[stuartb]

Thinking of buying a pressure washer and rotary cleaner. If I buy it now will I get some work as the year goes on. My other half thinks it's a waste of time! Please help.
Stu

[Matt Gibson]

Yes its seasonal.

I work in Tescos over winter.

[Neil Jones]

Yes its seasonal.

I work in Tescos over winter.

 

[BDCS]

I volunteer at the samaritans and age concern to while away those long winter months  Yes its seasonal but you just do gutters during the winter 

[Neil Jones]

I don't get gutters in winter just spring and autumn. Am I doing something wrong?

I usually have November to March off because there is that much money pressure washing in summer it's possible.

[Rob_Mac]

Is it down to how good you are Neil?

Rob

[drive surgeon]

Usually it's dramatically less yes! When we first started we were only busy from march/ April to July when the kids are off. Then it died a death till the following march/ April.  It takes years and years to build up enough cuties and to do other jobs associated too. A lot of people buy all the gear thinking its a great idea and then all their gear is on ebay a few months down the line. If you can manage starting off with no work in the winter for a few years then u can build it up. When we first started we were living at home with no outgoings for 5 years.if we had a mortgage and bills to pay as well as business costs there is no way we would be still trading after 15 years. It's a lot harder to start a pressure washing company then most business's because the majority when you start off is domestic work which is very seasonal. But good luck with whatever you choose to do.

[Rob_Mac]

Neil

Come on you haven't bitten yet.

Good people have plenty of work !!

Rob

[Rob_Mac]

 

[Mike Halliday]

Domestic work will slow down, I'm planing to totally alter my domestic marketing from the end of October from cleaning for appearance to cleaning to prevent slips & falls

I would estamate 85% of my customers are retired who often mention how slippery the paths are when they are wet, I'm going to put a headline on my leaflet...

 'Warning! Are your paths a slip hazard? Don't risk a fall this winter'

Might work, so worth a try

[Kenny83]

Domestic work will slow down, I'm planing to totally alter my domestic marketing from the end of October from cleaning for appearance to cleaning to prevent slips & falls

I would estamate 85% of my customers are retired who often mention how slippery the paths are when they are wet, I'm going to put a headline on my leaflet...

 'Warning! Are your paths a slip hazard? Don't risk a fall this winter'

Might work, so worth a try

The old Scare tactics slaes pitch 

[drive surgeon]

Good idea mike

[Neil Jones]

Only just seen this Rob, you need a bigger hook for a bite off me!
Need to speak to you so I'll call you Monday if that's ok?

Seriously though, I think if you do a lot of commercial work like Rob and Lee you can maintain how busy you are all year but if you do only domestics I think it will always slow during winter.

I don't rely solely on PW and do other things like carpets and hard floors although this year so far I seem to just be constantly pressure washing, which I enjoy

[Rob_Mac]

Ok mate. Stuck in a very rainy Andover, on a roof clean.

I wish mine was all year round. Might change this year with the amount of Tesco coming in. I'll have to see on this one.

I should be back oop north and on the paperwork, on Monday but give me a bell

Rob

[Roger Oakley]

There is absolutely no money in pressure washing even down south, I'd stick to what you are doing at the moment, Look at Mike Halliday doing this for years, 85% of customers over retirement age, packs his kit away at the end of October the latest, what chance do we have down here in London with all these city types , Rich Russians, Arabs,  CEO's living in private estates, buying up houses and not spending any money? Might have to re-think my career!!!!

[stuartb]

Thanks guys for the info. I currently run a window cleaning business and have around 200 customers. I've picked up around 7 pressure washer jobs from them over the last few weeks. Do you think with my existing customers I would pick up regular work? Say, one drive per week or more on average. Or will I need a bigger customer base?
Cheers stu

[Mike Halliday]

So you want 1 in 4 of your customers to use you yearly , considering  maybe  only 1 in 4 have a need for pressure washing then you want 100% of your existing customers to use you...... Not likely, have a database of 10,000 customers and it might be possible

[Blast Away]

If you have the right equipment you'll clean everyday of the year. From the right equipment comes exceptional results, comes faster work, comes more work.

Started with a £400 chinese snide petrol machine in 2008
A job we did the other day https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GXZlwvsHSU&list=UU6uGqco6i7spfOi1cUHCV1w

[Neil Jones]

You must be getting close to cleaning every square inch of Manchester now Lee?!

[drive surgeon]

Lee do you need hot water on that stuff? Wouldn't it come up just as good with cold water at half the cost of heat?