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Water fed pole commercial vs residential

ECLM
WCF

Help Support WCF:

My thread is my journey in business from day1 to where i am now, there is so much advice in that thread not from me but from the wealth of knowledge of other forum members.

Watch youtube, i must have watched 200hrs so far, and i still do, only today i had to go on youtube to see how to calibrate my controller/pump.

 
horatiocarter said:
Ro/di system? Did you look anywhere else other than ‘the cleaning warehouse’?
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Doug Atkinson at www.daqua.co.uk.

The product he sells is high quality.

You can buy cheaper but it usually cheaper because the supplier is using membranes made in China. The best membranes are made in the USA and cost much more.

You have to consider the cost of resin. An r/o that is going to be used for drinking water or in an aquatics application doesn't need to be that efficient. For Window cleaning the lower the output tds is from the membrane the less resin we will use to polish the pure off.

So you may save money on the initial purchase but what you save will quickly be negated by your increased resin use. The more resin you use the higher the running cost. For example, a bag of tulson resin lasts me for 4 years. A local Windie has an old Merlin r/o which is very inefficient. We use a similar amount of water. He goes through a bag of resin a year. We have the same water supply. At £90 a bag his resin costs are £270 more than mine at today's prices. 

My r/o is now 7 years old with the same membrane. His is a little older than mine and has had new membranes. (I'm not saying everyone's membrane will last as long as mine. There are other factors to consider that can affect membrane longevity.)

Can you see how buying quality to begin with pays in the long run?

 
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Part Timer said:
We use a 35' pole for this job and it's fully extended. We do a regular 6 storey job and a 5 storey job. We have a 60' pole to do these. They are done on yearly contracts with Property Management Companies.

Fairly certain you could find a standardised ontract online.
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Which 60 do you have @Part Timer?

 
spruce said:
Doug Atkinson at www.daqua.co.uk.

The product he sells is high quality.

You can buy cheaper but it usually cheaper because the supplier is using membranes made in China. The best membranes are made in the USA and cost much more.

You have to consider the cost of resin. An r/o that is going to be used for drinking water or in an aquatics application doesn't need to be that efficient. For Window cleaning the lower the output tds is from the membrane the less resin we will use to polish the pure off.

So you may save money on the initial purchase but what you save will quickly be negated by your increased resin use. The more resin you use the higher the running cost. For example, a bag of tulson resin lasts me for 4 years. A local Windie has an old Merlin r/o which is very inefficient. We use a similar amount of water. He goes through a bag of resin a year. We have the same water supply. At £90 a bag his resin costs are £270 more than mine at today's prices. 

My r/o is now 7 years old with the same membrane. His is a little older than mine and has had new membranes. (I'm not saying everyone's membrane will last as long as mine. There are other factors to consider that can affect membrane longevity.)

Can you see how buying quality to begin with pays in the long run?
Click to expand...
Yes this is what I am trying to work out.

I have a bloke at iconic who has sent a brochure out to me but the prices of the system seems expensive but he claims they last 15 years. So it seems there is a lot of decisions to make.

 
horatiocarter said:
Yes this is what I am trying to work out.

I have a bloke at iconic who has sent a brochure out to me but the prices of the system seems expensive but he claims they last 15 years. So it seems there is a lot of decisions to make.
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Ionics are very expensive - I'm not saying their stuff is bad but it's very expensive.

They do make and install crash tested tanks which is good. Their filtering seems OTT and they used to use filter sizes there were not available unless you buy from them - although I'm not sure if this is still the case.

The pumps and controllers are all fairly standard - SurFlo 100psi pumps and Spring controllers (rebranded by sellers) are great. No need for anything more expensive.

Have a look at GrippaTank for crash tested stuff and Ionics do sell and install second hand kit on their site. Tanks and frames will last a long time, the rest is just standard stuff you can buy at any decent supplier like @doug atkinson who actually sells most things even full systems!

I can't see Ionics tanks and frames lasting any longer than anyone else's! Have a search on here for tanks and system fitting etc. Some of the companies will price match with a better system but I can't remember who it was - maybe search here for 'price match'.

Personally I would say Ionics are to window cleaning what Apple are to mobile phones - great as long as you do it their way and stick to their eco system but you pay the price £££££. 

 
horatiocarter said:
Yes this is what I am trying to work out.

I have a bloke at iconic who has sent a brochure out to me but the prices of the system seems expensive but he claims they last 15 years. So it seems there is a lot of decisions to make.
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My Wydale tank has lasted 15 years and is in the 3rd van. I know of a couple of other's locally whose Wydale tanks are a similar age.

There are a number of local lads who have purchased PureFreedom setups. They aren't as fancy looking as some others but they are fine for the job they are intended for.

 
spruce said:
My Wydale tank has lasted 15 years and is in the 3rd van. I know of a couple of other's locally whose Wydale tanks are a similar age.

There are a number of local lads who have purchased PureFreedom setups. They aren't as fancy looking as some others but they are fine for the job they are intended for.
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Thanks for the info

 
horatiocarter said:
Yes this is what I am trying to work out.

I have a bloke at iconic who has sent a brochure out to me but the prices of the system seems expensive but he claims they last 15 years. So it seems there is a lot of decisions to make.
Click to expand...
Ionics are and have always been the most expensive wfp supplier and wouldn't consider getting a brand new system from them whether I was a newbie or 13 years into wfp like me, 

You are based in Birmingham so the cleaning warehouse is the closet to you so makes sense to get a quote from them plus if they fit a system for you, you could just go home and put your feet up instead of trying to pass the day away walking around streets with nowhere open to pass the time.

I think @Master Jedi Alejandro had a system fitted by Ionics sister company or other arm or whatever it is and there systems are much cheaper, I can't remember what they are called but I'm sure he will jump in. 

