[justin cooper]

When I joined this forum I planned on starting a carpet cleaning business and add pressure washing at a later date but I was advised to start the pressure washing first because it was summer.

I listened to the advice and I'm glad I did as I've decided that carpet cleaning is not for me, especially when you see people on Face Book doing a room for £10 or 4 rooms for £30 its crazy?

Any way I'm ready to add a new service to my business and thought I would ask the forum for some advice. I have a bit of money saved and have decided between getting a gutter vac and a water fed pole to clean gutters and wash soffits & fascias etc , or to go on the drain survey course and buy drain camera etc.

I really want to do the drains but its about £400 for the course and about £3000 for the cheapest camera set up, I have a few concerns about spending that much money. The concerns I have about this is how much work can I be expected to get? will the 2 day course give me enough knowledge to be able to go out and do the job properly ? would my pressure washer be good enough to jet domestic drains if needed? ( its a QWashers GX390 21 LPM)

The gutter option comes with a more attractive price tag water fed pole with back pack £250 gutter vac £600-£1000, possibly easier to get going and I think it will be easier to generate work. Again how much work can I expect to get from this option? do you get work off this all year round ?

Any advise or experiences are appreciated, what do you think is the next best option, what choice would you make?


Sorry for the wall of text.

Cheers Justin

[Smudger]

Can't advise on the drains, but your well out on the gutter vac'ing side.

Gutter clearing and SFG cleaning is usually a 1 off service, you may get repeat work but once a year tops, and like carpet cleaning you'll find lots working off ladders doing a house for £15

But, like carpet cleaning their is always room for a quality higher price job.

Getting a gutter vac doesn't mean you'll be inundated with work, it takes a lot of time and money n advertising to get rolling.

You will also need a genny, if you go cheap on your gutter vac you won't clear the gutter blockages and swan necks so up the ladder you go...

Don't get a back pack, waste of time if your only doing SFG cleaning, but a decent full carbon pole 25 ft is ideal, then make up some connector to fit the mains water supply, this will save you cash on unsuitable equipment, hassle, and time per job

HTH
Darran

[justin cooper]

Cheers Darren. I know it will take a bit of time you get going , but Ill put in the work with the advertising which ever I choose, do you think the gutters is worth while while getting into then. I forgot about a genny and I guess Ill need a set of ladder too in case the gutter vac cant suck it up, its starting to get  more expensive now.
Seems like it could take a while to get my money back.

[Smudger]

Yes gutters and SFG cleaning is a good earner, but we were window cleaning first, so SFG cleans were a natural follow on.

When we started gutter clearing we already had a customer base of 300 customers, even then it was a slow burn, but now 4 years later we vac 2 to 3 places a week all year round, with 100 plus customers booked in for their annual clear in February

It's worth pursuing but it will be hard as a sole service to make a living off over winter.

Ps gutter vacs don't work with frost in the gutter or frozen water

Darran

[justin cooper]

Cheers Darran lots of good info there mate, still undecided  maybe back to the drawing board.

[BDCS]

I do drains, gutters, pressure washing and a few carpets. I don't have the drain surveyors course - i suspect you have spoken to Mr Beatty at the NADC who said you must do the course - its the future ? I also suspect you have looked at the camscan cameras - I have one and the service from them is second to none. You would struggle with a 21 ltr machine - I do when my van is off the road, it can be done but I have a 4000@12 Harben normally.
You can ring me if you wish on 0797 453 7697 - afternoon is best as I'm quite busy 

[justin cooper]

Yes BDCS I've had the talk of him  It would be helpful to phone you I've got a shed load of questions I'll give you a call tomorrow afternoon if that's Ok.


Cheers Justin.

[Rob@Blast off]

What about wfp window cleaning?

[Rob_Mac]

If i'd got to choose between something and drain jetting I would go with drain jetting.

Where are you based?

Rob

[justin cooper]

What about wfp window cleaning?

I have thought about it. What's the cost to set up a wfp with all the filter stuff for the water?

[justin cooper]

If i'd got to choose between something and drain jetting I would go with drain jetting.

Where are you based?

Rob

I live in Lincoln Rob.

[Rob_Mac]

The WFP window cleaning is also a good idea. It will be an income generator, if you are any good, can get the customers, can look after them and manage it well. It will tie your time completely and have you pulling your hair out (but that's my everyday!)

It could be a means to an end or you just may fall in love with window cleaning.

Why don't you post a request to go out with someone for a couple of days and see if it is for you?

Rob

[justin cooper]

Yeah that's a good idea Rob , might as well give it ago.

[Rob@Blast off]

Its a good way of getting regular income and customer base plus it will allow you to do s/f/g, conservitory roofs etc
Plus after a p/w job you can clean the windows in minutes.
As for set up costs you need to find out if your in a hard or soft water area so get a tds meter off eBay for a couple of quid then if the water has a high tds you will need an r/o unit plus di or if its a low reading you can get away with just di, £100 for a back pack, £200+ for a 25ft carbon pole, few barrels and Bobs your uncle.
I might be a bit to far away but you're welcome to come and have a go with my system.

[Rob_Mac]

I'm not his uncle!

Rob

[Ian101]

It could be a means to an end or you just may fall in love with window cleaning.

Rob

 

yeah like I love my ex wife 

[Rob_Mac]

Talk to us Ian. Lets see if we can work you through this animosity

Rob

[Ian101]

Talk to us Ian. Lets see if we can work you through this animosity

Rob

its all the fault of this part of the forum .... it led me astray ... never been the same since I did a few months of pressure washing last year .... its that Simon Pristine Pathways fault for selling me his gx390   (did me a great deal much appreciated)

Got some nice big jobs and was more profitable than the windows esp when 2 or 3 days on same job.

Sold it on end of last year expecting to buy a zeta or 21lpm for the start of this year but the windows just went mental for me so it never happened and time flies and here we are now still with no pressure washer however sold a third of my round off last month and not taking on anymore customers unless right next door to other customers.

Plan is to get a qwasher 21 lpm in Feb next year and now got free time to grow the pressure washing ... will aim to get someone on windows and me doing the pressure washing and see how things go from there.