Clean It Up

UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: ccs19 on October 01, 2004, 09:14:04 pm

Title: Portable or truckmount
Post by: ccs19 on October 01, 2004, 09:14:04 pm: is it more expensive to clean with a truckmount...i.e. does it use more cleaning solutions
Title: Re: Portable or truckmount
Post by: HolmansUKLTD on October 01, 2004, 09:30:37 pm: May be a good idea to look through the archives or FAQ

Nick
Title: Re: Portable or truckmount
Post by: Dynafoam on October 01, 2004, 09:57:17 pm: ccs19,

In simple terms, yes !

You will be supplying the fuel, maintenance costs are generaly higher and if you have been using a low-power portable you will likely find that you will, due to higher flow-rate, use more water and any in-tank addative.

However you may find that these costs may be counteracted by increased productivity.

John.

PS. ..........................................

I hope that since additional features are more easilly used, we do not get silly about using them.
Title: Re: Portable or truckmount
Post by: Dennis on October 01, 2004, 10:12:57 pm: Why not ;D
Title: Re: Portable or truckmount
Post by: Len Gribble on October 01, 2004, 10:13:44 pm: Ccs19

Any relation to dunny19 ???

With regards to cleaning agents NO as I rinse with water, fuel costs to run the machine = productivity = on to next job + your sales patter. ;D ;D

Len
Title: Re: Portable or truckmount
Post by: John_Flynn on October 01, 2004, 10:21:43 pm: I use the only Truckmount of it's kind in the world (Dave Ingham Highbred!!)
I also rinse with water and use customers electricity but do have the additional cost of fuel to heat my water to 90c in required an expensive £5.00 per week!!
Title: Re: Portable or truckmount
Post by: Glynn on October 01, 2004, 10:49:47 pm: At the rates of hours I used to put on portables (3 X exels) each X 2 vac motors , each needing at least ONE replaqcement P/A = 6 X £180 (ish) + vat = £95.00 + = £635 . + 1 X pump a yr = £750
This will buy quiet a lot of fuel. My machine uses about £2.00 worth of petrol to turnover about £200 - £220 and this is halfing the time that YOU need for filling buckets and waiting for a 2.5 KW kettle element to warm 10 gals of tepid water.
answer = would I go back to portable machines ? , if I was starting up and there was nothing else, then yes I would.

However, knowing what I do , then no way, I wasted some 22yrs losing valuable family time and unknowingly money !. I'm sure that every (almost) current TM operator would agree, and not the "self build type, that is nowhere near a TM.

Glynn

Say it like it is.
Title: Re: Portable or truckmount
Post by: Dynafoam on October 01, 2004, 11:02:48 pm: Quote
.......................and not the "self build type, that is nowhere near a TM.

Glynn,

I assume that that comment was aimed at me (?).

What makes you assume that a "self build type" is any less powerful than the machine that you use?

A 22hp diesel engine is is a 22hp engine regardless of who connects it to the ancillary components, and these are most commonly outsorced.
Title: Re: Portable or truckmount
Post by: Shaun_Ashmore on October 01, 2004, 11:06:04 pm: I got rid of my electric TM and my tech and got a petrol TM and I do exactly the same amount of work in exactly the same amount of hours, apart from the petrol TM is far cheaper than a tech.

Shaun

Ps Your Tm runs about half the price fuel wise as mine, how's that?
Title: Re: Portable or truckmount
Post by: Glynn on October 01, 2004, 11:19:02 pm: John,
It was not aimed at you !
why should it be, however since you mention it - whatever tm you built would not be anywhere near a tm that I would purchase.

You have your own opinions of machines as do I, they may not always agree with oneanother, but none the less, I believe I have at least as good a business as indeed yourself. I have been operating for 25 years and am steadily growing (at MY pace) so I must be at least doing SOMETHING correct ,
I am not interested in starting any argument as to " a portable is better than a TM, as we all know it isnt , and this is clearly reflected in the price, I have never found any one single operator to take the step backward).

Once again , I have the utmost respect for you John, but must clearly set out my own business principals as well, and in this case I believe mine to be correct IMO.

Best regards

Glynn
Title: Re: Portable or truckmount
Post by: Londoner on October 02, 2004, 03:16:13 pm: It seems to me (as someone who doesn't have a trukmount) that the biggest single cost is the vehicle itself.

There also lies the biggest disadvantage in being tied in to that vehicle. My friend, who is not in the cleaning business, had a virtually brand new van off the road for three weeks waiting for a new power steering rack. It was not a problem because they lent him another van but you can't do that if its a TM system.

Also here in London parking is a nightmare. You can't just drop the gear off and then go find somewhere to park as you would with a portable.
Title: Re: Portable or truckmount
Post by: Mike Halliday on October 02, 2004, 03:45:01 pm: does every portable user on this site live in london, it gets said every time anyone mentions truckmounts "here in london you can never get parked"

I'm starting think this is an easy excuse for not having a T/M I bet theirs 100s of T/M users in london and they don't seam to have a problem.

can all you London carpet cleaners think of a different excuse for a change, ' can't get parked' is wearing a bit thin ;)

Mike
Title: Re: Portable or truckmount
Post by: Nigel_W on October 02, 2004, 04:29:03 pm: Hi Mick,

I have worked the cream of the residential areas of Central London now for 15 years. I have not seen another truckmount user on a regular basis in all that time. You do see the occasional carpet cleaning tourist coming in from the suburbs with their trucks. If there are hundreds of truckmounts then they must be working the City and business areas.

