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Tim Rose

Thinking about pressure cleaning
« on: January 24, 2008, 07:57:13 am »
I'm thinking about getting into this pressure cleaning game patio etc. Anyone know what to charge per square metre or yard/acre?

steve m

  • Posts: 796
Re: Thinking about pressure cleaning
« Reply #1 on: January 24, 2008, 08:17:11 am »
dunno if its a good idea, look on the buy and sell bit and there's enough kit on there for sale cos they're all giving up, and I dont think its cos they've made their million

Alex Wingrove

  • Posts: 1435
Re: Thinking about pressure cleaning
« Reply #2 on: January 24, 2008, 08:32:16 am »
Your gonna need to spend about £1500 for a basic kit, the money is in commercial, if i was you i would advertise with your customers, so they ask you to clean their driver patios etc,


supernova77

  • Posts: 3547
Re: Thinking about pressure cleaning
« Reply #3 on: January 24, 2008, 08:52:03 am »
Quote
I'm thinking about getting into this pressure cleaning game patio etc. Anyone know what to charge per square metre or yard/acre?

I've been thinking of pressure washing to... But as an ad on service. I can't see it making decent money all year round.

Andy

Tim Rose

Re: Thinking about pressure cleaning
« Reply #4 on: January 24, 2008, 08:59:59 am »
Yes, but how much to charge?

Kev R

Re: Thinking about pressure cleaning
« Reply #5 on: January 24, 2008, 09:15:26 am »
Hi Rosy,
The price It does vary unfortunately depending on what the surface is your cleaning. If your needing to re-sand or treat surface in some way obviously its more expensive.

Pressure washing has really dropped off in recent years due to cheap affordable machines flooding the market. Commercial work is the best to get but you need to  "know" what your doing or it might be a costly job.

Personally I have several large commercial contracts but its still it is a miniscule part of our business as people don't bother at all or the jobs are rarely done.

Hope this helps

Tim Rose

Re: Thinking about pressure cleaning
« Reply #6 on: January 24, 2008, 09:52:50 am »
Thanks KevR. I asked this because I have a new w/c custy who has a large patio area that is really green and minging, and if they asked me to do it, I'd have wanted some idea/ballpark, that's all.

That siad, yes, there are these Karchers around in the diy shops, and the men like to whip it out at the weekend (fnarr fnarr!) and not only 'have a go' at the patio but also washdown their expensive mountain bikes, so I'm not sure I'd want to gamble on full time for that lark if they want to do it themselves.

simon knight

Re: Thinking about pressure cleaning
« Reply #7 on: January 24, 2008, 11:13:12 am »

I used to do a bit of PCing and charged £1 per yard. I gave it up as it's very seasonal.

I found that people started to want their patios cleaned about the beginning of April so they're clean for the summer...I'd work through until about July, maybe August....people who had not had them done by then won't because winter is around the corner. Also as somebody said there's a lot of cheap PWers on the market nowadays.

Probably as an add-on to WCing it's ok....but you won't get fat on it!

Kev R

Re: Thinking about pressure cleaning
« Reply #8 on: January 24, 2008, 02:29:43 pm »
I think a £1 per sq yard is an ok price to charge for a basic clean, or if it is a massive area then go by day rate plus fuel etc. Have a minimum charge though as it all takes time to set up. ;)





poleman

  • Posts: 2854
Re: Thinking about pressure cleaning
« Reply #9 on: January 24, 2008, 03:18:49 pm »
A Honda GX engine for a pressure washer is a must, I have gone thought loads of cheap ones PW and don't last 5 mins, but then they was not for commercial use, just house holders

This is what I have just purchase  http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230202982916&ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:GB:1123

I am still trying to set up the PW from the tank from the van, does take time to work it all out

Andy

Sure Cleaning

  • Posts: 88
Re: Thinking about pressure cleaning
« Reply #10 on: January 24, 2008, 03:38:46 pm »
Pressure cleaning with the right equipment can be a good add on to your business. We charge depending on size of area, and how dirty the area is to be cleaned. Average price is around £2 per m2 and a bit more for re-sanding block paving.

