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dave f

gutter cleaning
« on: April 09, 2016, 12:56:40 pm »
just done 2 gutter cleans I don't normaly do gutters.  I do them by hand what a ball ache I only said yes cos they are good custys  normaly I knock them back no more gutters for me.

jk999

  • Posts: 2081
Re: gutter cleaning
« Reply #1 on: April 09, 2016, 03:03:30 pm »
How much did you get for them both and how did they take you to do

dave f

Re: gutter cleaning
« Reply #2 on: April 09, 2016, 04:49:04 pm »
20 quid a pop just 1 side

Smurf

  • Posts: 8538
Re: gutter cleaning
« Reply #3 on: April 09, 2016, 05:27:46 pm »
just done 2 gutter cleans I don't normaly do gutters.  I do them by hand what a ball ache I only said yes cos they are good custys  normaly I knock them back no more gutters for me.

"no more gutters for me" ???...Until the next one surely  ;D

If you have had the same weather as me  it's been drizling none stop and  intervals of heavy rain & even hail today. All I can say is thank goodness I was using a guttervac as trying to handball all that wet crap out of the gutters with it peeing it down would have done my haed in for sure. 


Re: gutter cleaning
« Reply #4 on: April 09, 2016, 11:56:05 pm »
they are easier to do by hand when they are wet,after a dry spell there is a lot of dust

Smurf

  • Posts: 8538
Re: gutter cleaning
« Reply #5 on: April 10, 2016, 12:10:18 am »
they are easier to do by hand when they are wet,after a dry spell there is a lot of dust

Either way I find a guttervac can make the job so much easier than trying to handball loads of crap out of gutters and is far less messy too. Out of the two when using a guttervac I find it easier with the crap being wet than dry and welded to the inside of the gutters

dave f

Re: gutter cleaning
« Reply #6 on: April 10, 2016, 07:29:59 am »
I don't advertise gutter cleaning although I get asked randomly by joe public just say no blah blah

8weekly

Re: gutter cleaning
« Reply #7 on: April 10, 2016, 07:49:06 am »
I don't advertise gutter cleaning although I get asked randomly by joe public just say no blah blah
I advertise FSG and regularly get asked to clear gutters. I pass it straight on to another windy who's become a mate over the years. I still toy with the idea of a guttervac but I just see problems with getting it in and out of the van. The decent ones a fair size.

Smurf

  • Posts: 8538
Re: gutter cleaning
« Reply #8 on: April 10, 2016, 10:03:02 am »
I don't advertise gutter cleaning although I get asked randomly by joe public just say no blah blah

I don't blame you saying no as roofline work using ladders is a dangerous high risk job.


Tom-01

  • Posts: 1348
Re: gutter cleaning
« Reply #9 on: April 10, 2016, 10:27:21 am »
I don't advertise gutter cleaning although I get asked randomly by joe public just say no blah blah
I advertise FSG and regularly get asked to clear gutters. I pass it straight on to another windy who's become a mate over the years. I still toy with the idea of a guttervac but I just see problems with getting it in and out of the van. The decent ones a fair size.

For the money that can be made it's worth getting it in and out of the van mate.

Smurf

  • Posts: 8538
Re: gutter cleaning
« Reply #10 on: April 10, 2016, 10:43:50 am »
I don't advertise gutter cleaning although I get asked randomly by joe public just say no blah blah
I advertise FSG and regularly get asked to clear gutters. I pass it straight on to another windy who's become a mate over the years. I still toy with the idea of a guttervac but I just see problems with getting it in and out of the van. The decent ones a fair size.

Most will ask for a price for the gutters to be cleaned so I always confirm what they want doing first as gutter clearing and cleaning the outside of gutters (FSG) are two seperate services

For me when a new prospect asks for a quote they more often than not want both services. If they just want a quote for gutters to be checked and cleared and/or downspouts unblocking then I can also upsell FSG.

Regards to getting the vac in and out of the van I use the same ramps I would use for my pressure washer kit. Makes it easier if you empty the crap/water out of the vac drum first though when trying to put it back in. Also if I have time and have somewhere to empty afterwards like a boarder etc will clear the wet crud sticking to the inside the vac heads, hose and carbon tubes by just having it all assembled and suck a half bucket of water throught it. That way the vac is  also ready for the next job. 


Smurf

  • Posts: 8538
Re: gutter cleaning
« Reply #11 on: April 10, 2016, 10:46:41 am »
I don't advertise gutter cleaning although I get asked randomly by joe public just say no blah blah
I advertise FSG and regularly get asked to clear gutters. I pass it straight on to another windy who's become a mate over the years. I still toy with the idea of a guttervac but I just see problems with getting it in and out of the van. The decent ones a fair size.

For the money that can be made it's worth getting it in and out of the van mate.

Indeed Tom

lal

  • Posts: 1112
Re: gutter cleaning
« Reply #12 on: April 10, 2016, 11:57:47 am »
I don't advertise gutter cleaning although I get asked randomly by joe public just say no blah blah
I advertise FSG and regularly get asked to clear gutters. I pass it straight on to another windy who's become a mate over the years. I still toy with the idea of a guttervac but I just see problems with getting it in and out of the van. The decent ones a fair size.

