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Trad equipment for a start up

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MrV

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Bournemouth
So I'm trying to plan getting into the trade but need some advice for equipment. I'm going for trad work so I was thinking unger ninja squegees because of the higher angle for comfort.

I Was just looking for some experienced guys to help with an overall good kit set up so I'm ready for anything thrown at me

Cheers in advance 

 
Pjj said:
unger trad  kit is good you won’t go far wrong with it .
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Ye thats what I figured, I wasn't to sure about like the best pole systems, like for example a window above a porch I might not be able to access by ladder and get the right angle. What would be the best method for things like that? Like I've seen a backpack system but honestly I'm not too sure if that's the route to take.

 
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MrV said:
Ye thats what I figured, I wasn't to sure about like the best pole systems, like for example a window above a porch I might not be able to access by ladder. What would be the best method for things like that? Like I've seen a backpack system but honestly I'm not too sure if that's the route to take 
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Wfp is the way to go in my opinion I started trad 22 years ago , but if you want to go trad there are  poles for it , or a cheap option would be get a Harris decorators pole from B&Q the cost is around  £15-30 for the odd window . A Gardiners back pack and 22 foot pole would do most Windiws you are likely to want to do on most domestic , obviously you would need pure water .  

 
Pjj said:
Wfp is the way to go in my opinion I started trad 22 years ago , but if you want to go trad there are  poles for it , or a cheap option would be get a Harris decorators pole from B&Q the cost is around  £15-30 for the odd window . A Gardiners back pack and 22 foot pole would do most Windiws you are likely to want to do on most domestic , obviously you would need pure water .  
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Ye I figured start on trad because I don't have the cash for a van as well as a static system atm, i've only got about 6k to my name, I was thinking maybe that would be a route I'd take after developing a bit and finding a client base. I'll have a look into those options though cheers bud 

 
I carry around £1000 of trad gear in each van. But to start out you would only need to spend a few hundred pounds for the basics.

Belt, pouches, boab, applicator, squeegee, scraper, cloths, ladder, extension pole, bucket.

Other things to think about is;

Leveling equipment: wedges, decking footies, ladder matts, ladder mitts, padlocks, step ladders, unger angle adapter, chemicals and abrasives, squeegee extension, fixi clamp.

There is also a few speciality squeegees that are very useful for pole work, the moerman accelerator with fliq, and the unger zero degree.

I would recommend a 14" and a 6" squeegee, 14" applicator, I use unger ergotec. For a moerman I find a 10" better on a pole. For poles 20' & 8' unger. For cloths; unger prewashed scrims, wcw sill cloths, and wcw precission micro fibers for buffing any leaded. For ladders, I use 20' titan ladders.

Mind leave something in the budget for other things also. Does you vehicle need roof bars, racking/ emergency vehicle repairs. Print:Flyers/We called today slips, Business insurance, accountancy fees, software for managing your customers/book keeping, office equipment, uniforms, licensing if you are in Scotland, bank charges etc.

It can be done on 6k. But I wouldn't spend 5.5k on a vehicle and leave only a few hundred for everything else.

Hope that helps.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
laddergarder said:
I carry around £1000 of trad gear in each van. But to start out you would only need to spend a few hundred pounds for the basics.

Belt, pouches, boab, applicator, squeegee, scraper, cloths, ladder, extension pole, bucket.

Other things to think about is;

Leveling equipment: wedges, decking footies, ladder matts, ladder mitts, padlocks, step ladders, unger angle adapter, chemicals and abrasives, squeegee extension, fixi clamp.

There is also a few speciality squeegees that are very useful for pole work, the moerman accelerator with fliq, and the unger zero degree.

I would recommend a 14" and a 6" squeegee, 14" applicator, I use unger ergotec. For a moerman I find a 10" better on a pole. For poles 20' & 8' unger. For cloths; unger prewashed scrims, wcw sill cloths, and wcw precission micro fibers for buffing any leaded. For ladders, I use 20' titan ladders.

Mind leave something in the budget for other things also. Does you vehicle need roof bars, racking/ emergency vehicle repairs. Print:Flyers/We called today slips, Business insurance, accountancy fees, software for managing your customers/book keeping, office equipment, uniforms, licensing if you are in Scotland, bank charges etc.

It can be done on 6k. But I wouldn't spend 5.5k on a vehicle and leave only a few hundred for everything else.

Hope that helps.
Click to expand...
6 k for a trad set up is crazy money he could get a van and wfp set up for less than that , that he could do any work with it and just have a bucket ,squeegee ,applicator, scraper , and a few odds and ends trad gear for  the odd job hear and there inside or shop fronts , this would give him much greater scope fir varied work , and wouldn’t nessaserily need to use a ladder . Ime not criticising what you are saying but just feel he would be better off starting out with opinions to do all work rather than restricting his earning potential by trad methods , and Ime not criticising trad cleaning just saying he would have more options with wfp and some trad gear . 

 
Pjj said:
6 k for a trad set up is crazy money he could get a van and wfp set up for less than that , that he could do any work with it and just have a bucket ,squeegee ,applicator, scraper , and a few odds and ends trad gear for  the odd job hear and there inside or shop fronts , this would give him much greater scope fir varied work , and wouldn’t nessaserily need to use a ladder . Ime not criticising what you are saying but just feel he would be better off starting out with opinions to do all work rather than restricting his earning potential by trad methods , and Ime not criticising trad cleaning just saying he would have more options with wfp and some trad gear . 
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Its his decision which methods to use. With 6k he could go either way trad or wfp, like you say.

Over the years the price of trad gear has gone up and some of the wfp setups have gone down.

I could setup a van with a DI delivery system with electric real and 22ft pole, for the same price as I have spent on the trad gear and van I use now.

But with trad you can get by with a very basic kit until you have a few customers.

 
My advice would be to budget maybe 3k on your setup and keep the other 3k for advertising and a bit of running cash flow.

I had to pay £600 to have the fuel pump replaced on my van just recently. Not planned. These things just happen. If you spend every penny you have on a van and gear, you'll be without a paddle if an unplanned expense comes along.

 
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Ok this is my take if your just starting out..lol

You would need a squeegee, applicator, bucket, bucket on a belt, and fine microfiber glass cloths.

After that you could do with a window cleaning ladder. A normal ladder will do but the point on a window cleaning ladder makes the job so much easier.

You can get away without a ladder a lot of the time if you can get access inside and don't mind sitting out on them.

A pole will also be handy for things like shop fronts...etc

All this can be had for not much money.

 
MrV said:
Ye I figured start on trad because I don't have the cash for a van as well as a static system atm, i've only got about 6k to my name, I was thinking maybe that would be a route I'd take after developing a bit and finding a client base. I'll have a look into those options though cheers bud 
Click to expand...
Trad tools are cheap in the whole scheme of things, about $100 should get you all the hand tools and another $200-250 for a ladder, standoff and leg levelers.

You can carry everything in/on a car.

Ladders can be life ending if not used properly, learn to use it right before crawling up it.

Wfp in most cases is quicker and is safer.

Marketing is the to your success. 

Good luck.

 

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