We have customers all year through wanting patios etc cleaned Jan to Dec but yes it is a lot busier from March to July

We enclosed a leaflet last year with every customers christmas card and we have got more than we expected booking pressure washing cleans.

Well worth looking into...unless you are in sunny Clacton  ;)

Steve G

geefree

  • Posts: 6180
Re: Thinking about pressure cleaning
« Reply #11 on: January 24, 2008, 09:26:56 pm »
£1.30 sq metre plus sanding.... dont seal whatever you do... its a grey area..and you have to use the best.
...... also why seal it? you want the stuff to grow again for next years clean  ;)
.its definately a summer job... a good earner too, very dirty job.. and you can pick up a decent pressure washer on ebay for around 200 quid.... and my mate makes them

dont forget to spray it first with tfr... i do them fridays and saturdays all summer.

tell your customers now!... and get them booked in.

Gary

billozz

  • Posts: 526
Re: Thinking about pressure cleaning
« Reply #12 on: January 25, 2008, 03:09:39 pm »
we were thinking along the same lines can i ask what you do for water assuming no o/s tap i know of one guy who carries a bowser on a trailer
there are more windows than window cleaners so lets help each other

poleman

  • Posts: 2854
Re: Thinking about pressure cleaning
« Reply #13 on: January 25, 2008, 03:21:03 pm »
My WFP tank, but your have to make sure you supply the pressure washer with the LPM it needs to work, looking at a gravity feed, most pro PW use a wheelie bin!   

Andy
 

Re: Thinking about pressure cleaning
« Reply #14 on: January 25, 2008, 06:41:00 pm »
I looked into it last year but it's such a grubby job and the advice i had was that people have a fit when they see the quote " how much - i can BUY a pressure washer for that and still have money left over!"Had a good look at one commercial set up - he was doing big contract jobs all over the country. He didn't look too wealthy or happy. :(

Re: Thinking about pressure cleaning
« Reply #15 on: January 25, 2008, 06:46:44 pm »
Forgot to add, that it often needs two people for the larger jobs - one operator and another worker just to attend the pump, water supply, diesel supply for the heater (hot wash) cordoning off public areas etc. and generally keeping an eye on things away from the operators vision.

borg

  • Posts: 228
Re: Thinking about pressure cleaning
« Reply #16 on: January 25, 2008, 09:03:48 pm »
im looking into the same thing what would be the best psi machine for this sort of work if any 1 knows i have had a lot of peeps asking me if i do this sort of work.

geefree

  • Posts: 6180
Re: Thinking about pressure cleaning
« Reply #17 on: January 25, 2008, 11:58:23 pm »
listen,... you need a petrol pressure washer, it can feed from a tank if need be , but it...s not essential
connect it to the customers tap, and crack on...

i do it all the time in summer,... make sure you clean it thorough and clean all the mess away afterwards...

you dont need two people  at all,... and if you keep your prices at a reasonable rate that you are happy with, you will get plenty of work....... and dont forget to add 25. 35 pound for sanding.

its easy and enjoyable... a bit mucky but its not something we should be bothering abou bit of muck,

borg

  • Posts: 228
Re: Thinking about pressure cleaning
« Reply #18 on: January 26, 2008, 12:28:01 am »
petrol ones r they all diffrent psi or what i just neet 2 know what is best psi im getting a petrol 1 any way.

Re: Thinking about pressure cleaning
« Reply #19 on: January 26, 2008, 03:41:20 am »
I looked into it last year but it's such a grubby job and the advice i had was that people have a fit when they see the quote " how much - i can BUY a pressure washer for that and still have money left over!"Had a good look at one commercial set up - he was doing big contract jobs all over the country. He didn't look too wealthy or happy. :(
maybe you looked at a guy doing it wrong, is great money,