[liahona]

I have been asked several times of late what it is that I clean that is so different.  I have always answered pretty much the same as everyone else cleans only that the value of the textile is usually greater.

So I have posted a couple of pictures of where I was cleaning yesterday.  One is of the house and the other is the carpet that was made as a one off specifically for this client.  It is one of 5 staircases all which are about 50 stairs in all.

The value of the carpet was £62,500.   The installation was another £15,000.

Best, Dave.

[liahona]

One more, ok, two.

Best, Dave.

[CARPET KNIGHTS]

Van looks filthy considering you clean it for every customer!

[liahona]

Fair comment, but..... To get to the property several things, it was a 200 mile drive in the pooring rain to get there.  It is then about a mile drive on grass stroke mud stroke gravel to get to the house off of the main road and lastly they are existing clients so I didnt need to clean the van beore I drove up the "path".  Oh and yes I would have done if they were new clients.

Best, Dave.

[Straker Cleaning]

Love working on carpets such as that .......... very satisfying when such items and large areas are completed to perfection 

[CARPET KNIGHTS]

Liahona

love the ironing board and the ikea bag on the landing!

Kind of looks out of place in such grand surroundings.

Also is it an optical illusion or looking at the roof of your van it looks like it is sagging in the middle!

Cheers Goron

Ps. Good job you two!

[liahona]

Chris, nice "job" you have there.  And isnt it just. 

I will look at the roof, dont know yet.

Best, Dave.

Just looked, it would appear ok but the picture does give the illusion that it is bowed.  But then I give the illusion I know what I am doing.......

[Ian Rochester]

We have a few properties similar to these, maybe not quite so grand, but still very expensive carpets in very austere surroundings, recently did a silk and wool stair carpet that had cost £10,000.

Yes you need to be careful with how you clean these carpets, but no more careful than you should be cleaning any carpet or upholstery.  In fact these carpets are generally a lot easier to clean as they are normally only "dirty", there is very rarely and stains, inground blutak, high traffic areas where the carpet pile has vanished completly, things that we get in most domestic households.

The trick is to do what Dave and Chris have successfully managed to do and that is to build up your reputation with this target market.  Unfortunately up here in the sticks, that market amounts to a mere handful!

[Mike Osbourne]

And here's me thinking I do posh. Nice one guys.

Had a custy who had a TV that remembers where you sit and when you switch it on it turns and tilts for your preferred viewing. Carpets weren't up to Regal standards though.

[John Gregory]

Really nice pics Dave , Did you blitz or enz all ?

John

[lands]

Is that an EOT then?

[richie]

What TM is that in the van?

Richie.

[liahona]

Yes it was an E.O.T. and here is the TM, best, Dave.

[Len Gribble]

Dave

Have you got their Hydro-Kinetic if so any good?

Len

[liahona]

Len, yes and yes.  Best, Dave.

[lands]

Blimey Dave I was just kidding. You mean you can actually rent properties like this? Whats the rent £20k a Month

[carpet guy]

The biggest house I've done, was a former National Trust property which had been taken over and renovated throughout, with curtains from New York, furniture from all over Europe custom made carpets from UK.

When I got the phone call, it was " Hi, Robert, we are just about to move into the new house, could you come down and give the hall and stairs a clean, they're a bit dusty "

When I got there, the housekeeper showed me around, the total area of the hall an staircase was about half an acre.

The client had spent over a million in the house, but only lived there for a year, making a tactical move to Spain from where they commute once a month to keep an eye on their " business "

Interesting item, was a Union Jack toilet seat in a little office toilet, signed by Gerri Halliwell.

[liahona]

Pete, I know you were kidding but nevertheless it was still a clean up after "someone" had had the property for 3 months.  I cant say who the someone is but needless to say they arent short of a bob or two.

As for the £20k a month, well romour has it that this place fully loaded is about £8 or £10k a day.  I am sure the previous tenant received a discount as it was for the 3 months. This is without it being staffed.  If it is staffed and also to include cleaning crews, chefs, general dogs bodies etcetera it becomes upwards of £12k a day.

Although this sounds a lot of monies what it was used for will create millions to the tenant.  Even at full price of a little over a million the return far outways the initial investment to be able to use the property.

Its all relative really.

Best, Dave.

[nevil]

Even the very best carpet cleaners working in the very best properties for probably the best prices that can be charged in this industry are tiny maggots looking for scraps at a very large table.

We are in the wrong business guys.

[lands]

Well good luck to you Dave. If you ever need any help Midlands down give me a shout.

Pete