Welcome to the UK Window Cleaning Forums

Starting or own a window cleaning business? We're a network of window cleaners sharing advice, tips & experience. Rounds for sale & more. Join us today!

In search of a gutter van

Hi @Jimroot, whatever van you are looking at you need to consider the max payload and load capacity (space in the back) to be able to carry all the bits you need for exterior cleaning. I do miss my little berlingo but to be honest I soon out grown it and I was for ever having to partially unload it to get to the bits I needed so really done my head in. I could not carry a passenger even if I wanted to as the guttervac poles & trad/wfp's protruded into the passenger cabin space.

On the roof bars I carried:

Conservatory ladder - main 2 ladder sections on rack - other bits in footwell of passenger side.

12 rung triple combi ladder with ankalad fitted - microlite standoff inside van.

2 section combi ladder.

Back of van I carried:

250 litre pure water upright tank

Pure freedom trolley

Portable gas water heater

Gas bottle

100m wfp minibore hose reel

wfp's

Assortment of brushes

Harris poles

Assortment of gutter & trad tools

50m standard garden hose reel

Petrol pressure washer

Pressure washer hoses

2 x Petrol tanks

Flat surface cleaner

Telescopic lance

Standard lance

Wide broom - used for sanding block paving joints

Dustpan & brush

Guttervac

when using 110 guttervac - 110 volt extension cables & 110 volt step down transformer

guttervac poles & nozzles

15m vac hose

240 volts extension reel

Assortment of cleaning chems, microfiber cloths, hand sprayer & pump up sprayer.

Loading ramps - scaffold board cut down to size to make 2 loading ramps for either the guttervac & pressure washer.

I've probably missed things off the list but you get the idea once you get into offering exterior property cleaning services how quickly you can fill a small van up with kit required that becomes a nightmare to get too.

I took me a few weeks after my berlingo died to find another chepo van but I'm so glad I took my time as the renault master ex gas van I have now is big enough and also has a decent max payload of 1.5 ton so hopefully should do me for a while.

Maybe a despatch size van would be a good start for you instead of the others you posted as I'm sure if you don't rush into buying the first thing you see you may be able to get a decent one within your budget.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Wow, thanks for an in depth post smurf, very useful!

I was worried about insurance costs as for the last 8 years from being married I went on my wife's policys to save dosh, so I've no no claims.

I was hoping for a quirky van, even been looking at vw caddy pick ups, but I can see I'm being naive and need to get realistic!

My current thinking for an inventory was:

Survey pole with wifi camera linked to iPad mini in tough case (will post camera link later)

Aqua fed 3000w gutter vac with carbon poles

Smurf ladders, ankalad, standoff, rubber leveller

Pro gutter tools and another pole

Wfp back pack and brush for fascia and sofits (no pure needed?)

Traditional window clean kit for clean up and finish

Hose, brushes, other tools, ramps etc.

Basically, just offer gutter and clean up for now.

Does this sound viable in a small van smurf? Could upgrade van in a year or two with no claims and cash to fund it

 
Oh, was thinking get a cheap suitcase generator too at 2000w to use two motors on the vac when customer doesn't want to be in or doesn't want mains used for vac...

 
I don't think you can get a small suitcase generator that will power 2 x 1000 watt motors running constantly. You need to look at a higher max constant output or it will keep cutting out if you get one too small.

 
another gutter van idea:

http://tinyurl.com/lw2ohdp

;-)

So this wouldn't work Smurf? Even for one 1kw motor in desperate times...? I know you do it for a living, but I just can't see all customers allowing the use of their power? (even though we would budget in the cost of the generator)

http://tinyurl.com/pq9jlu4

My gutter cam idea (£80). Unless its vital, I don't think I can budget for the goPro at £200

http://tinyurl.com/on58tkp

(first time I've tried using tiny URL so hope it works)

 
those old dispaches are good . old vans are good thinkin about it .

