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Smurf

  • Posts: 8538
Re: I've just cleaned this...
« Reply #20 on: September 03, 2016, 09:59:38 am »

clarkson

  • Posts: 1025
Re: I've just cleaned this...
« Reply #21 on: September 03, 2016, 10:04:25 am »
John

Hope your well mate - I wished I'd thought a bit harder before taking it on - it was a pain in the a*se but some of that was down to me having two machine breakdowns and then working through one of the hottest periods of the year.

Down the side where the water tank is (perspective - the tank is 15 metres tall) it was massively soiled and just easier to pressure wash to a good finish, the client was happy.

I'm guessing it could have been soft washed but drift was an issue and the client didn't want us spraying any chemicals with people working on the roof. There were 7 up there.

Waterforce - Although I am a LTD company I work without employees and had I not had the breakdowns would have got on with it on my own.

The larger flow machines help you to get a lot more done in the same amount of time.

For me it is always useful to have a good network of people that can be called up.

I had a well built window cleaning business that I sold to do this. I would have that back tomorrow and give all of this up if I got the opportunity and am actively looking at this as an option.

Website - I have banged on about websites for years on here!!

Spend everything you can and then find a bit more. It is the most important part of your business, hand in hand with capability.

Hi rob
Yes I find soft wash , drift is the big issue just done college and barriers where 10 metres from worksite still getting a strong  mix hitting  a public path the other side . Had to start at 4 before anyone was around.

Thought you where going to sell up to the sainsburys FM people and retire .

The window cleaning isn't what it used to be I think you will find , unless you are going to buy a top round
I think it's getting tricky to canvass up anything substantial.

WFP has commoditised it .  Any one with a few quid can get a trolley and do high level work it's bringing prices ever lower.

All the best.

John

waterforce

  • Posts: 75
Re: I've just cleaned this...
« Reply #22 on: September 03, 2016, 10:17:37 am »
Hi water force
It will  of course if you keep up your  can do attitude , me as well I hope .

Just don't want anyone  getting into trouble .  Say you start something like this , spent a few thousand setting up  , few thousand  on hire . Work on it for a week with three guys  so a  thousand or two on wages
Then it goes pear shaped for whatever reason . Could you work on it for weeks to pull it round . Would you have to walk off the job and loose the 6k start up.

Rob know s this client.  But says your client goes bust owing you 20k could you cover it.

It's a minefield and the numbers are all big ones.

For your info I am finding increasingly that small to medium size jobs for around the 1000k mark seem to pay best without any great exposure , minimum of kit  and no stress. We often leave site with a cheque as well.

On the set up business structure . You can of course do it all yourself but mistakes at the beginning are costly ones. Better in my opinion to use consultants websites, health safety ,  corporate structure , vat
Can all be done using professionals. It costs but it's done right .

Cheers
John
Medium sized jobs of 1000k would do me ...it's more than I earn in a year (or two).
Rob you are a ltd sole trader (you work alone)    Could I do that?

Yada Yada Yada - www.m-clean.uk

  • Posts: 406
Re: I've just cleaned this...
« Reply #23 on: September 03, 2016, 10:35:25 am »
The floor fell out of the refurb programmes, a business only has value if someone wants it.

As far as the window cleaning - possibly going to avoid some of the steps by buying rounds or paying a canvassing company.

Waterforce - anyone can do it it's whether your body and head can handle it.

To clean industrial estates on your own and then large buildings is very physically demanding. Stand in front of your local Tesco, Morrison's, Sainsbury's and look at everything from the roof down, include the service yard and the perimeters, then add the fuel station, then multiple call backs when you might be at the other end of the country.

I was offered 32 Morrison's frontages, I was really busy and had to say no. Now I'm quiet and could have plowed through them.

But think about that - 32 stores, two days per store, then move to next, three per week, booking digs, fuel, driving, away from home.

I don't employ because I don't want to pay for someone to have holidays, throw sickies, can't be ar*ed one morning letting me down.
Maybe I'd be a millionaire by now if I had set it up differently. Maybe not!


