[james roffey]

Been looking at the advantages of a truck mounted machine recently, not that i am looking to get one but i do see it as a natural progression in a few years, although i still think i would need a portable as well as rotary.
While looking through the various forums i came across a guy who said his biggest mistake was buying a truckmount having now gone back to using a portable.

So i would like to ask you guys

1. how many of you have returned to using a portable after having a truckmount i know of one myself.

2. what has been your biggest mistake in carpet cleaning, just so us newbies can avoid and or learn from it.

My mistake was taking so long to find a supplier i was able to trust. bad luck or bad judgement.

[garyj]

Only had the truckmount a month and already just couldn't go back to a portable.

Surprised you mentioned finding a supplier to trust, think I have used all of them over the years and found them all fantastic for customer service, oh yeah, there is one that springs to mind, but they do have good machines.

Really don't think you would need a portable as well, if you can afford it take the plunge and get a T/M.

[james roffey]

Yes thats the one!  good machine but very short sighted customer service they wont be getting another penny off me, glad you are happy with the truckmount what machine did you get.

[gwrightson]

I was always an advocate of portys, convinced that the difference was just the speed.....untill i dropped apon a t.m that has and is serving me well, my portys I still have just in case, but only used once in about 3 years.

The biggest mistake I made, Not investing in a t/m in the first place , but tks to one man M.H. who convinced me twas the only way.

Infact, once you do get a t/m it can be embarrasing as to the hourly rate you can achieve, having said that a little justification speel to the custy  soon eases the feeling away

geoff

[Paul Heath]

Started with a porty but was always determind to get a truckmount...managed to make the investment last year..not looked back.It best thing i have invested in. Still got the porty's but only gathering dust.

[Mike Halliday]

for every 1 person that moves from a T/M to a portable there are 50 that move the other way, why would you let a 2%  minority have such a massive influence on your buying decision?

of the 2 people i know of that have sold there T/m to use a portable 1 of them was skint, he sold his machine to pay his bills. the second was scared of the complexity of the machine.

my biggest mistake was thinking I wasn't a rocket scientist but just a cleaner and charging as such

[Mark Lawrence]

Unfortunatley there are one or two CC's who take the plunge then realise that it aint just a case of plugging it in and switching in on :

There is also the fear factor - afterall they are big and scary at times. Plus the maintenance can be daunting albeit its quite easy.

Then you have the ones that are in their own little porty bubble and feel safe within it. Once out, they feel very very uncomfortable - and want to go back in to it.

Basically most people can handle them, some cant.

Mark

[wynne jones]

The biggest mistake is to think a TM will get you work when it's sat on your drive.

[derek west]

whats a portable? 

[Colin Day]

I can't wait 'til I'm in that position and paying for a T/M and nice new big van with hard earned saved up cash.

It's where I want to be and if I was in a position right now, I'd certainly take the plunge!!!!

[wynne jones]

That's the spirit Colin. You will get there.

Whatever the mind can concieve it can achieve! Or something like that I think.

[peter maybury]

My biggest regret is not going truckmounted earlier, the effort and manpower that used to exist doing large areas with potables was pointless.
My biggest regret on going truckmounted was wasting lots of time and money by buying a secondhand machine that kept braking down.
Best decision was leasing a brand new machine
Peter

[garyj]

James, its a Panther from Woodbridge, absolutely chuffed to bits with it, the heat is amazing and results spectacular. Blasting away at anything and everything with it. Customers love it to, it is noisy though, but everyone knows you're there and what you are doing.  

[terryyy100]

I would hate to go back to my ninga even though it is 400 psi with a built in steam mate.

[Jason Hedges]

Garyj,

I know what you saying about the noise .

I've got a 27hp model & its unbearable sometimes and often gives me a headache! Dont know if theres any way of reducing the noise but I'm working on it at the moment will let you know if I have any break throughs...

Still wouldnt swap it for any porty .

All the best,
Jason.

