Clean It Up
UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: r.bath on July 05, 2013, 11:11:48 am
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Hi everyone :),
I'm Rob,
I have just joined you're fantastic forum as I am looking towards going self employed in carpet and upholstery cleaning.
Having toyed with the idea previously when working for different agencies within warehousing.. I have now come back to the idea that perhaps this is the best way forward to enable a stable and secure future.
I have started to look into how to set myself up as I will be working on my own as a sole trader. I'm 21 and have a full clean driving license and my own car. Having already checked out a quote online for public liability insurance which includes equipment cover and cover of upto 2 million pound.
I understand I will have to pay my own N.I and have an accountant check my books for the annual check my the tax man.
however, I do have a few questions....
equipment - what would I need in order for me to be able to clean carpets in a public residential arrangement?.
Experience - I have used the rug doctor before throughout the whole house a few times now and don't find it hard or a long process, however "do i" need qualifications or minimum training before commencing?. I will be interested in training from one of the courses available however.
I have a fair idea of how I will gather trade such as advertising etc - website, business cards, flyers, magnetic stickers on the car etc..
This question might be a little hard to answer as I know area's vary but, Will this be a profitable career that offers security? if anyone on this forum is self employed, what are the average weekly takings ? I do have excellent customer service skills, I have no problems with CRB checks or DBS's for the customers peace of mind.
if anyone has any further advice, this will be hugely appreciated. This is something I actually enjoy doing, as you do see results as you go and the praise I imagine will be good from customers.
Thanks in advance
Rob
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Tosh will be along to welcome you in about twelve hours.
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Hi Rob,
A bit quicker than 12 hours, but welcome to the forum. I see you've met 'Geof'; he's our forum idiot (I actually used another word than 'idiot', but we have a swearword filter here).
I think I'll move this to a more relevant area of the forum where you may have a better response, since here we tend to discuss God, racism, Muslims, the EDL, and even football sometimes. You're more than welcome to join in the banter.
Regards,
Tosh
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I'll answer the most important part first, this will not be a reliable source of income. The hardest part of this job is finding customers, the easy part is cleaning carpets.
Some people on here have been established a long time and have a good client list to offer referrals and repeats, I could imagine starting now would be as difficult as ever. I certainly wouldn't do it without another avenue of income.
You need a healthy budget, in particular for marketing, google, flyers, parish mags, news papers etc. Minimum requirement is a hot water extraction machine (unless you spread muck), good upright vacuum, hose, wand, hand tool, agitating brush, air mover. You could potentially start with that but sooner rather than later you'll need a mechanical agitator, stair tool, upholstery tool, rotary, the list never ends.
Training, I would advise getting some training, NCCA and Prochem do one but there are others, I would avoid upholstery completely without training.
It may be worth getting 'treatment risk' with your insurance policy, especially as you're just starting out, it can also help you win jobs by showing this.
Get a van, cars look unprofessional IMO.
Don't worry about an accountant just yet, you're unlikely to be liable in the first year so probably worth thinking about next year.
You need to decide what market you're going to target, personally I wouldn't go cheap. If you go cheap at the start people will expect that in the future. It's hard when you want the work so much but try to educate the customer why your price is what it is.
Look at selling extras on every job, protector or your own spotter.
Can't think of anything else, people with more experience will be along shortly.
In the mean time I'm going to finish my strongbow as I'm on the train to Brighton for a long weekend :-)
What area are you from? May be worth asking someone not so local if you can be a bucket boy for a day to learn a few things.
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You're outlay to get started will be big so I would do it as a part time venture so you can afford it and have money coming in to pay the bills it takes approximately 5 years to get regular work coming in where you feel comfortable.
First thing I would do is get some formal training then you can ask on the course about machinery.
Shaun
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Hi rob,
Don't be put of by worries on getting started.
For you the big question is do you live with your parents or have your own place,
I ask this as its obvious it will be a bit stop start at the beginning. If your at home still £200-300 a week 1st year is all you may get, but remember it can be a bit up and down.
Of course if you have rent or mortgage this may be a struggle.
Def register with accountant as you don't want a break in your no contributions.,you won't have to worry about tax for 18 months and almost certainly no bill as equipment adverts etc will be taken up.
