[colley614]

Hi Guys,

Last time I posted on here I said I was thinking of setting up a carpet cleaning company. I have now put together a business plan and have contacted a business start up company who are coming to see me tomorrow. I have managed to get together around £1250 to invest in starting up. I have a vehicle that is insured for business and ready to go. I will also book a date on the carpet cleaning course as soon as I get the go a head from the business start up people.

At the moment I'm just looking at pricing, Equipment and uniforms, an advice on any of these would be great.

Thanks,

Keith.

[lands]

Hi Keith

Thought I'd better reply as no-one else has.

Rough costs

Training £200 (without staying over)

Uniforms £75

Advertising (unlimited)

Kit at least £1000 (inc all accessorys) and this will be tight.

I would do the training first (pref NCCA - wish I had done it that way) then the guys who take the courses will help you out with advice on kit etc.

Get a mailer done for your window custys and send just before you go on course.

Network every member of your family and all your mates for commercial work (as well as domestic).

As I said, do the course and this will be  your best starting point.

Pete

[colley614]

Thanks for the reply,

I have had a couple of things happen to me since posting the other day.

The first being that a friend of mine who runs a cleaning firm has told me he uses a company that sells reconditioned carpet cleaners which are Numatic and Rug doctors mainly and sells them really cheap. Although I was swaying towards a Prochem machine because they look professional and are held in such high regards by a lot of carpet cleaning professionals.

The second being that. I sub from a company who sub off a BIG. Now the guy I sub off has tried getting me a few window cleaning accounts with this BIG firm without much success. However the guy I sub from told the Director of this big cleaning firm that I was now setting up a carpet cleaning company and low and behold.
I got a phone call yesterday with a full weeks worth of carpet cleaning which I regretfully turned down saying " I would love to do this once trained and have the equipment but at the moment I don't." The guy says "Well you can higher a carpet cleaner and we will send someone out to give you a days training and we can keep you out all next week." I replied " The offer would be great but I want to keep my window cleaning customers happy and not let them down and such short notice." The says to me " I respect what your saying. Actually I really respect how much you regard your customers. Pop down this afternoon and we can have a chat if you like."
I popped in and had a chat with the guy, showed him my insurances and stuff then walked out with a hand full of window cleaning jobs that he wants doing on a monthly basis. He said " Remember there is plenty more were that came from and call me as soon as you have that bloody carpet cleaner!" He then laughed and walked off into his office.

[carpet guy]

If you want to grow rapidly...................never say no!

I started my original cleaning business around 23 years ago, by accident, when walking around a new development in Glasgow.

I was looking at the landscaped areas with a view to offering a maintenance service, when approached by 4 people who asked what I was doing.

When I replied, they asked if I did cleaning as well, for some reason, I said yes and was on my way to my first contract, which had grown to 14 contracts within two years.

I learned very quickly, by talking, trying, listening, grafting.

[lands]

Keith

Rob made a very good point. At the worst you can sub anything.

I'd take the week carpet cleaning at the moment and sub you some of it, even up there. Tis so quiet down here at mo.

Pete

[Joe H]

Hi Keith (colley614)

Sent you personal email from here but it bounced back via an hotmail account.

Is it not working at the moment?

[jasonl]

During my first 10 years as a carpet cleaner, I never, ever turned down a single job.

[Cleaning Resource]

your all missing the point, it was because he turned it down and said no out of loyalty to his existing customers that he has now been offered the window cleaning work and in the future the carpet cleaning work also,
had he said yes he would have got a weeks carpet cleaning work but risked losing window cleaning customers, not got the extra window cleaning work of which he had been previously unsuccessfully pitching for or shown his loyalty to his customers, so saying no was in this case the best thing to do. 

[colley614]

Hi Keith (colley614)

Sent you personal email from here but it bounced back via an hotmail account.

Is it not working at the moment?

Sorry mate I'm having trouble with this site and my business email try colley614@hotmail.co.uk if you want!

[jasonl]

Working whatever hours it takes, to satisfy EVERY customer is surely the best thing to do as a start up.

[Mike Roper]

Jason , you have resurfaced , I take it you've been busy with flood work, hope things are going ok.
Mike ( Whitby)

[jasonl]

Yes its been mad busy these last 4 months, hope things are good up there.

[martin19842]

hi jason

good to see you are busy.

we're upto our eyes in it at the moment, been three very very good months.

still got 20 properties being dried concurrently, and being offered the refit workon some aswell. and we have more properties yet to start, as the homeowners havent moved out yet.

several benefitsof the busy period.

moved into new office and storage unit,

and bought some new mats for concrete slab drying.

yippee.

more rain please. only kidding

regards

martin