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Choices on making the switch?

Grant1793

Member
Messages
38
Location
London
Soo, I’m stuck on a decision to make. I’m currently doing trad and slowly realising the work load with just trad could be challenging to keep on expanding. So I’m looking into maybe starting to switch over to reach and wash. Or mix it up with the both?! How do I approach this with my current customers?! 
 

im also looking for an easy approach on keeping up to date with customers data is there any good apps out there?! 
 

I have a trolley system but no pole?! Budget it £150 what kind of pole would be a good starter? 

 
Ive just done the same switch, and from my experience heres my advice.

Just tell customers that a combination of growing and saftey means that your going to be switching to the wfp system, assure them that while it may seem like your spending less time on their windows they will still be getting the professional service that they are used to. If they are sceptical tell them to just give it one or 2 tries and if they are still not happy then youll understand if they want to find another cleaner.

Buy the best pole you can, i got a CLX-22 from gardiner good pole and does the job BUT if i could turn clock back i would go for a longer lighter pole, maybe a SLX-27 or even the next SLX after the 27.

DO NOT buy stuff that will 'get you by' untill you can afford better, ive spunked about £400 doing this and the stuff really is 2nd rate sh1te.

If you need links to a decent reel, reel hose, van pump, van Flow controller, etc let me know.

Youll need a decent 450GPD ro system mines just cost me £550.

Im working with backpack atm but its got tideous within a month so ive hammered the CC and bought my studf for van stmystem.

DO NOT tell customers youll carry on doing trad if they want, ive done it with a few cuatomers, and TBH id rather lose them than go back to trading them.

Youll never look back mate, welcome to the dark side lol

Oh yeah and get 2 brush heads 1 sill and 1 not sill

 
Ive just done the same switch, and from my experience heres my advice.

Just tell customers that a combination of growing and saftey means that your going to be switching to the wfp system, assure them that while it may seem like your spending less time on their windows they will still be getting the professional service that they are used to. If they are sceptical tell them to just give it one or 2 tries and if they are still not happy then youll understand if they want to find another cleaner.

Buy the best pole you can, i got a CLX-22 from gardiner good pole and does the job BUT if i could turn clock back i would go for a longer lighter pole, maybe a SLX-27 or even the next SLX after the 27.

DO NOT buy stuff that will 'get you by' untill you can afford better, ive spunked about £400 doing this and the stuff really is 2nd rate sh1te.

If you need links to a decent reel, reel hose, van pump, van Flow controller, etc let me know.

Youll need a decent 450GPD ro system mines just cost me £550.

Im working with backpack atm but its got tideous within a month so ive hammered the CC and bought my studf for van stmystem.

DO NOT tell customers youll carry on doing trad if they want, ive done it with a few cuatomers, and TBH id rather lose them than go back to trading them.

Youll never look back mate, welcome to the dark side lol

Oh yeah and get 2 brush heads 1 sill and 1 not sill
So a CLX -22 is a good starter just looked at prices £138... are streamlines any good?! Saw a carbon fibre one the other day xr70 going for around 180... 23ft?! Any good?!

what is ( sill ) mean for brush heads? 

gardiner back packs?! The 22 litre ones?! They any good for a starter I was thinking get couple 25 litre containers get purified water in them and just feel it up in the back pack when needed?! Or will I go through that too quickly?!

cheers for the information very informative! Loving the process 
 

 
So a CLX -22 is a good starter just looked at prices £138... are streamlines any good?! Saw a carbon fibre one the other day xr70 going for around 180... 23ft?! Any good?!

what is ( sill ) mean for brush heads? 

gardiner back packs?! The 22 litre ones?! They any good for a starter I was thinking get couple 25 litre containers get purified water in them and just feel it up in the back pack when needed?! Or will I go through that too quickly?!

cheers for the information very informative! Loving the process 
 
Just be careful when it comes to poles. Gardeners give you the full length of their poles. ie a CLX22 is 6.5m (21.3' + brush head) long. The working reach is 27' which includes an operator reach of 5'

Some other pole suppliers sell the pole length including the operator reach.

