Ken_Long

  • Posts: 20
How much for a brush head???
« on: October 05, 2021, 12:45:08 pm »
Need to get a new brush head shortly so have been having a look at what's available. Usually buy Gardiner but am put off by the £7 plus vat delivery cost. A boggo Gardiner brush with delivery and vat is now £50 which just seems ridiculous.
I have looked about, WCW seem even more expensive.
Am I missing something? It's just a plastic block with plastic bristles, how can it be £50?
Has anyone got any sensible recommendations for brush heads that (1) will do the job and (2) not cost as much as an Mot?

Splash & dash

  • Posts: 4364
Re: How much for a brush head???
« Reply #1 on: October 05, 2021, 12:53:53 pm »
Unfortunately it’s the way everything is going we buy most things in bulk now to last a year or so , this way the postage is the same , and if things go up in price or arnt available we have stock do it’s not a pr, I totally agree about brush prices but in the grand scheme of things you should be able to pay for a brush with less than an hours work  and hopefully the brush will last 2-3 months so looking at it like that it’s not quite so bad

Slacky

  • Posts: 7652
Re: How much for a brush head???
« Reply #2 on: October 05, 2021, 01:06:45 pm »
2-3 months?

I think what Im currently using is probably a year old.

Smudger

  • Posts: 13224
Re: How much for a brush head???
« Reply #3 on: October 05, 2021, 01:08:04 pm »
but its not just a couple of bits of plastic is it...

the bristles are usually of a high spec - the stock is lightened and has mouldings to take jets - by all means go get a standard kitchen broom head - drill some holes in it for jets fit it to your pole and see how long it lasts....

Vikan is your best bet for cheap but the penalty is its heavy and not a good window cleaning brush - pays ya money takes ya choice

Darran
A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.

www.oddbodscleaning.co.uk

Smudger

  • Posts: 13224
Re: How much for a brush head???
« Reply #4 on: October 05, 2021, 01:10:37 pm »
2-3 months?

I think what Im currently using is probably a year old.

2 to 3 months - sounds about right as splash works for a living - not flouncing around all day  ;D ;D

my streamlines last around 6 months
(well my personal brush is now 4 years old and still looks like new  ;D )

Darran
A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.

www.oddbodscleaning.co.uk

Slacky

  • Posts: 7652
Re: How much for a brush head???
« Reply #5 on: October 05, 2021, 01:19:05 pm »
I'll settle for flouncing around.  ;D

Ken_Long

  • Posts: 20
Re: How much for a brush head???
« Reply #6 on: October 05, 2021, 01:46:45 pm »
I don't know, £50 still seems too much. I realise spread over 3/6/12 months the cost per use is low, but it is just a plastic molding with bristles and a coupe of holes. It's not lovingly handcrafted by some hipster artisan in east London, who only crafts 4 a year from recycled Mercedes interiors and polar bear fur . They're churned out in a Chinese factory by the thousand. I need to get in to the WFP brush market I think.

nathanharrison

  • Posts: 35
Re: How much for a brush head???
« Reply #7 on: October 05, 2021, 02:01:21 pm »
Ken

Feel free to look into production/design and manufacturing costs and get loads made for half the price. You could even put £5 on the price of each head for your time and pocket. I'm sure you would make a killing on here. I for one would buy a couple per year from you  :P

Splash & dash

  • Posts: 4364
Re: How much for a brush head???
« Reply #8 on: October 05, 2021, 05:13:23 pm »
2-3 months?

I think what Im currently using is probably a year old.


Hot water and working 8 hours a day 5 days a week they last 2-3 months , we do some serious work 😂😂😂

Richard iSparkle

  • Posts: 2488
Re: How much for a brush head???
« Reply #9 on: October 05, 2021, 05:14:50 pm »
I don't know, £50 still seems too much. I realise spread over 3/6/12 months the cost per use is low, but it is just a plastic molding with bristles and a coupe of holes. It's not lovingly handcrafted by some hipster artisan in east London, who only crafts 4 a year from recycled Mercedes interiors and polar bear fur . They're churned out in a Chinese factory by the thousand. I need to get in to the WFP brush market I think.

if its just plastic and bristles then what is window cleaning?

just spraying some windows with water and charging £20? ;)

gardiners and the rest need to make a profit that makes it worthwhile being in business... same as we do

also they aren't mass market they're commercial use so they dont shift the numbers that B&Q or Tescos and the like do for domestic goods
iSparkle Window Cleaning

www.isparklewindowcleaning.uk

Splash & dash

  • Posts: 4364
Re: How much for a brush head???
« Reply #10 on: October 05, 2021, 05:16:19 pm »
Ken

Feel free to look into production/design and manufacturing costs and get loads made for half the price. You could even put £5 on the price of each head for your time and pocket. I'm sure you would make a killing on here. I for one would buy a couple per year from you  :P


