[Kevin R]

DIY - its it really worth it? Several members of this forum seems to love all things DIY.

From DIY hot water systems - to gutter vacs - to Harris poles the list goes on and on. What do you think?

Personally I have neither the time or the inclination to be bothered. Also because I employ staff I have to provide the correct and safe equipment (fit for purpose) or my insurance is invalid.  So DIY is not really an option for me.

I can understand if you wish to stay a sole trader that DIY is a way of saving money, but what if you wish to grow your business especially considering todays environment of personal liability and  the current health and safety legislation, is it really a long term viable option?

Discussion appreciated 

[Pristine Clean]

If you employ people I would say no to DIY.

I employ people and yes you have to consider the H&S aspect all the time.

Pat testing, which I am also qualified to do... How many of you out there PAT Test your equipment either by yourselves or get another company to do that.

There arent many that have that done I bet! And keep a record

DIY is great if you have the time but not for larger companies that employ and even if you have an R&D Department... for those that arent sure what that is... its Reseach & Development and this type of department is for System designers not your standard window cleaning firm no matter how large unless you are distributing the WFP systems and a selling them on.

So yes DIY does have its place, and just to add even if it is DIY you can still comform to the H&S it just a little more tricky if there is an incident.

I voted YES but my systems are not DIY
Dave

[sageorgeta]

When i first went wfp i talked to every system manufacturer,sent off for every brochure and spent a lot of time to decide whether to build my own system or purchase from a supplier.
The decision by me was to go diy purely on price.
I figured that my round was 95% domestic and therefore i needed just a system that would deliver pure water to a brush that was attached to the top of a pole...(oh yes that is what wfp is all about).
I installed (with the help of a local welding/engineering company) a 400 litre tank...get it bolted down properly....
I then bought all the necessary sundries that were required to complete the task..(Pump,pump controller,85ah leisure battery,battery charger,microbore hose,metal hose reel,various poles and brushes).
I put it all together and hey presto i had a system that does exactly the same as any other cold water wfp system.
Has it lasted,i hear you shout.....well of course i have changed/upgraded the poles and the shurflow controller went a few months ago,but yes it is still going strongafter 4 years.
The only differance with my system and a system from a manufacturer is/was about 50% cost saving.
Granted an Ionics/omnipole/brodex system looks the part...but they do the same thing...pump pure water up a pole.....
  

[cybersye]

as has already been said diy system uses mainly all the same parts a fitted system from a company has.
I guess you are right that if you have employees and several vans then a fitted system is probably the way to go. I'm a sole trader and so diy is the most cost effective for me also. Another benefit of that for me is my system is tailor made for my needs, very basic and only has what I need. If something fails or needs repairing I can do it myself as I built it and need'nt wait days for delivery of a part as most fittings were bought locally to me.

[Alex Gardiner]

Their will be a majority leaning from those using this forum towards DIY. This is because those who take the time to come online and research are usually looking for alternatives to the glossy one stop companies that are in the market place.

The vast majority of WC'ers however are more than happy to buy off the shelf, because they just want to work with the least hassle and thought.

[Moderator David@stives]

DIY was a big option in the early days when wfp systems cost £5k minimum, but now with the likes of Andrew Mccaan you can get a fully fitted system for peanuts.

[Nathanael Jones]

I went DIY after seeing the huge prices companies like Ionics quoted. Not long after I found out about pure freedom, gardiners, sureclean systems etc, who offer very reasonably priced professionally installed systems. For many, the time wasted trying to diy would more than cover any additional cost of getting a system fitted. I would consider getting my next system professionally installed,.. the only thing holding me back is the distance to any decent suppliers from where I live!

Don't get me wrong,.. I love DIY,.. but the savings aren't as big as they used to be!

[Trotsky]

For a one man operation, yes of course!

Like most people I assume they bought professional equipment, then after some scrutiny realized, "Self made alternatives" could equal standard but at a cheaper price! 

