anyone-  but tough if it has !!!!

regards

David

[Phil Marlor]

I am certainly not knocking porties or Tms I think the dry sytem is best for me to start with
Dave

Why do you think this is the best system?
How much money are you looking to spend, sounds like not much.

Look at all the main suppliers for HWE machines. Do the NCCA course before you commit to machinery.

Many people who look to be in this business think £500 will get them up & running, it wont!

Rgds
Phil

[AJCleaningServices]

...Why do you think this is the best system?...

Phil,

As a newbie to carpet cleaning I can tell you that host, envirodri systems etc. look attractive for the people who has no knowledge of how to operate HWE machine, because HWE can deliver complications - over-wetting, shrinkage, loss of colour etc...

I have met them at carpex they know how to present their machines...

Regards,

Arthur

[John Rimmer Marshall & Rimmer Ltd]

I have had the Host sytem in the back of the van for seven yrs and in that time
probably used it about a dozen times. Very limeted as to what you can use it on
poor results on most jobs, just my opinion there mite be othere out there who
use the system and get what they think are decent results but it will never come near HWE. And thats wye Dave you will not find i would suspect many on this forum agreeing with your decition to bye one. Best of look anyway.

                                             Take Care John

[AJCleaningServices]

I have spoken to somebody at carpex who told me that one job took him 8 hours to do, but if he used HWE it would take maximum tree hours...

John, what is your opinion on such statement?

Regards,

Arthur

[John Rimmer Marshall & Rimmer Ltd]

Dont realy have an opinion on that Arthur exept if it was going to take 8hrs
it must have one hell of a big job. The other point about using the system is the cost, the granuals dont come cheap even if you dont use hosts own that cost
either has to be passed on, or you have to absorb it. Sorry for the pun 

                                                   Take Care John

[Chris_Thomas]

Hi
I agree with everyone who says it's not a front line system. I only use mine for sisal etc and for scrubbing presprays for which it's excellent.
I bet the 8 hour job was more to do with trying to hoover  the compound up afterwards. Been there.

The Klanz K7 uses compound more efficiently, is much more portable and and used with their enzyme product is a much better all round option.( Just my opinion you understand!)

Cheers
Chris

[Dave-mac]

Thanks everybody for comments, looks like no one using Host as main system as expected, hence the original question.
I am not looking to get in to business cheap I dont mind spending
4-5k but would be silly to buy straight into T/M would need bigger van (have a Vivaro) etc. costs starting to mount up perhaps do a couple of day with a c.c.  I live in Milton Keynes if theres anyone out there who doesnt mind a passenger for a day. Then do some courses before deciding on machine.Anyway must get of to work
Dave

[therapist]

While I agree with most of the comments already made, I think there might just be a big onough niche market for the Host system.

Take a look at Bone Dry and DRYCARPET ( AMERICAN )

Now these people are in, or developing their own markets by concentrating the consumers minds on the advantages and benefits.

On Tuesday, I was asked to clean carpeted areas in a new  -  open 3 months  -   car  showroom and went along with my Texatherm, which is normally brilliant on commercial carpeting .............not this time, because the carpets were very plush 100% wool and the cut pile was prolific.

The Ninja did the job perfectly, but on this occasion the Host or Klanz would have coped with considerably less setting up / putting away time and almost no disruption within the working environment.  This would have allowed me to complete the job at an earlier time and the sales manager would not have to stay behind for an extra hour.

You will certainly need  h/w/e, unless you're prepared to walk away, a lot, or become a very good marketer !

best wishes whichever route you take

rob m

[Liahona]

I think it has all been said as to if you should get the machine you are after...No being the correct answer as a first line option. If or when you go on a course either by the N.C.C.A. or the I.I.C.R.C. then you will decide for your self that you should get a hwe machine of some sort. Steve Gunn is selling just the machine you would need to start with and as it is such a good one the next up-grade from that would be a truck mount. Best, Dave.

[poles apart]

Dave
I've been using host for years as my only system and with the right training the results are excellent. Many people on here are too eager to knock it and that's up to them because most will not be using it properly hence the poor results. The cost of the sponge in use is also minimum if used properly (training again!). Send me an email (on my profile) and I'll be happy to put you in touch with some major carpet cleaners who only use Host and these are not one man bands!

Every time Host is mentioned on here the wet brigade have a go but I'm not bothered because the majority of my work comes from them Thanks boys
Rod

[AJCleaningServices]

I have spoken to somebody at carpex who told me that one job took him 8 hours to do, but if he used HWE it would take maximum tree hours...

Rod, what is your opinion on such statement?

Regards,

Arthur

[poles apart]

Training! Training! Training! -  I can't really think of any situation where the above would apply unless the operator wasn't using it properly!

[Len Gribble]

Rod

With respect one off with this system can be a nightmare all depending, regardless of what training you have received!

Can you quantify its limitations? Know the LM have them!

Not that wet Len

[Karl Wildey]

Got a porty, a tm and a host. All have their purpose, but if you have a wet clean system its easier and cheaper to use then the host, but you can not always wet clean.

I would use wet clean as first choice and add a dry clean method not the other way around.

The only way to learn fast in this game is to get out and start cc.