Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: dazmond on November 18, 2009, 10:43:47 am
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heres what im looking at getting next year.ive been 15 yrs TRAD with a domestic round of 350 custys and v.competent with all aspects of trad cleaning inclu pole work etc.no plans to employ and tds is 35 round here so DI ONLY .im also on a water meter in a first floor flat.
vauxuall combo/kangoo/berlingo type van
250lt tank,pump,hoses,DI etc
25ft slx pole/brodex hydra pole
backpack
spare pump/poles/hose/clips/tool box
does this sound ok?can top up tank at dinnertime at home or custys outside tap
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i think you will be fine with that
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also do u find that after a while u end up using the pole on nearly all custys windows as its quicker!so my ladders/squeegy etc will virtually become redundant.cant imagine not using my squeegy!the wfp tops/trad bottoms becomes a hassle so u end up wfpoling the lot?any help welcome guys!
dazmond
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Buy a bigger van and future proof yourself!!!
Get the hydra!!!
Fasten your reel to the ibc inside the van(.use buckle straps for this )
Dont bother with a backpack(100 mtr hose is enough)
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ive been looking at the brodex 250 DI system but it seems v.expensive for just the tank,pump and DI canister.1200quid i think without VAT! :o :o.then ive got the hose,reel,poles,spare pump etc to buy.what if i bought all the gear seperate on online then got a guy i know from a local garage to fit the tank in the van for me?would that work out cheaper.ive heard that its not too difficult to put a d.i.y system together with a bit of research on here!all help welcome chaps!
best wishes to u all
dazmond
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theres a few reasons why i dont want a bigger van.
1.i dont like em!too cumbersome!
2.i want to fill my tank up at other peoples outside taps who are not on meters as much as poss to save my water bill!20 mins/half hr to fill 250 tank DI only.
3.im sure 500 lts will do me for a full days work.{average 6-7 hrs actual work!}
4.dont like the idea of carrying more than 250lt of water about in a van!
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ive been looking at the brodex 250 DI system but it seems v.expensive for just the tank,pump and DI canister.1200quid i think without VAT! :o :o.then ive got the hose,reel,poles,spare pump etc to buy.what if i bought all the gear seperate on online then got a guy i know from a local garage to fit the tank in the van for me?would that work out cheaper.ive heard that its not too difficult to put a d.i.y system together with a bit of research on here!all help welcome chaps!
best wishes to u all
dazmond
daz give surecleansystems a search on google, they are from NI and send stuff over to england and all over, they give you instructions on how to fit the kit yourself, worth a shot m8 if you are looking to get a local guy to assist you with diy fitting.
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theres a few reasons why i dont want a bigger van.
1.i dont like em!too cumbersome!
2.i want to fill my tank up at other peoples outside taps who are not on meters as much as poss to save my water bill!20 mins/half hr to fill 250 tank DI only.
3.im sure 500 lts will do me for a full days work.{average 6-7 hrs actual work!}
4.dont like the idea of carrying more than 250lt of water about in a van!
First of all DI only can be extremely expensive, why get your water from your customers?
its YOUR business, thats why you charge your customers!
Water metre expenses are an overhead you have to pay for.
Scrounging water from your customers is very unprofessional, cheeky and will give the impression to some people that you are a cowboy.
If you cant afford to run a WFP set up, then you obviously havent enough customers to warrant it.
Matt
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oh and dazmond id get the RO too, better in the long run and DI only will be far more expensive in the long run no matter what your TDS reading is currently.
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my custy's allow me to top up at theirs if i want to too. Only do it if i really have to though.
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I started in April this year with an RO/DI setup from Pure Freedom. Here's my findings.
I have a 500l system and have never run out of water yet - max houses cleaned in a day, around 16. My In TDS is 85, post RO is 1 and DI takes it to zero. I had a 20ft glass fibre GXel to start with and it was fine... to start with. I now have a SLX 27 + Superlight on angle adapter (no gooseneck), the old GXel (with Vikan hilo stiff sill brush - used as a spare and to apply TFR prior to doing gutter exteriors) and a 4ft gf pole with a soft Vikan hilo sill brush. To date i've not needed any other pole. I also have a full set of traditional gear, rarely used, say 3 times a month, except the Unger poles which get used more.
