Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: David Beecroft on July 06, 2015, 04:12:28 pm
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Hi everyone,
I recently invested in a gutter vac etc to save me climbing ladders. However the last two cleans have taken far longer than I could have done off ladders. Both similar houses which normally would take about an hour, maybe an hour and a half have taken well over three hours. I seem to spend more time setting up and changing attachments than anything else. So I'm looking for time saving tips, do you have a set method that helps it to run smoothly. The equipment seems okay, its just me tripping over myself all the time. ???
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Vacs are a ball ache. I get the ladders off for most jobs now. Oh and the vac leaves stuff behind too
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So many guys seem to be happy using vacs, there must be a better way of using them?
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i completely avoid gutter clearing full stop as i always hated climbing the ladders to clear them out when i was trad.
now after over 5 years WFP i just concentrate on the add on work that i can do using existing equipment(conny roofs,outside f/s/g and solar panel cleaning)as extra jobs alongside lots of maintenance window cleaning.
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This isn't helping lads! Anyone got something positive to say before I totally breakdown? :'(
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i cant help either sorry, my view is that per hour its not good money maybe like window cleaning the prices can vary across the country, i dont carry ladders for the simple fact i can not offer the service if i dont have means of access, i pass on the work and to be honest the rates they ask for it becomes untenable to the customer, i think some people think its a quick £10 job.
May be you could look at your window cleaning business and look to improve that and make more money from what you have. Bob
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We have done gutter cleaning with a vac for years but only do jobs starting at £250 + .
I cannot see how you can make money doing houses with one tbh.
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I'm starting to believe that! ::)roll
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You have to be brave when pricing.
But ... you have to allow for setting up and taking away and cleaning kit after.
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ITS LIKE MOST THINGS. Its a learning curve you will speed up with experience. If you used ladder then cleaned by vac it will take time to adapt. That is why I charge 5 quid a meter. No pay no clean.
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Best advice I can give is - subby it out.
I hate cleaning gutters these days.
Get the vac out of the van.
Get the hose out of the van
Get the extension lead out of the van
Get the poles out of the van
Get the camera out of the van
Connect it all up and trundle round the building - HATE it.
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I like gutter cleaning with the vac.
.it takes time but you will speed up..
Price well!!
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I'm the same as Dazmond i stay well clear although i know another windy who i pass the work on to he is happy going up a ladder .
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I agree , I think having a gutter vak is a great add on to window cleaning..... Just take your time and price well .....
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Firstly what equipment are you using ?
A gutter clear of 2 runs takes between 20 and 30 minutes on average.
During our annual gutter clear round (February thru March) we clear anything up to 15 properties a day
I'm happy to talk more if you want to email me
oddbods@icloud.com
Darran
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you should try putting some water into the gutters with your wfp , i find it softens up the crap and prevents blockages in the hose and poles , if i get big sods try shunting them with the poles and some times you will manage to get a lot out it out without even turning the vac on
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When doing quotes do you actually look inside the guttering and check the downspouts too?
I find it helps to do a full gutter survey so I know what to expect. That just means I stick a gopro on a pole, set it to record and walk around the property which takes no time at all. In doing so then you have a record of the job in hand and can be played back at anytime. I’ve also an lcd touch screen on mine so is easy to show customers how bad they are and why they are having issues with the guttering overflowing etc that is not visible from the ground. Also is a great sales tool too as in general customers are impressed and will say so.
Some guttervac jobs are a doddle to do and others can be pigs so the more information you have the better. Also helps if you can see what you are doing in real time instead of trying to do them blind.
Don’t expect a guttervac to be able to do all jobs as they have limitations and you could be messing about for ages trying. That’s why it’s sometimes quicker to do by hand that is if you can set a ladder safely. Regarding ladder work at roofline height I like to use an ankalad stabaliser & microlite standoff so I know the ladder is not going to go anywhere.
I learnt the hard way from experience that no two jobs are the same so I charge a good whack for my time whatever methods I choose to use.
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Where are based, you are welcome to come out for a day with us, and I can show you how we clean with the Vac.
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Thanks for the input lads. I'm out in the sticks, west of Glasgow, so while I appreciate the offer Samson its not possible, unless there's someone local to me?. My problem with pricing is that I'm doing gutters I've done in the past off ladders, so the customers expect similar prices. I've had £1.50 per metre price in my head but maybe for new jobs I need to be higher, I think some of the prices mentioned would be too high around here. Anyway I'm off to try again today, I'll report back later. :)
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You have to be brave when pricing.
I find that difficult to do when it's one of my own customers (I don't care about non-window cleaning customers who want their gutters cleaned).
I've recently had two one-off cleans for three-bed-semis (or equivalent of) and charged £60 for them each (they were army officers moving out of their rented accommodation), so I can price well for small jobs, but with regular customers I'm wary of sticking in a 'good price' for fear of losing a well priced window cleaning account I may like to keep.
I do gutter cleans off ladders mind; I don't see it as a problem; and I keep myself safe while working.
