Only gutter clearance, no add on

[Jimroot]

just wondered, how many gutter jobs would people loose out on if they only offered gutter clearance, as opposed to offering a more complete service, cleaning them too, and windows, soffit, fascia, garage, conservatory etc.

Do customers want a package or happy to book an individual job at a time, if the provider cannot provide more than gutter clear, in people's experience.

Most gutter adverts comprise a multitude of services, few, if any, offer one.

Why is window the main, and gutter the add on. Is it forum bias or social?

 

[cheapncheerful]

good post jimroot...i have a few ...er...names out there...and one is roofman and occasionally gutter clearouts come my way ..tomorrow being one...but....tomorrows does have a clue in it..

oh its running down the wall....

most people wait til gutters dont work for a while before phoning...

i would try to offer as many services as possible as work is work and money is life.../emoticons/biggrin.png

the point is...window cleaning is a very repetitive business and as such keeps the money coming in...a typical gutter clearout or gutter facia clean maybe two three four years before they think to call you back...and as such...you must have that in mind when you price them....

 

[Jimroot]

Thanks cnc

i have basically run out budget to offer the full package id hoped, for now anyway. Have to just start with the clearances and a minimal clear up kit to clean up after me. business card the rough houses locally and advertise I guess and hope.

Thinking 25 pounds a side for a basic price structure

 

[Smurf]

I've found you can still earn good money just by offering to unblock gutters & downspouts as most window cleaners don't want to or can't do them for one reason or another. Probably because most either don't have the time or find cleaning windows is a much easier/safer job especially when using wfp method. However being able to offers others services obviously helps on the total earning potential per property if say they want the whites etc cleaned as well but not all do.

Like I mentioned before start off with easy access jobs to gain experience as you start earning you can then buy other bits of kit as you go along.

 

[Jimroot]

ive got the full manual smurf set, and getting the technical smurf add on set, that's my lit, and will give it a good shot, 'simply gutter clearance' (and spout and drain)

 

[Jimroot]

I wanted the bigger potential and all round package to start, but have to be realistic. Prob enough of a learning curve as it is actually

 

[Smurf]

As they say don't run before you can walk. Get the kit you bought so far earning you money :thumbsup:

 

[boarcity]

25 quid a side eh jim / i reckon [unless ur in london] you need to lop off ten quid from that if youre goin to get a foothold. just my opinion.

remember folk only notice its blocked chocka after a rainstorm. summer months few are bothered about gutters , who looks up , nobody cos it makes them dizzy .

if was you id offer windows as well on ur fliers, its money regular as tickety tock and not as boaring as it might seem.

iv been pushing gutter clean out the last 6 months via facebook and the demands pretty limited in towns i work and nearly always one offs

but id love you prove me wrong mate

 

[Jimroot]

People round here already charge 20 a side boar, and they don't check the spout, drains, or give photo evidence or insured either. Reports I've heard, they always seem to leave a bit too where it's difficult without a vac.

I was also going to tidy up well after myself and take the material away. I thought 25 was reasonable for that really but you could be right. I hope you're wrong about frequency though :-(

Will start windows too, but may have ran out of budget for now for wfp and somewhere to keep it, definitely be doing them by summer. Don't like the idea of a trad round at the moment, all those ladder placements...

 

[Smurf]

Regarding gutter clearing I don't worry what others charge now but when I first started I was quite cheap just to win work. Once you get a few under your belt so to speak your experience and confidence will grow. Then you will know how much a job is really worth for the time & hassle of each job as some can be a lot harder to do than others.

 

[Jimroot]

I was reckoning on a thorough job taking upto four hours on an average house, being a beginner. Perhaps I'm being too cautious. Assuming I can get the demand for six to eight per week, I could afford to do them much cheaper at say 50 a house average but take 2.5 hours instead over it. I've already had four provisionals and I'm sure at 50 they would be happy.

It's just theory having not done it yet (waiting on my brace). I'm physically capable and I like rain, but who knows what **** ups I'll conjure up or find :-(

 

[Jimroot]

Do you use this smurf?

http://tinyurl.com/l6jq26m

 

[Smurf]

Myself I prefer not to get involved in trying to mend leaking joints now as it's just too much hassle. When just using a sealer as a quick fix they can start leaking again as they often do due to gutter creep etc you will end up getting called out again.

If you want to get involved in plastic guttering repairs then I've found it best just to replace the whole joint/end caps as more often than not the rubber seals have perished. There are also many other reasons why guttering does not flow properly after they have been cleared out like broken brackets so sags or the guttering is not fitted with the correct fall etc. Most of the time guttering has either been badly fitted or badly neglected so the added weight of crud has played its part in damaging them.

I don't mind having a look for customers to see what the problem is as sometimes the joints have just come apart and the gutter just need re-seating into the joint but I don't charge to do a quick fix. That way there is no comeback to me as I clean & clean gutters not fix them. I have a chap that I pass the work onto that runs a gutter & fascia firm if they need sorting out properly.

 

[Jimroot]

Nice tips, thanks smurf

 

[Blastoffcleaning]

Personally i think you'll struggle to make a living only doing gutters, advertise windows as well if you've got a ladder as even just a few monthly customers will keep you out and about meeting people and keep you ticking over.

 

[Jimroot]

I agree I think I'll struggle too unless I'm lucky. I want to build a water fed pole system then advertise ideally for the lot, but haven't even got a trad kit yet blastoff, just acquired the gutter gear, so maybe have try the hard way to a dollar first

 

[Blastoffcleaning]

What gear have you got?

I've done loads over the years and just use a ladder and stand off with a hi tec hand brush taped to a pole lol

 

[rshandyman]

Regarding gutter clearing I don't worry what others charge now but when I first started I was quite cheap just to win work. Once you get a few under your belt so to speak your experience and confidence will grow. Then you will know how much a job is really worth for the time & hassle of each job as some can be a lot harder to do than others.

Just curious Smurf...how long have you been doing this?

 

[Rascal]

Since I have launched a gutter cleaning only website I can be really busy from October through till March. Never had that much gutter work through my other website that offers everything. I guess people like to know you are a professional /emoticons/wink.png

Rain helps a lot with work. The storms down south last xmas kept me busy for months.....

I'm quite a bit quieter so far this year compared to before xmas though so might have to start cleaning some windows again

 

[stuvy]

If you don't do anything nothing will happen!

Offer it all to start with then get new business cards to omit what your not doing in the future.

 

[Dave B]

You already have the ladder set up me and smurf use so you only need less than 50 quids worth of gear to trad some windows

You will need to clean them when you cover the bottom ones with cack when the bits hit the floor and bounce up the windows anyway