Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Blue Frog Systems on May 17, 2021, 08:35:47 pm

Title: Excuse my ignorance... Hypo & Softwash ???
Post by: Blue Frog Systems on May 17, 2021, 08:35:47 pm
Been out of the loop for a while living and cleaning in my own little world for the past 8 years since I stopped frequenting this beautiful place.

I see more talk about jet washing, roof scraping and gutter vaccing. Back in the day it was window cleaning, wfp v trad and conny ladders .

I've bought a gutter vac and am looking at roof scraping and jet washing. However there are two things that I'm not up to date with and I was wondering if you lovely lovely people could dish out your advise and point me in the right direction

Hypo ???

Soft Wash ???
Title: Re: Excuse my ignorance... Hypo & Softwash ???
Post by: Splash & dash on May 17, 2021, 09:03:04 pm
Hypo = sodium hypochlorite ( bleach)
Softwash = a way of Cleaning a building of surface using a bleach solution usually applied by spraying the mix onto the surface
Title: Re: Excuse my ignorance... Hypo & Softwash ???
Post by: Blue Frog Systems on May 17, 2021, 09:13:04 pm
Hypo = sodium hypochlorite ( bleach)
Softwash = a way of Cleaning a building of surface using a bleach solution usually applied by spraying the mix onto the surface

Any recommendations for hypo to use and what to use it on ? Or not to use it on
Title: Re: Excuse my ignorance... Hypo & Softwash ???
Post by: tom20001 on May 17, 2021, 09:26:02 pm
Hypo and tarmac is definite no as can lighten the colour of the tarmac. So same goes if you are softwashing walls with hypo need to be wary of run offs etc. Personally I use it on walls, roofs and fsg cleans . Need to be careful if using it with plastics so weak mix maybe 1%ish as can turn pvc yellow/pink. Also need to be careful on windy day as With spray drift you dont want Mary next door getting a fright when she brings in her washing. Im no expert Darran and Splash and  few of the lads way better versed on it than me but even if you type hypo or sodium hypochlorite into search box there is some great information. And only recently one of the lads put up ratios to use hypo at on different surfaces etc. But no need to be afraid of using it I find it brilliant and has made my life much easier since I started using it
Title: Re: Excuse my ignorance... Hypo & Softwash ???
Post by: Splash & dash on May 17, 2021, 09:40:18 pm
It’s ideal for killing and removing black , green , red algi from walls  , but it’s not something to use without knowing what you are doing as you can cause damage to the property , yourself and the environment if you arnt careful, the pictures below give you an idear of what can be accomplished .(http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/1621283988_5BA48879-F0BC-4A40-BAB6-BDD247F4874F.jpeg)(http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/1621283987_9C48638E-9A44-455C-BBD4-83E10EF694C6.jpeg)(http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/1621283986_115D90BB-7F8E-438D-958F-168B2AACD486.jpeg)(http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/1621283986_61155436-30A3-4F34-81DA-AC33E074FEF0.jpeg)
Title: Re: Excuse my ignorance... Hypo & Softwash ???
Post by: NWH on May 17, 2021, 10:38:15 pm
That is a great result what would that cost someone to get a job like the one done.
Title: Re: Excuse my ignorance... Hypo & Softwash ???
Post by: Splash & dash on May 17, 2021, 10:45:12 pm
That is a great result what would that cost someone to get a job like the one done.


A lot of money 😂😂😂
Title: Re: Excuse my ignorance... Hypo & Softwash ???
Post by: tom20001 on May 18, 2021, 08:04:28 am
Ok lads, looking at gardiers back pack this morn. I have it on charge and sometimes it starts and but most sometimes it wont now. Ideas?
Title: Re: Excuse my ignorance... Hypo & Softwash ???
Post by: Ched on May 18, 2021, 10:22:33 am
Ok lads, looking at gardiers back pack this morn. I have it on charge and sometimes it starts and but most sometimes it wont now. Ideas?
Iffy wiring. The connections are not great but are easy to fix in field. So start at battery and check connections, take one at a time off battery and check they are not corroded and are a tight fit. Then look at each connector in turn and check connections are all good and not corroded. Does it have same issue in switch position 1 and 2? If so then it's probably a battery connection or pump connection issue. Also check fuse connections are clean and tight.
Hopefully that gives you some clues?
Title: Re: Excuse my ignorance... Hypo & Softwash ???
Post by: tom20001 on May 18, 2021, 12:52:58 pm
Ok lads, looking at gardiers back pack this morn. I have it on charge and sometimes it starts and but most sometimes it wont now. Ideas?
Iffy wiring. The connections are not great but are easy to fix in field. So start at battery and check connections, take one at a time off battery and check they are not corroded and are a tight fit. Then look at each connector in turn and check connections are all good and not corroded. Does it have same issue in switch position 1 and 2? If so then it's probably a battery connection or pump connection issue. Also check fuse connections are clean and tight.
Hopefully that gives you some clues?

