Been traditional for 20 years!! Think I’m finally going to convert. HELP!!!

[Andrew rigby]

I have no clue at all about water fed pole systems,
thinking about converting Astra van on way out and body has had enough of ladder work.
Can someone point me in the right direction we currently clean 40/45 3 bed semis a day between 2 of us,
What size water tank do I need to last me the day? How much will it cost roughly to put a system in a van?
What size vehicle do I need to buy or best buying one that already had system in?
Do I need to have a water tank at home as well? (don’t really want one in my garden)
Any help will be much appreciated

 

[Part Timer]

How long is a piece of string, minimum 650l tank when up to speed and round fully converted.
There are literally hundreds of replies, from people that's done what you're looking to do. I suggest you have a good search of the site and read them.

 

[kalimon]

I have no clue at all about water fed pole systems,
thinking about converting Astra van on way out and body has had enough of ladder work.
Can someone point me in the right direction we currently clean 40/45 3 bed semis a day between 2 of us,
What size water tank do I need to last me the day? How much will it cost roughly to put a system in a van?
What size vehicle do I need to buy or best buying one that already had system in?
Do I need to have a water tank at home as well? (don’t really want one in my garden)
Any help will be much appreciated

Whereabouts are you based?

 

[Andrew rigby]

Whereabouts are you based?

North west Southport?

 

[dazmond]

You need a TDS meter first to test your water. If your tap water is under 150tds you ll be fine with 2 x 25L DI vessels and no need for a tank at home.

You'll need an outside tap at the front of your property or an easy way to fill up your van with access to electricity via extension lead.

Minimum of a 650L tank and a payload of 1200kg or so....

 

[dazmond]

Astra van totally unsuitable mate....you need a vivaro/lwb custom type van with a 1200kg payload for a 650L

 

[spruce]

You need a TDS meter first to test your water. If your tap water is under 150tds you ll be fine with 2 x 25L DI vessels and no need for a tank at home.

You'll need an outside tap at the front of your property or an easy way to fill up your van with access to electricity via extension lead.

Minimum of a 650L tank and a payload of 1200kg or so....

My Peugeot Boxer swb is a model 333 which has a payload of +- 1300kgs.

A full 650 litre tank, a full tank of diesel, roof rack with ladders and tow-bar, usual accessories, 2 hose reels and a diesel heater brings me up to the payload limit.
I'm not sure if a 650 litre tank of water will suffice to clean 40 to 45 3 bed semis a day.

I could well think about buying 2 smaller Berlingo type vans with a 500 litre tank and work separately. Often operators working together are inclined to do less work than working individually. But then again, this could change depending on how compact your work is. There is a local lad that had a run of street houses. He parked in the middle. His co-worker pulled his reel 100 meters in front of the van, and he pulled his 100 meters to the rear. They worked toward each other.

I work with my son. Sometimes both of us cleaning 1 house, me the back and him the front, can take us longer than either of us cleaning the same house on our own.

 

[dazmond]

I have no clue at all about water fed pole systems,
thinking about converting Astra van on way out and body has had enough of ladder work.
Can someone point me in the right direction we currently clean 40/45 3 bed semis a day between 2 of us,
What size water tank do I need to last me the day? How much will it cost roughly to put a system in a van?
What size vehicle do I need to buy or best buying one that already had system in?
Do I need to have a water tank at home as well? (don’t really want one in my garden)
Any help will be much appreciated

If I was you I'd get a brand new van and get a hot water system fitted. If you work in Southport then salt on the windows must be a problem as well as all the seagull muck.

Do not underestimate how much money you'll need to invest in a decent van and system to last 10-15 years...

 

[Gadgetfox]

Van plus equipment 20k+
Ibuilt up ffrom scratch constantly reienvesting but if you are already servicing 300+ customers and have to provide 2 mens wages you are going to have to dig deep in your wallet unless you can live without wages for a while...
But I wish you all the best and there are some good guys on this site and a shed load of info to help.

 

[Skxawng]

I've had two astra vans and while I liked them, they just aren't designed for any kind of weight.

 

[spruce]

I've had two astra vans and while I liked them, they just aren't designed for any kind of weight.

Agree. They are basically the modified version of the estate. There were 2 cleaners locally who had them. One stopped cleaning and the other said his vehicle was totally unacceptable as a window cleaning van.

Both vans were flat on their suspension at the start of the day. Had issues over the speed bumps.

 

[kalimon]

North west Southport?

Brodex are near you.
Not the best customer service but I've got 4 vans with their 650l DI systems fitted, the oldest being 13 years old.
The system still works perfectly.
Two of the vans are fitted with hot boxes by Brodex also.
Their poles are beyond useless, but Gardiners will sort that out for you.
Two of my vans are older Transit 280's and two are Custom 300's.

 

[Andrew rigby]

Thanks I’ve just spoke to brodex today they where very helpful

 

[mattybondi]

STAY Trad.All this money that the lads here say youll need to invest you could use to move into more of an office role while taking on another 2 or 3 workers. Not sure how it is round your way but a crew of trad workers round my way decimates it for any water poler trying to build a resi round. ,certainly as regards the run of the mill houses,--- the water polers do just the 3storey stuff and up which is fine by me.