Now the tricky bit!!! Depends where you are in country. But 4-5 years fully established 1 man band I'd say 25-35 grand is achievable, but if your really cute with marketing networking and databases you could reach 40-50 grand.
Yes training recommended. Ncca and the company you decide to buy your machine off will normally throw in a training day.
Try flyers to same houses every month try networking bni or 4 networking, and be presentable on time and professional!!
Mark
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You do need to worry about tax in 1st year as in 2nd year you will pay this on account : so theoretically a double tax bill
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Only a double tax bill if profits are more than 10000 or so which is unlikely once start up costs are factored. Easiest thing to do rob would be too set Ltd up, pay yourself by paye, min wage then take dividends as wages, this may be a good way to start off, but does involve more cost, and time and effort. Generally though you can trade as when you reach roughly £25000 profit per year it's cheaper to go ltd. but take advice from a good accountant not us on this.
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1 If you stick with it and do good quality work you will make a good living.
2 Get a second hand twin vac - doesn't matter which.
3 Defo get a van
4 As said, it's getting the jobs on that's the difficult bit. Aim to get out tens of thousands of leaflets - expect about 3 or 4 jobs per thousand leaflets
5 Set a per sq ft or sq m price and aim to be higher price than most
6 Do absolutely everything you can to exceed customer expectations.
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Rug Doctor wide track, sebo dart 1 as vac with beater bar and dup p powder for "dry" cleaning and a van cost under £1,000 for equipment so if it does go pear shaped you haven't lost a lot and then build up as you go along.
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secure & stable future?.........Bwhahahaha
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Well looks like we've scared Rob away ;D
A rug doctor? :'(
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He has changed his mind and now wants to be known as Brother Rob, part time Monk...
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Yes, rug doctor. Try using wide track on a few jobs, it's horses for courses. Try taking a 45 l machine up 5 flights of a Georgian house without damage plus without being knacks red at top. Thenull faces.
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Hi Rob
Test for demand in your area first, no good setting up spending loads of money and no demand. Many ways you can do this. basing any decision on fact is much smarter than hearsay.
http://henrythe9th.com/resources/measuring-market-demand-how-to-evaluate-a-startup-idea/
http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newSTR_69.htm
http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-determine-market-demand-on-a-startup-budget-2011-5
Good Luck
Ian Harper
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Rug Dr?
(http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/1373355139_jon shake.gif)
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Yes, rug doctor. Try using wide track on a few jobs, it's horses for courses. Try taking a 45 l machine up 5 flights of a Georgian house without damage plus without being knacks red at top. Thenull faces.
If you have a proper machine you can attach 50 - 150 foot of hose to it so the machine can stay in one place outside ;)
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Rob
I have posted a full answer on my blog "Carpet Cleaning Marketing – Hungry Crowd"
http://cleanonomics.co.uk/
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I wonder how many of those lagging the Rug Doctor have tried it. To enlarge a bit before selling I had a Prochem fivestar and Supernova, using Sebo darts with duo powder for dry cleans.
As to the question of hoses not feasible in a lot of cases in Dublin - Georgian buildings 5-6 stories = 50-60 feet, plus from vehicle to building another 15 if lucky thats 65 leaving 35b to work with not a lot and then each time you go down a floor hoses down and back unless you have someon to catch hose on floor below. Plus the eejits who think its fun to slash hoses etc.
You've also missed the main point its the lowest cost start up unless going for those hwe machines which are really only good for stairs and upholstery George, Hydromist and similar bot5h or whidh I also had and used.
I found the Rug Doctor best of all only gripe was that they didn't do a say 35-45 l tank which would have been great for larger areas. But then we went in with 4 macbines. New price for 4 less than a Super Nova
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I wonder how many of those lagging the Rug Doctor have tried it.
probably many, and many had to fix the carpets after the RD
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I wonder how many of those lagging the Rug Doctor have tried it. To enlarge a bit before selling I had a Prochem fivestar and Supernova, using Sebo darts with duo powder for dry cleans.
