Introduction - new to cleaning

[Joshhills]

First off hi, im Josh, situated in east Anglia, iv been on here looking at discussions for a while and have finally bit the bullet and ordered a wfp system for my van. I am looking to provide exterior cleaning services alongside window cleaning such as gutter cleaning with a vac and driveway/patio pressure washing.
So i have a question - as its all very expensive to start up i currently am torn which of the above would be better to start with, gutter vac or pressure washer? for those of you who do both which is likely to be more rewarding from your experinces?
Lots of great info on here from you experienced guys so thanks.

 

[ched999uk]

I would concentrate on building up the window cleaning customers. Once you have a decent number of customers you can then sell addons to them. You can always sell gutter facia and soffit cleaning (without vaccing the gutters) and conservatory roof cleaning. As they both just need the same kit as window cleaning!!

Gutter cleaning can be a bit more tricky as if you have a blocked downpipe a vac may not clear it. Some people would then advise a customer to get a roofer to unblock it but personally I'm not keen on doing half a job. Obviously if you are good on ladders you can take the downpipe apart and unblock but it can be dangerous!!
Pressure washing has it's complications, such as disposing of all the sludge - waste transfer licence then paying to dump commercial waste etc.
With both I would say make sure you are adequately insured!

 

[Part Timer]

Initially concentrate 100% on window cleaning with FSG & Conservatory Roofs as an add on. If you get enquiries about the other jobs then look at it then. Save spending anymore money as you might need this to help you getting established.
Gutters and PW aren't repeat work, on average no more than yearly, whereas window cleaning is 4-8 weekly and FSG / Conservatory Roofs are similar to Gutters and PW annual.

 

[Pjj]

Same as @Part Timer comments as you don’t need any other kit to do that , for us gutter vaccing requests are 10x that of pressure washing ones

 

[Joshhills]

Thanks for your responses, sounds like a plan to hold off making a purchase for now, I am planning on good old door knocking with cards/leaflets every evening plus plenty of family and friends washes to get the van out and about and gain experience. @Pjj im surprised by that, i see so many tired looking drives expected there to be a decent market for it, glad I asked the question.

 

[Iron Giant]

I'll echo what others have said concentrate on windows and do F.S.G cleans and conny roofs which can all be very easily done with the wfp system and some cheap enough chemical like Screwfix no-nonsense degreaser, to get driveways you need an expensive pressure washer do to a decent job and no matter how many tired driveways there might be people aren't always willing to pay the money to have them cleaned that can also be said for other add on's as well,

I don't do any add-ons at all can't be chewed with them, unless it's a nice easy bungalow otherwise I'll pass them all onto a mate who I have complete trust in as I always get good feedback from my regular customers who have had him do work at their houses.

 

[Pjj]

Same as @Part Timer comments as you don’t need any other kit to do that , for us gutter vaccing requests are 10x that of pressure washing ones

Thanks for your responses, sounds like a plan to hold off making a purchase for now, I am planning on good old door knocking with cards/leaflets every evening plus plenty of family and friends washes to get the van out and about and gain experience. @Pjj im surprised by that, i see so many tired looking drives expected there to be a decent market for it, glad I asked the question.

pressure washing isn’t cheap as the machines are expensive, many don’t want to pay to have them cleaned or that’s what I find , also some will buy a £100 karcher and do it themselves ???? but blocked leaking gutters they cannot do and it can lead to damp in the house so they are more likely to pay to have them emptied .

 

[K in Kent]

All good advice from genuinely knowledgeable, experienced and sensible people. There is money to be made in PW and you don't have to spend a fortune on kit while you start learning about it. You can do smaller jobs adequately in a reasonable time with a fairly basic machine.
But the problem is it's highly seasonal and a case of feast or famine - busy spring and summer and very quiet during the winter months. There's also the issue of needing to constantly generate new work and a website can come in very handy with that. It's not the only way but is another tool for acquiring new customers.
Regular repeat business is a very attractive option in comparison.....but of course you can combine them and it can be an earner offering an all round exterior services

 

[Joshhills]

Thanks, I’m a strong believer in “start as you mean to go on” so I’m trying to get it right from the start. My system is just a 325L facelift compact with carbon poles, a few brushes, iv invested in some trad equipment as to me the multi skill is important.
Sorted myself a uniform as image can be everything, so when out door knocking or working I look professional and feel this in itself can help.
I have business cards, flyers and website set up as well as the usual social media platforms and I’m hopeful this will all help in the long run.
I guess the most important part is to learn the trade and be able to provide a great service to land the repeat work and get customers telling there friends and family.

 

[K in Kent]

Thanks, I’m a strong believer in “start as you mean to go on” so I’m trying to get it right from the start. My system is just a 325L facelift compact with carbon poles, a few brushes, iv invested in some trad equipment as to me the multi skill is important.
Sorted myself a uniform as image can be everything, so when out door knocking or working I look professional and feel this in itself can help.
I have business cards, flyers and website set up as well as the usual social media platforms and I’m hopeful this will all help in the long run.
I guess the most important part is to learn the trade and be able to provide a great service to land the repeat work and get customers telling there friends and family.

And don't forget the worthwhile free directory listings to claim - Google, Bing, Yell, Yelp etc etc. Apart from Google and Bing they won't bring in much work but are important for your website SEO. I'll send you a list of the top citation sources if you like?

 

[cleaniac]

The best bit of advice I can give you is to keep it simple.