I have a SWB Trafic and am glad I didn't get the smaller van I considered. Why? I have a trolley I put together myself + 2 x 20l barrels. This together with a set of 12ft-ish ladders, the poles, 200m reel, descent sized tool box and assorted other gear all fits in nicely. I also do a bit of pressure washing and the washer goes into the van in place of the trolley.
I didn't feel confident putting together a system for the first time, and looking at the excellent job Pure Freedom did i'm glad I didn't - it's very professionally done. Getting all those bits and pieces they use, well, i'm not sure i'd know where to start. Well I would, but you know what I mean.
I use far more consumables than I thought - gloves, wfp fittings, flow control valves, brushes, bolts, washers, PTFE tape, filters etc etc. Like trad gear WFP equipment has a shelf life and it does get bashed around. I have to say i'm more careful now than I was, but still.
I am OK with 500l - more litres = more fuel if you run full. Get a spare pole - if you snap one then you are gonna lose a couple of days work waiting for a new one to arrive. It's reassuring to have a spare. Carry a good comprehensive tool kit with you - mine is used almost daily. I even thought today I should get one of those plug in water heating elements that you can make tea with so I can boil water to make getting the clear hose of the "Y" piece at the brush head easier!!!
I'd definately do gutter cleaning and pressure washing. Nice break from windows, plus it's a good earner.
I have 230 custies as I sit here, but am ruthless with bad payers, people who don't clean their dog muck up etc. I see I have binned around 40 custies. I can barely manage the 230 I have (almost all are 4-weekly). I am sat here now with the rain falling, I have 12 clean 2morrow of which 1 wants the insides doing (£35). This will earn me £225, but I know that with the shorter days we have now I won't get round them all. I leave home to arrive at the first one at 08:30 and finish at around 4:30 if it's a "normal" day. I'll be working the next 3 Saturdays to cope with cleans I won't be able to do over the next few days cos of the weather.
Definately don't fill up at custies houses - it's unprofessional and you could be cleaning. Cleaning = earning.
Def get RO. See http://www.cleantech.co.uk/tdscalc.htm
You'll already have the plastic bottle to pee into in the back of the van. A bigger van makes this joyous experience a little less difficult....
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matt tds is only 35 so a DI only i think will be better because no waste water with DI.as for topping up water on the job.ive got loads of custys with outside taps who wouldnt mind me topping up if need be as long as i check with them first!maybe i should get a 400lt tank and a mid-range van like a scudo/expert/dispatch?would that be better do u think?MATT how do u go on with the escort van?surely u cant get more than a 250 in the back?what do u do?nip home and refill?would 400tank do me for 6 hrs?
best wishes to everyone
dazmond
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sorry i gave the wrong impression before about getting water from custys taps.what i mean is that i would leave with a full tank and come home some days to refill but if im quite far away use an outside tap!on second thoughts maybe thats too much hassle.a bigger tank{400lt}and a expert/dispatch/scudo is probably wiser.that should last me a full day after first cleans are done!
thanks for ur posts
dazmond
1
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Daz its a 350 litre tank, as long as I dont have my pressure washer in the back I can easily fill my tank. 350 lasts me all day.
I would go with either the Citreon Dispatch or peugeot Expert.
I had a look at the Dispatch a couple of months ago, but taking into account that I am going to get a guttervac, I am looking at a Traffic, Vivaro or Primestar.
The TDS will vary from customer to customer, your home TDS may be higher or lower than your customers.
Matt
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ill be looking at a dispatch too soon i reckon, wee caddy just cant hack it :)
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Buy a bigger van and future proof yourself!!!
Get the hydra!!!