 

[Part Timer]

Thanks I’ve just spoke to brodex today they where very helpful

Brodex have a terrible reputation for after sales service, and have changed hands many times

 

[Iron Giant]

Thanks I’ve just spoke to brodex today they where very helpful

I wouldn't touch them with my worst enemy's barge pole let alone my own.

Be willing to travel to have a system fitted if needs be, Pure Freedom in Grimsby has a solid reputation.!! you need the correct system and electric reels, and as suggested trawl through this forum reading old posts this will help you get your head around things

 

[ched999uk]

Thanks I’ve just spoke to brodex today they where very helpful

My problem with Brodex is they make things so compex by trying to route half the hoses through the tank for no reason. They use hydraulic type hoses so it one does spring a leak it's not like you can just use a bit of hose and jubilee clamps and get it sorted, you need to go to a hydraulics hose company and get one made up. I'm sure the hydraulic hoses are very long lasting but maintenance just seems too complex for window cleaning - it's only water under a max of 150psi that they have to deal with.

 

[spruce]

My problem with Brodex is they make things so compex by trying to route half the hoses through the tank for no reason. They use hydraulic type hoses so it one does spring a leak it's not like you can just use a bit of hose and jubilee clamps and get it sorted, you need to go to a hydraulics hose company and get one made up. I'm sure the hydraulic hoses are very long lasting but maintenance just seems too complex for window cleaning - it's only water under a max of 150psi that they have to deal with.

I'll never deal with Brodex ever again.

Bought a couple of Brodex Prolong 22' poles in the early days via a promotion they texted to my phone. Poles stated as ex stock.

Despite making numerous phone calls chasing up my order, it took them 3 weeks to arrive. I heard lots of excuses. We haven't got an order from you to being mislaid by the transport company. When they did eventually arrive, the attached invoice was totally different to the promotional text I had received and had the wrong brushes fitted.

Another phone call where I was told that their was never a promotional text sent out. When I showed them proof of the text, they agreed to give me a credit, but that the person who took my order had been fired for under handed dealings; whatever that meant. The poles they supplied as 22' were actually 18' long.

They would need to credit the first invoice for the full amount. Before they could do that they needed to raise a second invoice for the new amount which I had to pay the full amount on. So I had paid twice for the same order. Then the credit and refund on the first order was 'delayed' with lots of stalling tactics. The only person who could authorize the credit was away on holiday. When is this person due back? He didn't know, but would check and phone me back. I got the guy's name. No phone call was forthcoming. So I asked for him by name the next day, only to be told that there was no one working there by that name. Eventually I got my refund on my credit card, but that was 4 weeks later after many more chase up calls. In the meantime, I had to pay my credit card in full, which included the amount for the first invoice.

When I sat down and added up the cost of the phone calls, my time and the stress, I should have just accepted the higher cost of the poles and resolved to never deal with dishonest suppliers again.

Then one of the window cleaners in Middlesbrough asked me if I could help as his Brodex controller on his Brodex system had stopped working. Brodex wanted £200 for a new PC board, but they couldn't supply one as their supplier was out of stock. He also wanted a new Shurflo pump, which again Brodex was out of stock of. They also wanted £160 for the pump.

I looked at the controller panel, and it was identical to the Varistreams I had on my van.
So we ordered a new Varistream from Daqua, stripped the PC panel out of its enclosure and fixed the system. That Varistream controller cost £80. We also ordered a Shurflo pump from Daqua at the same time, which again was half the cost of the Shurflo pump Brodex listed.

I made a phone call to Williamson Pumps who were the Varistream and Shurflo importers at the time. I was told they had the PC board and pumps in stock, it's just that they weren't supplying stock to that customer as they needed to pay their account first.

Then we had a few posters on the forums over the years complaining about their 4040 membranes not lasting. Brodex only supply one single prefilter, which they put a sediment filter in. Everyone else fits a second prefilter, which is a carbon filter that removes chlorine from the water. Chlorine eats away at membrane material. But according to Brodex, we have negligible amounts of chlorine in our water, which doesn't affect the membrane material at all. Leaving the carbon filter out causes premature membrane failure and earns them more money.

They are the most dishonest supplier out there. As @Iron Giant says, I wouldn't touch them with someone else's barge pole.

@kalimon tells us that he has had great service from them. I'm glad his dealing have been good, but @Andrew rigby mine haven't, so from my experience, you have been warned to watch out and tread carefully.

 

[Johnboi]

You could buy a second hand system.

At the end of the day it's a water tank worth £300 and frame to bolt it to van.

Pump worth £100 and controller about the same, you dont need electric reels to start.

 

[Johnboi]

How many miles do you do a year?

The less miles you do the less Important it is to get a new van as any decent used van will do.

It's hard work to convert a round to wfp from trad, it takes much longer to clean every window frame and sills the first time.

Hot water really helps with this process

Once that is done you will fly through your work.