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I started off cheap like yourself but soon learnt to price well as gutter clearing is dangerous using ladders, hard work using a guttervac as most are awkward/pigs to do. I've found out you can't really price by metre either as there are so many other factors that can affect the price of a job.
Still after saying that a guttervac still come in handy for part/jobs you can't get at by ladders.
You will soon find out what a guttervac can/cannot do though as you can't rely on suction alone so you have to think outside of the box so to speak and be inventive.
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I think most cleaners have a tendancy to undersell gutter clearing to existing regular window cleaning customers. I know I did but soon learnt to bump the prices up as it's a filthy & dangerous job to do by ladders and most understand this.
You have to be brave when pricing.
I find that difficult to do when it's one of my own customers (I don't care about non-window cleaning customers who want their gutters cleaned).
I've recently had two one-off cleans for three-bed-semis (or equivalent of) and charged £60 for them each (they were army officers moving out of their rented accommodation), so I can price well for small jobs, but with regular customers I'm wary of sticking in a 'good price' for fear of losing a well priced window cleaning account I may like to keep.
I do gutter cleans off ladders mind; I don't see it as a problem; and I keep myself safe while working.
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The most I've ever charged to date to check & clear the downspouts & guttering on a single domestic property was 500 one-off. Mind you it was quite a large country house that was rammed solid and all the downspouts were blocked too. Now I check and clear the guttering for them every 6 months for 195. Takes me about 2 hours to do now instead of 5 hours for the first one so I drag it out a bit as you do.
Would be nice to have a few more like that as even though it's hard work is very rewarding to do. :)
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well that was a bit better, took me 1hr 20mins, £42. It was an easy chalet type house just back and front, gave them a quick wash afterwards. If they're all like that I'll be happy enough. :)
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Nice one as is a learning curve for sure ;)
When I price jobs up now I confirm with the customer what they actually want doing and charge separately for clearing gutters and roughly the same again to clean the outside of the guttering, fascias & soffits depending how bad they are. That way say a 75 job can very easily become a 150 job with a bit of upselling :)
well that was a bit better, took me 1hr 20mins, £42. It was an easy chalet type house just back and front, gave them a quick wash afterwards. If they're all like that I'll be happy enough. :)
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Best ones are when you don't check in the guttering beforehand and find out on the day that the gutters are fitted with some sort of gutter guards. Now that can fun ...
Do gutter guards really work? hmmmm...I don’t think so. ;D
The brush type are just as bad.
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Agree with the blue one, you shouldn't have washed them inclusive of clearing, price as separate jobs, usually around the same amount, unless your doing gable ends as well, then the wash is more, you can then pitch a combined wash and clear together at say 10% off.
None of these guards or brushes work, had a few where like smurfs picture shows they become part of the problem.
I never price per meter, price for the job, gutter style ( square, round, o-gee ) ground access and of course a premium if over conservatory or extension.
Regular customers are priced the same as 1 off's - people will either pay it or not, never lost a window clean job because they didn't want to pay for a gutter clear - if people sign up for a yearly gutter inspection clear then the price is reduced because they only take half the time of full gutters
Darran
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I love it when I get gutter work, I price at pretty much £3 a metre and even if it's tiny, minimum charge is £50. Done loads this year with my space vac, it has a few little annoyances, the worst was getting the poles together and apart after wet, dirty jobs. Now have learned to clean each pole out after every use.
It even managed this job in the photo the other day after my triples wouldn't reach over the big con, so had no choice but to try it.(http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/1436303712_image.jpg)
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I can see the more I use the vac etc the better it'll be. Went to a job this afternoon full of weeds, so rather than set too with the vac I used the weed hook beforehand, hey presto it worked! I'm a bit happier tonight but I've still got a way to go before I would advertise for jobs. ::)roll
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Don't expect all jobs can be done without somtimes having to use ladders as you will come across some pigs of jobs to do if they are packed with sods and the gap is tiny to try and get them out. I've posted a few pics here to show you what I mean http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=196854.0
I can see the more I use the vac etc the better it'll be. Went to a job this afternoon full of weeds, so rather than set too with the vac I used the weed hook beforehand, hey presto it worked! I'm a bit happier tonight but I've still got a way to go before I would advertise for jobs. ::)roll
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Nice one...
You where very lucky indeed as if the gap between the tiles had been tiny you would have not been able to suck them out no matter what vac you had used.
I love it when I get gutter work, I price at pretty much £3 a metre and even if it's tiny, minimum charge is £50. Done loads this year with my space vac, it has a few little annoyances, the worst was getting the poles together and apart after wet, dirty jobs. Now have learned to clean each pole out after every use.
It even managed this job in the photo the other day after my triples wouldn't reach over the big con, so had no choice but to try it.(http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/1436303712_image.jpg)
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(http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/1436357639_1436303712_image.jpg)
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Thanks for turning the pic around as I was getting neck ache ;D
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Did you drop any sods/muck down the back of that conservatory trying to get it out?
Also what was the conservatory back wall rain gully like and did you have to clear that as well?
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You can probably tell I hate gutter clearing with a passion ;D