Nigel

PS I would love to see how long you would last with your set up in Knightsbridge, Mayfair, Kensington and Chelsea. Fancy a job swap for a week? ;D
Title: Re: Portable or truckmount
Post by: Doug Holloway on October 02, 2004, 05:27:26 pm: Hi Guys,

London is really two towns , Central where parking is a nightmare and Greater which is much the same as any built up area , constructed before common ownership of cars.

In Central London it is common to see double parking which means you are not going to get outside but you can park in the middle of the road. 8)

Nigel , I like your carpet cleaning tourist idea, next time I come in I'll try to convince myself I'm on holiday ;)

Cheers,

Doug
Title: Re: Portable or truckmount
Post by: lee_gundry on October 02, 2004, 06:49:08 pm: .whats happend to pic size

that is a good close up of a real carpet cleaning unit ;)
Title: Re: Portable or truckmount
Post by: stevegunn on October 02, 2004, 06:56:12 pm: Lee i've seen your unit close up and was not impressed ;)

Glynn seemed to be better ;)
Title: Re: Portable or truckmount
Post by: lee_gundry on October 02, 2004, 07:00:27 pm: steve

was that the kitchen or bedroon unit.

ps

just recived delivery of the scrubba from paul D ,thanks for the tip off

Lee G
Title: Re: Portable or truckmount
Post by: Len Gribble on October 02, 2004, 07:11:02 pm: Mike

Even the porty boys have problems parking say in SW, NW W and EC to name a few postcodes in London. Timing game comes in to place = parking restrictions = more money

Defiantly not 100’s of TM how many fingers do you have! Suburbia not central.

Doug

You got me thinking wonder if the can nick a horse and cart with a TM on then you could also supply the customer with manure 50p at bag = more money ;D

I like the bit about double parking, don’t forget the flashing light ;D

Len
Title: Re: Portable or truckmount
Post by: Dynafoam on October 02, 2004, 07:26:26 pm: Mike,

Parking problems are not unique to London.

I work on several housing areas that have no roads, the only parking being in garage areas around the periphery, and these get very full. I often have to walk 400-500 feet just to get to the house. (I do charge a premium on these jobs).

They do have fire access points and it used to be possible to hire a key to the fire gate, but due to abuses the facility was withdrawn.

John.
Title: Re: Portable or truckmount
Post by: Londoner on October 03, 2004, 09:14:43 am: The real problem is not so much parking ( and yes we Londoners are always moaning about the parking) its access.
Round these parts when they build anything new they leave the bare minimum of access because they are keen to cram as much as they possibly can onto the site.

Also,flash places like Chasewood Park on the top of Harrow on the Hill won't allow vans to be parked where they can be seen so its the underground car par or round the back.
Title: Re: Portable or truckmount
Post by: Dennis on October 03, 2004, 11:23:33 am: Slightly off-topic I know, but the paper today reports that more people are challenging parking tickets and winning, figures from London show more than half the appeals are successful!
It also has a couple of websites,
www.parkingticket.co.uk (http://www.parkingticket.co.uk) and www.appealnow.com (http://www.appealnow.com)
The first one links to www.ticketbusters.co.uk/ (http://www.ticketbusters.co.uk) for appealing against tickets (was it Len with ticket problems? ;) )
Title: Re: Portable or truckmount
Post by: Len Gribble on October 03, 2004, 06:38:09 pm: Dennis

I went directly to Westminster parking service via e-mail with a picture-received acknowledgement from them, waiting reply. I also told them to note the dropped kerb as you can get nicked for driving up a kerb. ???

Those sites are now in my favourites thanks.

What I will add it’s worth having a camera on board. :(

Len
Title: Re: Portable or truckmount
Post by: Dennis on October 03, 2004, 07:03:44 pm: I'm glad I live in the sticks where traffic wardens and police leave you alone (as long as you don't park in stupid places) or even smile and say Good Morning! :o
Title: Re: Portable or truckmount
Post by: Kinver_Clean on October 04, 2004, 08:08:27 am: Who are these people called police and traffic wardens?

Trevor
Rural Worcestershire
Title: Re: Portable or truckmount
Post by: AppealNow.com on October 04, 2004, 08:56:39 am: I have read with interest your users experience of getting incorrect or illegal parking tickets..

If any of your users would like to air their experiences on TV please contact me with details of your parking ticket nightmare and contact details.
Barrie Segal
Founder of AppealNow.com
The website where you appeal your parking ticket at the touch of a button™
Title: Re: Portable or truckmount
Post by: HolmansUKLTD on October 04, 2004, 09:23:50 am: I had a parking ticket in Wimbledon, paid it within 20mins as i as passing crown house and 1 mnth later i got a final warning and possible court appereance if i diddnt pay???

After the issue was cleared up the reason was i paid the ticket too soon ::)

Crazy people

Nick
Title: Re: Portable or truckmount
Post by: Ian Gourlay on October 04, 2004, 04:11:29 pm: AS Truckmounts are unable to operate in London does that mean The Multi Million pound houses are receiving an inferior cleaning servce with muck grime and residue being left in the carpet?

I do not think so.
Title: Re: Portable or truckmount
Post by: Len Gribble on October 04, 2004, 08:50:18 pm: Ian

Tm’s do operate in London Me then it’s logistical ask questions; some are receiving an inferior clean when they get their own cleaners to do it with an inappropriate machine/cleaning agent ???

Barrie

If I have no joy with Westminster >:( watch this space!

Len