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UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Kriss on December 27, 2012, 05:48:41 pm

Title: favorite tool for measuring
Post by: Kriss on December 27, 2012, 05:48:41 pm
Hi guys  :)
What is your favorite tool for measuring office jobs?
Title: Re: favorite tool for measuring
Post by: *Hector* on December 27, 2012, 06:24:31 pm
me feet...  ;D

pace the office and decide how much to charge
Title: Re: favorite tool for measuring
Post by: jasonl on December 27, 2012, 06:43:15 pm
In many offices the ceiling tiles are 50cm across , count them and calculate the m2 multiply that by you chosen rate.
Title: Re: favorite tool for measuring
Post by: Kinver_Clean on December 27, 2012, 06:49:13 pm
Disto laser measure.
Does an office in 20 - 40 secs.

Don't bother with a sonic measure they is not accurate and will measure the filing cabinets as well.
Title: Re: favorite tool for measuring
Post by: JandS on December 27, 2012, 06:50:41 pm
Trusty tape measure.
Title: Re: favorite tool for measuring
Post by: Jamie Pearson on December 27, 2012, 06:52:12 pm
CAD plans of furniture layout are my preference for full buildings.

I then take one measurement and scale from the plan. Even better if they are sent electronically as we they can be sent back showing coloured areas for maintenance plans or used to document problem staining where tiles may need replacing or future treatments are desired.

We supply our clients with one after every clean so they know that something hasn't been missed. We use a simple key showing stains, worn areas, damaged tiles.

I also use a distro measure from small offices.
Title: Re: favorite tool for measuring
Post by: Kriss on December 27, 2012, 07:24:17 pm
I have not done office job yet, but have had a phone call to come and give a price, and was thinking what to use to look really professional  :P Thank you guys for all replies :)
Title: Re: favorite tool for measuring
Post by: Dennis on December 27, 2012, 07:31:28 pm
me feet...  ;D

pace the office and decide how much to charge

I hope your feet are British Standard calibrated feet.  ;D
Title: Re: favorite tool for measuring
Post by: *Hector* on December 27, 2012, 07:43:31 pm
absolutely .......... with military precision..

as a former drill instructor, I can march with a full pace of 30 inches...

accurate to the nearest 30 inches  ;D ;D
Title: Re: favorite tool for measuring
Post by: fenman on December 28, 2012, 08:39:24 am
Carpet tiles are 500mm x 500mm so small commercials can be measured by counting the number of tiles in the length and width.
I was in construction for 21 years so I still use a 2m surveyors lath.
Bit of a faff but its suits me.
Title: Re: favorite tool for measuring
Post by: james roffey on December 28, 2012, 09:44:40 am
Anything that's makes my life easier on a daily basis is worth £70 so i use a stanley laser measure would not be without it so quick and easy
Title: Re: favorite tool for measuring
Post by: Craigp on December 28, 2012, 10:27:44 am
Disto as well, used it every day for the last 5 years - so they last.

Easy to use, can set to feet or metres.


http://www.laser-measure.co.uk/

As Kinver said don't waste money on ultra sonic they are useless.
Title: Re: favorite tool for measuring
Post by: JandS on December 28, 2012, 10:47:18 am
Seems a bit of a faff counting tiles.
Which may or may not cover all the area.
Title: Re: favorite tool for measuring
Post by: Craigp on December 28, 2012, 11:01:12 am
Kris, get the D2 in the link I put up, it will do everything you need and at £109 its a bargain, I paid £150 for mine.

I know its still a lot but it makes it so quick to measure, it calculates the area for you so 2 beeps and you have the square footage.
Title: Re: favorite tool for measuring
Post by: davep on December 28, 2012, 11:25:09 am
Never measure just figure out how long it will take

Title: Re: favorite tool for measuring
Post by: Billy Russell on December 28, 2012, 11:41:39 am
i use the disto d2 as well, good piece of kit
Title: Re: favorite tool for measuring
Post by: david@zap-clean on December 28, 2012, 12:53:46 pm
i use the disto d2 as well, good piece of kit

Billy, is it 100% reliable?  I bought a STANLEY ULTRASONIC DISTANCE ESTIMATOR, which is truly rubbish and has been send to the 'redundant equipment graveyard in the sky'. 