Having said as for these large 60ft poles... I think it would be sensible to leave to the professionals!

[Chris Galloway]

Of course DIY is worth it.

Do you do it at home or get a professional in to do your decorating? stick a shelf up? etc..

Of course if you employ, them you need to be within your terms of insurance and employment law, so it may not be ideal. So you would get a professional in to put up a shelf in the office per se, you wouldn't do it yourself, but at home of course you would do it yourself.

But for many of the window cleaners out there that are sole traders, its a cheaper way of doing something that get the job done without breaking the bank.

Personally i like to DIY everything, if it comes to a point where i cant do it, or a feel i need professional help then i'll go and get it. That goes for anything in life not just WC.

The essense of DIY is to save money, personally i cant afford to spash out on pre made systems so i'll try DIY first, if the system works ok and i get business from it, i'd probably by an off the shelf version at a later date, i expect that most would, especially so if you expand and start to employ.

Besides not everyone is DIY inclined, you just may not have the mentality or the time to site there and work it out, you might be the type to want to have something ready made for you to plug in and go.

So yes it does have its place, but thats depending on the circumstances you are in, and the type of person that you are.

[Mike 108]

Very sensible reply, Chris.

Mike

[russ_clark]

I employ and have 3 x DIY Wfp set ups in  my vans
Of course if money was no option I would have nice
shiny systems in the vans.
Russ

[Mr Cleannclear]

If I had the money when I started out I would of gone for a factory fitted one. But just starting out money was tight and I had to go DIY.
My next van will have a factory fitted one

[kevin James]

I had to go diy.......cos nobody is currently selling a Quad Setup!
But I'm an engineer, so it's a little diferent for me, I love the challenge.
Also the domestic side of this business is still in Its infancy: we have parking issues with vans, intense physical labour with trolleys/backpacks. The next ten years, I'm sure, will see a dramatic change in the line up the big boys are selling.
As far as poles go I love the Omnipole alloy stuff. I use 2x12 foots fornearly all of my work. It can be telescopic or modular: for normal domestics, just one pole, for 3 storeys both poles. Whole range of brushes/ accessories and these poles will be in service in 5 years time.
I've voted yes, but use a mixture of both!

Kevin j

[ftp]

Depends on what is termed diy. If for instance you buy a static tank and ro and set it up in your garage or unit by yourself would that be diy? Would it be dangerous to your staff? Would you pay for a plumber to set it up? Dos your plumber change your filters?
If sourcing ready made components and assembling them is that diy?
Diy really is overcoming problems and making bits to fit by making them yourself.
What i do is only assemble my components as they arrive from the supplier apart from adapting a cctv camera and jetting my own brushes a while back.

[michael papworth]

Their will be a majority leaning from those using this forum towards DIY. This is because those who take the time to come online and research are usually looking for alternatives to the glossy one stop companies that are in the market place.

The vast majority of WC'ers however are more than happy to buy off the shelf, because they just want to work with the least hassle and thought.

Do you have any evidence for this assertion?

[ftp]

This post was put up beacause of the guttervac thread. If you buy a vac from omnipole it will most likely arrive in boxes, you unpack them and assemble the parts. If you source your own parts they also arrive in boxes - you unpack them and assemble the parts............ spot the difference?

[craig b]

no i think its to do with the diy heated gas systems

[Chris Galloway]

no i think its to do with the diy heated gas systems

its everything, poles, systems, gutter vac and hot water..

[Alex Gardiner]

Their will be a majority leaning from those using this forum towards DIY. This is because those who take the time to come online and research are usually looking for alternatives to the glossy one stop companies that are in the market place.

The vast majority of WC'ers however are more than happy to buy off the shelf, because they just want to work with the least hassle and thought.

Do you have any evidence for this assertion?

Why, do you have evidence to the contrary? 

[drive surgeon]

alex, think i will buy the gear from you after xmas