Thanks Ched. No position 1 stopped work at least a year ago which follows same pattern as all the other gardiners backpacks ive had but position 2 was fine til yesterday.  I'll go at it this evening Ched thanks for that
Title: Re: Excuse my ignorance... Hypo & Softwash ???
Post by: NWH on May 18, 2021, 02:49:53 pm
I can see the point in putting up pictures with the results that helps a lot but you could let everyone know a rough price for a job like that,I was meaning just a guide price not an exact one.
Title: Re: Excuse my ignorance... Hypo & Softwash ???
Post by: Slacky on May 18, 2021, 05:01:45 pm
It’s a mornings work Nigel. No more. With 15 squid in chemicals and all associated equipment, which if you’re tight is just a Gardiners backpack and an 18’ CLX.
Title: Re: Excuse my ignorance... Hypo & Softwash ???
Post by: NWH on May 18, 2021, 05:09:37 pm
Talk about going round the houses 🏡 **** me 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Title: Re: Excuse my ignorance... Hypo & Softwash ???
Post by: Slacky on May 18, 2021, 05:39:54 pm
No he only cleaned the front; no pics of the rear elevations.
Title: Re: Excuse my ignorance... Hypo & Softwash ???
Post by: robbo333 on May 18, 2021, 05:45:59 pm
As Slacky said, that is a very relaxing and satisfying mornings work.

What's it worth to the homeowner? Perhaps £250 or £400, I don't know.
Title: Re: Excuse my ignorance... Hypo & Softwash ???
Post by: Splash & dash on May 18, 2021, 08:07:40 pm
No he only cleaned the front; no pics of the rear elevations.


It was the whole  house just didn’t bother to post the other pictures I only put it up to show what can be achieved, I have hundreds of picture like these .
Title: Re: Excuse my ignorance... Hypo & Softwash ???
Post by: Splash & dash on May 18, 2021, 08:08:33 pm
As Slacky said, that is a very relaxing and satisfying mornings work.

What's it worth to the homeowner? Perhaps £250 or £400, I don't know.


😂😂😂, dont think so
Title: Re: Excuse my ignorance... Hypo & Softwash ???
Post by: NWH on May 18, 2021, 08:55:27 pm
250-400 🤣🤣 x3 you might be a smidge closer
Title: Re: Excuse my ignorance... Hypo & Softwash ???
Post by: Splash & dash on May 18, 2021, 08:59:26 pm
250-400 🤣🤣 x3 you might be a smidge closer


A very well known company charge £1450 per job plus vat and are snowed under with work .
Title: Re: Excuse my ignorance... Hypo & Softwash ???
Post by: Slacky on May 18, 2021, 08:59:31 pm
No he only cleaned the front; no pics of the rear elevations.


It was the whole  house just didn’t bother to post the other pictures I only put it up to show what can be achieved, I have hundreds of picture like these .

It was a joke....
Title: Re: Excuse my ignorance... Hypo & Softwash ???
Post by: Splash & dash on May 18, 2021, 09:00:51 pm
No he only cleaned the front; no pics of the rear elevations.


It was the whole  house just didn’t bother to post the other pictures I only put it up to show what can be achieved, I have hundreds of picture like these .

It was a joke....

😂😂
Title: Re: Excuse my ignorance... Hypo & Softwash ???
Post by: zesty on May 19, 2021, 07:08:10 am
250-400 🤣🤣 x3 you might be a smidge closer


A very well known company charge £1450 per job plus vat and are snowed under with work .

That amazes me, as someone who does a lot of softwashing, I literally never get the job if the money is in the 4 digit range.