I've been using a wooden yard-stick, which is cheap, but totally reliable:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-x-Double-Sided-Dual-Marked-Wooden-Metre-Rule-Brass-Ends-R670B-/261076287377?pt=UK_Collectable_ToolsHasdware_RL&hash=item3cc95bff91 (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-x-Double-Sided-Dual-Marked-Wooden-Metre-Rule-Brass-Ends-R670B-/261076287377?pt=UK_Collectable_ToolsHasdware_RL&hash=item3cc95bff91)
Title: Re: favorite tool for measuring
Post by: Billy Russell on December 28, 2012, 01:17:35 pm
i use the disto d2 as well, good piece of kit

Billy, is it 100% reliable?  I bought a STANLEY ULTRASONIC DISTANCE ESTIMATOR, which is truly rubbish and has been send to the 'redundant equipment graveyard in the sky'. 

I've been using a wooden yard-stick, which is cheap, but totally reliable:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-x-Double-Sided-Dual-Marked-Wooden-Metre-Rule-Brass-Ends-R670B-/261076287377?pt=UK_Collectable_ToolsHasdware_RL&hash=item3cc95bff91 (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-x-Double-Sided-Dual-Marked-Wooden-Metre-Rule-Brass-Ends-R670B-/261076287377?pt=UK_Collectable_ToolsHasdware_RL&hash=item3cc95bff91)


To be honest David, i don't think anything electronic is 100% reliable, but the D2 hasn't let me down yet, i had the stanley one that you mentioned, it was rubbish, the D2 is a LASER measure, which is alot more accurate than the ultrasonic ones, well worth the investment, IMO
Title: Re: favorite tool for measuring
Post by: Kinver_Clean on December 28, 2012, 02:04:27 pm
With the Disto you can measure across an office full of cabinets. As long as you can see the red dot on the opposite wall it will measure.
Title: Re: favorite tool for measuring
Post by: Emil Dinev on December 28, 2012, 03:01:26 pm
I use Bosch DLE 70, costs £100 ish but worth every penny. Got it for 2 yrs now never changed or charged batteries. It also calculates the area/volume. Very handy tool

Cheers
Emil
Title: Re: favorite tool for measuring
Post by: Jamie Pearson on December 28, 2012, 03:23:06 pm
With the Disto you can measure across an office full of cabinets. As long as you can see the red dot on the opposite wall it will measure.


and you dont have shaky hands.
Title: Re: favorite tool for measuring
Post by: Kinver_Clean on December 28, 2012, 07:18:13 pm
 ;D
Always rest on the wall.
Title: Re: favorite tool for measuring
Post by: Simon@arenaclean on December 28, 2012, 07:31:40 pm
I do a lot of nursing homes and offices with long corridors so I got one of these. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-868793-Metric-Measuring-Wheel/dp/B000OI7FRE/ref=sr_1_1?s=diy&ie=UTF8&qid=1356722890&sr=1-1 (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-868793-Metric-Measuring-Wheel/dp/B000OI7FRE/ref=sr_1_1?s=diy&ie=UTF8&qid=1356722890&sr=1-1)

Lots of others available but this folds up into a little bag and is great value :)
Title: Re: favorite tool for measuring
Post by: Kriss on December 28, 2012, 08:23:19 pm
Craig, thank you for link. Looks really good :)  also thank you guys for all your advice :)
Title: Re: favorite tool for measuring
Post by: John Kelly on December 30, 2012, 01:22:33 pm
The Disto is a great peice of kit. Difference between a lazer and an ultrasonic is that the lazer is a very narrow beam and highly acurate. I know the ultra sonics have a beam as well but its only a pointer it doesn't do the measuring. The measuring is done by waves being sent out and bounced back. These waves are a much broader spectrum than a lazer and have a tendancy to bounce off obstacles given eronous readings. Ok in big clear spaces but I would pay the extra for the Disto its well worth it.
Title: Re: favorite tool for measuring
Post by: Jamie Pearson on December 31, 2012, 09:28:52 am
It's great on domestic quotes for winding up prospects cats/dogs/babies too!
Title: Re: favorite tool for measuring
Post by: John Kelly on December 31, 2012, 01:38:21 pm
Trouble is if it gets on to the babies Retina is doesn't half screw up your quote :)
Title: Re: favorite tool for measuring
Post by: Jamie Pearson on December 31, 2012, 02:15:48 pm
That's costs extra.
Title: Re: favorite tool for measuring
Post by: james roffey on January 01, 2013, 12:29:57 pm
It's great on domestic quotes for winding up prospects cats/dogs/babies too!

I find it a good way to ingratiate yourself with a customer, children/ customers love watching their cat chase the beam around the room, YOU DO have to be careful though the beam can damage the retina.
Title: Re: favorite tool for measuring
Post by: tony bish on January 01, 2013, 01:26:09 pm
Tape measure ,width x length divide by nine gives sq yards ,if you want mtres divide by 0.836 gives you the metres .