Streamline Portable Trolley System.

[billp]

Hi everyone, 

First post here. I've been out of work since the start of covid and have bee racking my brains trying to find a job I can do that allows me to work on my own with no boss. Then I found you guys. 

I plan to start in the new year offering services to clean out gutters and then clean the outside of gutters facias etc. After lots of research I have chosen to go with the SkyVac Atom Sonic from Spinaclean for the clearing of gutters. When it comes to cleaning the the outsides and facias etc, things are a bit more complicated. I see that many of you go with a backpack fitted onto a trolley. 

My choice so far is the Stream Flo 25 with the attached DI vessel. It is expensive but as I have no experience with Pure Water etc I am trying to make things as uncomplicated as I can. 

 As I will be working out of the back of a car (Dacia Duster with large boot) I will have extra 25 litre containers.

My question is: Has anyone used the Streamflo trolley?

cheers for now.

billp        

 

[spruce]

Hi everyone, 

First post here. I've been out of work since the start of covid and have bee racking my brains trying to find a job I can do that allows me to work on my own with no boss. Then I found you guys. 

I plan to start in the new year offering services to clean out gutters and then clean the outside of gutters facias etc. After lots of research I have chosen to go with the SkyVac Atom Sonic from Spinaclean for the clearing of gutters. When it comes to cleaning the the outsides and facias etc, things are a bit more complicated. I see that many of you go with a backpack fitted onto a trolley. 

My choice so far is the Stream Flo 25 with the attached DI vessel. It is expensive but as I have no experience with Pure Water etc I am trying to make things as uncomplicated as I can. 

 As I will be working out of the back of a car (Dacia Duster with large boot) I will have extra 25 litre containers.

My question is: Has anyone used the Streamflo trolley?

cheers for now.

billp        

Welcome. There are a couple of businesses in our part of the world who just advertise and do gutter clears. They don't offer to clean the outside of the gutters or fascias. Once you do that, you have to also offer window cleaning as well. If you don't, you will leave the windows dirty and that will do nothing for your reputation. An electrician can do a brilliant rewiring job of a house, but the mess he left behind will be what his customer remembers negatively.

Gutter clearing is at best an annual job - sometimes even longer. There was a chappie doing it off ladders in our area, and he aimed for 2 jobs a day. To achieve that, he would need a lot of customers to keep his business going. You do the Maths. I haven't seen him around for a long time now.

On the other hand, window cleaning is much more regular, and you don't need as bigger customer base. Once you have a good customer base, then you have a guaranteed income. Customer's do expect to see their window cleaner, where someone coming once every 1 or 2 years isn't expected as more easily turned away.

Either way, you still have to find customers.

Personally, I would forget gutter cleaning and focus on building a window cleaning round using pure water. But that's my opinion based on my round and the way I see our local area. It could be very different where you are. Doing a marketing 'due diligence' study is very important before starting any business.

Our core business is window cleaning. I also have a gutter vac which gets used occasionally as I don't offer this service any longer. The last gutter clean we did was a grudge clean, and we did it off ladders. One of the things few mention is the clean up of equipment afterwards. Flushing pipes out and cleaning all the muck out of the vacuum cleaner and filter takes me around 30 to 45 minutes when I get home, doing it with a hose pipe on the front garden lawn. The flexible hose also needs to be hung up to get the remaining flush water out. Once everything is dry, it needs to be reassembled and packed away back in the van. We also have an inspection camera which needs to be recharged from time to time. Having a gutter vac is a lifesaver, but it's also a maintenance pain.

We have encountered other issues offering a gutter clearing service. We do sometimes get blocked down pipes which means having to unscrew sections to get them apart. This I believe starts to become a roofing job and even a plumbing job as some of these jobs can become rather specialist. I can do it all as a DIYer, but doing at professionally as an add-on is not part of our business focus.

This company put a leaflet through our door a couple of months ago. It was in the form of a hand written complements slip.

https://www.bensgutters.com/gutter-cleaning-darlington/

They are based about 30 miles from where we live.

 

[Part Timer]

This company put a leaflet through our door a couple of months ago. It was in the form of a hand written complements slip.

https://www.bensgutters.com/gutter-cleaning-darlington/

They are based about 30 miles from where we live.

They also kindly put photos on their site showing them working very unsafely ?