Commercial, yes, but no way domestic.

I usually charge £3-400 for a standard house. Sometimes £280 odd if it’s a quick job.

Even with those prices I only get around 70% of them. A lot of people just go elsewhere and think it’s extortionate.

Must be an area thing...
Title: Re: Excuse my ignorance... Hypo & Softwash ???
Post by: NWH on May 19, 2021, 09:19:29 am
That house in the pictures looks like it’s been repainted with the great results  I’ve seen some painters clean off something like that with a pathetic effort repaint it and still doesn’t look as good,I’d say it’s money well spent it looks like it’s added 1000s to the property.
Title: Re: Excuse my ignorance... Hypo & Softwash ???
Post by: Splash & dash on May 19, 2021, 09:55:34 am
That house in the pictures looks like it’s been repainted with the great results  I’ve seen some painters clean off something like that with a pathetic effort repaint it and still doesn’t look as good,I’d say it’s money well spent it looks like it’s added 1000s to the property.



This house is k rend  we do  loads of them , don’t get all we price but get the vast majority 500-1500   Depending on size commercial well that’s in a different league 😂😂😂
Title: Re: Excuse my ignorance... Hypo & Softwash ???
Post by: Splash & dash on May 19, 2021, 09:58:00 am
250-400 🤣🤣 x3 you might be a smidge closer


A very well known company charge £1450 per job plus vat and are snowed under with work .

That amazes me, as someone who does a lot of softwashing, I literally never get the job if the money is in the 4 digit range.

Commercial, yes, but no way domestic.

I usually charge £3-400 for a standard house. Sometimes £280 odd if it’s a quick job.

Even with those prices I only get around 70% of them. A lot of people just go elsewhere and think it’s extortionate.

Must be an area thing...


I think it is an area thing we quoted one house along with garden walls and detached garage at £675  didn’t get the job , someone else did it for less than £100  and to be fair they did a good job , just Ime not prepared to do stuff like that cheap ,
Title: Re: Excuse my ignorance... Hypo & Softwash ???
Post by: Slacky on May 19, 2021, 10:25:23 am
250-400 🤣🤣 x3 you might be a smidge closer


A very well known company charge £1450 per job plus vat and are snowed under with work .

That amazes me, as someone who does a lot of softwashing, I literally never get the job if the money is in the 4 digit range.

Commercial, yes, but no way domestic.

I usually charge £3-400 for a standard house. Sometimes £280 odd if it’s a quick job.

Even with those prices I only get around 70% of them. A lot of people just go elsewhere and think it’s extortionate.

Must be an area thing...

I find with pressure washing once you get over the £1,000.00 mark there’s an interesting shift in the customers level of  expectations.
Title: Re: Excuse my ignorance... Hypo & Softwash ???
Post by: NWH on May 19, 2021, 10:27:49 am
I would let them do it if I don’t get the price I want I feel after a while I don’t want to continue.
Title: Re: Excuse my ignorance... Hypo & Softwash ???
Post by: markymark on May 19, 2021, 11:10:52 am
There's nothing like that sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach as you get halfway through a job and realise you've underquoted for the work involved. It zaps all the motivation out of work for me. The trick is to only get caught out once if you can help it  :P
Title: Re: Excuse my ignorance... Hypo & Softwash ???
Post by: Slacky on May 19, 2021, 12:00:13 pm
There's nothing like that sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach as you get halfway through a job and realise you've underquoted for the work involved. It zaps all the motivation out of work for me. The trick is to only get caught out once if you can help it  :P

Exactly. I priced up a job recently feeling very confident I’d bagged it already from the conversation with the client. Some roof pressure washing, full roof biocide, rear patio pressure wash and very large front drive pressure wash.

I know it’s probs 6 days work, maybe 7. Or if I trot along at a gentle pace I’ll kick it out in two weeks and still get two weeks money. No pressures, nice pics for the website.
Title: Re: Excuse my ignorance... Hypo & Softwash ???
Post by: zesty on May 19, 2021, 12:07:29 pm
I’m more than happy with the £350-400 range for a softwash job in my area (north Essex). I usually plan two for the day, so it ends up being a £7-800 day.

