Clean It Up
UK General Cleaning Forum => General Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: johnny bravo on January 03, 2014, 11:02:35 am
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Can any of you who have stopped sealing block paved drives let me know why this main reason is.
ive been requested to seal a few but have always been happy to clean re sand and get away. i know its all about the weather, waiting for dry days in between . reckon it can take time from other work.
ive heard talk of sealing cracking and other problems. is this because of the product only. or are there other reasons why some will not seal anymore. pass this work on .
whats the average price for sealing per sqm, i can usually look at a driveway and give a price from experience. sometimes ok, sometimes not.
the price per sqm around £2.50p sometimes works out less than your quote from your head, usually based on average sized drives.
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Main reason we stopped was due to weather, ironically last year was fantastic weather wise ::)roll, we now only sell cleans plus maintenance ie regular weed kills. If a customer wants it sealed we pass on the lead.
I think I saw something in another post may of been yourself, If we was to seal I would not touch anything until spring / April time, due to the moisture, in blocks bedding / sand.
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f***ing hate the sealing subject.
Give me something to clean, in and out and no worrying about a dry spell coming around so you're ready to seal the job. Some other mug can worry about that. Been there done it, lost time, lost money. No thanks, plus I think the sealants are shiite.
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I agree, I swerve anything thats weather dependant
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I seal block paving, there are down sides but I make good money on it. Its just about timing with the weather did about 25 last year no problems.
Most people blame the sealants but they are not applying them correctly.! ;)
Any questions please phone chris scott!
Simon
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I bet you never did 25 the year before
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Simon
Are you still using that jetter mate?
Rob ;D
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I do a lot of sealing in the summer months using resiblock! I am considering not using sealers anymore because I have lost a lot of jobs because I am too expensive because I only use resiblock against others using cheap rubbish! But as the customer sees it sealer is sealer and price is everything. This summer I'm going to be just cleaning and return to sweep the kiln. If they want sealer I will do it but at a premium! I was charging £7.50 psm including resiblock sealer but think I would prefer £3.75 and not both with the sealer and the aggravation
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Rob full year with it served me very well, I can honestly say it was best investment ive made!
The only negative is its petrol, this year im going to have a look for a diesel machine and set up on a trailer or in a bigger van not as a replacement as an additional set up.
Anything to sell me?.
Simon
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I've still got three diesel ones mate but I may be putting them into one van.
What's the running costs, 12 - 15 a day?
Rob ;D
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Rob 20ish per day not bad I suppose and the job pays for it anyway.
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I don't see how you can complain. I wouldn't mind being a couple of quid behind you ;)
Rob
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I do a lot of sealing in the summer months using resiblock! I am considering not using sealers anymore because I have lost a lot of jobs because I am too expensive because I only use resiblock against others using cheap rubbish! But as the customer sees it sealer is sealer and price is everything. This summer I'm going to be just cleaning and return to sweep the kiln. If they want sealer I will do it but at a premium! I was charging £7.50 psm including resiblock sealer but think I would prefer £3.75 and not both with the sealer and the aggravation
£3.75 m2 to clean and sand?? Feck me. If you can get that day in day out then I tip my hat to you sir.
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I do a lot of sealing in the summer months using resiblock! I am considering not using sealers anymore because I have lost a lot of jobs because I am too expensive because I only use resiblock against others using cheap rubbish! But as the customer sees it sealer is sealer and price is everything. This summer I'm going to be just cleaning and return to sweep the kiln. If they want sealer I will do it but at a premium! I was charging £7.50 psm including resiblock sealer but think I would prefer £3.75 and not both with the sealer and the aggravation
£3.75 m2 to clean and sand?? Feck me. If you can get that day in day out then I tip my hat to you sir.
He's bang on price there for clean & re-sand really.
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Can you apply pu's at £7.50 per sqm and make a profit? I charge that for acrylic.
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Can you apply pu's at £7.50 per sqm and make a profit? I charge that for acrylic.
On that hes making £400 per 100m for 4hours work thats profit isnt it?
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A decent Pu will cost £4.50 per m to buy.
You will have been to the job 3 times by the time you have finished it
Tthen you have sand ,weedkiller,Fuel for the van/machine ,cakes and coffee .
1 days work split over 2 days, more cakes and coffee (day 2)....it all eats into the "profit".
Wants to be around a £11 per sqm
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Anyone selling a Thermic 17?
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Sealing is a pain. Just go back and clean n sand each year. The vapours from sealants are cancerous too. We used to use all the resiblock ones and they are deadly fumes. Di-isocynates etc. also weather is another reason not to seal. Moss grows on top anyway. #ballache
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Anyone selling a Thermic 17?
Theres been one on eBay for over a year mate.. the geezer wants £14,000 for it..
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Can you apply pu's at £7.50 per sqm and make a profit? I charge that for acrylic.
i earn my money on the clean and only make about an extra £120 ish quid for applying the sealer on a average drive so £120 for probably 3 hrs in total isn't bad but I'm fed up with the weather being so unpredictable and having unpaid jobs because I can't get the sealer down! If all you had to worry about was diesel and kiln dried sand then happy days! I get lots of inquires and most people don't even know what sealer is until you mention it then they want it quoted in with the price and hey presto your too expensive then don't want to know after that!
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That's exactly why we worked out 7 years ago that sealing is a waste of time. ;D
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Simon, what would your ideal setup be on a trailer? Size of trailer, type pressure washer, size tank,hotbox or two, hose reels, ect,ect. Just thinking about doing the same myself, just thought id ask the pro's . Ed
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Sealing is a pain. Just go back and clean n sand each year. The vapours from sealants are cancerous too. We used to use all the resiblock ones and they are deadly fumes. Di-isocynates etc. also weather is another reason not to seal. Moss grows on top anyway. #ballache
;)
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Sealing with a water based penetrating sealer is a doddle. Clean it with a rotary fitted with a soft to medium brush, then vac it dry as you are going along. Sweep in the KDS and then fly over it with a water based sealer it's simple. Yes the surface needs to be dry but it does to resand as well properly.
Kev Martin
Tiling Logistics Ltd
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I have been cleaning drives for 10 years and working with paving sealers for nearly 20.
Applying sealer can be good for both your business and your customer, if a few simple guidelines are followed.
Manufacturers of the pavers Marshall's, Brett's etc would always say do not pressure wash block paving as it
1, Greatly accelerates the colour loss, surface wear and makes the blocks more porous, so susceptible to algae and lichen.
2, You increase the chance of dips and spreading as the sand underneath the blocks is gradually washed away.
With this in mind, my advice would be clean the drive properly once, then once dry, seal it properly using a good quality sealer in the right ratios. This means effectively flooding the joints on the 1st coat so that the sealer penetrates deep into the sand and sets the joints solid.
From then on a simple regular maintenance programme with occasional light wash down, with a top up coat of sealer applied every few years, should help keep the paving in great condition
There are various other do and dont's regarding cleaning and sealing paving, but a lot of it is common sense and can be learned quite quickly.
Hope this helps