 

[Part Timer]

If I were you I'd connect to customers outside tap to clean them and the fascia and then connect a DI vessel to rinse off with pure. Far cheaper and easier to transport.

 

[billp]

Thanks for your comments. Spruce, I appreciate you taking the time to write a detailed reply, this is exactly why I joined this forum, to ask questions and listen to sound advice from experienced guys like yourself (even if the advice is not exactly what I was hoping to hear.)

After reading your comments which make perfect sense, I have decided to revise my Business Plan with the view of making some changes. 

cheers

billp

 

[AW Services]

Hi everyone, 

First post here. I've been out of work since the start of covid and have bee racking my brains trying to find a job I can do that allows me to work on my own with no boss. Then I found you guys. 

I plan to start in the new year offering services to clean out gutters and then clean the outside of gutters facias etc. After lots of research I have chosen to go with the SkyVac Atom Sonic from Spinaclean for the clearing of gutters. When it comes to cleaning the the outsides and facias etc, things are a bit more complicated. I see that many of you go with a backpack fitted onto a trolley. 

My choice so far is the Stream Flo 25 with the attached DI vessel. It is expensive but as I have no experience with Pure Water etc I am trying to make things as uncomplicated as I can. 

 As I will be working out of the back of a car (Dacia Duster with large boot) I will have extra 25 litre containers.

My question is: Has anyone used the Streamflo trolley?

cheers for now.

billp        

Should of gone to gutter vacuum systems Ltd in my opinion. 

A streamline trolley with DI is a ten ton back breaker 

Have you checked your tap water ppm TDS count ?

They also kindly put photos on their site showing them working very unsafely ?

The biggest waste of time leaflets ever. " we are working at your neighbours " haha 

 

[Part Timer]

The biggest waste of time leaflets ever. " we are working at your neighbours " haha

It's actually on their website for all customers, including commercial customers, to see, with their ladders resting against the gutters. Also what are they going to do with the muck they're removing by hand, chuck it on the floor? If you're going to go to the expense of building a website at least make sure the photos are good. 

 

[scottish cleaning service]

Gutter clearing is an expanding business because not doing it every year will void your building insurance. Commercial even need an invoice each year so I was told. I now get repeat business which is what we want in this game. Repairing gutters is a nice earner but usually you need a double ladder or as I use a 3.3m triple ladder. ?

 

[Iron Giant]

@billp I can understand the convenience of topping up on the go with the DI vessel fitted to that trolley but as @Apw1210 said it will be back breaker as lifting the that in and out of your car it's going to be some weight and an awkward lift 

This would be a better option https://purefreedom.co.uk/pure-freedom-25-litre-nano-trolley-system-with-charger.html  PF build quality on all their products is very well rated, granted you'll need to spend extra on a DI vessel and containers and produce and fill your containers at home and load up your car, also you'll need to inform your insurance company of your business use otherwise your insurance will be voided 

 

[Part Timer]

@billp I can understand the convenience of topping up on the go with the DI vessel fitted to that trolley but as @Apw1210 said it will be back breaker as lifting the that in and out of your car it's going to be some weight and an awkward lift 

This would be a better option https://purefreedom.co.uk/pure-freedom-25-litre-nano-trolley-system-with-charger.html  PF build quality on all their products is very well rated, granted you'll need to spend extra on a DI vessel and containers and produce and fill your containers at home and load up your car, also you'll need to inform your insurance company of your business use otherwise your insurance will be voided 

You don't need the trolley, just use tap water for FSG and then plug in DI direct to rinse off windows.

 

[billp]

@billp I can understand the convenience of topping up on the go with the DI vessel fitted to that trolley but as @Apw1210 said it will be back breaker as lifting the that in and out of your car it's going to be some weight and an awkward lift 

This would be a better option https://purefreedom.co.uk/pure-freedom-25-litre-nano-trolley-system-with-charger.html  PF build quality on all their products is very well rated, granted you'll need to spend extra on a DI vessel and containers and produce and fill your containers at home and load up your car, also you'll need to inform your insurance company of your business use otherwise your insurance will be voided 

@billp I can understand the convenience of topping up on the go with the DI vessel fitted to that trolley but as @Apw1210 said it will be back breaker as lifting the that in and out of your car it's going to be some weight and an awkward lift 

This would be a better option https://purefreedom.co.uk/pure-freedom-25-litre-nano-trolley-system-with-charger.html  PF build quality on all their products is very well rated, granted you'll need to spend extra on a DI vessel and containers and produce and fill your containers at home and load up your car, also you'll need to inform your insurance company of your business use otherwise your insurance will be voided 

The PF Nano looks a good shout - thanks 

 

[spruce]

You don't need the trolley, just use tap water for FSG and then plug in DI direct to rinse off windows.

