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Are gutters worth the investment

ECLM
WCF

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Cleanco said:
What’s the difference? I use probs one of the lesser models on the marke(gutter sucker junior, front entry)  and up to now it’s been fine. On the inside of the entry there’s a right angle price of plastic that shoots the debris and muck around the edge like a vortex instead of straight at the filter. Would this give the same effect as a side entry? 
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I think that firm was owned buy a guy called nick day ?? They used to buy Vacumes and alter them to make them more gutter dirt friendly , a side entry works better than front entry the plastic shields diverts the incoming dirt buy hitting the shield , a side entry the dirt hits the side of the drum this does give an advantage in the fact more air flow goes around inside the drum , I had a front entry vac and modified the inlet into the tank and still managed to get blockages in the drum something I have never had with side entry , it will also depend what you are sucking out if gutters somethings don’t cause blockages like a liquid slurred , but moss and lumps of soil and grass can 

 
Stevieboy said:
A lot of people on here often talk about vortex’s in there modified vacs. After the debris and muck enters the vac it will go straight to the suction source. Doesn’t matter if it’s side entry or a plastic deflector like yours. It’s point to point. There is nothing in a plain cylinder of a vac to make a vortex. 
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Sorry to disagree but 90% of the dirt hits the outside of the drum not the centre of it when the vac fills up with semi solids the centre is always much lower than the sides , next time we do a job and it’s semi solid I’ll take some pictures on the inside if the drum and the motor and you will be able to see it for yourself 

 
I put a kit together, saw a package on machine marts website that they wanted nearly £2k for. Bought the exact same vac 3000watt (3 x 1000 watt bypass motors) poles (from Aquafed) and hose separately from 3 different suppliers and it came to less than £500.  Works well, saves a lot of time and climbing).

 
Danfire said:
I put a kit together, saw a package on machine marts website that they wanted nearly £2k for. Bought the exact same vac 3000watt (3 x 1000 watt bypass motors) poles (from Aquafed) and hose separately from 3 different suppliers and it came to less than £500.  Works well, saves a lot of time and climbing).
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What was the make of vac @Danfire? cheers

 
As with anything it’s worth the investment if you price well enough. You can do quite a bit just with ladders & pro gutter tools, the investment is a lot less but not ideal on your own, but its a breeze for two blokes. Id definitely recommend a VAC if on your own as you really need to cut down on ladder use as much as poss with nobody to foot it. Prices will naturally vary give or take between different businesses but just remember you’re using kit that is expensive to replace.
id say semis ranging from 60-80 for the lower council built types, higher & larger semis in affluent areas can fetch £70-£120 especially if you add on conservatories, extensions, garages & the likes, detached houses, some are very small, some are very large, so 60-£250+ theres really no upper limit when it comes to large properties. 
without gutter clearing we wouldnt survive as a window cleaning business i can tell you that...the market is so saturated that we rely on ad ons for half of our work. Many window cleaners aren't interested in ad ons so it suits us fine as it makes a nice change for us, keeps it interesting by mixing it up a bit. Just remember as pjj said its not as simple as vaccing out, you will get blocked downpipes, you will have to disassemble them to unblock solid masses that are Sausage shaped in the pipe etc...you will need ladders, a small drill for undoing screws or fitting the odd small screw where needed etc. drain rods are always handy for when the vac tubes get blocked. Once you've been doing it a while its second nature but as with anything you learn from difficulties experienced on the job. 

 
Bald...the thing is it's makes you even more valuable to your customer...with every extra service you offer you embed your service and hence you further into the consciousness/life of your customer - rather than 'just' the windie you start to become their main go to man for any 'cleaning' outside. (and a bit of life saver)

Most people with blocked gutters are in a fix...(like a broken boiler) rain is causing damage and they want it fixed asap...who they gonna call? Windies are becoming the go to for gutter clearance...if you don't' someone else will and maybe steal your lunch at the same time by getting the windie work.

It can be messy and smelly and general not as 'nice' as cleaning windows...so charge accordingly ...I'm surprised how little some guys charge...if you do it you will have spent a chunk of cash on your set up and will need to replace parts etc and the service is REALLY important to customers - I'm NOT saying rip anyone off...but reflect the investment and the fact you make yourself available to carry out this service in your price - I charge 120 as a min 9/10 times - that's nothing if you get a trade in to do a job - move a switch, plumb a sink..and hardly much more skilled (though personally I think that shouldn't have much to do with it) I think because we charge 10-20-30 for windows we can think in low cost mentally... we should price on the service we provide - most call us because they don't' want the risk (or physically can't) use ladders so NEED a pro...that can be you.

In vac Power is king ensure the suck is more than enough (mines 2400 and I want more) - as with most things you can always do with a little more...so buy once and buy carefully - I would echo go 51mm/sideinlet - nothing more iterating than repeat blockages ...you want to rock up get the kit out, do the job, get paid move on...often that means you're gonna need to invest in the kit - but don't get ripped of by those who just 'rebadge' a vac and hey presto it's a guttervac ? (I really need to work on brevity) 

 
NoName said:
Bald...the thing is it's makes you even more valuable to your customer...with every extra service you offer you embed your service and hence you further into the consciousness/life of your customer - rather than 'just' the windie you start to become their main go to man for any 'cleaning' outside. (and a bit of life saver)

Most people with blocked gutters are in a fix...(like a broken boiler) rain is causing damage and they want it fixed asap...who they gonna call? Windies are becoming the go to for gutter clearance...if you don't' someone else will and maybe steal your lunch at the same time by getting the windie work.

