[Richie76]

Hi all I've been reading the forum for quite some time picking up tips and have been looking to buy a round with little success so I've decided free advertising on the net and lots of leg work canvassing is the way forward I know the dangers of ladders as I've been in the building trade most my life so I've decided to go for wfp although I don't want to splash out right away so rather than a van mounted set up I was thinking of getting a trolley and keeping plenty of drums of water on the van
I intend to use the van as a camper come day van so being able to remove my cleaning equipment is a bonus
Are there any downsides to using the trolley other than keep switching barrels compared to a van mounted system?

[Smudger]

Its hard work and slow

each to there own but why make life hard work, esp. as your starting out your water use will be high so lugging barrels about is going to be a big part of your day

look at a 200 ltr tank and things like pump box where you can remove the system easily at the end of the week when required

Darran

[RPCCS]

I would agree with what Darran says. I started with a trolley sytem, and you will  spend as much time changing barrells ,as you will actually cleaning..
 The other thing to consider  is  the battery. Without it conn3cted to a smart charger in the van, it will,lse power very quicklly. I have a 210litre upright tank,which lasts me all day most of the time. You could get a lay flat tamk, which would be easier to remove, innthe sense of handling.

[Og]

You can still make 200 bucks a day with a backpack. Van is quicker. But to get you going, a backpack bungeed to a sack trolley is fine.

[Richie76]

Actually I never thought of that back packs are even cheaper it's just to get going initially obviously il invest more once I get more business
As for batteries according to the cleaning warehouse website a 26ah battery lasts over a week on 1 charge does this sound about right?

[Marc Stock]

you will be wasting time and money buying backpacks and trolleys etc.

Just get a cheap van soley for the window cleaning  stick a tank in it and strap it down, pump, di vessel and hosereel. After a few months the back of it will get thrashed anyway. Keep the nice van as a camper.

If your up north thats all youl need as you have soft water..down london you will need ro aswell.

You can be fully kitted out for less than
 £ 1500 including van if you really buy cheap.

Dont scrimp on poles though get a Gardner pole.

[p1w1]

where are you based?

[JandS]

I started out on PF trolley but within a year converted it to van mount with a 210 litre tank which is quite easily removed if needed.
Now I wish I had bought a larger tank...that's the trouble with starting small, as you grow you need bigger and better.
All the other tackle I bought though like poles, brushes etc I bought quality and that as paid off as they are still going strong.
The good thing about starting out with a trolley though is all you need to upgrade is the tank.

[Stoots]

dont bother with trolleys, dont bother with trad

get a van mount, electric reel and the lightest pole money can buy

honestly, you want to make this job as easy and as efficent as possible.

vans and a d.i.y system can be done cheap, no excuses, only thing worth spending your brass on is a carbon pole.

[dazmond]

if you have no/very little work and limited resources then you cant go wrong with a backpack on a little fold away trolley held on by a bungee cord,a 22 clx,20m of pole hose and four 25L barrels.2 DI VESSELS and a bag of resin,transfer hose etc.

you could be up and running with a £500 budget(using your existing van.)and thats buying the above equipment brand new.itll be even less second hand.

no point investing much money into it if you have nt any work yet.


you might not like it!

[AuRavelling79]

I've done it all. (not in a good way either!)

Trad for ten years. Then a trolley. Then a backpack on a trolley. Then a 175L in the family estate car.

What made it take off for me was buying a Doblo with a 400L in it in 2006. Then when Dan the Man joined me we towed a trailer with 200L in it. Then a 2 man van.

But I had a round already.

If you are starting out and have "no money" (less than £500) then put barrels in your wagon, put a backpack on a little fold away sack truck, trad some of the downstairs have a part time job and build it up as you canvass.

If you "like it" and get through a month or two and can see a future then get a cheap van that will take a 400L tank because when you are proficient (6 months to a year) you will need this for a day's work that will earn you £250 and you don't want to be going home to fill up.

You COULD (if you have somewhere to put it) also get a small trailer and put a (say) 200L in the back with a reel and battery as your start up and tow it behind your current wagon. You will have to go home at half time as you get proficient, but you could also put some 25L barrels in your wagon too.

Once you "like it" and can see a future a van is definitely the way forward.

[Llaaww]

I've done it all. (not in a good way either!)

