[jo5hm4n]

Was cleaning on an estate today and saw a big van pull up 3 men got out all with a backpack and a pole, and each house they quickly fill up from 1000L ibc tank in the back of this big van.  At first i thought, meh this looks a bit shoddy to me, but after i spoke to the guy had a 15 min chat he said hes been window cleaning for 10 years, hes had trolley system, van mount the lot, and hes now only using ibc tank in van and then backpack and pole.  Says it's the best method he has found for him and his 2 other lads working alongside him for several reasons.

Wondering if many other guys have a similiar setup on here?  I'm happy with my van mount, but if i ever need to get another van and send a worker out it sounds like a much cheaper option if nothing else.  They were getting work done really fast too, obviously not having to drag hose around with them everywhere, and they were doing all frames and glass and not rushing either.

[M & C Window Cleaning]

Basically, it's what works for you! 

A van mounted system works best for most of us but not for all.  I have used a trolley for 10 years as I've said before.  It's a very simple setup and works very well for me.  A van mounted system would be largely wasted on me and my work.  At least two of my friends have found the same.  It's down to the type of work we do among other reasons.

[Smudger]

a system like that does work well - we have similar for a hospital clean where you can't have tailing hoses however using backpacks like this day in day out would not be my first choice - every job you have to stop and fill the backpacks - you are also limited to how much water you dare use, with the risk that you don't clean sufficiently well, certainly when you come across unexpected bird strike - first cleans would also be a nightmare.

but it goes to show that there are many ways to get the job done.

Darran

[Stoots]

If I was working with another man in the van then I would use a backpack. Either two backpack or one van mount and a backpack.

Its going to save hoses getting tangled for a start.

Also if the backpack guy does the front whilst hose guy does the back the backpack only needs filling half way so  it isnt heavy and only a short distance to carry it so it makes sense.

Much harder using a backpack on your own. They are tiring and heavy when full not to mention slugging it about.

Also if you have an employee you get him to do the slogging about

[Smudger]

from the word IF - i take it you've never actually worked 2 man ?

in 6 years of 2 man set ups we've never had a single tangle of hoses - even when running side by side - with a backpack your limiting your potential

Darran

[Tony dunmall]

Never had an issue with two man set ups been using on and off over 20 years never gets tangled

One front one back simple

I don't  think id  like to use back pack day in and out I guess some work lends itself to that style work

For me two much like hard work either carrying or pulling 15/20 litres, then I'm  lazy

My work is best with van mounts

[nathankaye]

Like most I have my backpack on a trolley. I use about 30m of pole hose with a valve goosneck on brush.  I only use it for the odd houses, but there have been times when parking has been an issue on stretches where I would usually use the van mount (school holidays etc).  So when its been out I have found it nice to work with due to a light pole hose etc. I then think whilsts its out I will do rest of the street like this. But after a couple of times walking back to the van n filling (fast fill) It soon went back in the van and main system back out instead!

[Stoots]

from the word IF - i take it you've never actually worked 2 man ?

in 6 years of 2 man set ups we've never had a single tangle of hoses - even when running side by side - with a backpack your limiting your potential

Darran

Thats correct,  im guessing based on what seems logical to me, using a backpack for second man would be cheaper and if backpack user is doing the front i cant see it being any slower especially if its not full.

but yes im just guessing, hopefully when i get to that point i will find out for myself.

How does it limit your potential out of interest?

[Smudger]

because backpacks are in general a total faff - your scenario presumes that you only ever have 1 house per stop and of a small size where half a backpack will last - what happens when you have 2 maybe 3 houses spread over a street say 70 meter radius and are detached 5 bedders are you really going to use a backpack do a house come back fill track back again ??
then you win a contract for a moderate size care home - constantly returning to the vehicle to fill up and as posted what about first cleans ? ( these usually take double if not three times the water to clean )

thats what i mean about limiting potential ( easiest way of working for you and staff )

[robbo333]

I purchased a Gardiners backpack for awkward access jobs.
The backpack is excellent quality and works very well.
Unfortunately, for me, it doesn't have the 'clout' of my van system and obviously it needs filling up.
I am only slim and light, so for me it's a lot of hassle to drag around.
So now I only use it to apply chems for FSG cleans.
For awkward access, I either run 60m of pole hose through, or replace the custy with one that is less awkward.
Great product but not suited to the way I work.

[Ian101]

[

that will be Mark - he has a massive round and yes at first you think wtf but watch how fast and organised he is 

[Stoots]

because backpacks are in general a total faff - your scenario presumes that you only ever have 1 house per stop and of a small size where half a backpack will last - what happens when you have 2 maybe 3 houses spread over a street say 70 meter radius and are detached 5 bedders are you really going to use a backpack do a house come back fill track back again ??
then you win a contract for a moderate size care home - constantly returning to the vehicle to fill up and as posted what about first cleans ? ( these usually take double if not three times the water to clean )

thats what i mean about limiting potential ( easiest way of working for you and staff )

I think the bolded part is the impotant bit, that describes my round to a tee. I dont do any commercial, any only half a dozen jobs big enough to empty a full backpack on.

Yes i know they are a faff, i hate using mine when its full, but i only use it for terraced houses and a very few limited access jobs,  its very heavy when full, i hate humping it and out etc. I only use mine half a dozen times a month thankfully.

On my work i only have one house per stop for 99% of the round, i can only think of two stops i make that have more than 1 house!,  and would think just about all of mine are do able with 1 full backpack, or certainly they are all do able with one guy on a backpack the other hose.

yes first cleans would be the exception, but again  if one guy is round the back and the other is backpacking the front im sure it wont slow us down that much if he nips back and refills.