There is balance, I love softwashing, it’s just so easy and the lump sum payment is always nice. With that, I tend to find I don’t mind dropping the price a touch if the customer seems unenthusiastic. I’d much rather get £250 for a couple of hours work softwashing  than the equivalent in window cleaning.

Title: Re: Excuse my ignorance... Hypo & Softwash ???
Post by: NWH on May 19, 2021, 01:40:44 pm
I always go above any quote especially if it’s going to be regular.
Title: Re: Excuse my ignorance... Hypo & Softwash ???
Post by: Splash & dash on May 19, 2021, 02:39:15 pm
I’m more than happy with the £350-400 range for a softwash job in my area (north Essex). I usually plan two for the day, so it ends up being a £7-800 day.

There is balance, I love softwashing, it’s just so easy and the lump sum payment is always nice. With that, I tend to find I don’t mind dropping the price a touch if the customer seems unenthusiastic. I’d much rather get £250 for a couple of hours work softwashing  than the equivalent in window cleaning.


I wouldn’t want to hypo anything for less than £400 do t like getting covers in the stuff 😂😂😂
Title: Re: Excuse my ignorance... Hypo & Softwash ???
Post by: Smudger on May 19, 2021, 03:31:56 pm
250-400 🤣🤣 x3 you might be a smidge closer


A very well known company charge £1450 per job plus vat and are snowed under with work .

That amazes me, as someone who does a lot of softwashing, I literally never get the job if the money is in the 4 digit range.

Commercial, yes, but no way domestic.

I usually charge £3-400 for a standard house. Sometimes £280 odd if it’s a quick job.

Even with those prices I only get around 70% of them. A lot of people just go elsewhere and think it’s extortionate.

Must be an area thing...

If your getting 70% quoted your too cheap - price comes down to what value the customer thinks it’s worth some wouldn’t pay for it if you quoted 100 quid those that do are getting a bargain but on top of that don’t value the service as much - it maybe quick to do but the alternative is for them to get a painter on it (not k rend) which at £80 a tin of paint before all the prep work them paint is going to cost far more and if they don’t clean it correctly it will grow through the paint.

It’s a bespoke job and priced accordingly

Darran
Title: Re: Excuse my ignorance... Hypo & Softwash ???
Post by: Slacky on May 19, 2021, 06:22:03 pm
I’m more than happy with the £350-400 range for a softwash job in my area (north Essex). I usually plan two for the day, so it ends up being a £7-800 day.

There is balance, I love softwashing, it’s just so easy and the lump sum payment is always nice. With that, I tend to find I don’t mind dropping the price a touch if the customer seems unenthusiastic. I’d much rather get £250 for a couple of hours work softwashing  than the equivalent in window cleaning.


I wouldn’t want to hypo anything for less than £400 do t like getting covers in the stuff 😂😂😂

I personally think one of the things about working with hypo are the associated concerns and costs you need to be aware of and need to allow for.

I’ve lost count of the number of work tops I’ve ruined because I thought it wouldn’t get on them. I also have quite a nice range of pink spotted cargo work trousers. You have to concern yourself with the customers property, their neighbours property, garden, washing line and fish pond.
Title: Re: Excuse my ignorance... Hypo & Softwash ???
Post by: zesty on May 19, 2021, 06:45:50 pm
250-400 🤣🤣 x3 you might be a smidge closer


A very well known company charge £1450 per job plus vat and are snowed under with work .

That amazes me, as someone who does a lot of softwashing, I literally never get the job if the money is in the 4 digit range.

Commercial, yes, but no way domestic.

I usually charge £3-400 for a standard house. Sometimes £280 odd if it’s a quick job.

Even with those prices I only get around 70% of them. A lot of people just go elsewhere and think it’s extortionate.

Must be an area thing...

If your getting 70% quoted your too cheap - price comes down to what value the customer thinks it’s worth some wouldn’t pay for it if you quoted 100 quid those that do are getting a bargain but on top of that don’t value the service as much - it maybe quick to do but the alternative is for them to get a painter on it (not k rend) which at £80 a tin of paint before all the prep work them paint is going to cost far more and if they don’t clean it correctly it will grow through the paint.

It’s a bespoke job and priced accordingly

Darran

Honestly Darren, I wouldn’t get anywhere near 70% of the quotes if I were quoting £7-800.