 
Iron Giant said:
Ionics are and have always been the most expensive wfp supplier and wouldn't consider getting a brand new system from them whether I was a newbie or 13 years into wfp like me, 

You are based in Birmingham so the cleaning warehouse is the closet to you so makes sense to get a quote from them plus if they fit a system for you, you could just go home and put your feet up instead of trying to pass the day away walking around streets with nowhere open to pass the time.

I think @Master Jedi Alejandro had a system fitted by Ionics sister company or other arm or whatever it is and there systems are much cheaper, I can't remember what they are called but I'm sure he will jump in. 
Click to expand...
Only the millionaire window cleaners use Ionics :D  

 
Iron Giant said:
Ionics are and have always been the most expensive wfp supplier and wouldn't consider getting a brand new system from them whether I was a newbie or 13 years into wfp like me, 

You are based in Birmingham so the cleaning warehouse is the closet to you so makes sense to get a quote from them plus if they fit a system for you, you could just go home and put your feet up instead of trying to pass the day away walking around streets with nowhere open to pass the time.

I think @Master Jedi Alejandro had a system fitted by Ionics sister company or other arm or whatever it is and there systems are much cheaper, I can't remember what they are called but I'm sure he will jump in. 
Click to expand...
Thanks Iron. I have a Pure2O system. They are a sister company to Ionics. I was in no position to buy the most expensive but I wanted/needed a crash tested system, as I feel everyone should have. Pure2O use the same frames, tanks, parts etc to Ionics but they will price match any other quote, even a non crash tested system. So get the cheapest quote you can (I had one from the Window Cleaning Wearhouse) and then contact them with it, saying you were interested in their price match (I'll link below, but if the link doesn't work just google them and its featured on the website).

I jumped on the train on the day it was getting installed and headed to Bath. Very pretty indeed! 

https://www.pure2o.co.uk/price-promise/

ched999uk said:
Ionics are very expensive - I'm not saying their stuff is bad but it's very expensive.

They do make and install crash tested tanks which is good. Their filtering seems OTT and they used to use filter sizes there were not available unless you buy from them - although I'm not sure if this is still the case.

I can't see Ionics tanks and frames lasting any longer than anyone else's! Have a search on here for tanks and system fitting etc. Some of the companies will price match with a better system but I can't remember who it was - maybe search here for 'price match'.

Personally I would say Ionics are to window cleaning what Apple are to mobile phones - great as long as you do it their way and stick to their eco system but you pay the price £££££. 
Click to expand...
On this, the Pure2O stuff is actually more standard parts. So I've refilled my DI vessel with Tulsion resin and the sediment and carbon filters are ones I can buy from Daqua. Not sure if there RO systems are but they look fairly standard to my eyes (I have DI only).

The system comes with a years warranty but the frame is a ten year warranty. 

Whatever you decided to do, @horatiocarter, get yourself a crash tested system. Its not worth the gamble in my opinion. Grippa, Pure2O, Ionics, PureFreedom, all do crash tested systems and are all highly rated. And with Pure2O's price promise, you don't even need to pay the premium for one!

 
Master Jedi Alejandro said:
Thanks Iron. I have a Pure2O system. They are a sister company to Ionics. I was in no position to buy the most expensive but I wanted/needed a crash tested system, as I feel everyone should have. Pure2O use the same frames, tanks, parts etc to Ionics but they will price match any other quote, even a non crash tested system. So get the cheapest quote you can (I had one from the Window Cleaning Wearhouse) and then contact them with it, saying you were interested in their price match (I'll link below, but if the link doesn't work just google them and its featured on the website).

I jumped on the train on the day it was getting installed and headed to Bath. Very pretty indeed! 

https://www.pure2o.co.uk/price-promise/

On this, the Pure2O stuff is actually more standard parts. So I've refilled my DI vessel with Tulsion resin and the sediment and carbon filters are ones I can buy from Daqua. Not sure if there RO systems are but they look fairly standard to my eyes (I have DI only).

The system comes with a years warranty but the frame is a ten year warranty. 

Whatever you decided to do, @horatiocarter, get yourself a crash tested system. Its not worth the gamble in my opinion. Grippa, Pure2O, Ionics, PureFreedom, all do crash tested systems and are all highly rated. And with Pure2O's price promise, you don't even need to pay the premium for one!
Click to expand...
That you this is great I have been a bit focused on ionics due to the crash test feature so it’s great to find the other options thanks! I’ve been blown away with all the pole choice so really appreciate the guidance from you guys

 
Iron Giant said:
Ionics are and have always been the most expensive wfp supplier and wouldn't consider getting a brand new system from them whether I was a newbie or 13 years into wfp like me, 

You are based in Birmingham so the cleaning warehouse is the closet to you so makes sense to get a quote from them plus if they fit a system for you, you could just go home and put your feet up instead of trying to pass the day away walking around streets with nowhere open to pass the time.

I think @Master Jedi Alejandro had a system fitted by Ionics sister company or other arm or whatever it is and there systems are much cheaper, I can't remember what they are called but I'm sure he will jump in. 
Click to expand...
Brilliant thank you for your help! Does this forum cover being vat registered and card payment....plus any advice on being self employed or is it a case of finding out off the gov website?

 
horatiocarter said:
Brilliant thank you for your help! Does this forum cover being vat registered and card payment....plus any advice on being self employed or is it a case of finding out off the gov website?
Click to expand...
Most things about operating a window cleaning business is on this forum.

Use the search bar for your questions if something is not covered ask and I'm sure someone can lead you in the right direction.

This crew here is very knowledgeable  or as @Pjjsays "boffin" ?

 

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