[bcd]

Hello, I'm new to the forum i am considering along with my son to start providing a domestic carpet cleaning and upholstery business. I would be most grateful if anybody could give me any advice and guidance as to the difficulties i am likely to encounter. i have seen some posts on this site that have indicated the difficulties e.g getting enough customers, enough profit margins.
Could anybody also give me any advice as to how long the cleaning process takes per room and the amount of physical demands it involves.

[Joe H]

Hi,
Its always nice to see new ones joining the forum, pity we dont know your name or where you are from.
If you wish you can go back to your profile and enter some details, we would appreciate that.

Getting enough customers is the key to any business. However carpet cleaning (cc) is not like going shopping for food which is a neccesity. The potential client has to want their carpets cleaned, many deem they dont need the service. 

What you do now? Are you in full time employ and wanting to start off part time?
Do you have any equipment at all?

Physically you dont have to be super fit, but there is some lugging of machine, hoses, buckets etc plus bending down and knee jobs.

Give some more detail and we'll see where it goes.

[bcd]

im a full time sales rep from manchester.
im already knocking on doors selling energy products.
we are hoping to start with a few of full-time as earlier as possible.
we do not have any equipment and we were considering leasing machinery.
could you also give any advice on the best type of cleaning equipment.
would really like to know the potential within this business and the amount of time it takes for the average clean to take place in a house

[Steve Barnett (Carpet Care Plus)]

bcd

You have come to the right place for answers to your questions - however, you can find all those answers simply by reading the old posts in this section.

You can also use the search option for topics relating to equipment.

Regarding the best equipment, for that question you could receive 10 different answers - all the leading manufacturers and suppliers have websites with photos and specifications.

You need to do a bit of research to narrow the field a bit.

Steve

[derek west]

i researched my start up for 8 months before taking the plunge, and oh boy what a plunge it was.
every question you ask about this business may aswell be "how long is a piece of string,
for instance, how long does it take to clean a room, depends on soilage, stains equipment used, amount of furniture etc....
you just need to get as much information as you can get, do some traing, if you have the money do lots of training, going to the training events is the best thing you can do, not only do you learn how to clean safely but you meet a lot of carpet cleaners, newbies and veterans, talking to them is worth the training fee alone.
like steve.
trawl the back posts on this forum, theres lots of varied answers on here, so take it all in, evaluate and then make your decision.
check out you opposition and see what you can do that makes you more appealing than them, dont base your new start up on cheaper than the rest, cheap is good but not the b all.
good luck and i hope this helps a little.
derek

[Ian Gourlay]

Have you been making your living selling energy products if so you could be off to a flying start as I  believe door knocking is the fastest way to get customers.

My concern is  you are talking about leasing the equipment.

There are deals out there but usually over two to five years.

What happens if you are not successful you do not get customers etc how are you going to pay for the lease.

I would advise talking to suppliers

express cleaning supplies

Alltec
Ashbys
Prochem
sollutions
as they all do training courses and know the market

But the key is Marketing

[bcd]

Many thanks for the info. I do know that door knocking works it is just a numbers game also I have looked at a two day training course with Cleansmart they are offering the second day free of charge which relates to upholstery and carpets what do you think of Cleansmart   many thanks

[benny d]

But the key is Marketing

And finding alot of money to do the above...
Without it, it doesnt work.

PS:- Buy a really good pair of trainers for delivering lots of leaflets!
PPS:- And an iPod, as delivering leaflets is the second most boring job in the World
PPS:- Oh, the first most boring jobs in the World, can be viewed on "How it's Made", on Discovery Channel 

[derek west]

i did day two of the cleansmart, enjoyed it, derek bolton takes it, or did do. top bloke.
its a lot to take in, if youve got the funds, do a couple of courses, it sinks in better the second time around.
ive done 4 courses to date, and i'm gonna do some more late in the year.
the more the merrier and it gives you confidence.
derek

[markpowell]

BCD you are welcome to come out on the road with me for a couple of days if you wish, this way you can see what to expect head on, you are only about 45 mins away drom me.
Mark

[ollie]

I started out with leaflets, I always get 3 jobs per 1000 leaflets + refferals and repeat etc. As long as you get the leaflets out consistently you WILL get work.
When |I started I spent months researching on sites like this and went on the NCCA course first (I had a  little experience as my brother used to run a cc business)  I would suggest starting part time first if you can. Ive just reached my 3rd year and only this year have things really taken off for me.  Good luck anyway!

[John Gregory]

please please    Manchester doesn't need any more carpet cleaners . train to be a tiler instead  you can make daft money , or a plumber or a gardener , or anything .

Good  look   John

[sherco]

please please    Manchester doesn't need any more carpet cleaners . train to be a tiler instead  you can make daft money , or a plumber or a gardener , or anything .

Good  look   John

Become a tiler and make daft money....im a tiler and i started carpet cleaning around 4 months ago and i can make more money a daycarpet cleaning than tiling, and its alot easier work.

[Mike Osbourne]

So John,

Why don't you become a Tiler or a Plumber then?

[John Gregory]

Mike   because over the last 18 months I've invested probably 30 k plus in carpet cleaning , to be faced with competition off people spending £ 300 on karcher puzzie . no insurance, no training , day to day I am trying to compete on price with idiots

and I am losing

John

[derek west]

john,
what kit you running?
derek

[John Gregory]

Derek  a truckmount just like you  ,

john

[John Gregory]

Derek   if you ever need any proper advice about my own experiance of carpet cleaning over my first 18 months trading give me a email and we can meet and have a chat . I'm based in Urmston near the Trafford centre

all the best  John 

[derek west]

do you show your clients the trucky, cos when i do there gobsmacked and so far ive not lost a single quote.
when the phone rings i know i'm getting paid,i'm just struggling to get the phone to ring. but its early days for me, only been going 9 weeks and 2 days, wont do the hours and mins as i'll bore you.
did 2 quotes 2day, got em both.
sorry if i sound cocky as i'm not but i love doing quotes, i get joking with them, make them feel at ease, give them the speel, show them the burn test, that always impresses, explain backing, they think i'm a bloody expert.
i also tell them it'll be dry before i leave which it is cos i got airmovers they love that fact.
but i'm sure you do all this, but thought i'd put it just incase.
ps, i'm crap on furniture though, dont seem to get any of them apart from leather.
derek

[derek west]

love to john.