[Paul Moss]

Simon  you must go to the same blue oyster club as Shaun. 

[Peter Sweeney]

Bet decision I made was not to have a closed perspective on what I (or can) be achieved. I am not giving examples because I don't want to look like I'm showing off (as I'm sure some will jump on the band wagon given the slightest chance).

BIG THANKS TO DAVE LIAHONA for changing my thinking and well done to myself for having the operational skills to carry it out.

 

[garry22]

Learn copywriting and direct response marketing.

[Peter J Haigh]

Could I possibly ask what equipment you use ?. I have been looking at the Jet stream drive clean packages, but I am unsure as to their suitablility

[Mike Halliday]

Peter if that question is aimed at me it might be best to just view the gallery on my P/W website, it show my equipement

http://patio-drive-cleaners-hull.co.uk/Drive-and-Patio-Cleaners-Hull/gallery.html

[Hilton]

Can't you get a bigger one of those round thingy's to make the job quicker..

(You can probably tell I know a lot about driveway cleaning  )

[*Hector*]

do you mean like the one he has in image 19??

 

[Mike Halliday]

That one is 12 inch, you can move it along the ground 3 times faster than one that is 24 inch... So it's no quicker using a bigger one

[Clean Safe]

Nope just a bit of practice at home, P/W is really about having the right equipment.  I use a big bowser pressure washer which looks really 'industrial'

I can honestly say in 4yrs I have had only 1 customer who was not highly delighted with the result, it's not like carpet cleaning were sometimes you can not see a big difference.... With PW you always get a massive difference.

Hi Mike,

Which bowser pressure washer do you have?

What attachments do you use with the pressure washer and do you run it from a generator?

Thanks

[Ian Rochester]

Best business decisions were firstly to diversify into other avenues (window cleaning, contract cleaning, pressure washing, leather restoration, flood and fire restoration, commercial kitchen cleaning, wheelie bin cleaning, etc etc), secondly to employ good staff to help grow the business, thirdly to purchase our new 3200sqft workshop two years ago.

You often need to speculate to accumulate, buy things when nobody else thinks they are necessary or they are at a good price.  

At the moment we have window cleaners who cannot get out to do their job due to the rain, but they are flat out doing flood work and leather work instead, I have just invested in 5 dessicant dehumidifers, 3 large 65ltr refrigerant ones as well as a 1100 ltr per minute water pump and a pile of other drying gear.  It's all due to be delivered tomorrow and most of it will be out on jobs by tomorrow night.

[Doctor Carpet (Ret'd)]

Well I've really enjoyed reading some of these success stories.

And some really great stories to be told. Hats off to all.

 Is it coincidence that my recent comment provoked such a thread?

You often don't realise what your best decision was until hindsite kicks in. I've had some huge successes but there again sometimes small, but incremental decisions lead you to a place where you look back and it appears as if one big giant leap was made.

Funnily enough (and this is what makes life so interesting) I'm the opposite of Ian R. Rather than diversify I've contracted the services I offer which has allowed me to concentrate on my core services and concentrate on getting them right and at good prices. Obvioulsy it's a different model to Ian's so it's ne4ver a case of he is right and I am wrong.

An early but important decision was to make sure I took holidays. I started this business one early April, but took a main holiday in late August. I was panicking but it was the right decision because if you don't take them you'll always be frightened of taking time off in case you lose business.

Rog

[Glynn]

Mike,
How do you go on with all the tachograph rules with your set up ?.

[Mike Halliday]

You don't need one if working within 50km of your home base.

[Carpet Dawg]

Do you charge per square metre Mike? If so, how much if you dont mind me asking.

Looks like the ideal work to put an employee incharge of? Less to go wrong and easier than carpets and upholstery?

How much would that set up cost?

cheers
Tony

[Mike Halliday]

don't work it out of a meterage, too many variables that make a difference, so work out how long it will take then charge by an hourly rate.

the equipment cost from about £1450. my unit cost about £2000 but i had it custom made from parts I bought on eBay, the same units cost around £4000.

this is an ideal add on if you have employees as it is only semi-skilled.

But!!! like everything else its all about the marketing to get the work. i already had in place an organised leaflet campaign that the pressure washing was easy to add into.

[wynne jones]

Can you add a heater to yours Mike?

A guy I know has a heated pressure washer and in the 'off season' he's just as busy cleaning underneath coaches and cleaning engine bays for a bus company. Not my idea of fun but if someone else is doing it, it don't matter.

[Andrew Briscoe]

don't work it out of a meterage, too many variables that make a difference, so work out how long it will take then charge by an hourly rate.

the equipment cost from about £1450. my unit cost about £2000 but i had it custom made from parts I bought on eBay, the same units cost around £4000.

this is an ideal add on if you have employees as it is only semi-skilled.

But!!! like everything else its all about the marketing to get the work. i already had in place an organised leaflet campaign that the pressure washing was easy to add into.

Mike, what make and spec of engine and pump do you have.
Andrew

[Carpet Dawg]

don't work it out of a meterage, too many variables that make a difference, so work out how long it will take then charge by an hourly rate.

the equipment cost from about £1450. my unit cost about £2000 but i had it custom made from parts I bought on eBay, the same units cost around £4000.

this is an ideal add on if you have employees as it is only semi-skilled.

But!!! like everything else its all about the marketing to get the work. i already had in place an organised leaflet campaign that the pressure washing was easy to add into.

Cheers mate!

[Mike Halliday]

don't work it out of a meterage, too many variables that make a difference, so work out how long it will take then charge by an hourly rate.

the equipment cost from about £1450. my unit cost about £2000 but i had it custom made from parts I bought on eBay, the same units cost around £4000.

this is an ideal add on if you have employees as it is only semi-skilled.

But!!! like everything else its all about the marketing to get the work. i already had in place an organised leaflet campaign that the pressure washing was easy to add into.

Mike, what make and spec of engine and pump do you have.
Andrew

18hp kholer engine running a 3000psi  21lt pump. The twin axle bowser carries 500gl (I think) this as big as you need to do domestic powerwashing.

I do have a hot box that I could use with it and I'm looking for ways to use the power washer  unit in winters.

Ps: Andrew were you driving across the m6 (Penrith junction) on Tuesday morning around 10.30am? I saw a van with your name on it, I was waving like a nutter

[Andrew Briscoe]

Cheers Mike, if van had my name on then it was probably one of mine,
it was probably an Expert van with a bloke n a woman in it, they finish about then at the Highways agency. There are lots of nutters here  .
Where did you stay for week.

Andrew