We had the misfortune of buying 2 Brodex Prolong poles many years ago in our niave beginning. They were advertised as 22' poles but they were only 18' long.

If you want a good budget pole go for either a Gardiner CLX22 or CLX27.

.

 
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So a CLX -22 is a good starter just looked at prices £138... are streamlines any good?! Saw a carbon fibre one the other day xr70 going for around 180... 23ft?! Any good?!

what is ( sill ) mean for brush heads? 

gardiner back packs?! The 22 litre ones?! They any good for a starter I was thinking get couple 25 litre containers get purified water in them and just feel it up in the back pack when needed?! Or will I go through that too quickly?!

cheers for the information very informative! Loving the process 
 
A sill brush is curved so you can do the window sills.

Gardiner backpacks are the market leader.

Clx-22 is goos if thats really all you can afford but start saving asap for an extension (£60ish) for it.

2x 25ltrs will be nowhere near enough mate.

Today i did 

1x 3 bed semi

2x 3bed semi with conservatorys

1x 2bed semi cottage

1x 4bed detatched with extension

1x 3bed detatched bungalow with 3 dormas and a big conservatory

And i used 150ltrs

Youll need to caryy 200lts minimum

 
Get slx22 and nxt month add extension no6 and you will be able to do lots of work of not all your current work. Backback from Gardiners is the best choice.

 
Get slx22 and nxt month add extension no6 and you will be able to do lots of work of not all your current work. Backback from Gardiners is the best choice.
I believe 27foot would be enough for what I have now but I’m definitely going for the slx 22. 
 

just need advice on if you go for a tank or use back pack system with containers for now as on a budget 

Grant1793 said:
I believe 27foot would be enough for what I have now but I’m definitely going for the slx 22. 
 

just need advice on if you go for a tank or use back pack system with containers for now as on a budget 
Don’t want to take the plunge and spend the money for it not to work if you get me 

 
Personally I would recommend the CLX as you can remove sections and it is still insulated due to it being a composite pole. But I use a hoseless system which makes this easy. 

Brush wise maybe start simple, a flocked brush, the start experimenting from there. I'll link my three favourite brushes for you (though I have by no means tried them all).

Also, before you order, give Gardiener's a call, leave your number and what your doing and they'll call to advise you what is best.

Current brush (though I use the 35cm version). Its heavy, especially the big one, but I really like it: https://gardinerpolesystems.co.uk/all-products/water-fed-poles/brushes/super-lite-radius-sill-brushes/universaltm-medium-soft-brush-coming-soon.html

First brush: - No longer available. It as a flocked brush. Others are available. 

Other favourite (though mine has the natural bristles, haven't tried the new one): https://gardinerpolesystems.co.uk/all-products/water-fed-poles/brushes/xtreme-brushes/xtremetm-26cm-brush-medium-hybrid.html

 
Thats on offer https://gardinerpolesystems.co.uk/ultimatetm-26cm-brush-soft-mixed-project-clearance.html

Old ultimate dupont is my favorite so far, now they only sell new model with TaperTec hybrid;  https://gardinerpolesystems.co.uk/all-products/water-fed-poles/brushes/dupontbrushes/ultimatetm-26cm-brush-duponttm-hybrid.html

Backpack (or trolley) and barrels are good enough when starting, but best go for delivery system if you have a van and money. 
Thanks for all the recommendations! I will definitely look into all of this. What is a delivery system?! 

 
Why would you want to spend money on a second hand pole that someone has had the best use of @Grant1793.

At the tail end of the day its up to you. I would consider a second hand tank on Ebay with a manufacturers frame but I wouldn't buy an r/o, a pump, a pole or a brush second hand.

Now lets look at the advert. He states -

With newish unger soft brush head.

That brush looks well used to me. Note the round corners at the top when compared to the corners at the bottom. Look at the wear on the bristles on those rounded corners.