Most will ask for a price for the gutters to be cleaned so I always confirm what they want doing first as gutter clearing and cleaning the outside of gutters (FSG) are two seperate services

For me when a new prospect asks for a quote they more often than not want both services. If they just want a quote for gutters to be checked and cleared and/or downspouts unblocking then I can also upsell FSG.

Regards to getting the vac in and out of the van I use the same ramps I would use for my pressure washer kit. Makes it easier if you empty the crap/water out of the vac drum first though when trying to put it back in. Also if I have time and have somewhere to empty afterwards like a boarder etc will clear the wet crud sticking to the inside the vac heads, hose and carbon tubes by just having it all assembled and suck a half bucket of water throught it. That way the vac is  also ready for the next job.

Hi Smurf, out of interest what sort of ramps do you use, and where did you get them from, hope you don't mind me asking.

Regards
Lal

EandM

  • Posts: 2181
Re: gutter cleaning
« Reply #13 on: April 10, 2016, 12:20:52 pm »
Customer asked me to clean their gutters and I politely declined. It was high, awkward, difficult access and really warranted £150 for the time involved. I suggested he try someone local with a gutter vac who promptly turned up and cleaned them for £80 ! Result all round !

Smurf

  • Posts: 8538
Re: gutter cleaning
« Reply #14 on: April 10, 2016, 12:22:51 pm »
Lal, I simply use cut down old scaffolding planks for ramps as had them already in the lockup. I’ve also found they can come in handy to be used for other things too whilst out on a job.  If you want metal loading ramps then have a look on fleebay as they list a few different types from fixed to folding.

Smurf

  • Posts: 8538
Re: gutter cleaning
« Reply #15 on: April 10, 2016, 12:33:35 pm »
I had a cleaner phone me up to ask if I was interested in some subby work as he did not have a long enough ladder.
I said I would take a look but his client wanted to go directly through me so I obliged.  Since then I've taken all the  work off him beacause the client said he wasn't very good so I now look after the clients property instead at a lot more than he was charging.

I bet the cleaner wishes he never phoned me now  ;D

dazmond

  • Posts: 23923
Re: gutter cleaning
« Reply #16 on: April 11, 2016, 08:50:51 am »
just done 2 gutter cleans I don't normaly do gutters.  I do them by hand what a ball ache I only said yes cos they are good custys  normaly I knock them back no more gutters for me.

refuse all of them (unless their easy to reach and part of a full UPVC clean at a good price).you ll be a hell of a lot happier! ;D
price higher/work harder!

SeanK

Re: gutter cleaning
« Reply #17 on: April 11, 2016, 09:51:33 am »
I don't advertise gutter cleaning although I get asked randomly by joe public just say no blah blah
I advertise FSG and regularly get asked to clear gutters. I pass it straight on to another windy who's become a mate over the years. I still toy with the idea of a guttervac but I just see problems with getting it in and out of the van. The decent ones a fair size.

For the money that can be made it's worth getting it in and out of the van mate.


All depends what you can make on the glass, I cant get anywhere near the money I can cleaning windows and even if I could
it would need to be at least double to make me consider taking the job.
Get a tight gap between the roof tiles and the outside edge of the gutter and the vac isn't much help as the nozzle wont fit, so your always taking the chance that a ladder may be needed which is a no no for me.
I own a 4.8kw gutter vac and its a great machine but I wont be replacing it.

nathankaye

  • Posts: 5366
Re: gutter cleaning
« Reply #18 on: April 11, 2016, 10:04:56 am »
The best gutter cleans ive done is when they are chocker blocked esp with grass or weeds and on dry days. Easy money by hand. I either take end cap off, place garden waste bin directly underneath and then start at the other end with an unger pole. Because its all knotted together with roots, just a slight push and push it all out into bin in 10 mins or so. Just a case of moving ladder maybe once.
Or another ive done is where you can pull it towards you and just roll it like an hosepipe and throw down into the bin.
Best done tho when custy not in to see theyve paid alot of money for give or tem min work  ;D
facebook.com/1NKServices
1NKServices.co.uk

Smurf

  • Posts: 8538
Re: gutter cleaning New
« Reply #19 on: April 11, 2016, 11:22:03 am »
I know from experience that can be done for sure only on a straight gutter run and only if and a BIG IF the tiles don't overhang (get in the way) and/or any tiles have not slipped into the gutter run. If so then that method will not work.

Also from experience out of different types of plastic gutter I find half round and deep flow much easier to clear properly than square line.

One poxy small job I remember as a nightmare of a job was a square line gutter run with a tiny gap between the tiles and gutter completely full of sods so the whole length was one big long run of turf. Using a gutter vac was not an option on that one as the gap was tiny. As the turf was being broken up into small sections and pulled back to me they kept getting jammed under the overhanging tiles so was a real pig of a job to do. 

To be honest the amount of time it took to clear it would have been quicker to remove the guttering clear and clean it and put it back but that was not an option either as was a conservatory under most of the gutter run. If it had been right accross the back then I would have said sorry I can't clear it at all unless you pay and have scaffolding errectecd or pay for a mini picker to be used.

That was a big lesson to never quote over the phone and to start doing guttercam inspections on site visit quotes to actually see what I'm up against and price it accordingly .