Choices.. big spend or not?

Hey Everyone,

A bit of advice please.. looking to buy first gutter vac - We are a small window cleaning company who keep getting asked (especially recently) about clearing customers gutters and have always used ladders but want a vac now..

it will probably do 15 - 30 houses per year with a maximum of 3 floors.

The ones i am considering are:

1) Buying big with the intention of trying to get a lot more gutter business and offer the service to my commercial customers and get the sky vac industrial 85 - £2200 plus about £500 for poles

2) getting something significantly cheaper and just use it if/when asked... 

the cheaper ones i have looked at are:

maxblast 3000 watt with 40ft carbon poles @ £695

https://www.guttercleaningsystems.co.uk/product/carbon-fibre-composite-gutter-vacuum-3000-watt-40ft/

or...

a Gutter vacuum systems 3600w @ £710 with 40ft poles..

https://www.guttervacuumsystems.co.uk/product/the-new-gvs-3600-watt-20ft-complete-gutter-cleaning-machine/

apologies if this question has been asked over and over, i have looked at previous threads but they seem to be fairly old ones.

thoughts?

anything to avoid or any other recommendations?

would be much appreciated!

Many thanks!

Skyvac Atom everytime.

Get the inspection camera and monitor, will cost you under £600 and will pay for itself so quickly.

Ive done a few gaffs now and ome was clogged with foliage and my Atom never even gave me a second of doubt.

I bought the sky vac atom which I think is the smallest and cheapest they do and I find it great. I've done quite a few this year with it and copes with everything that's been thrown at it. I'm just a small 1 man band. It comes with 6 poles diff attachments and carry case. 

HWCS said:

Skyvac Atom everytime.

Get the inspection camera and monitor, will cost you under £600 and will pay for itself so quickly.

Ive done a few gaffs now and ome was clogged with foliage and my Atom never even gave me a second of doubt.

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Thanks mate!

Jonnyavfc said:

I bought the sky vac atom which I think is the smallest and cheapest they do and I find it great. I've done quite a few this year with it and copes with everything that's been thrown at it. I'm just a small 1 man band. It comes with 6 poles diff attachments and carry case. 

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Cheers, I am just looking at them now

Dont just look, get ya debit card out lol

I can do a 3bed semi for £60/65 in 45 minutes and ibe only had mine 2months, so easy to use and effecient

HWCS said:

Dont just look, get ya debit card out lol

I can do a 3bed semi for £60/65 in 45 minutes and ibe only had mine 2months, so easy to use and effecient

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Haha! I think ill use my credit! Also, did you get the skycam wireless at £588 or the inspection cam at £348?

cheers mate

I cant fault the skyvac atom but it will struggle with deep embedded tufts, mind you sometimes its even a struggle with the larger vac especially if its rooted under the lead flashings or if the roof tiles come over too far. The atom is far more maneuverable making it better for smaller/cluttered gardens, and can easily be carried through a terrace or up on to a flat roof. A bigger vac has more suction power but can be a challenge moving it about on smaller properties.

I’ve never bothered with an inspection camera but would be handy for quoting on the occasion.!

But usually the worst ones are obvious from the ground. if you do a lot of gutters you know straight away, trees directly above = problems, tiled roofs with lots of moss  = lots of moss in gutters. So just from the ground and by past experience you can predict whats in them 9/10 times. 
saying that ive found tennis balls in downpipes, toys of the adult variety, roofers tools, and dead firework rockets. dont be afraid to go out and quote when its chucking down, straight away you know which downpipes are blocked then and also spot any leaks/waterfalls. 

Tommycleans said:

Haha! I think ill use my credit! Also, did you get the skycam wireless at £588 or the inspection cam at £348?

cheers mate

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Dont order online, ring Spin-a-clean monday and speak to them, tell them you want the atom and the camera and monitor for £159 its normally £250 online but if you speak to them youll get £91 off the camera/monitor.

Cant remember if i spoke to Paul or Mark

Mark Nice @Spinaclean















 


 








Mark Nice - Director
Unit 33, Cornwell Business Park, Salthouse Road, Brackmills, Northampton NN4 7EX
Telephone: +44(0)1604 968700 | F: +44(0)1604 968701 | www.spinaclean.com

Buy something like a Kiam, then buy a side entry from sky Vac and their best poles. Most vacs are very similar, it's the side entry and the quality poles that really make the difference. 