[james roffey]

for every 1 person that moves from a T/M to a portable there are 50 that move the other way, why would you let a 2%  minority have such a massive influence on your buying decision?

of the 2 people i know of that have sold there T/m to use a portable 1 of them was skint, he sold his machine to pay his bills. the second was scared of the complexity of the machine.

my biggest mistake was thinking I wasn't a rocket scientist but just a cleaner and charging as such

Mike i am not in a position to invest yet in a truckmount but i have since i started 18 months ago gone from a 135psi twin vac Ninja to a 600 psi Airflex triple vac plus invested in a texatherm rotary so i am progressing but still early days yet, but as soon as i can justify the investment i will make it, at the moment it is ticking over when it reaches a point where it is losing me work using a porty i will make the transition.
Plus i am no spring chicken at 45 so i do not intend lugging a porty about in the future

[garyj]

I have the 18hp Jason which alerts the neighbours to my presence, I expect yours is bringing them in from a few streets away  .

Do you run yours at full pelt? I run mine at about 2700 with the HG showing just under 15. Keep meaning to join the Truckmount forum, is it truckmounters.com? They want to know the ins and outs of everything including serial numbers before they let you join don't they?

[Jason Hedges]

Hi Garyj,

My tm is so loud it can be heard from 1/2 a mile away no kidding! Run mine at about 2500rpm which is pulling more through the vac relief valve than the hoses by the sounds of it...

Not only loud draw from machine but huge whistles from vac relief not nice when working nearby...

Trying to reduce massive noise from blower outlet ports as we speak will let you know how I get on....

Not sure Glynn & Simon are that strict on the tm'ers forum nowadays, notice there are a few porty users on there

All the best,
Jason.

 

[clinton]

Sounds very noisey jason

[garyfindlay]

suppose you are trying to grab attention. better than turning up with a machine from homebase etc 

[richy27]

I started with a porty and moved on to a tm nearly a year ago. a number of factors need to be taken into account

van size
servicing costs
etc etc

on the plus side you can work faster and do larger jobs with ease, no more worries about power supply, water, drainage.

def more positives than neg.

I was very lucky that i was in the right place at the right time to get a very low hours tm at a very good price and it was always my plan to get a tm down the line so start collecting the bits and bobs needed so when i invested in my business its was easier on the finances.

in a nut shell never looked back

[Colin Day]

suppose you are trying to grab attention. better than turning up with a machine from homebase etc 

It's done me no harm....

[from edge2edge]

Morning Colin Ive just booked a job to sort out the mess left behind by a rugdoctor the woman hired it and was less than impressed.Regards Alan(swindon)

[garyfindlay]

No doubt the carpet looks like blackpool beach, and matted with soap

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Getting married

Shaun

[Steve. Taylor]

Shaun did she tell you to put that

[Carpet Dawg]

Truckmounts are all well in good if you dont do flats and if there is no parking restrication....

Live in a city like mine and i think you would be regreting buying a trucky. unless your happy with not reaching your full potential.

[Colin Day]

I could see there being a couple of jobs in my area where a TM wouldn't be suitable, and that would warrant me to keep the porty... But a majority of the jobs could easily be done with a TM!

Horses for courses I suppose.....

[Matt Lindus]

If my chap could earn more than the cost of a pork pie per week we would have one.
But earning £700 gross per week (average) I don’t see it as a business so he'll have to make do with a plastic Ninja and a couple of buckets!

[elliott cleaning]

Truckmounts are all well in good if you dont do flats and if there is no parking restrication....

Live in a city like mine and i think you would be regreting buying a trucky. unless your happy with not reaching your full potential.

Tony - Work central London.    Can reach ten floors plus  up without problem - straight up the side of a building.   If you have a t/m there is nearly always a means of getting to where you want.   It's amazing how intuitive & brazen you become if you have a t/m.    I believe it's the fear that portable operators hold of not being able to access jobs that holds them back from taking the step up into truckmounting.

[wynne jones]

No Elliot it's the money and everything else is an excuse.

[Shaun_Ashmore]

If you tap your missus on the shoulder at night and she says NO do you then go to sleep? try harder!!!

