Starting Up PW Business - Help Wanted Please....

[Herm]

Sorry people as I know this has probably been asked/answered quite a few times, but I would love input from people vastly more experienced than me. 

I've decided to start up a pressure washing business in my area which I'm to do alongside my current job and if things go well do it full-time.  I've spent quite some time researching and have listed below the things I think I'll need to get me going, please feel free to suggest alternatives or things I've forgotten.

I do have some question, I would like your opinion on as well. I see a few people use a hot box, is this essential or is it something I could do without (for a while at least). They certainly don't come cheap so was maybe hoping to get one further down the line if things go well? 

I have around £2500 to get me going which I'm hoping will be enough to get me what I want. Many Thanks Tom

1- Pressure Washer - Evolution Honda GX390 21 Litre / 200 bar. 

2- Mosmatic 21" Surface Cleaner FL-CR250

or possibly Whirlaway , though I thought buying decent from the off might save me money in the long run? 

3- Leaf Blower - Purchased already.

4- Some sort of sprayer for the SH, I saw on here someone mention the Gardiner back pack? 

5- Water Tank - I'm hoping once I get a bigger van to install a water tank inside the van and fill it up, but for now using some type of drum? 

6- Chemicals

The things I'm stuck on are: 

Hoses 

Lances 

Turbo Nozzle

Any advice would be most welcome and I apologise for asking. 

 

[Iron Giant]

Not my thing and no need to apologise for asking, other lads on here will jump in as and when

 

[Herm]

Thank you, hopefully the more experienced members would be so kind to give some advice. 

 

[ched999uk]

Sorry I'm not experienced but a few things that might help.

You don't need a tank in the van but you will need a tank to feed the pressure washer. I believe that you are only allowed to pull 12 litres an min from a domestic water supply. So using an intermediate tank is best - some use a wheelie bin with a float valve connected to customers supply then the PW drawing from that. 

As for Gardiners back pack then they are OK for hypo as long as you wash them out after. It will invalidate the warranty but many people use them no problems for a few years before the seals are destroyed - but rinse it out well each time.

Rutland pumps have a great reputation for their expertise and the how helpful they are.

Make 100% sure what ever PW you buy you tell the company what l/min and pressure it does when ordering fsc and any spray nozzles as the nozzles need to be matched to the PW to get the best out of it.  

As for hoses get a few not a single longer length. i.e. get 3 x 10m not 1 x 30m. Reason being is that some jobs require more some less so with multiple hoses you have options and if one bursts you can probably still carry on. 

Hope that gives you a few more clues?

 

[Pjj]

I would give Ben at Rutland pumps a ring , tell him what you want to clean and he will give you various options , he doesn’t try and sell you the dearest stuff , but will work to your budget , we have been using him for many years his advice is always good as is his turn around with delivery of stuff and customer service is very good , I would say get a machine that will draw from a tank or barrel , Honda are ok but if your budget allows look at the Briggs and Stratton Mitsubishi v twin  machine 21-23 ltr per muinit 275 bar , it’s a lot quieter and far more fuel efficient than a Honda and a fair bit more powerful , we have both and the Mitsubishi machine is light years ahead of the Honda . We use a 240 ltr wheely bin for a break tank when traveling to the job you can put hoses lances etc in the wheely bin if space is tight in the van .

 

[Herm]

Sorry I'm not experienced but a few things that might help.

You don't need a tank in the van but you will need a tank to feed the pressure washer. I believe that you are only allowed to pull 12 litres an min from a domestic water supply. So using an intermediate tank is best - some use a wheelie bin with a float valve connected to customers supply then the PW drawing from that. 

As for Gardiners back pack then they are OK for hypo as long as you wash them out after. It will invalidate the warranty but many people use them no problems for a few years before the seals are destroyed - but rinse it out well each time.

Rutland pumps have a great reputation for their expertise and the how helpful they are.

Make 100% sure what ever PW you buy you tell the company what l/min and pressure it does when ordering fsc and any spray nozzles as the nozzles need to be matched to the PW to get the best out of it.  

As for hoses get a few not a single longer length. i.e. get 3 x 10m not 1 x 30m. Reason being is that some jobs require more some less so with multiple hoses you have options and if one bursts you can probably still carry on. 

Hope that gives you a few more clues?

Thank you for the advice Ched this is brilliant. Does he have an email or contact number? That's also great advice about multiple length hoses instead of one long. I had no idea there was a little on water being carried, interesting to know so I think I will go down the route of some sort of bin to use. 

I've been trying to work out how much hose would be enough? Ideally I'd like the PW bolted to the van as they look very heavy bits of kit getting in and out of the van?

 

[Herm]

I would give Ben at Rutland pumps a ring , tell him what you want to clean and he will give you various options , he doesn’t try and sell you the dearest stuff , but will work to your budget , we have been using him for many years his advice is always good as is his turn around with delivery of stuff and customer service is very good , I would say get a machine that will draw from a tank or barrel , Honda are ok but if your budget allows look at the Briggs and Stratton Mitsubishi v twin  machine 21-23 ltr per muinit 275 bar , it’s a lot quieter and far more fuel efficient than a Honda and a fair bit more powerful , we have both and the Mitsubishi machine is light years ahead of the Honda . We use a 240 ltr wheely bin for a break tank when traveling to the job you can put hoses lances etc in the wheely bin if space is tight in the van .