Fasten your reel to the ibc inside the van(.use buckle straps for this )
Dont bother with a backpack(100 mtr hose is enough)
A back back is a good idea for one-off jobs as you would be for ever filling, having both is a good move IMO or a trolley and 100 mtr reel/s
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I have the expert with a 400L tank and have never ran out of water ... around 15 houses a day
I do waste a bit though, so i would say get a trigger or tap... i will get one when i remember
Oh and the spare pole is a must ! even if its just a converted harris pole, just swop the brush and your back in business
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what are you trying to gain DAZ?
from what i read youve got it all already now , your enjoying it too .
im a bit like you,trad, and all i see is by going wfp you have to jack up the prices to cover the wfp costs and all this extra stuff is hassle hassle .
just my opinion ;D
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Plan for your biggest day, you can always half fill a big tank,... but a small tank you're stuck with.
Same goes for the van,.. you might want to add pressure washing, gutter vac equipment etc etc and it all takes space. I've a swb Pug Boxer and still find it small at times!
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I started in April this year with an RO/DI setup from Pure Freedom. Here's my findings.
I have a 500l system and have never run out of water yet - max houses cleaned in a day, around 16. My In TDS is 85, post RO is 1 and DI takes it to zero. I had a 20ft glass fibre GXel to start with and it was fine... to start with. I now have a SLX 27 + Superlight on angle adapter (no gooseneck), the old GXel (with Vikan hilo stiff sill brush - used as a spare and to apply TFR prior to doing gutter exteriors) and a 4ft gf pole with a soft Vikan hilo sill brush. To date i've not needed any other pole. I also have a full set of traditional gear, rarely used, say 3 times a month, except the Unger poles which get used more.
I have a SWB Trafic and am glad I didn't get the smaller van I considered. Why? I have a trolley I put together myself + 2 x 20l barrels. This together with a set of 12ft-ish ladders, the poles, 200m reel, descent sized tool box and assorted other gear all fits in nicely. I also do a bit of pressure washing and the washer goes into the van in place of the trolley.
I didn't feel confident putting together a system for the first time, and looking at the excellent job Pure Freedom did i'm glad I didn't - it's very professionally done. Getting all those bits and pieces they use, well, i'm not sure i'd know where to start. Well I would, but you know what I mean.
I use far more consumables than I thought - gloves, wfp fittings, flow control valves, brushes, bolts, washers, PTFE tape, filters etc etc. Like trad gear WFP equipment has a shelf life and it does get bashed around. I have to say i'm more careful now than I was, but still.
I am OK with 500l - more litres = more fuel if you run full. Get a spare pole - if you snap one then you are gonna lose a couple of days work waiting for a new one to arrive. It's reassuring to have a spare. Carry a good comprehensive tool kit with you - mine is used almost daily. I even thought today I should get one of those plug in water heating elements that you can make tea with so I can boil water to make getting the clear hose of the "Y" piece at the brush head easier!!!
I'd definately do gutter cleaning and pressure washing. Nice break from windows, plus it's a good earner.
I have 230 custies as I sit here, but am ruthless with bad payers, people who don't clean their dog muck up etc. I see I have binned around 40 custies. I can barely manage the 230 I have (almost all are 4-weekly). I am sat here now with the rain falling, I have 12 clean 2morrow of which 1 wants the insides doing (£35). This will earn me £225, but I know that with the shorter days we have now I won't get round them all. I leave home to arrive at the first one at 08:30 and finish at around 4:30 if it's a "normal" day. I'll be working the next 3 Saturdays to cope with cleans I won't be able to do over the next few days cos of the weather.
Definately don't fill up at custies houses - it's unprofessional and you could be cleaning. Cleaning = earning.