I understand what you are saying, but maybe it depends on what work you have, i think it would work fine on my round.

My thinking is yes a full backpack doing a full house is slower and harder than a van mount but pulling outside a property half filling it and walking maybe 10m to the front would take about the same time as unreeling hose, maybe pulling it round a few obstacles to the back of the house.

Maybe im wrong but i wouldnt dismiss it without giving it a go anyway.

[Smudger]

because backpacks are in general a total faff - your scenario presumes that you only ever have 1 house per stop and of a small size where half a backpack will last - what happens when you have 2 maybe 3 houses spread over a street say 70 meter radius and are detached 5 bedders are you really going to use a backpack do a house come back fill track back again ??
then you win a contract for a moderate size care home - constantly returning to the vehicle to fill up and as posted what about first cleans ? ( these usually take double if not three times the water to clean )

thats what i mean about limiting potential ( easiest way of working for you and staff )

I think the bolded part is the impotant bit, that describes my round to a tee. I dont do any commercial, any only half a dozen jobs big enough to empty a full backpack on.

Yes i know they are a faff, i hate using mine when its full, but i only use it for terraced houses and a very few limited access jobs,  its very heavy when full, i hate humping it and out etc. I only use mine half a dozen times a month thankfully.

On my work i only have one house per stop for 99% of the round, i can only think of two stops i make that have more than 1 house!,  and would think just about all of mine are do able with 1 full backpack, or certainly they are all do able with one guy on a backpack the other hose.

yes first cleans would be the exception, but again  if one guy is round the back and the other is backpacking the front im sure it wont slow us down that much if he nips back and refills.

I understand what you are saying, but maybe it depends on what work you have, i think it would work fine on my round.

My thinking is yes a full backpack doing a full house is slower and harder than a van mount but pulling outside a property half filling it and walking maybe 10m to the front would take about the same time as unreeling hose, maybe pulling it round a few obstacles to the back of the house.

Maybe im wrong but i wouldnt dismiss it without giving it a go anyway.

I did and have! - not for me
Darran

[P @ F]

I cant abide the bloody things , they are not for my work at all , having said that , for me it is a luxury item , where as for others it would be the weapon of choice and i do see why .
I have the Gardiner V3 , i only bought it for one house back at £12 for the whole job !
I am very lucky to have what i consider a great little round , on tuesday i did 13 houses at £17 a pop and moved the van once , now that is not a backpack day !
Most of my work is like that , not so lucrative everyday , but in terms of compactness a backpack would slow me down .
For me its just nice to have one , thats as far as it goes   

[nathankaye]

I cant abide the bloody things , they are not for my work at all , having said that , for me it is a luxury item , where as for others it would be the weapon of choice and i do see why .
I have the Gardiner V3 , i only bought it for one house back at £12 for the whole job !
I am very lucky to have what i consider a great little round , on tuesday i did 13 houses at £17 a pop and moved the van once , now that is not a backpack day !
Most of my work is like that , not so lucrative everyday , but in terms of compactness a backpack would slow me down .
For me its just nice to have one , thats as far as it goes

Totally agree, my work is very similar in that its compact. Hence when I did try it with a backpack it doesnt last long. But on a different note, I understand why people choose to use 50 or 60 meters of pole hose  rather than microbore.

Buy, on the rare occasions when I have had someone working with me for the day. I just give them the backpack (I have it on a trolley system) and they do just downstairs with it. That way I get infront of them due to their need to fill up and it also allows adequate drip time from the upstairs windows being clean so its a win win that way round. Compared to one doing backs n other on fronts

[P @ F]

^^^ As Nath just said , totally agree .
I had a stroke 2 years ago , i was gagging to get back to work , but the rules stated that i could not drive for a month after , ok , i thought , it turned out that i was 3 months before able to work , but i had still not been given my liscence back , i converted the van to a 2 man system so my old man could drive and we could both work , due to his non w/c know how we found it hard to work side by side with 2 reels , he said you do tops with system and i will follow behind with backpack on trolly doing bottoms , he would fill as and when needed , this worked way better,it gave time for drainage and more importantly it gave the old boy a breather 
It took 12 months to the day for me to get ok to get behind the wheel again , due to red tape and unknown reason for the stroke .
I do believe that if not for that backpack then tempers and tangles could have sunk the biz ! 

[jonboywalton75]

[

that will be Mark - he has a massive round and yes at first you think wtf but watch how fast and organised he is 

Yeah, I know him too.
Thought it  looked like faffing to me!!!

[Steven Biggs]

Two men working from one van on your compact work . And you both work on the same house .? . Without sounding harsh . Clueless .

[dazmond]

im like a lot of the established window cleaners on here.loads of work thats compact (house after house after house after house!)plus lots of larger properties,commercial,unusual jobs etc.

the backpack can be a godsend when your vans off the road.its amazing how much work you can actually do with one.i managed to earn £3500+ in january just using a backpack and 4 barrels from my car.it was harder work though and longer days but its a great back up emergency system.i used 30m of pole hose and a fold away trolley and took a small DI to fill up from customers outside taps.it was a faff but i was still earning.

i only use it on a few cottages beside a canal bank and the odd main rd job now but always handy to have.you never know when you might need it!

[nathankaye]

Two men working from one van on your compact work . And you both work on the same house .? . Without sounding harsh . Clueless .

i

Try it,  its faster than 2 doing seperate houses!!