Hi Pjj, 

Thanks for taking the time to reply, very very helpful. Do you have a contact for Ben? Interestingly I have been looking at the Briggs and Stratton though was a little worried it wasn't up to the quality of a Honda? But seeing your reply it's really making me think whether to go do this route, if the budget allows, though I was hoping not to exceed the £2500 if possible. 

Do you have your PW bolted to your van? if not, do you lift the PW in and out of the van? Thanks again.

 

[Pjj]

Hi Pjj, 

Thanks for taking the time to reply, very very helpful. Do you have a contact for Ben? Interestingly I have been looking at the Briggs and Stratton though was a little worried it wasn't up to the quality of a Honda? But seeing your reply it's really making me think whether to go do this route, if the budget allows, though I was hoping not to exceed the £2500 if possible. 

Do you have your PW bolted to your van? if not, do you lift the PW in and out of the van? Thanks again.

Bens number is 01572729412 mine is lifted in and out of the van we only do pressure washing as an add on not daily work , so it’s not a problem it is heavy but usually there are two of us in each van , but I can get it in and out on my own using scaffold boards as a ramp 

 

[Herm]

Excellent thank you, nice bit of kit! I will give Ben a call and hopefully get me on my way. I think it's all the little bits I probably haven't thought off on my list are the things I'll need help with. 

 

[Herm]

Thanks for all your advice on here, Ben at Rutlands finally helped out and have just placed an order. Waiting for it to arrive now so I can get going.

Couldn't stretch to the v-twin Briggs and Stratton so went for the 21lpm B&S with electric start.

Turbo devil FSC , x-jet and 2 x 20m hose and a hose reel which was recommended on here and a kew set up as well.

Hopefully I haven't forgot anything?! 

Thinking now of getting a 400l water tank to put in the van so I can run it from there instead of dragging out a bin etc.

If you think I've missed anything important please let me know. 

Thanks again, Tom.

 

[Deleted member 7446]

Thanks for all your advice on here, Ben at Rutlands finally helped out and have just placed an order. Waiting for it to arrive now so I can get going.

Couldn't stretch to the v-twin Briggs and Stratton so went for the 21lpm B&S with electric start.

Turbo devil FSC , x-jet and 2 x 20m hose and a hose reel which was recommended on here and a kew set up as well.

Hopefully I haven't forgot anything?! 

Thinking now of getting a 400l water tank to put in the van so I can run it from there instead of dragging out a bin etc.

If you think I've missed anything important please let me know. 

Thanks again, Tom.

If you get a tank in your van make sure when it's setup you have your inlet and bypass return hoses as far apart as possible. Saves pushing air into the pump 

 

[Herm]

If you get a tank in your van make sure when it's setup you have your inlet and bypass return hoses as far apart as possible. Saves pushing air into the pump 

Thank you! 

 

[Exterior Experts]

Hey Everyone,

We have started with new pressure washing services in Walton on Thames and surrounding areas. We serve in Surrey and surrounding areas i.e Hersham, Esher, Weybridge, Addlestone, Byfleet, West Byfleet, Leatherhead, Hampton, Molesey & West Molesey. Hope we will get some help in this business and serve well to our clients.

Can anyone have suggestion to make our services more better to get more work around?

Thanks

 

[K in Kent]

Thanks for all your advice on here, Ben at Rutlands finally helped out and have just placed an order. Waiting for it to arrive now so I can get going.

Couldn't stretch to the v-twin Briggs and Stratton so went for the 21lpm B&S with electric start.

Turbo devil FSC , x-jet and 2 x 20m hose and a hose reel which was recommended on here and a kew set up as well.

Hopefully I haven't forgot anything?! 

Thinking now of getting a 400l water tank to put in the van so I can run it from there instead of dragging out a bin etc.

If you think I've missed anything important please let me know. 

Thanks again, Tom.

What are you going to do if you can't park anywhere near to where you're working? 100s of metres of trailing hoses being stepped on, driven over, splitting etc and just asking for someone to claim they've tripped and hurt themselves

 

[Herm]

What are you going to do if you can't park anywhere near to where you're working? 100s of metres of trailing hoses being stepped on, driven over, splitting etc and just asking for someone to claim they've tripped and hurt themselves

Yeah, possibly. I've now got a wheelie bin and going to use it to see how it goes. Seems to be a good setup using it, I've just attached a ball valve to it last night which I've seen off here and a great idea. 

 

[Herm]

Pjj what length of hp hose are you using ?

 

[Pjj]

Pjj what length of hp hose are you using ?

I have  

2x20 meter 

2x30  meter 

its very rare to use them all most jobs are one of each joined together but if doing supermarket car parks 100 meter lengths would probably be better but it then becomes heavy and difficult to move we coil them up they arnt on reels , if I was pw all the time I would have reeks but it’s an add on service for us .