[Rob_Mac]

Had a phone call the other day from a rather large client.

They wanted me to do a cctv survey with full map of drains on site. I have drain jetting and associated services on our website but if i'm honest we have concentrated primarily on surface drains and my main experience is several thousands of these over the last 18 months.

I have used the CCTV survey gear but never for anything quite as detailed as this.

I have done a search on training but I am looking for a recommneded training provider that will train me up in the full service, inclusive of use of the cctv, mapping and anything else that might be useful.

This is the only area of my services that is weak and I need to get it up to speed as soon as possible. I hate turning work away but I salvaged the situation by being honest!!

I know one or two on here have experience on this side. Can you point me in the right direction.

Rob

[martin19842]

hi there

just contract it out, and make a mark up on the service, a whole lot less hassle, make a mark up for less effort.

regards

martin

[BDCS]

There  are training courses available but I earn a good chunk of my income doing these type of surveys, for some large clients on projects costing millions. I have no training but everything you need to know is contained in two books

WRC manual of sewer classification

WRC the drain repair manual

I charge £485 for a days jetting and camera work. If I can help further then ring me. Do you have a digital camera ?

[Rob_Mac]

Thanks for the input.I would rather keep all my services in house, I like hassle!!

BDCS the camera set up is on my website

Thanks for the heads up on the books - where from?

Rob

[Rob_Mac]

Found the books - cheers.

Rob

[BDCS]

WRC 01793 865138 / 865069

[Rob_Mac]

Just emailed them with reference to their two day training course.

The conversation I had the other day went a little like this;

Client - We want a full site drain survey with mapping blah, blah, blah

Me - When for?

Client - As soon as possible!

Me - If I am honest we have concentrated only on surface drains and this is the weakest area of my business because I have spent no time on it and I am going to have to say that I cannot do the works at present!

Client - Thanks for your honesty

Me - I have a couple of numbers of other people who may be able to help

Client - You have been recommended, we have other people we can use!

I apologised and told them it would be dealt with as soon as possible

Rob

[BDCS]

I have been in similar situations, nearly cried at having to turn work away but they remember and will get you back. I have also got work that I really needed a crawler for and when I told them they said trace the route, map it and carry on.
 They usually have a drawing of the site and I just use red for foul and blue for rain or surface. I draw it and send it off with the invoice and so far have been lucky. I even went to France for a days work

[Rob_Mac]

I need to get a smaller camera but other than that is the set up I have alright?

Rob

[Ashley Brothwood]

i know its an old topic but the books mentioned for drain jetting are these the right ones?

http://www.webookshop.com/acatalog/Manual-of-Sewer-Condition-Classification-5th-Edition--MSCC--DUS043X.html#SID=24

thanks
Ashley

[Rob_Mac]

Jeez Ashley - I had to read this one myself because I couldn't remember even typing it 4/5 years ago.

I'm impressed you went back that far!!

Carl is the man on drain jetting, I haven't done a lot with it since this post, something else to rectify!

Rob

[Matt Gibson]

Had a phone call the other day from a rather large client.

They wanted me to do a cctv survey with full map of drains on site. I have drain jetting and associated services on our website but if i'm honest we have concentrated primarily on surface drains and my main experience is several thousands of these over the last 18 months.

I have used the CCTV survey gear but never for anything quite as detailed as this.

I have done a search on training but I am looking for a recommneded training provider that will train me up in the full service, inclusive of use of the cctv, mapping and anything else that might be useful.

This is the only area of my services that is weak and I need to get it up to speed as soon as possible. I hate turning work away but I salvaged the situation by being honest!!

I know one or two on here have experience on this side. Can you point me in the right direction.

Rob

How fat was he?

[Rob_Mac]

Not as fat as me mate

Rob

[Ashley Brothwood]

cheers, I just searched drains and it was only a page of search results so didn't take long to go through them all.

I've done more and more drains recently and luckily I haven't come across one yet I haven't been able to unblock either by rods or jetting but there could always be that one I need more info about from places such as these books,


Ashley

[Rob_Mac]

Carl will help you when he comes on.

I have had quite a big discussion about this today, with one machine doing hot @35 LPM and the second one doing 41 LPM I don't really have an excuse not to offer the service.

Rob

[Ashley Brothwood]

yes I could only wish for jetters that big!

Hopefully in the next few months ill be looking to buy a bigger one, probably a zeta or something similar so it has the flow for larger drains but also not too big it cant be used on domestic drives

Ashley

[Rob_Mac]

Ashley

What are you using at the moment?

Rob

[Ashley Brothwood]

I've got a 11hp Honda with a 18lpm Hawk Pump,

It does the job i need it to currently and have a separate hot box but i will need a bigger flow soon for certain drains and bigger commercial work.

Ideally something around the 30lpm mark and that should shift most domestic / light commercial work.

I use steel drain rods / flexi spring rods from Wardsflex which do the job for 90% of the drains.

Its always going to be that one job i cant quite do and i don't like turning work away

Ashley

[Rob_Mac]

Ashley

This post being brought back up to the top has possibly helped me more than you may ever know. Thanks

Rob

[Ashley Brothwood]

good i'm glad its helped you too!

Ashley