[drive surgeon]

is it all year round work?  do you find most people just want the sludge removed or the whole thing cleaned on outside too?

[trevor povey]

 TBH its a dead duck business if you are sowley depending on this for a living and IMO you wouldn,t make a living from this as most scrimmers I know (which is a lot) get all of these jobs as add ons from their customer.... stick to drives pal.

[drive surgeon]

thats not what kev r and poleman say???

[ftp]

Been busy the last two weeks - customers want the outside cleaned more than anything but think whilst you're at it they will have them emptied too. Helps to have a window cleaning round for a supply of trusting customers. Think you'll find KevR is mostly commercial.

[drive surgeon]

you could do commercial couldnt you?  just buy more sl2 poles?

[ftp]

Of course, but you can't just turn up with the equipment you've got to find the work first. I haven't tried very hard for commercial because i'm not that big or bothered to be honest. The returns should be very good I would imagine but I would have to fit it around my windowcleaning regulars. For me it's more of an add on service for existing customers.

[drive surgeon]

you could do a few commercials with low gutters. up to 25 foot?

[Glyn H]

TBH its a dead duck business if you are sowley depending on this for a living and IMO you wouldn,t make a living from this as most scrimmers I know (which is a lot) get all of these jobs as add ons from their customer.... stick to drives pal

It all depends on how you are set up and market the business.
The largest gutter cleaning specialist company turns over £20 million a year!

[drive surgeon]

well im getting my leaflets done and am going to market it as a professional service. 

[ftp]

If you want big money then target commercial - you are unlikely to get rich on residential purely because your average householder won't stomach the price - they can always get someone to do it from ladders and don't want a method statement, proof of insurance or risk asessment. If i only had to suck out gutters i could fly through my work but most want the outsides washed and this is too knackering for one person day in day out. Cleaning windows is a doddle so is using a vac but wfp washing is hard.

[drive surgeon]

billy said cleaning gutters is hard, especially when they are deep filled with crap.

[ftp]

I could suck them all day, the pole rests on the gutter, the vacuum does the work. Try wfpoling gutters and fascias for four hours. 

[Oakley Windows]

Ive picked up about £1,000 of gutters in the last month, from domestics.

[drive surgeon]

well in matt!    there you go it can be done!

ftp have you got the same set up as me and poleman?  sl2's and vac?

[ftp]

Sl2's, vac, generator and trailer plus camera, Oh, and ladders. You will be very lucky if you can get by with no ladder work at all.

[drive surgeon]

was just going to use custys electric for now, what size generator do you have? can you recommend an exact model?  dont think i will get a camera for domestic work.

[ftp]

http://www.pump.co.uk/shop/Generators/PetrolSilent/d24/sd77?code=LC5000DDC

5kva for triple 1200w motors

[drive surgeon]

is this your model?  looks good but just how big is this?  can you lift it out of van easy or do you keep it in the van? looks heavy.

[ftp]

It's bolted in my trailer. You'll never lift it on your own, it was all i could do to get it in the trailer, could wheel it up ramps with a wheel kit but they are heavy with a full tank and battery.

[drive surgeon]

do you need a battery as weel as petrol?