Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: jeff1 on November 02, 2006, 10:06:10 am
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Hi Guy's
Now I know what the title say's but its not there to create a fight of wfp is better than trad or vise versa?
Now this year I have had loads of guttering Jobs to do, and as you can see from the attached photo this is the results and standards I work to, and its all done off the ladder.
Next year when I change to wfp I would like to do the guttering from the ground and end up with the same results? Now is it possible to Achieve the same results with wfp in and out of the guttering?
I find doing guttering a change from cleaning windows and enjoy the break, Its not hard work and I have a method that enables me to clean guttering pretty fast (although H&S wouldn't approve) ::)
Is it hard work to achieve good results with wfp.
Your comments and finding would be Greatly appreciated.
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Hi mate. Personally I can't see how you'd achieve such good results with a pole due to not being able to get the brush up under the guttering. It's tight with a cloth, so I can't see how you'd get a brush through the gap.
I use WFP every day and think it's the best thing I've ever done for my business, just incase you thought I was anti WFP ;)
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we have 2 different rates for guttering. By pole (cheaper) or by cherry picker (more expensive).
Personally I prefer using the cherry picker, the money isn't any better but its less tiring and easier to do a top notch job.
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Hi mate. Personally I can't see how you'd achieve such good results with a pole due to not being able to get the brush up under the guttering. It's tight with a cloth, so I can't see how you'd get a brush through the gap.
I use WFP every day and think it's the best thing I've ever done for my business, just incase you thought I was anti WFP ;)
You are so right about the cloth, it will be interesting to see comments on the method used by pole.
we have 2 different rates for guttering. By pole (cheaper) or by cherry picker (more expensive).
Personally I prefer using the cherry picker, the money isn't any better but its less tiring and easier to do a top notch job.
I think the cherry picker idea is cool, but the cost must be way over some peoples expectations with regards to pricing? Do you get many Jobs that you can use a cherry picker?
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quite a few actually, we hire out the cherry picker on a trailer,which means we can do 3 average size jobs in a day - so what we do is organise to do 3 jobs in the same week then any morning it is raining I will go over to the hire yard and take the cherry picker there and then - go do the jobs all in the same day.
£148 hire split between 3 jobs, £125 for each job (average price) plus the £50 for hire, means it is stil less than £200 per job. On top of that I get trade prices on the hire so its only £116 hire, 3 jobs at £125 plus £34 = £409 or there abouts.
Take off the £50 I give the lad from next door for helping out leaves approx £350 plus I'll always buy him a pub dinner and a case of lager.
All in I've at least £300 left in my hand, not bad for a wet day.
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I do loads of gutter cleaning jobs.
Have tried both ways with WFP and by hand i also have a pressure washer with a gutter cleaning attachment.
I mostly always do it by hand as i find the results are a lot better.
You could not do the inside of the gutters with wfp anyway unless you buy a gutter attachment and then you need a pressure washer as there is no where near enough pressure with a WFP system.
And the underside is bloody hard work with a wfp due to the angle of the brush and then it does not get anything behind the gutters.
Doing gutters with an extendible lance with gutter attachment we use from time to time if the house has a porch or something or if there is a tight spot.
But its a messy job with a pressure washer as everything comes over the top.
And i have checked my work with a pressure washer and there always seems to be some dirt left behind.
So i would say traditional is best if you want a top notch job.
Paul
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We clean out the guttering by hand and depending on what access and condition the gutters are we either get the ladders out or WFP.
Think each job will merit it own method.
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Thanks Jm123 good day's earnings, there were a couple of Jobs I had were access would be impossible with the cherry picker, but well worth keeping in mind.
I think Paul has given an honest answer to the question.
Trevor do you have any pictures of Guttering you have done by wf aloan?
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I have 2 houses tomorrow that I am cleaning the outside of the guttering on.
I am planning on just using WFP... I'll take some before and after pics and post them tomorrow evening for all to see :)
Andy
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Even though we use wfp we always do fascias and gutters by hand as the finish is better.
Just price the job properley and you can make some serious money. ;)
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Personally one i'd do it trad cause then you can see what your doing but then use your hose to rinse and see if the gutters aren't blocked.
But that's just me!! lol
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Hi Jeff.
Mint job there, well done dude.
I do all mine by pole. I run Tucker so if its bad i can add a deturgent bottle then rince after with pure water. Ive a seperate pole for gutter & fascia jobs with a 6inch brush on, gets right in the brackets & corners & always comes up mint.
Macc
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I have 2 houses tomorrow that I am cleaning the outside of the guttering on.
I am planning on just using WFP... I'll take some before and after pics and post them tomorrow evening for all to see :)
Andy
That would be great Andy if you could, but don't make any special effort just for the photo's ;) I really would love to see pic's of a wfp Guttering Job.Even though we use wfp we always do fascias and gutters by hand as the finish is better.
Just price the job properley and you can make some serious money. ;)
Ronaldo you are so right about serious money, I have had a good week this week with guttering, I have a really dirty one tomorrow so I will Take some before and after pic's and post them here aswell.Personally one i'd do it trad cause then you can see what your doing but then use your hose to rinse and see if the gutters aren't blocked.