As to the question of hoses not feasible in a lot of cases in Dublin - Georgian buildings 5-6 stories = 50-60 feet, plus from vehicle to building another 15 if lucky thats 65 leaving 35b to work with not a lot and then each time you go down a floor hoses down and back unless you have someon to catch hose on floor below. Plus the eejits who think its fun to slash hoses etc.
You've also missed the main point its the lowest cost start up unless going for those hwe machines which are really only good for stairs and upholstery George, Hydromist and similar bot5h or whidh I also had and used.
I found the Rug Doctor best of all only gripe was that they didn't do a say 35-45 l tank which would have been great for larger areas. But then we went in with 4 macbines. New price for 4 less than a Super Nova
Or a better idea is to get a second hand machine from ebay or from the buy and sell section on here.
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Reply to Radek over the last 4years I'v had 3 Rug Doctors in operation, have set sold start ups to 9 people total 11 machines no one any problems also a number of hotel chains also use them eg Bewleys no problems. if carpets needed replacing then that does n ot lie on the machine but the user ie wet on carpets which should be dry cleaned or excessive water going over too often.
Something most professionals will be quite aware of there is no machine which has been tested and around for a long time which will harm a carpet or floor. Only operators who misuse the machine or use the wrong system on the type of floor.
As to buying second hand warranty personally don't like buying anything second hand, and i still don't understand this almost pathological hate of the RD havn't seen any other brand being attacked.
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"don't understand this almost pathological hate of the RD"
Steve - that says it all really - you dont understand... when you do understand you will understand!
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Rug doctors aren't the real problem apart from the look, the supermarkets rent rug drs and any potential customer could rent one therefore questioning your price or professionalism, there is another problem which is a real problem their cleaning products are crap!
Shaun
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I think best thing is for me to get of the forum as obviously im and idiot with no idea what im talking about i think people shoudl start looking at some really professional forums with world wide views. Short sweet visit.
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You do not need to use Rug doctor Chemicals in a Rug doctor
Was Steve the Guy on Ebay selling a Suzziki Van and a very small Carpet Cleaner set up kit
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I can clean a carpet with a rug doctor just as good as anybody on here using what ever you like even a t.m.
I learn to clean with a extracta mod c , single vac ,60pis pump that was it ! oh it did have two on and off switches , ;D,
why , because its me doing the cleaning not the power of the cleaner ! ok it may take me ;Dfour times longer to do it and I will have to leave the snail in there to dry it but it will still look as good as if done buy me and my tm
I would have to use today chems not the rug doctor ones , but a real old timer should beable to clean with any cleaner what ever its spec and still do the same job !!!
sometime I like to use an old porty just to keep my hand (my own stuff not for a custy), keeping it real
i don't want to forget where I come so using my old model c that's now 25 years old is great bloodly hard work when ive a blue wave sat outside but then again I am strange , just think sometimes with all our tms we forget on where and how hard we worked to get where we are today
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yeah and if I drove my wife's fiesta it would drive just as well as my Merc because I am a better driver.... ::)roll
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(http://4carpetcleaning.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/carpet-cleaning-surfactants.jpg)
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I can clean a carpet with a rug doctor just as good as anybody on here using what ever you like even a t.m.
I learn to clean with a extracta mod c , single vac ,60pis pump that was it ! oh it did have two on and off switches , ;D,
why , because its me doing the cleaning not the power of the cleaner ! ok it may take me ;Dfour times longer to do it and I will have to leave the snail in there to dry it but it will still look as good as if done buy me and my tm
I would have to use today chems not the rug doctor ones , but a real old timer should beable to clean with any cleaner what ever its spec and still do the same job !!!
sometime I like to use an old porty just to keep my hand (my own stuff not for a custy), keeping it real
i don't want to forget where I come so using my old model c that's now 25 years old is great bloodly hard work when ive a blue wave sat outside but then again I am strange , just think sometimes with all our tms we forget on where and how hard we worked to get where we are today
what a load of waffle, i think you get to talk waffle becuase your are a woman so people tend to offer you a certain amount of politeness,
you would clean as well as me with a rug doctor no matter what i used ::)roll ::)roll ......no you would'nt
you use your old extracta to 'keep it real '::)roll ::)roll ........ohh please... pass me a sick bag
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;D