Best entry-level setup

C

coop1109

New member
I am looking for some advice on a new, entry-level set up for cleaning flatwork. I am currently softwashing residential houses and roofs but have had some requests for driveway/sidewalk work.

I currently have a lowe's 4gpm machine and was hoping to be able to run a surface machine.?? Will this washer handle it?? I know the lowe's machine won't take it for very long and I will be upgrading if the business picks up but can I get by with it for now??

I am looking at an 8gpm hot water unit but I can't justify it right now. If I get more work lined up, I will get it.

Any and all ideas are welcome.
 
It depends on the kind of work you are doing. You can use a small surface cleaner approx 16" and it will do OK with good chems, but you will need to upgrade to hot water and more gpm's as soon as you can afford it if you start doing a lot of work.

good luck
 
With the machine you have now, I would just work more and save more until you can make the big changeover.

I am sure that is not what you want to hear but if you buy more equipment, that is equipment that more than likely you will not use anymore once you experience 5.5gpm or 8gpm with hot water.

Save up and then buy the pro equipment instead of buying some equipment and then buying again and then having stuff lying around.

If you buy a 16" surface cleaner, it will make things go faster on concrete but commercial work, you need hot water, not sure if you are looking in that direction.

Sure you might get busy and a helper can use the smaller stuff but until then it will sit, start to rust and go bad.

Not trying to discourage you, just showing other options.



_________________
Superior Power Washing<O:p</O:p
Chris Chappell<O:p</O:p
361-853-2513<O:p</O:p
Exterior House Cleaning in Corpus Christi Texas<O:p</O:p
Cleaning Concrete Driveways Sidewalks and Walkways in Corpus Christi Texas
 
Thanks for the input guys.

I think I would rather have the smaller old stuff rust and go bad rather than have a brand new hot water unit sitting in the shop rusting because I don't have the work lined up. I guess the real question should be, will the 4gpm machine be capable of running a 16" surface machine for smaller residential work?

Yes, I would like to get into the commercial side and have plans to purchase a hot water 8gpm machine with a larger surface cleaner but I don't have the work right now so I cannot justify the purchase. If I am able to demo some commercial work with the smaller unit and get the jobs, I will purchase the larger unit.
 
I say get the 16" and clean some driveways. Let the soap do the work! You won't want to clean anything more than driveway size, but if you have to go slow and make a few passes, still pretty fast. Get a high pressure filter. Maybe you could get one thats made to hook to a vacuum - a carpet cleaners surface cleaner I think, for tile cleaning and clean some tile.
 
Yes the 16" will sufice. I run a 20" on my 4gpm. and it does o.k.
Definately plan on upgrading if you want to get into doing alot of flatwork. I dont do alot of flatwork, so it doesnt affect me that much.
 
Tom is right on the money, that machine is large enough for a 16 or 20 like Johnson said and let he chems do the work for you since you do not have heat yet.
 
Detail Pro said:
Have any of ypu guys had an experience with the BE surface cleaner. I just found a BE 18" with a fantasic price.
Click to expand...

Thats what I have. I havent had any problems with it. Knock on wood.
Mines a 20". Paid $319 plus shipping.
 
Thanks for the help everyone.

Now for the next question.......From what I have read on other posts, most people say "Hot water and NO chems"......so what type of chems are you using??
 
That is a very good price for a surface cleaner. If you get one, get an extra o-ring or two because when it starts dripping out the weep hole in time, you just change out the o-ring so it is good to have the spare on hand so your unit is not down waiting for the o-ring to show up.

Good Luck.





_________________
Superior Power Washing<O:p</O:p
Chris Chappell<O:p</O:p
361-853-2513<O:p</O:p
Exterior House Cleaning in Corpus Christi Texas<O:p</O:p
Cleaning Concrete Driveways Sidewalks and Walkways in Corpus Christi Texas<O:p</O:p
 
It depends on what you are going to do. Greasy, oily areas, I have had good luck with Hotsy's Ripper 2 or PressureTek's F-18.

On dirty areas, soaps help with the cleaning like a weaker version of the above or Simple Cherry or similar soap.

What else have you seen that you want to be cleaning?





