Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Ian101 on March 06, 2014, 03:34:53 pm

Title: Gutter Vac Purchase Poll
Post by: Ian101 on March 06, 2014, 03:34:53 pm
Gutter Vacs .... still umming and arring about getting one ??
Title: Re: Gutter Vac Purchase Poll
Post by: tlwcs on March 06, 2014, 04:05:41 pm
My problem is if I knock an end cap off, or dis lodge a joint, then the ladders have got to come off.
Tony
Title: Re: Gutter Vac Purchase Poll
Post by: AuRavelling79 on March 06, 2014, 10:28:58 pm
I could get loads of work if I wanted but it's hard graft.

I've done a deal with Dan the Man. If he wants overtime on a Friday he can do the gutter cleaning jobs; if he does the whole job I get him to price it up and I charge £10-£15 for use of the van and fuel for the generator, wear and tear etc then he gets 75% of the balance.

So lets say he charges £100 for a job that takes three hours; we knock off a tenner for costs, so balance £90 and he gets 75% (£72.50) and I get £18.50.

He's laughing and gets paid £20+ per hour, my custy gets the service they want and I get a few quid over costs. I know it's quite generous but he is my son-in-law so I don't mind giving him an incentive.
Title: Re: Gutter Vac Purchase Poll
Post by: Fin Clearview on March 07, 2014, 12:03:43 am
I think you should add to the list...a good investment and your ladder has collected dust ever since  ;)
Title: Re: Gutter Vac Purchase Poll
Post by: Ian101 on March 07, 2014, 12:16:27 am
I think you should add to the list...a good investment and your ladder has collected dust ever since  ;)

ladder ??

sorry don't know what they are ??  ;)

cant change questions once poll started
Title: Re: Gutter Vac Purchase Poll
Post by: colin purewater on March 07, 2014, 06:42:01 am
Gutter vac won't un block s bends

The ladders will have to come off any way

Buy a Clarke 30 Ian cheap as chips and do a good
Enough job on houses only £300 odd

I've had mine about 2+ years and still going strong
Easy money mate
Title: Re: Gutter Vac Purchase Poll
Post by: mike1986 on March 07, 2014, 07:00:30 am
Ive found it is far quicker with domestics just to get the ladders off, however its great for commercial work.
Title: Re: Gutter Vac Purchase Poll
Post by: Perfect Windows on March 07, 2014, 07:31:44 am
The limit on a sole trader is the number of hours you can work in a year.

Despite what I thought were high prices, my hourly rate was less when I vacuumed gutters than when I cleaned windows so I dropped it.  It looks attractive because the headline amount is bigger but the hourly rate is what matters.

Vin
Title: Re: Gutter Vac Purchase Poll
Post by: robert mitchell on March 07, 2014, 08:14:10 am
Gutter vac won't un block s bends

The ladders will have to come off any way

Buy a Clarke 30 Ian cheap as chips and do a good
Enough job on houses only £300 odd

I've had mine about 2+ years and still going strong
Easy money mate


it won't always unblock s bends but its not true that they can't ,probably not with the clarke as the suction is quite poor but i have unblocked several with my 1800 nilfisk which is much more powerful (suction is more important than  watts) and its only £115 for the vac.

You have to price it right and not under estimate the time but you can make a good rate .

the most i have made per hour is £70 the least £20 (priced wrong)  .

it can be hard going  though compared to windows so may slow you down later .
Title: Re: Gutter Vac Purchase Poll
Post by: AuRavelling79 on March 07, 2014, 08:15:10 am
Gutter vac won't un block s bends

The ladders will have to come off any way

Buy a Clarke 30 Ian cheap as chips and do a good
Enough job on houses only £300 odd

I've had mine about 2+ years and still going strong
Easy money mate


Yep I've got the Clarke 30 with a 2kw generator from Aldi that cost £179.

S Bends - we bodged up err ... manufactured a spike that lets you get down into an S-bend and break up the muck though I accept that sometimes they may be too clogged - not happened to us yet.

I do tell the householder that under no circumstances will we use a ladder and that we only clean the gutters, not the downpipes - I also tell them if there is a blockage in the S bend we will have a go but no guarantees.

It's an add-on. Useful if you've an empty day or the boy wants some overtime!
Title: Re: Gutter Vac Purchase Poll
Post by: MisterC on March 07, 2014, 03:04:20 pm
Guys, can you recommend the best place to
Buy a Clarke 30 ?  If you guys think there ok
I would like to get one.
Title: Re: Gutter Vac Purchase Poll
Post by: robert mitchell on March 07, 2014, 04:03:16 pm
The nilfisk 1800 has around twice the suction for a similar price and a better design of filter .
Title: Re: Gutter Vac Purchase Poll
Post by: MisterC on March 07, 2014, 04:45:30 pm
Thanks for the advice. Will take a look
Title: Re: Gutter Vac Purchase Poll
Post by: James Bulton on March 07, 2014, 08:52:03 pm
I have a nilfisk alto 30 and considering building a booster vac onto it for extra suction. I will use a leaf vac to boost the suction, and build it onto a trolly. The nilfisk works fine but sometimes when you have wet silt it will not remove it from the gutter and then I will switch on the booster to remove the silt.
 The only way I have got this silt out is to fluid the gutter and my nozzle has forks fitted on each side of the vac nozzle which stirs up the silt which I then suck up. But this is slower than a stronger vac. It work just fine on moss and leaves.
Title: Re: Gutter Vac Purchase Poll
Post by: robert mitchell on March 07, 2014, 10:00:14 pm
i have had no problems with silt and also pulled out a piece of gutter shaped turf over a foot long .
Title: Re: Gutter Vac Purchase Poll
Post by: Cliff perkins on March 07, 2014, 10:46:52 pm
did a gutter vac job today a right ball ache took over 2 hours only priced it at 1 hour.
sometimes i love em sometimes i hate em.
arms are killing me this evening
regards
Title: Re: Gutter Vac Purchase Poll
Post by: capn sparkle on March 07, 2014, 11:13:56 pm
I may be wrong - but how do you fix a leaky seal?? 5 min job
Title: Re: Gutter Vac Purchase Poll
Post by: PoleKing on March 07, 2014, 11:44:16 pm
I may be wrong - but how do you fix a leaky seal?? 5 min job

Griff will be along shortly to insert a seal gag.
Perhaps something to do with balancing and the circus
Title: Re: Gutter Vac Purchase Poll
Post by: G Griffin on March 08, 2014, 12:11:33 am
I may be wrong - but how do you fix a leaky seal?? 5 min job
You need a seal iron to do that. You can get them from most aquatic shops.
Just go in and ask.