a mate of mine upgraded to a brand new partner on lease , guess what,its been back n forth to the main dealer who cant find whats wrong. i bleve hes forking out 260 a month to lease it and each day its back at the dealers is a day lost isnt it .

iv an old van myself , partner 2003 , id been ready to pull the trigger on buying a spanking new crewvan partner,a real treat 6 seater - till my mates experience unsettled me

 
Last edited:
Hey Boarcity,

My favourite car ever, after maybe 10 of them, was a Toyota that was about £200 and 20 years old when I bought it. Smooth as anything and went for 12000 miles with no issues, needed work then so scrapped it but was a mistake. Way better than the 3 year old Toyota I bought a few years later, and way better than the other lot I've wasted money on.

I think I've found the van for me, I'm not going to post it as someone may snatch it off me (I've read posts where people out do each other on ebay :-()

It's a 2003 Citroen Dispatch, with roof bars and tube.

Anyone feedback on that camera I posted before I buy, or should I post it in the gutter cam post? I'm new to the world of Wifi. Infact, I'm new to the world of exterior cleaning too :-(

cheers

 
the dispach should serve u well. theyre big inside too.

iv no knowledge of wi-fi cameras, think id just attach a camera with cable ties ,set to record a vid. for sure in my van id always have a really good before and after vid , "the faker " to use to show off with ,if i fluffed the real filming on the day

 
I use my galaxy note, rubber bands and pole but that isn't the professional look

 
nice boarcity, I'm sure I'll learn to fake a toughie /emoticons/wink.png

I think free video survey to begin and video/photo evidence will help quoting high :cool: although this is pure speculation. To that end, I'm allocating more of my budget to the survey stuff than perhaps is wise...

I a lot of people I've quizzed wouldn't pay for window cleaning, maybe that's the Midlands for you :sad: or the folk I know :alien:

 
The most important reason why I conduct a gutter survey using a gopro apart from seeing for myself how easy or difficult the job is going to be is to set myself apart from other cleaners. Not only that there are times when on some/part jobs ladders can't be used safely so viewing the job in real time whilst using a guttervac customers also have peace of mind the job is going to be completed safely and to a high standard.

I'm selling a premium rated professional service so first impressions count and all that.

 
Smurf , do you put the camera on a pole for the survey, then move it to the vac pole? Then I'd have to find a way to fix the ipad to both too...

I'm thinking of DIYing the WFP trolley. I have a garden to put a butt in and outside tap, but no shed or heated store, as yet.

 
Myself I would not want to use an ipad as seems too big and delicate for that sort of work.

 
Soz, I meant iPad mini, the only wifi device I e got. Bought a military case for it. Twinned to Velcro tape it might work

 
I use an old iphone 3gs that you can pick up now dirt cheap. There is no point myself in using anything bigger or better really as that size old smart phone works well enough for me. Also should it get broke I'm not going to be that bothered either.

 
I think I'd get an android tablet next, they seem cheap too. My iPads already cracked so I wouldn't be too gutted if it landed in a drain

 
ppl on contracts upgrade their smart phones so often now you don't need to use a decent one for gutter work, My sister gave me her old iphone 3gs as was just sat in a draw./emoticons/smile.png

 
I still think a ipad mini would be too cumbersome to use myself especially attached to guttervac poles.

 
When I'm just doing quick gutter surveys I just attach my gopro hero 3+ silver to a stripped down old wfp and hit the record button and go around all the guttering also filming roof valleys, downspouts and any awkward access issues to jog my memory when I come to do the job. Once finished I play the vid back using the touch screen bacpac already fitted to the gopro through the camera protective casing. That way I don't have to mess about with wifi or a smart phone. Also doing so I then have a permanent vid of the job in question so can refer back to it at anytime.

Getting a gopro has to be the best investment I have made for a very long time as all the other cameras I've had in the past either broke or they just stopped working as were not upto the job.

 

Latest Posts

Back
Top