_________________
Superior Power Washing<O:p</O:p
Chris Chappell<O:p</O:p
361-853-2513<O:p</O:p
Exterior House Cleaning in Corpus Christi Texas<O:p</O:p
Cleaning Concrete Driveways Sidewalks and Walkways in Corpus Christi Texas<O:p</O:p
 
coop1109 said:
Thanks for the input guys.

I think I would rather have the smaller old stuff rust and go bad rather than have a brand new hot water unit sitting in the shop rusting because I don't have the work lined up. I guess the real question should be, will the 4gpm machine be capable of running a 16" surface machine for smaller residential work?

Yes, I would like to get into the commercial side and have plans to purchase a hot water 8gpm machine with a larger surface cleaner but I don't have the work right now so I cannot justify the purchase. If I am able to demo some commercial work with the smaller unit and get the jobs, I will purchase the larger unit.
Click to expand...


If you buy it, they will come!
 
Chris Francis said:
Chris what one do you like more ripper2 or f-18. Does f-18 come in powder form.
Click to expand...

The F-18 from PressureTek comes in a powder so you make it as strong as you need.

The Hotsy Ripper 2 comes from Hotsy, all the dealers should have it in stock. It is a liquid and you dilute it as you see necessary. You have to be careful with that stuff, hot water and Ripper 2 make some nasty fumes so be careful!

The Ripper 2 is my favorite for the tire stores I do every 2 months to clean the tire marks, remove the old sealer and general cleaning.





_________________
Superior Power Washing<O:p</O:p
Chris Chappell<O:p</O:p
361-853-2513<O:p</O:p
Exterior House Cleaning in Corpus Christi Texas<O:p</O:p
Cleaning Concrete Driveways Sidewalks and Walkways in Corpus Christi Texas<O:p</O:p
 
coop1109 said:
Yes, I would like to get into the commercial side and have plans to purchase a hot water 8gpm machine with a larger surface cleaner but I don't have the work right now so I cannot justify the purchase. If I am able to demo some commercial work with the smaller unit and get the jobs, I will purchase the larger unit.
Click to expand...


It all goes back to Marketing and Sales, you need to know both to stay in business and grow your business.

If you do not know that much in either, start learning.

I did not know much when I started and that was a huge handicap but I am learning more and more each day.

I need to get better with selling, I am learning.





_________________
Superior Power Washing<O:p</O:p
Chris Chappell<O:p</O:p
361-853-2513<O:p</O:p
Exterior House Cleaning in Corpus Christi Texas<O:p</O:p
Cleaning Concrete Driveways Sidewalks and Walkways in Corpus Christi Texas<O:p</O:p
 
So far I have only been cleaning residential but I have been looking and asking more at the commercial stuff. While at homes, I always notice the walkways, drives, patio and pooldeck. In my area of Louisiana we have high humidity and a lot of trees which is a perfect breeding ground for mildew/mold/algae. Most of the walkways (even on homes built less than 1 yr ago) are black or have severe black streaks.

I have committed the cardinal sin of wanding some of the extremely bad areas. Mostly because of the runoff from the house wash makes them look worse so I blend them in a little. So that is why I am planning to add concrete cleaning. Also, it is much more cost effective to offer more services at one location rather than traveling all over just to do a house or roof wash.

I agree completely that it all comes back to sales and marketing. I have been involved with both for many years so I am comfortable in those areas. I am just trying to get as much information as I can and have the equipment ready so I can offer these services. Also, starting with a smaller machine will allow me some time to learn before I approach the guy down the street who owns 12 convenient stores, 15 restaurants and 6 bank branches (hypothetically). I want to have the confidence in my ability and my equipment that I can answer his questions and do the best work he has ever seen.

Sorry about the long post. Been a long day and trying to decide what I need to do.

Thanks again for everyones input.
 
If you seriously want to pursue flatwork, your going to need the rig anyway. Go ahead an get it so you can start to learn about it. It will take some time until your comfortable using it on someone's property. A professional rig will help sell jobs big time.

If your still on the fence about doing this type of work, you should get a small surface cleaner until you know if your want to really do it right.
 
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