Shaun

[elliott cleaning]

Shaun
When I tap the missus on the shoulder during the night it is to get her to stop snoring - and then I still can't get to sleep - as she just carries on in the same vain.    How much harder must I try

[Shaun_Ashmore]

My missus use 'Stop snoring' from Boots the Chemist, was thinking of replacing it with arsenic

Shaun

[james roffey]

 I believe it's the fear that portable operators hold of not being able to access jobs that holds them back from taking the step up into truckmounting.

If i had the money to invest in one i would

[Andrew Briscoe]

My tm was off the road for a few week while i got the h/ex fixed.
Used my Scorpion, which was ok, but glad to have the old girl back again.
Soon got sick of loading/unloading, filling and emptying machine and buckets.
More time to chat with custy and have a cuppa.

Andrew

[Carpet Dawg]

Elliott

Fair do's mate. It is a fear of not being able to reach certin jobs.

For example, i had three jobs today. Two of which i was forced to park across the road as the side of the street where the job site was, there was parking for residance only! And the other job i had to park around the corner!

Same thing tomorrow, three jobs. None i'm able to park directly outside, apart from one which is on the third floor of a large tenament building.

Not showing off, but i have the money right now in my business account to buy a Titan and all the gubbins quite comfortably.

[jasonl]

My biggest mistake,,, cleaning that suite in 44 mins

[Colin Day]

Elliott

Fair do's mate. It is a fear of not being able to reach certin jobs.

For example, i had three jobs today. Two of which i was forced to park across the road as the side of the street where the job site was, there was parking for residance only! And the other job i had to park around the corner!

Same thing tomorrow, three jobs. None i'm able to park directly outside, apart from one which is on the third floor of a large tenament building.

Not showing off, but i have the money right now in my business account to buy a Titan and all the gubbins quite comfortably.

Do it... Go on, I dare you

[robert meldrum]

Talking about accessing flats in cities etc got me thinking. What are the H & S compliance requirements when parking on a street - having two hoses running from a van ( one carrying very hot water at high pressure and the other with enough vacuum power to pull your arm off )

When I pass vans working in such situations they are surrounded by a six foot fence with an enclosed temporary walkway and if there's a danger of anything falling from above they have strong netting to keep falling objects away from the general public.

I've worked 4 floors up with trailing hoses, but only on private land and only when there was no possibility of anyone being injured.
I really can't imagine permission being granted to, or anyone being mad enough to consider doing this on a busy street.

My biggest mistake was being born too soon.

[Phillip Mold]

Getting married

Shaun

Both times
  

[james roffey]

In 16 months of trading i can honestly say i have had only two low paid jobs that i could not have done with a truckmount, both in towerblocks.

[Dave Roberts]

A truckmount is not Jesus in a 4-stroke. 

[Shaun_Ashmore]

but it does use holy water

Shaun

[richy27]

ok just to spin things around how many jobs would you not of been able to do if you did not have the trucky .

trip switches
no water supply
too bigger area with a time dead-line

for instance i have a very large caravan park where i can do 30 staticsat a time  without shifting the van and can do the job a lot faster than any porty this lead onto doing 12 more parks.

it the man behnd the wand that gets the results but the tools are there to make your life easier and potentially earning you more.

[Colin Day]

I have coped with all of the above Richard, it's all about overcoming and adapting, and us ex forces lads are good at that sort of thing

Yes, a TM would make it easier, of course it would... Since I've had the triple vac though, I've NEVER tripped a switch yet and if I did have said problem and the ticket price warranted it, I'd hire a genny.....

On jobs where water supply is a problem, I take a few 20 litre drums of water with me, but that's only ever happened once :

[waynebarry]

GARYJ - have you got a link or website address for where you got your Panther from?

[john aitken]

I have coped with all of the above Richard, it's all about overcoming and adapting, and us ex forces lads are good at that sort of thing

Yes, a TM would make it easier, of course it would... Since I've had the triple vac though, I've NEVER tripped a switch yet and if I did have said problem and the ticket price warranted it, I'd hire a genny.....