Has done me well but I have just upgraded so that’s reason for selling

I've had the best of its service life and its time for a new pole. I'll stick this on Ebay and find someone new to the game trying to save money which I will use to offset the cost of my new upgraded pole. I might claim the full price of my new pole against tax and put this money I get into my back pocket.

Has wear and tear scratches as to be expected and poles could do with a silicone spray as the old grips are wearing out but grips perfectly well at top and bottom of pole

He's telling you the pole is worn out and could do with building up using silicone spray.

There's a windie on the other forum that buys a brand new SLX22 every year. He then puts the old pole on Ebay and gets virtually what he paid for it new. He says it saves his money in the long run.

 
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Why would you want to spend money on a second hand pole that someone has had the best use of @Grant1793.

At the tail end of the day its up to you. I would consider a second hand tank on Ebay with a manufacturers frame but I wouldn't buy an r/o, a pump, a pole or a brush second hand.

Now lets look at the advert. He states -

With newish unger soft brush head.

That brush looks well used to me. Note the round corners at the top when compared to the corners at the bottom. Look at the wear on the bristles on those rounded corners.

Has done me well but I have just upgraded so that’s reason for selling

I've had the best of its service life and its time for a new pole. I'll stick this on Ebay and find someone new to the game trying to save money which I will use to offset the cost of my new upgraded pole. I might claim the full price of my new pole against tax and put this money I get into my back pocket.

Has wear and tear scratches as to be expected and poles could do with a silicone spray as the old grips are wearing out but grips perfectly well at top and bottom of pole

He's telling you the pole is worn out and could do with building up using silicone spray.

There's a windie on the other forum that buys a brand new SLX22 every year. He then puts the old pole on Ebay and gets virtually what he paid for it new. He says it saves his money in the long run.
Thank you for the reply ! Very helpful and I have decided against buying it with your helpful information... the picture below is this a good starter? And price? Going by the responses this is the best starter 

4691F994-A75E-4CC6-ADA0-5366268BCEE2.png

 
Thank you for the reply ! Very helpful and I have decided against buying it with your helpful information... the picture below is this a good starter? And price? Going by the responses this is the best starter 

View attachment 18518


Honestly, I'm pleased you let that one go. I'm the first to admit that this advice comes from my early day experiences, so I have the T shirt as they say.

I have an SXL22 as my daily pole, and with a bit of maintenance it is now 8 years old. I believe I can reach 95% of my work with this pole. However, things are changing up in our neck of the woods. More and more houses have the main bedroom in the loft of new builds. On most of them I can just reach these windows. However I can't put any pressure on the brush if there is a bird strike to remove.

My daughter has a new build with a main bedroom in the loft and I can't reach that bedroom window with my SLX22. I'm 5'7". My son is 6'2" and he can reach it with his SLX25.

As I've mentioned before, I have an SLX40 and if I'm on my own I use that.

My consideration for a replacement pole would probably be an SLX27, or an SLX22 with an SLX Extension number # 6. This would give me the carbon fiber base with insulating Fiber glass outer layer to protect me against electric shock. If I used an SLX27 with the base section removed (to make it an SLX22) then I wouldn't have that protection.

But this is me. I can only offer advise the way I see it and as it applies to me. What I say effects me might well be a joke for someone younger and fitter. The negative for me is that the SLX27 is slightly heavier than the SLX22 and the base has a slightly bigger diameter.  I'm very quickly loosing upper body strength due to health and age and have arthritis in my hands. My other thought is an Extreme pole but I'm rather heavy handed so the Extreme maybe a little fragile in my hands.

 
That's my everyday pole and I would highly recommend it. Make sure though that it will be long enough for you. It does all of my six hundred odd customers bar about two where we have to use a thirty footer. But recently I've seen on the forum that some people have found the 22 to be too short for a fair bit of their work. I say again if it's long enough it's a super pole to work with all day and collapses to a nice short length for down the sides of houses and bungalows. A lot of people speak highly of the CLX, I can't give an opinion on them as I've no experience with them.

Good luck ?

 
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