Trad for ten years. Then a trolley. Then a backpack on a trolley. Then a 175L in the family estate car.

What made it take off for me was buying a Doblo with a 400L in it in 2006. Then when Dan the Man joined me we towed a trailer with 200L in it. Then a 2 man van.

But I had a round already.

If you are starting out and have "no money" (less than £500) then put barrels in your wagon, put a backpack on a little fold away sack truck, trad some of the downstairs have a part time job and build it up as you canvass.

If you "like it" and get through a month or two and can see a future then get a cheap van that will take a 400L tank because when you are proficient (6 months to a year) you will need this for a day's work that will earn you £250 and you don't want to be going home to fill up.

You COULD (if you have somewhere to put it) also get a small trailer and put a (say) 200L in the back with a reel and battery as your start up and tow it behind your current wagon. You will have to go home at half time as you get proficient, but you could also put some 25L barrels in your wagon too.

Once you "like it" and can see a future a van is definitely the way forward.

One of your old trolleys is still going strong down here in cornwall. My old mother in law uses it to carry water around for her horses..

[Stoots]

if you have no/very little work and limited resources then you cant go wrong with a backpack on a little fold away trolley held on by a bungee cord,a 22 clx,20m of pole hose and four 25L barrels.2 DI VESSELS and a bag of resin,transfer hose etc.

you could be up and running with a £500 budget(using your existing van.)and thats buying the above equipment brand new.itll be even less second hand.

no point investing much money into it if you have nt any work yet.


you might not like it!

Disagree daz, if youve decided you are doing it then thats that, no reason not to invest in gear.

Liking it has nowt to do with it, its good money for old rope really isnt it.

btw my van mount cost less than 500

[dazmond]

if you have no/very little work and limited resources then you cant go wrong with a backpack on a little fold away trolley held on by a bungee cord,a 22 clx,20m of pole hose and four 25L barrels.2 DI VESSELS and a bag of resin,transfer hose etc.

you could be up and running with a £500 budget(using your existing van.)and thats buying the above equipment brand new.itll be even less second hand.

no point investing much money into it if you have nt any work yet.


you might not like it!

Disagree daz, if youve decided you are doing it then thats that, no reason not to invest in gear.

Liking it has nowt to do with it, its good money for old rope really isnt it.

btw my van mount cost less than 500

no point investing in gear when you have no work IMO.

[lee_dewing]

Hi you can do barrels as with said backpack trolley.

I now use 10x25 litre barrels made my own pump box, which is an oblong bucket with shurflo pump fitted inside at one end, car battery at other and cheap power regulator.

Pump £66 reg £8 car battery £70 bucket £10 i think.

Give up with trolley and back pack.
You can keep pf trolley on board as a pump box.

Slx Gardiner 25 pole.
Importantly for me is exceed valve which saves water.

A barrel usually does a house, It doesn't bother me switching barrels.

Unfortunately my water setup is at my parents who haven't got off street parking, which is why I haven't got a fitted tank.

Used pf trolley found I had back ache alot.
Backpack useful but aggravating filling.

Whatever works mate good luck.

[stig]

if you have no/very little work and limited resources then you cant go wrong with a backpack on a little fold away trolley held on by a bungee cord,a 22 clx,20m of pole hose and four 25L barrels.2 DI VESSELS and a bag of resin,transfer hose etc.

you could be up and running with a £500 budget(using your existing van.)and thats buying the above equipment brand new.itll be even less second hand.

no point investing much money into it if you have nt any work yet.


you might not like it!

well said...walk before you can run
I started trad all those years ago then went to trolley with 14 barrels...I borrowed a mates van once with van mount,,HATED IT
me and my round are doing just fine /some of the big boys round by me have got all singing and dancing van mounts but still use a trolley for some jobs so cant be that bad can they...depends on what work you got..

[slap bash]

I love these startup posts with all the focus on tool and never needed advice on finding the customers to pay the way. It always sounds like if you have your backpack you have arrived. Its winter mate, the hardest time in any year to start up.

[Cookie]

I love these startup posts with all the focus on tool and never needed advice on finding the customers to pay the way. It always sounds like if you have your backpack you have arrived. Its winter mate, the hardest time in any year to start up.

Give it 3 or 4 weeks though and it's a great time to start leafleting & canvassing.