He also lives in Aberdeenshire. In Scotland there are no water meters and there have been some who have used customer's taps (with permission) to refill containers. The problem is that not all houses have outside taps, and the ones that do could well be switched off inside during the winter.

If @billphas low water TDS in Aberdeenshire, then using resin only to purify water would also help.  I appreciate that using tap water to clean and then purified water to rinse off is a solution. However, it also might give customers the idea that its easy just to wash their own windows with tap water. 

 

[billp]

Gutter clearing is an expanding business because not doing it every year will void your building insurance. Commercial even need an invoice each year so I was told. I now get repeat business which is what we want in this game. Repairing gutters is a nice earner but usually you need a double ladder or as I use a 3.3m triple ladder. ?

I never realised that Building Insurance would be void if not had gutters cleared. This may be something that could be added to flyers etc. Need to look into this.

 

[AW Services]

I never realised that Building Insurance would be void if not had gutters cleared. This may be something that could be added to flyers etc. Need to look into this.

I'd personally check with regards to types of policies and regional requirements as Scotland is a different country and planet. What may be a requirement there may differ elsewhere and result in false advertising claims and scaremongering 

 

[AW Services]

I never realised that Building Insurance would be void if not had gutters cleared. This may be something that could be added to flyers etc. Need to look into this.

I have seen the mention of home insurance with the connection of roofs and gutters 

I have taken a few minutes and called my insurance company and two independent large brokers that both come back with the same or similar wording with respect to preventative maintenance or Not making necessary repairs is the only regulatory wording used with insurers and is a broad & open to interpretation by policy assessors if a claim is submitted or rejected 

they have concluded that roof cleaning and gutter cleans will not invalidate a policy unless the weight of debris causes substantial damage to the remaining property or structural integrity.

So using the wording or message of "get your gutters or roofs cleaned because you won't be insured " is misleading, false and a scare sales tactic and is not in fact a null and void case.

All of the above was based on mainland England which does not apply the Wales Ireland or Scotland 

 

[billp]

I have seen the mention of home insurance with the connection of roofs and gutters 

I have taken a few minutes and called my insurance company and two independent large brokers that both come back with the same or similar wording with respect to preventative maintenance or Not making necessary repairs is the only regulatory wording used with insurers and is a broad & open to interpretation by policy assessors if a claim is submitted or rejected 

they have concluded that roof cleaning and gutter cleans will not invalidate a policy unless the weight of debris cause substantial damage to the remaining property or structural integrity.

So using the wording or message of "get your gutters or roofs cleaned because you won't be insured " is misleading, false and a scare sales tactic and is not in fact a null and void case.

All of the above was based on mainland England which does not apply the Wales Ireland or Scotland 

good information regarding insurance

 

[scottish cleaning service]

I never realised that Building Insurance would be void if not had gutters cleared. This may be something that could be added to flyers etc. Need to look into this.

That's the reason Gutter Companies are popping up. I clear my church gutters each year and they need an invoice for their annual insurance policy. ?

 

[billp]

That's the reason Gutter Companies are popping up. I clear my church gutters each year and they need an invoice for their annual insurance policy. ?

That's the reason Gutter Companies are popping up. I clear my church gutters each year and they need an invoice for their annual insurance policy. ?

My neighbour had bad damage to their roof during recent storm arwen, their claim was knocked back due to no maintenance or inspection being carried out in last 12 months !    

 

[scottish cleaning service]

My neighbour had bad damage to their roof during recent storm arwen, their claim was knocked back due to no maintenance or inspection being carried out in last 12 months !    

Yes, my brother works in insurance. Their game is to take money in but give little out. If you maintain your property you will be fine but folk only find out when they try and claim and it fails. They realise that they have been paying out for insurance which is void. So that's when I receive a call to put it right each year. I try and tell all my customers they need to maintain their property each year.