I've got both the Sky Vac Industrial and the Kiam, with side entry, and whilst the Sky Vac looks more professional there's very little difference. 

I need the 110 for commercial work and the 240 for customers where it doesn't matter 

Part Timer said:

Buy something like a Kiam, then buy a side entry from sky Vac and their best poles. Most vacs are very similar, it's the side entry and the quality poles that really make the difference. 

I've got both the Sky Vac Industrial and the Kiam, with side entry, and whilst the Sky Vac looks more professional there's very little difference. 

I need the 110 for commercial work and the 240 for customers where it doesn't matter 

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How long have you had the kiam?

Skyvac everyone. I've got one in the van all the time. 

Part Timer said:

Buy something like a Kiam, then buy a side entry from sky Vac and their best poles. Most vacs are very similar, it's the side entry and the quality poles that really make the difference. 

I've got both the Sky Vac Industrial and the Kiam, with side entry, and whilst the Sky Vac looks more professional there's very little difference. 

I need the 110 for commercial work and the 240 for customers where it doesn't matter 

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Thanks mate, I just had a look at the Kiam seems a good price at £596, I found the side entry inlet on spinaclean for £74, is that just a straight swap? Also, the Kiam comes with Aluminium poles, so ditch them and get elite pole set ? (£1000)

thanks 

Tommycleans said:

Thanks mate, I just had a look at the Kiam seems a good price at £596, I found the side entry inlet on spinaclean for £74, is that just a straight swap? Also, the Kiam comes with Aluminium poles, so ditch them and get elite pole set ? (£1000)

thanks 

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You have to cut the steel drum a bit to make the hole a little bit bigger. Can you not just buy the vac on its own. The Kiam trolley isn't the most robust so I would never try and move it on uneven ground when half full. 

There are other vacs that are probably just as good and cheaper. The most important thing is side entry and quality poles, if you're looking to do it on a regular basis. 

Pressurewasher said:

How long have you had the kiam?

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I've had it about 5 years, barely used it as front entry blocked all the time. Now converted to side entry and it's nearly as good as the Skyvac Industrial I also have. 

the atom looks a good buy,     I had a vac when I first started out,  aluminium poles    3000 vac,   deadly using poles, different now with carbon poles, may look into one of these vacs again.   You only need to slip on a ladder run   and that's you knackered.

But which one

I can't recommend the Maxblaster high enough. It cost me £200 which is good for a 6000 lpm unit. Fitted Spinaclean (£80) side entry and it has never blocked. Also bought 10m of Spinaclean hose and cuffs to match (£160) and i was good to go. Made my money back in a few months, no customer has every questioned me when i drag it about in a wheely bin. ?

Part Timer said:

You have to cut the steel drum a bit to make the hole a little bit bigger. Can you not just buy the vac on its own. The Kiam trolley isn't the most robust so I would never try and move it on uneven ground when half full. 

There are other vacs that are probably just as good and cheaper. The most important thing is side entry and quality poles, if you're looking to do it on a regular basis. 

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Thanks for your help mate on its own for the 100ltr its £400.. then the poles are about a grand, then the inlet is £70, not sure whether i should just bite the bullet and get the industrial 85

scottish cleaning service said:

I can't recommend the Maxblaster high enough. It cost me £200 which is good for a 6000 lpm unit. Fitted Spinaclean (£80) side entry and it has never blocked. Also bought 10m of Spinaclean hose and cuffs to match (£160) and i was good to go. Made my money back in a few months, no customer has every questioned me when i drag it about in a wheely bin. ?

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How was fitting side entry? Thats the bit i dont feel confident in doing ?

Tommycleans said:

How was fitting side entry? Thats the bit i dont feel confident in doing ?

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As long as you have something that can cut mild steel, needs to be electrical, then as I did it it must be easy. If you're not confident enough you must have a DIY pal that will do it. 

I just used my battery grinder with metal cutting blade, took 5mins.

HWCS said:

Skyvac Atom everytime.

Get the inspection camera and monitor, will cost you under £600 and will pay for itself so quickly.

Ive done a few gaffs now and ome was clogged with foliage and my Atom never even gave me a second of doubt.

Click to expand...

Where did you get yours Jon?

Bart90 said:

Where did you get yours Jon?

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Got it from Amazon, but id advise going direct to spinaclean speak to mark he'll sort you out.