On jobs where water supply is a problem, I take a few 20 litre drums of water with me, but that's only ever happened once :

quite right matey  and what about the petrol costs i got rid of mine coz it was a guzzeler    [geordie for drinks alot]

[derek west]

petrol costs for my trucky for last week alone was 55 quid.

[Carpet Dawg]

Thats quite a lot. Plus you have to include the cost of fual for running the van 

I usualy go through £30 - £40 every 7 days or there abouts.

Truckmount

£35 x 52 = £1,820 Fual for van

£50 x 52 = £2,600 Fual for machine

Total = £4,420 a year

Thats not including maintance and parts and the cost of having a heater in the van for half the year.

Just somthing to bare in mind for anyone about to purchase a truckmount.

Tony

[derek west]

i turned over £1825.

[Andrew Briscoe]

i turned over £1825.

I think a lot on here would give 55 quid to turnover 1825 a week, nice one Derek

Andrew

[richy27]

i turned over £1825.

derek could you turnover that figure with a porty and still hae time for you mackis breaky

[derek west]

 
maybe!

if i used a glide. 

[JandS]

10 floors up the side of a building.
That's about 120 foot of hose just to clear the height.
Would imagine that takes some hauling by hand.
Lot of weight on the joint too.
Do you just tie it off at the top or on an intermediary floor
as well?
Would imagine it would take some organising what with
trailing hoses and machinery running in a public place
unattended.

John

[Shaun_Ashmore]

I used to go through £3500 of petrol a year with my TM before going LPG, mostly domestic work.

That's why I'm poor.

Shaun

[Carpet Dawg]

i turned over £1825.

derek could you turnover that figure with a porty and still hae time for you mackis breaky

I turnedover over £*,*** last week and only spent £30 on fual... and dare i say it,with a porty 

[derek west]

bit of a coincidence that you have a even better out of the ordinary fantastic week in the same week i did tony :

[Carpet Dawg]

Derek, I'm not showing off or anything. But i regulary turn that figure over, anything from 1.2k to 2.6k. Been in buisness for over 10 years now and have a large bank of coostomers so not a big deal really. Infact i hardly advertise. Should also mention that i work a 6 day week so its not easy money!

Infact i'll blank out that figure.

Just wanted to mention the fact that a good wage is also achivable without the truckmount.

If thought a TM would do me good in my city i'd defo have one as they are superior to porties.

[derek west]

never knew you were vat registered tony, sorry my mistake.

[Steve Barnett (Carpet Care Plus)]

Tony

Got your e-mail, should be sorted my end now  

[Carpet Dawg]

Cheers mate 

[derek west]

tony
how did you find going vat registered, is it a ball ache or was it easy to do, i ask as i'm getting close to the barrier now so will have to register next year if things keep going the way they are.

[Steve. Taylor]

Well i earnt £580 last week then broke me back tooth on a pork scratching
now i got to pay £320 quid for a fcn crown derek tony give us a sub poor as a church mouse me

[robert meldrum]

Derek

As you're likely to continue growing your business you might as well register..................You must be tidy with your accounts and your submissions or they can be a real pain.
VAT inspectors can demand access to not just your business premises but also your home, so you need to very accurate with your book keeping and CAREFUlL with bank accounts etc.

[Matt Lindus]

We took £19166.67 last week and spent £432 on diesel. Thats not cleaning.

Matt

[John Kelly]

Matt, your always saying how much you make on the ariel side I can't understand why you persist with the cleaning side of your operation.

Jason, your blower silencers are goosed. They probably have wadding inside to muffle the noise. Over time this becomes caked with detergent etc and doe no silencing. Give me a bell sometime.

[Matt Lindus]

John,

Extract from a third party source - internet
It’s very complicated to explain, it took two of them about a week to study and fully understand what their ****** had told them. It is very beneficial for the main business to operate in such a bizarre way.

The above is an extract found on the Internet.


Matt

[Jim_77]

Matt

You are more than a bit weird!!