[Cleaning Buddy]

OK. After my last post the seeds of doubts have come back again....

I really thought a trolley system was the way to go - but alot of you friendly people are telling me this is a mistake.

I think what I need is working for a day (free of charge) with someone who uses a pure freedom trolley system - does not matter if its the 50L or 25L

I am based near Milton Keynes - is there anyone on here say in bedfordshire/hertfordshire or northamptonshire willing to help me out with these things.

By contrast it would be good if someone who has a van mount would also be willing to show me the ropes in return for free days labour? - That way I can make a good comparison

[steven ainger]

Just think to yourself,
Can you see yourself lugging 25ltr barrels about all day,
Pita filling barrels up every night, nearly finishing a house and run out of water.
Cleaning glass con' roofs using lots of water or,
Using a van moint with endless(ish) supply of water.
The choice is yours

[Steve Sed]

On the other hand if you have a very compact round how do you fancy driving from door to door. Or if parking is limited and you have to park on the other side of the road with hose trailing across. I have a Pure Freedom trolley and will soon be upgrading my van. But I will keep the trolley, buy a big tank and reel and run the trolley as a van mount mostly I guess, but will have the flexibility of both.

In my case I started with the family car so the trolley was the way to go.

[steven ainger]

Thats wht ove a backpack for the odd awkward job, alot cheaper than a trolley

[Steve Sed]

But assuming the OP has no customers, his cheapest option is a trolley with the family car. About £1,200 I guess. A reliable van & van mount would be more.

[gary999]

backpack or van mount ! or both if have plenty of
large commercial work.

dont waste your time with a trolley system

[dave0123]

if you look on ebay there are few van systems going at the moment theres a kangoo on there at the moment for about a grand i thik

[Cleaning Buddy]

Its sold. unfortunately!

[ian1965]

I am using a trolley system (sorry cant let you borrow it!)- if your just starting out I would recommend using this system just to see how it all work out, I have an escort van and carry around 8 x 25ltr containers, If and when I reach my target of x amount of customers I will then think about van mounted system. I couldnt see the point of splashing out all that cash for van and mounted system with out knowing what will happen a year down the line. Just my point of view.

[groundhog]

dont waste your time with a trolley system

Well said Gary!! Start as you mean to go on Buddy, if your serious about this business you need a van mount!! 

[Wrekin C S]

Buddy

I started with a Pure Freedom Trolley system 25ltr - I asked the same questions as you 4 years ago - the guys on here said get a van mount - I took my own advice and bought the Trolly - now dont get me wrong its a good system if you dont have a van or no room for a van mount - but a year later I bought a van system and havn't looked back - I rarley use the trolley now but its there as a back up if van mount breaks down, like others have mentioned van mount is the way to go and I should have listened to the guys on here to start with and could have saved myself £1200 but hey ho live and learn,

Hope this helps, Good Luck! 

[wpclean]

If you invest in a trolley system, and further on in time you decide to go van mount you will still be able to sell it. 

[mci services]

If you are just starting out a trolley in my opinion would be a nightmare, I did it, what happens when you first leaflet/canvass you will end up scattered customers two or three here and there, so with a trolley you will spend all day loading and unloading a trolley as well as securing it. Obviously guys like dazmond have established well compacted work and the trolley works for them, but for someone just starting and I talk from experience the van mount is quicker. I only lasted a few months before I stripped the trolley and added a tank in the van. and it was immediately faster and less hassle.

[groundhog]

If you are just starting out a trolley in my opinion would be a nightmare, I did it, what happens when you first leaflet/canvass you will end up scattered customers two or three here and there, so with a trolley you will spend all day loading and unloading a trolley as well as securing it. Obviously guys like dazmond have established well compacted work and the trolley works for them, but for someone just starting and I talk from experience the van mount is quicker. I only lasted a few months before I stripped the trolley and added a tank in the van. and it was immediately faster and less hassle.

Totally agree with this, but I don't understand why compact work is better with a trolley?? Some of my round is extremely compact, but there is no way I would want to use a trolley to do it!! On a large estate I work on, I can clean as many as 16 houses without moving the van!! How many times would a trolley user have had to go back to his van to top up the trolley which he would then have to drag around behind him in that time?? For me a van mount wins every time!! 

[mci services]

No I agree groundhog, what I mean is the lads using trolleys on compact work don't find it that bad, they just haven't realised the van mount is even easier.

van mount and a backpack for awkward jobs would be what I would do from the off if I was doing it all again.

[groundhog]

No I agree groundhog, what I mean is the lads using trolleys on compact work don't find it that bad, they just haven't realised the van mount is even easier.

van mount and a backpack for awkward jobs would be what I would do from the off if I was doing it all again.

Thats better Mac... totally in agreement this time!!   

[gary999]

dont waste your time with a trolley system

Well said Gary!! Start as you mean to go on Buddy, if your serious about this business you need a van mount!! 

awww! cmon hoggy dont forget the back pack

[gary999]

personally if it was me starting out now i would go the cheapest route
possible to start with.

backpack from john hewitts,25 litre barrels from local car wash a di vessel
if in soft water area or a 200-300gpd ro if your not.couple of 210 ltr barrels
from diy shop and a pole that will reach to three floors.

this wfp malarky might not be for you so spending a fortune would be waste.
if it works out for you then you can always change it to a van system all
a van system is if your making water at home is pump,hosing battery and tank and
a reel of microbore
 something safe to secure it with eithr a cage or at least 5tonne ratchet
straps.

it would very easy for you to strip pump out of back pack they are 70psi so
would do the job and connect to a leisure battery and tank

[groundhog]

dont waste your time with a trolley system

Well said Gary!! Start as you mean to go on Buddy, if your serious about this business you need a van mount!! 

awww! cmon hoggy dont forget the back pack

I chose to ignore the bit about the back pack Gary!!! 

[groundhog]

personally if it was me starting out now i would go the cheapest route
possible to start with.

backpack from john hewitts,25 litre barrels from local car wash a di vessel
if in soft water area or a 200-300gpd ro if your not.couple of 210 ltr barrels
from diy shop and a pole that will reach to three floors.

this wfp malarky might not be for you so spending a fortune would be waste.
if it works out for you then you can always change it to a van system all
a van system is if your making water at home is pump,hosing battery and tank and
a reel of microbore
 something safe to secure it with eithr a cage or at least 5tonne ratchet
straps.

it would very easy for you to strip pump out of back pack they are 70psi so
would do the job and connect to a leisure battery and tank

I like the bit about not spending loads of money on a system, as I agree its totally unecassary! But I still have a problem with using a back pack and 25ltr barrels, its just making hard work of it to me!! Sure a back pack is a better way to go than a trolley, but you can pick up a 400ltr baffled tank very cheaply these days, and then you just need a pump and a hose.. connect it to a battery, grab your pole and off you go, you have a system which is as good as any ionic system costing thousands, and you can do it for a few hundred quid!!