It can be messy and smelly and general not as 'nice' as cleaning windows...so charge accordingly ...I'm surprised how little some guys charge...if you do it you will have spent a chunk of cash on your set up and will need to replace parts etc and the service is REALLY important to customers - I'm NOT saying rip anyone off...but reflect the investment and the fact you make yourself available to carry out this service in your price - I charge 120 as a min 9/10 times - that's nothing if you get a trade in to do a job - move a switch, plumb a sink..and hardly much more skilled (though personally I think that shouldn't have much to do with it) I think because we charge 10-20-30 for windows we can think in low cost mentally... we should price on the service we provide - most call us because they don't' want the risk (or physically can't) use ladders so NEED a pro...that can be you.

In vac Power is king ensure the suck is more than enough (mines 2400 and I want more) - as with most things you can always do with a little more...so buy once and buy carefully - I would echo go 51mm/sideinlet - nothing more iterating than repeat blockages ...you want to rock up get the kit out, do the job, get paid move on...often that means you're gonna need to invest in the kit - but don't get ripped of by those who just 'rebadge' a vac and hey presto it's a guttervac ? (I really need to work on brevity) 
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Quite agree we offer a complete exterior cleaning service to all our customers windows, gutter vaccing, plastic cleaning , softwashing , pressure washing , makes a change from glass all the time and the customer already know and trust us so we are the go to firm for all these jobs , more money from each customer as well works well fir us and the customer . 

 
Danfire said:
I put a kit together, saw a package on machine marts website that they wanted nearly £2k for. Bought the exact same vac 3000watt (3 x 1000 watt bypass motors) poles (from Aquafed) and hose separately from 3 different suppliers and it came to less than £500.  Works well, saves a lot of time and climbing).
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It just shows how much some of these company’s must be making. I know they’ve got a business to run the same as everyone else but that’s just scandalous. Someone put on here that oxywash has almost doubled over night and them showa 282’s used to be a tenner and now £25?? I’ve always thought some of these fitted van mount systems are a little pricey as well. I mean 5k to send water up a pole?? They are having us over a barrel some of these suppliers. 

 
scottish cleaning service said:
I have 60 customers plus the care home. The 60 customers all need their gutters cleared every few years so who is going to do it? Either me their window cleaner or they have to try and get someone else. Its a no brainer really.
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Some weeks ago you said you had a 100 jobs, that  takes you 7 days to clean,  60 houses and care home with 40 flats ? ???

 
Iron Giant said:
Seems like you ignore being pulled up or a criticism, just be real, with regards to the global epidemic out of Wuhan, don't be a ***!! people are dying, Get Real!!
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I think he was trying to lighten the mood rather than being drawn into a petty arguement over how many custys he has. 

 
Iron Giant said:
Fir do's, @scottish cleaning service I am sorry if I offended you in anyway 
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I don't live in bitterness. The reason I have so much knowledge on something is because I am a constant reader. All great leaders are readers so they say. The reason the virus has spread is because China covered it up and a doctor became the whistle blower and he at 35 is now dead from it or so they say. I also study markets and expect Oil to fall back into the twenties so expect cheaper petrol and diesel but they should go up 2p a litre on 11th to offset a vat charge on fuel. We are entering our first recession in 11 years which will last 2yrs.

The truth, no matter how bad, is never as dangerous as a lie in the long run. Just wished China knew this.

 
scottish cleaning service said:
I don't live in bitterness. The reason I have so much knowledge on something is because I am a constant reader. All great leaders are readers so they say. The reason the virus has spread is because China covered it up and a doctor became the whistle blower and he at 35 is now dead from it or so they say. I also study markets and expect Oil to fall back into the twenties so expect cheaper petrol and diesel but they should go up 2p a litre on 11th to offset a vat charge on fuel. We are entering our first recession in 11 years which will last 2yrs.

The truth, no matter how bad, is never as dangerous as a lie in the long run. Just wished China knew this.
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one of  The most outrageous ever is how china are persecuting the uighur muslims. Millions of them, families forcibly split, husbands/wives/children, never to see eachother again in many cases. It beggers belief in these supposed enlightened times. It will be acceptable to the REAL powers that be. Fits in nicely with their no religion, no nation no currency no gender etc new world order. Conspiracy huh? very slow, but steady, look back now in 20 or so years.

Ah fk, sorry peeps, getting a bit deep there. be better later when ive had a few jars, 'keep on rockin in the free world' while we can ? ?

 
scottish cleaning service said:
I don't live in bitterness. The reason I have so much knowledge on something is because I am a constant reader. All great leaders are readers so they say. The reason the virus has spread is because China covered it up and a doctor became the whistle blower and he at 35 is now dead from it or so they say. I also study markets and expect Oil to fall back into the twenties so expect cheaper petrol and diesel but they should go up 2p a litre on 11th to offset a vat charge on fuel. We are entering our first recession in 11 years which will last 2yrs.

The truth, no matter how bad, is never as dangerous as a lie in the long run. Just wished China knew this.
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Top man, I'll try and bite my tounge moving forward, My thoughts are China wanted it to spread, a self made virus to deplete numbers possibly effect global markets, only last week or the week before maybe there was talk of another recession, this also brexit and now the virus has got people very apprehensive about investment into a business or spending money, the UK goverment don't help much either we have no money yet apparently they intended on investing billions of pounds into various services with money that is non existent. 

 

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