For me, it’s easy money. I’d be more than happy to softwash full time  ;D

I always mention the saving compared to painting, I reckon there must be others round my way doing it cheap, as i almost never get the quotes that are over £500. Literally 1 in 10 at that price.

I’ve got a dedicated website for softwashing as well, (ranked high on Google) so I’m also suprised I don’t get more enquiries. Must be competition!
Title: Re: Excuse my ignorance... Hypo & Softwash ???
Post by: Smudger on May 19, 2021, 08:20:27 pm
thats the thing - if you were getting them everyday all day then that sort of price would be more acceptable - but as a one off stand alone job its hardly above regular window cleaning rate - so I would rather pass - all one off works need to pay at LEAST double regular work

Darran
Title: Re: Excuse my ignorance... Hypo & Softwash ???
Post by: Slacky on May 19, 2021, 08:56:38 pm
There was a post on a local FB group page earlier today. Someone looking for a bod to do some gutter clearing. A local punter/member of the public/know it all suggested £25 an hour was the going rate for this type of work.

I shouldn’t but I do get annoyed with these types. It’s a race to the bottom on FB.

A few years ago on here there was that shiner/web designer guy, Ian, from Cambridgeshire claiming FB was going to be the new Google and was the way to go for advertising....
Title: Re: Excuse my ignorance... Hypo & Softwash ???
Post by: zesty on May 19, 2021, 10:13:28 pm
thats the thing - if you were getting them everyday all day then that sort of price would be more acceptable - but as a one off stand alone job its hardly above regular window cleaning rate - so I would rather pass - all one off works need to pay at LEAST double regular work

Darran

It’s pretty good money at £3-400 for 3 hours work to me, much easier than the equivalent in window cleaning. I average about one a week throughout spring and summer, it makes a huge difference to my monthly wage.

If I were able to get them for say £800-1000 that’d be great, but I know customers would just go elsewhere seen as there is other local guys softwashing for much less.

Obviously commercial is a different ball game, but for a 3-4 bed house softwash round here, it’s very difficult to get any work at all at the £800-1000 mark. £3-400 is pretty much the sweet spot I’ve found. Still don’t get them all even at those prices.
Title: Re: Excuse my ignorance... Hypo & Softwash ???
Post by: Smudger on May 19, 2021, 10:49:37 pm
3 hours plus all the x's - travel - change of cloths - cleaning equipment - getting the hypo etc...

Darran



Title: Re: Excuse my ignorance... Hypo & Softwash ???
Post by: Slacky on May 19, 2021, 11:11:01 pm
I’ve got a dedicated website for softwashing as well, (ranked high on Google) so I’m also suprised I don’t get more enquiries. Must be competition!

Email me on admin@drivewaywash.co.uk I may have a suggestion for you about website ranking and phone calls a site generates.

I’d rather not share it publicly, there’s competition about.

Matt
Title: Re: Excuse my ignorance... Hypo & Softwash ???
Post by: zesty on May 20, 2021, 07:00:20 am
I’ve got a dedicated website for softwashing as well, (ranked high on Google) so I’m also suprised I don’t get more enquiries. Must be competition!

Email me on admin@drivewaywash.co.uk I may have a suggestion for you about website ranking and phone calls a site generates.

I’d rather not share it publicly, there’s competition about.

Matt

Likewise, never wanted to give away my company name on here, made that mistake in the past.

Will email later  ;)
Title: Re: Excuse my ignorance... Hypo & Softwash ???
Post by: zesty on May 20, 2021, 07:01:09 am
3 hours plus all the x's - travel - change of cloths - cleaning equipment - getting the hypo etc...

Darran

True - we still need a phone call!
Title: Re: Excuse my ignorance... Hypo & Softwash ???
Post by: tom20001 on May 20, 2021, 10:57:35 am
There's nothing like that sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach as you get halfway through a job and realise you've underquoted for the work involved. It zaps all the motivation out of work for me. The trick is to only get caught out once if you can help it  :P

Have to agree terrible feeling and always feels as bad as the 1st time
Title: Re: Excuse my ignorance... Hypo & Softwash ???
Post by: Owenhargreavesmidf on May 26, 2021, 09:12:53 pm
Hypo is strong but handle with care