Lol you have no idear what the tooling costs are to produce a brush it’s tens of thousands of pounds !!!!!! Go ahead and try you will soon think £50 a brush is very good value

robbo333

  • Posts: 2407
Re: How much for a brush head???
« Reply #11 on: October 05, 2021, 05:29:55 pm »
Need to get a new brush head shortly so have been having a look at what's available. Usually buy Gardiner but am put off by the £7 plus vat delivery cost. A boggo Gardiner brush with delivery and vat is now £50 which just seems ridiculous.
I have looked about, WCW seem even more expensive.
Am I missing something? It's just a plastic block with plastic bristles, how can it be £50?
Has anyone got any sensible recommendations for brush heads that (1) will do the job and (2) not cost as much as an Mot?

You could always go and get it and save yourself £7.
"Thank you for calling: if you have a 1st floor flat, mid terraced house, lots of dogs, no parking, no side access, or no sense of humour, please press hold!
For all other enquiries, please press1"

dazmond

  • Posts: 23587
Re: How much for a brush head???
« Reply #12 on: October 05, 2021, 07:58:34 pm »
ive just paid £165(inclu VAT and delivery) for 3 tapertec brushes,some rectus 26 connectors and some o clips......

suck it up mate or go and convert a broom brush! ;D
price higher/work harder!

AuRavelling79

  • Posts: 23651
Re: How much for a brush head???
« Reply #13 on: October 05, 2021, 10:56:44 pm »
2-3 months?

I think what Im currently using is probably a year old.

The Gardiners red one with the yellow bristles lasts "forever".  ;D
It's a game of three halves!

AuRavelling79

  • Posts: 23651
Re: How much for a brush head???
« Reply #14 on: October 05, 2021, 10:59:38 pm »
I don't know, £50 still seems too much. I realise spread over 3/6/12 months the cost per use is low, but it is just a plastic molding with bristles and a coupe of holes. It's not lovingly handcrafted by some hipster artisan in east London, who only crafts 4 a year from recycled Mercedes interiors and polar bear fur . They're churned out in a Chinese factory by the thousand. I need to get in to the WFP brush market I think.

Think about this Ken - you wouldn't expect the brush to be free (obviously) so let's say you felt that £30.00 was reasonable and fair. So you are only unhappy about the extra £20 really, aren't you?

Also the final 20% goes to the government not into Alex's or the manufacturer's pocket ... AND you can claim 20% of the Vat inclusive total against tax.
It's a game of three halves!

Stoots

  • Posts: 6037
Re: How much for a brush head???
« Reply #15 on: October 06, 2021, 12:21:19 am »
May as well just buy a new pole tbh

Seriously a brush can last 2 years or more for me so by the time I'm replacing it may as well.get another pole.

I agree 50 quid for a brush is too expensive

Granny

  • Posts: 822
Re: How much for a brush head???
« Reply #16 on: October 06, 2021, 07:04:21 am »
Look after them and get the most life you can out of them then.
I'm still using the first Gardiner Superlight I bought 10 years ago.
It works and I have had no complaints from customers.


Jamie Thomas

  • Posts: 174
Re: How much for a brush head???
« Reply #17 on: October 06, 2021, 07:17:33 am »
Your brush must be like triggers broom.  Its had 4 new stocks and 10 sets of bristles.

dazmond

  • Posts: 23587
Re: How much for a brush head???
« Reply #18 on: October 06, 2021, 08:43:45 am »
Look after them and get the most life you can out of them then.
I'm still using the first Gardiner Superlight I bought 10 years ago.
It works and I have had no complaints from customers.

What's it like using it for awkward angle windows over kitchen extensions  and conservatories?I bet your pole bends like a banana...not to mention the strain on your shoulders...

I truly cant believe window cleaners are still using these heavy brushes on their poles....
price higher/work harder!

Spruce

  • Posts: 8363
Re: How much for a brush head???
« Reply #19 on: October 06, 2021, 08:46:48 am »
ive just paid £165(inclu VAT and delivery) for 3 tapertec brushes,some rectus 26 connectors and some o clips......

suck it up mate or go and convert a broom brush! ;D

What happened to those Bentley brooms we use to get from Morrisons for £2.99? We used to throw the handle away and put two jets into the brush head. Some brushes would work better with age when the flocking of the bristles wore out, where others the bristles would tangle up and become a mess.

What I liked about them was they were so light.

Someone on that old DIY forum from years ago removed all the bristles from one with the idea of transferring all the bristles from a Vikan oval brush into it. He wanted the lightness of the Bentley brush stock and the quality of the Vikan bristles. He reported it as a failure, if I remember correctly. ;D
Success is 1% inspiration, 98% perspiration and 2% attention to detail!

The older I get, the better I was ;)