But that's just me!! lol
s_richardson
I always stick the hose in the Guttering, this also highlights any faults ie leaks in bad joints or blocked down pipes,and even checks the fall of the guttering.
The picture below had a blocked down pipe the customer never knew about, it was caused house martins (not the group ;D) they knew the birds had been nesting up there and were pleased I found a failt before the onset of winter.
Hi Jeff.
Mint job there, well done dude.
I do all mine by pole. I run Tucker so if its bad i can add a deturgent bottle then rince after with pure water. Ive a seperate pole for gutter & fascia jobs with a 6inch brush on, gets right in the brackets & corners & always comes up mint.
Macc
Macc don't make me blush on a public forum :-[ 'O' go on then ;D ;D
Macc do you have any pic's taken of your work?
What are gazza's brushes like for guttering? and what detergent do you use? or is it TFR?
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For gutter cleans - especially filthy ones - I'll wash most of the gunk off with my WFP, then get my ladders out and dig out the dirt and polish up the whites while I'm up there.
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Don't you find that double the hard work then Tosh?
As for diging out the muck, I had one this week were I had to turn my fingers side ways to slide the muck along, there must have been less than half an inch gap between the tiles and guttering edge, it was the worse one I have ever had. and there was so much muck in there.
you can't see it very well in the pic but this is the one.
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Don't you find that double the hard work then Tosh?
I always find gutter cleaning hard work, but I try to price well.
What I do is to get as much muck off the gutters and soffits with the pole and then when I'm up my ladder and digging out the muck from the gutters, I rub my scrims over the white bits, which are mostly white after the WFP bit.
It works for me.
Hard work though; I agree.
It still beats washing and rubbing a 'green' moss covered gutter from scratch.
I'm open to suggestions though, if anyone knows a better way of producing a good result for a good price.
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Hi jeff.
Done a 4 bedder today, going back saturday to take some pics after ive done another one, will post them up then.
Macc
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Hi jeff.
Done a 4 bedder today, going back saturday to take some pics after ive done another one, will post them up then.
Macc
Brill thanks Macc
I'll look forward to any pic's,
got a really manky one tomorrow and a four sider, Didn't want it so I quoted £250 as soon as I gave her the price she said OK when can you do it. I'll take some before and after pic's and put them up aswell.
Don't you find that double the hard work then Tosh?
I always find gutter cleaning hard work, but I try to price well.
What I do is to get as much muck off the gutters and soffits with the pole and then when I'm up my ladder and digging out the muck from the gutters, I rub my scrims over the white bits, which are mostly white after the WFP bit.
It works for me.
Hard work though; I agree.
It still beats washing and rubbing a 'green' moss covered gutter from scratch.
I'm open to suggestions though, if anyone knows a better way of producing a good result for a good price.
Tosh
I must admit I expect the water and brush first really helps to loosen the crud off?
I'll tell you how I do it although health and safety would have a field day with me.
For washing the Guttering I use the old cloth bar mats you used to have on bars they are excellent cloths for this type of work.
I use them for my gutters and cill's, but here's were H&S would like to catch me.
I have two sets of ladders with two stand offs, I have them a maximum of a foot apart and I have the boss (Mrs) footing the ladder/s.
I set my ladder so my arms Length with no streching from the begining of the guttering, clean the section I can, then I step across to the next ladder with my boss footing both sets,
once i'm on the next ladder the boss moves the first ladder to the other side close enough for me to step onto it. and so on it saves me going up and down all the time and this actually cuts at least half hour of a job.
But just let me say this to anyone who thinks it a good idea maybe it is, but it is also dangerous, so I don't want you blaming me if you do the same and fall. my advice is don't do it.
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Here are a few shots of a Job I did today, a detached house and all four sides were as dirty as you can see in the Pictures,
I tried something different today, I did three of the sides the usual way (trad) and at the rear of the house, I stood on the concreate tiled roof, and used my consevatory roof pole and brush, now this pole extends to 10' and is mains fed.
working with it at an angle killed my arms, I had to keep putting it down to rest my them,
Now I don't know if it was because I was stood on the roof or because I used the pole, but the rear side was done in half the time, My opinion is it was a combination of pole and standing on the roof. (and I got soaked ;D) Now this one took me four and a half hours to do, that is the longest I have spent on one house.
mabe by the pictures you can see how dirty it was?
I over priced it and was expecting to be told to take a jump but the lady of the house just replied when can you do it. So Today was the day. what do you think?
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Here's a couple more.
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that looks a tad dangerous mate!
JohnL
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Nice finish there jeff.
What do you clean the outsides with just damp cloths.
Paul
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Hi Paul
I use the old beer matts from the Bars, they hold a lot of water when needed, and I use a clean dry one to polish, some might say its unprofessional, but if they do a good Job.
whats unprofessional about it, it beats ruining my scrims, and the matts are as good as microfibres I know I use them as well.