Smurf

  • Posts: 8538
Re: I've just cleaned this...
« Reply #24 on: September 03, 2016, 12:41:57 pm »
Regarding specialist kit and experienced operatives white label  is an option as robert put it " the tart from manchester" helped   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vpnip3uWPg


waterforce

  • Posts: 75
Re: I've just cleaned this...
« Reply #25 on: September 03, 2016, 01:07:54 pm »
Rob

Thats even more impressive if you do all that cleaning by yourself....it gives me inspiration as what I could acheive if I try harder.

Well done!!

Smurf

  • Posts: 8538
Re: I've just cleaned this...
« Reply #26 on: September 03, 2016, 01:29:45 pm »
Waterforce there is no way on this earth that you could takle a job like in the pic in a timely and safe manner on yer own and would be very foolish to think you could.

 

Yada Yada Yada - www.m-clean.uk

  • Posts: 406
Re: I've just cleaned this...
« Reply #27 on: September 03, 2016, 01:31:38 pm »
In your experience why would that be?

Smurf

  • Posts: 8538
Re: I've just cleaned this...
« Reply #28 on: September 03, 2016, 01:44:21 pm »
Trying to  use on your own a 20m & 28m boom for pressure washing for a start.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRnborJjYjs

Yada Yada Yada - www.m-clean.uk

  • Posts: 406
Re: I've just cleaned this...
« Reply #29 on: September 03, 2016, 01:56:41 pm »
And the 'timely manner' bit?

waterforce

  • Posts: 75
Re: I've just cleaned this...
« Reply #30 on: September 03, 2016, 01:59:52 pm »
It is possible...Rob has demonstrated this.
Although from  a health and safety point of view I would think big sites would not allow it...or are they really not bothered as long as you are a ltd company, as Rob suggests.

What line of work do you do Smurf?

Yada Yada Yada - www.m-clean.uk

  • Posts: 406
Re: I've just cleaned this...
« Reply #31 on: September 03, 2016, 02:07:51 pm »
Waterforce

Ignore him. He's never seen  any pressure washing work but does enjoy offering 'woolly/vague advice' on here.

waterforce

  • Posts: 75
Re: I've just cleaned this...
« Reply #32 on: September 03, 2016, 02:11:09 pm »
Waterforce

Ignore him. He's never seen  any pressure washing work but does enjoy offering 'woolly/vague advice' on here.

ok  ;D

Smurf

  • Posts: 8538
Re: I've just cleaned this...
« Reply #33 on: September 03, 2016, 02:19:27 pm »
Just in case you missed my link ealier  ::)roll
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRnborJjYjs

Anyway best like Rob said to just ignore me as I know nothing  really  ;D ;D


Yada Yada Yada - www.m-clean.uk

  • Posts: 406
Re: I've just cleaned this...
« Reply #34 on: September 03, 2016, 02:19:42 pm »
Waterforce

If you want to do what I do - clean large scale areas & buildings on your own the work is out there, you can do it safely but you have to work within strict RAMS.

For kn*bhead I wasn't jumping between the MEWP as they rolled down the side of the building. Better put a smiley ;D

Set your business up how you want to run it,  I would be asking what is he doing to get this work, do this work and then get further works rather than hiding behind some stupid online persona, with little to offer than unsubstantiated b*llox.

Another smiley just in case I upset anyone ;D ;D ;D

Smurf

  • Posts: 8538
Re: I've just cleaned this...
« Reply #35 on: September 03, 2016, 02:28:21 pm »
 ;D ;D

waterforce

  • Posts: 75
Re: I've just cleaned this...
« Reply #36 on: September 03, 2016, 02:31:12 pm »
" Set your business up how you want to run it,  I would be asking what is he doing to get this work, do this work and then get further works rather than hiding behind some stupid online persona, with little to offer than unsubstantiated b*llox.'...

I was only asking as I was interested.

Yada Yada Yada - www.m-clean.uk

  • Posts: 406
Re: I've just cleaned this...
« Reply #37 on: September 03, 2016, 02:33:21 pm »
Waterforce  - That wasn't aimed at you.

waterforce

  • Posts: 75
Re: I've just cleaned this...
« Reply #38 on: September 03, 2016, 02:37:05 pm »
OK I interperted wrong  ;D

waterforce

  • Posts: 75
Re: I've just cleaned this...
« Reply #39 on: September 03, 2016, 02:38:27 pm »
What is a "RAM".           ..you don't take sheep on site do you ? ;D