Def get RO. See http://www.cleantech.co.uk/tdscalc.htm
You'll already have the plastic bottle to pee into in the back of the van. A bigger van makes this joyous experience a little less difficult....
very good post :-)
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16 houses in a day!is that all!if i get a 400lt tank im hoping ill clean a few more than im cleaning now!i clean on a good day 25plus 3 bed semis TRAD!if u mean 4-5 bedroom houses and bigger thats good going!it does seem like a lot of hassle but i must try WFP!even with the higher costs and that i hope to still make more money in time or whats the point!i only want to go WFP to earn more money!THATS IT!safety secondary for me as im already safe due to extension poles,ladderstoppers etc.just want to be faster and do the frames etc at the same time.am i making any sense guys! ;D
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IMO if you are happy to avoid larger commercial job you should be able to manage on that 250L setup. Have you considered though that filling up at custies in the winter may be difficult as many isolate their external taps to avoid freeze-ups? Also, if you are doing DI only (perfectly OK with 035 TDS), maybe you would do better to have two DI vessels so they may be alternated? That way, you only need to throw away the resin in vessel 1 when it is coming out of iut at 035 instead of sooner (the resin in DI2 will be a backup and polish off the water from DI1..
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so many decisions i cant make my mind up!thinking i might sack the idea of WFP off entirely!im caught in 2 minds!i use a lot of custys taps to fill my bucket up.none that i know of turns them off in winter.now im thinking just get a small van,sign written,logod fleece/polo shirts and stay TRAD ONLY!im on a water meter in a first floor flat!maybe i should market myself as a traditional window cleaner.i think i need to up my prices a bit and stick with less hassle and lower overheads.OR DO U THINK IM MAD TO STICK WITH TRAD?thats all ive known for 15 yrs and i like the simplicity of it!im all domestic,3 bedders compact and some good posh bigger accounts!im really confused now!i think i need to go to bed!
night all!
dazmond
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so many decisions i cant make my mind up!thinking i might sack the idea of WFP off entirely!im caught in 2 minds!i use a lot of custys taps to fill my bucket up.none that i know of turns them off in winter.now im thinking just get a small van,sign written,logod fleece/polo shirts and stay TRAD ONLY!im on a water meter in a first floor flat!maybe i should market myself as a traditional window cleaner.i think i need to up my prices a bit and stick with less hassle and lower overheads.OR DO U THINK IM MAD TO STICK WITH TRAD?thats all ive known for 15 yrs and i like the simplicity of it!im all domestic,3 bedders compact and some good posh bigger accounts!im really confused now!i think i need to go to bed!
night all!
dazmond
No, not mad sticking with trad. However, your income could be a lot higher with WFP - not to mention a safer working life.
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daz all you need is 1 second of bad luck to fall off your ladder and break some bones, then will you think sticking with trad is the best way to be?
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JRD ive fell off twice in 15 yrs!both times ladder slid down the wall and i landed on my heels both times!back at work the next day!my heels must be made of rock!i was very lucky!that was 10 yrs ago.im a lot more careful now with age![38] but i will always need ladders for gutters/flat roofs/over garage to clean the back.pointer ladders for bottoms where water is an issue.so u will always have an element of risk!
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"16 houses in a day!is that all!" Yep, it is. You're welcome to come out with me and see if i'm a slouch. I rarely take a break for lunch - grab a bite each time i'm back at the van. The 16 per day is good going considering the properties and area, and yep, they tend to be a mix of the usual small semis + larger properties. I started at 08:30 this morning and have done 10, 2 of which were first cleans and I had to use my trolley and tfr on one first. I started the drive home at 15:20.
I haven't worked solely trad and my trad skills are only passable, but I can't see how it's much, much faster than wfp, but every property is different. A local cleaner to me is trad and him and his mate do 25 between them in a day, but as we are fairly rural area I know he has an amount of driving.
It will be interesting to see how you get on doing wfp; 3 months and you should be up to speed, if not sooner. It's not rocket science. If you can do 25, 20 minute houses in an average day i'll get you a pint in.
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carl what i mean is if thats biggish houses scattered about thats good but if its compact 3 bedders then i would be better off on that part of my round to stay trad as i can do 25 plus on a good day!i have 2 wks work of v.compact 3 bedders then 2 wks of various bigger houses and flats and clusters of properties.ive been trad for 15 yrs so had plenty of practice!
best wishes dazmond
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daz you have been knocking this about for a week or so now, have you made your mind up yet :) we are all dying to know :)