The simpler you keep things, the more efficient you will be and the more profit you will make. Gutter cleans are rarely worth it when you have a full schedule; and doing them will eventually cost you time and money. By the time you have bought all the kit, marketed yourself, got the jobs in, it might seem like you are making good money when you finally get to do the job, but you have to consider the whole process, from the time taken to buy the kit, the time taken to find the customers, do the quotes, its actually not all that great. All those ones that say gutter cleaning is more profitable than window cleaning; are not running a window cleaning business correctly.

Window cleaning, all you have to do is turn up, splash some water about and leave, if you have one after the other at £30 a shot and its taking you 10-15mins each one its a gravy train. But you have to be patient, its does not happen over night

 

[Part Timer]

All those ones that say gutter cleaning is more profitable than window cleaning; are not running a window cleaning business correctly

It depends on the volume of work, and type you have. I have a week's worth of gutters to do at the end of the month, some of it not far from you, and I assure you no one will earn as much in that week cleaning windows.

 

[Pjj]

The best bit of advice I can give you is to keep it simple.

The simpler you keep things, the more efficient you will be and the more profit you will make. Gutter cleans are rarely worth it when you have a full schedule; and doing them will eventually cost you time and money. By the time you have bought all the kit, marketed yourself, got the jobs in, it might seem like you are making good money when you finally get to do the job, but you have to consider the whole process, from the time taken to buy the kit, the time taken to find the customers, do the quotes, its actually not all that great. All those ones that say gutter cleaning is more profitable than window cleaning; are not running a window cleaning business correctly.

Window cleaning, all you have to do is turn up, splash some water about and leave, if you have one after the other at £30 a shot and its taking you 10-15mins each one its a gravy train. But you have to be patient, its does not happen over night

Gutter vaccing can pay many times more that window cleaning hourly rate but generally it’s a one off job ware as windows are regular.

 

[scottish cleaning service]

Gutter vaccing can pay many times more that window cleaning hourly rate but generally it’s a one off job ware as windows are regular.

I stack my gutter cleans up and try and do them all in the one day and make a few bob that day.

 

[Joshhills]

Appreciate all of your feedback, so my system arrived yesterday and I’m installing today, knocking up my first tank of pure water and will be out practicing all tomorrow and Saturday plus can finally start my door knocking. Very excited to start this journey.

 

[ched999uk]

Appreciate all of your feedback, so my system arrived yesterday and I’m installing today, knocking up my first tank of pure water and will be out practicing all tomorrow and Saturday plus can finally start my door knocking. Very excited to start this journey.

Good Luck and let us know how you get on. When practicing on your own windows you can check them by going inside and looking out as a customer!

I find having a 'procedure' helps, i.e. start at top left, go across top of frame down right and back, then down left side of frame, then scrub top of glass across, then down from left to right, then bottom of frame and sill, then rinse, etc..... What order you chose is up to you and obviously it needs to be adjusted at times but I find having a procedure helps me know I am doing a good job.

 

[matt1458]

Good luck with everything. Just to add my 2p experience to the already as ever great advice on here, 100% focus on the windows first and use anything else as an up sell when you’re ready. Way easier to upsell to existing customers than start offering everything at once. Especially when your gutter / pressure washing only customers will be once a year at best.

We now do all 3, the pressure washing is a nice add on in the summer and the gutters are a nice add on in the winter, but the amount of kit you need to buy (and store) soon starts mounting up plus loading unloading it in and around the windows, especially when you get busy.

Build it up at a gentle pace, everything else will follow ?

 

[Joshhills]

Thanks, completed my fist bungalow today using wfp, windows were very dirty frames covered with dirt and cobwebs.
After they had dried off I noticed a few dirty drip marks on a few windows, also wasn’t happy with how I could continuously get dirt out between lower frame and sill and was left with some dirt.
I am using a facelift compact system and have 100 settings on pump, tried today at 50 which seemed a good starting point but how do you judge what power is needed?

 

[Pjj]

Thanks, completed my fist bungalow today using wfp, windows were very dirty frames covered with dirt and cobwebs.
After they had dried off I noticed a few dirty drip marks on a few windows, also wasn’t happy with how I could continuously get dirt out between lower frame and sill and was left with some dirt.
I am using a facelift compact system and have 100 settings on pump, tried today at 50 which seemed a good starting point but how do you judge what power is needed?

We are all different at the speed we work , on a first clean a higher flow will help rinse faster getting rid of a lot of dirt , regular maintenance cleans generally don’t require as higher flow rate , if you feel you could be working rinsing faster just up the flow by a couple of digits until your flow rate matches your working speed as an example mine are set between 65-69 on all vans each member of staff have their own preference.

 

[ched999uk]

Pump speed is what you decide fits you. It depends on lots of things, jets sizes, number of jets, pole hose, length of hose, straight from tank or through DI, your speed of working, age of pump, type of controller etc.

If it's too low then you will spend an age on rinsing as you will have to move the brush so slowly. Too fast and water will be bouncing off the glass.
First cleans will take a lot longer and use more water, always good to check your work especially on first cleans. In the hot weather it's easier as some windows will be dry when you finish so you can see any marks left.

 

[Part Timer]

Thanks, completed my fist bungalow today using wfp, windows were very dirty frames covered with dirt and cobwebs.
After they had dried off I noticed a few dirty drip marks on a few windows, also wasn’t happy with how I could continuously get dirt out between lower frame and sill and was left with some dirt.
I am using a facelift compact system and have 100 settings on pump, tried today at 50 which seemed a good starting point but how do you judge what power is needed?

You can spend hours cleaning the gap and not do it properly. I use a screwdriver to clean this, there are other tools that will assist. Purely blasting water won't do it.