hogjowl
Idiot™
Mikey's not human.
He's a threat to us all
He's a threat to us all
Or Dik HedOh, come on! Most just call you Dick!
Mikey's not human.
He's a threat to us all
Maybe I should just call you Suave'The real name is Richard but most people just call me MIGHTY.
Ok, few people call me Mighty...ok so nobody calls me Mighty. But they are should!
Rico is fine.
I never did like buying cheap tools but even the cheap extractors cost a left nut! I've got a few tricks up my sleeve but this is going to take a lot of sweat, just like anything else.No real cheap way to get in.. Don't believe any craigslist ad trying to sell a truck mount, mostly they are all FOS!! If I was looking to get in cheap I would go with a Judson or Cobb that was used..
That why he's a vegetarian now...Not true his aunt told me he could
Wolf down three Big Macs as a kid!
Ok maybe that's not human after all.
That why he's a vegetarian now...
The word Vegetarian comes from the Cherokee Indians, it means "poor hunter"........
I think a $10k-$12k van/truckmount is a good starting point, unlike these douchebags who want you to pay $20k+ on a combo. If you're just starting out, you'll have plenty of time to work on it, and figure out what's wrong if anything is wrong with it. You're not gonna be slammed with work from the startup, and you're not gonna have that 6hr job to do yesterday at that big office complex yet. Like Bob said, you'll have some empty apartments to clean and all your family and friends will want you to clean for them. That'll give you plenty of time to get used to your setup and give you some good training on doing some minor repairs.Alright folks, I need some opinions.
Is a used TM with vehicle for $10-12k gonna be sufficient for residential and some commercial work?
Has anyone else started with less and succeeded?
I know there are no guarantees on anything, just curious what others have experienced when they made the jump to being an entrepreneur.
Been looking at used Hydramasters and an El Diablo...
I see lots of Boxxers for sale, is this indicative of a weak machine or people just not making it in the biz?
Thanks
Ray
"It isn't who you know, it's who knows you"
Thanks Matt, I'm no stranger to pipe tape or a wrench!I think a $10k-$12k van/truckmount is a good starting point, unlike these douchebags who want you to pay $20k+ on a combo. If you're just starting out, you'll have plenty of time to work on it, and figure out what's wrong if anything is wrong with it. You're not gonna be slammed with work from the startup, and you're not gonna have that 6hr job to do yesterday at that big office complex yet. Like Bob said, you'll have some empty apartments to clean and all your family and friends will want you to clean for them. That'll give you plenty of time to get used to your setup and give you some good training on doing some minor repairs.
Just don't get the first one you see.. And is there a dealer with a good service department nearby? If not, be sure to get one of the 3 big named truck mounts. They have a good service department that you can call for immediate support if and when you break down. Just invest in a good tool kit with the extra brass fittings, plenty of pipe tape, extra oil, etc. And you'll be ready to go to work.
If you're already convinced on spending $20k, think about buying the $10k setup and using the extra $10k to market.
I hear Fiji is nice this time of year. My kid don't need food anyhow...when I was three I had 2 full time jobs.For 10k you can buy a nine-day vacation in Tahiti. Screw the customers.
That leaves you 10k to stay another two weeks, since you already are there. Screw 'em some more!
I agree!Carpet cleaning is a great business. The first 3 years can be brutal though. I would advise not getting in too deep in any monthly payments unless you plan on keeping your full time job for awhile or have a wife that can keep you up. Keep in mind you will also need LOTS of marketing $$$$ to get the ball rolling. There's no shame in a good professional portable for awhile. To be honest most customers probably don't care if you have a monster truckmount. I have a truckmount but I can't tell you how many times per week people ask me if I need somewhere to plug in my machine. They don't care if I'm a porty guy or truckmount guy. They called me because of my reputation or a referral. A porty can clean just fine, it's just slower. I keep a portable Ninja for condos and it cleans great with a good quality prespray. Good luck!
I just responded to your June 4 post in the business section.Alright folks, I need some opinions.
Is a used TM with vehicle for $10-12k gonna be sufficient for residential and some commercial work?
Has anyone else started with less and succeeded?
I know there are no guarantees on anything, just curious what others have experienced when they made the jump to being an entrepreneur.
Been looking at used Hydramasters and an El Diablo...
I see lots of Boxxers for sale, is this indicative of a weak machine or people just not making it in the biz?
Thanks
Ray
"It isn't who you know, it's who knows you"
. Im only at 3 - 5 clients per week but it is building aftet 4 months
I dont wear the goofy glasses...lol that when i had to do MRI experiment for University when they tested my deafness. I had to a wear non-magnetic glass to see. Easy money.. Ask mikey, i aint goofy when it come with dealing with customers.. As far as mechanical go...i am very mechanical...piece cake, i can fix or swap any engine anytime. Just get me replacment part book and a manual... Im good to go...how hard is it to replace a spark plug anyways?is your avatar a pic of you?
if so, get rid of those goofyazz kid glasses and maybe you have 8-10 custys a week ....
buying used....
direct drives are for mindless nincompoop techs that can't figure much more than flipping a switch
They're pretty simple and reliable as far as TMs go, but harder on the van
(vans aren't made/engineered to run all day sitting in a drive)
and WAY overkill to drive a blower and pump
The TM will far out last the van too...and they're not easy to swap out into a new van like a slide-in
(don't believe Bob)
I wouldn't touch a used one unless it was low hour
$10-$12K for a used van w/slide in 'n gear ready to roll....you better be mechanical
TM in a trailer..you'll hate it.
borrow or rent a trailer and drive around for a week and you'll know why
.L.T.A.
The problem when you are new in the business, is you really don't know when your equipment is running right or not. I have been on large commercial jobs and as we have slack hose, we will disconnect a 50 ft length at a time. Some times, even though we have warned the tech that we are doing this, while the hose is disconnected, he is still trying to clean, not noticing the difference in the sound of the wand or that he is not picking up the cleaning solution. It's good to get some experience on different machines and if you make mistakes, it's better on someone else's dime. Having said that, there are often great deals out there for used equipment. Expect to have to work on it. If your handy with a wrench, go for it.I dont wear the goofy glasses...lol that when i had to do MRI experiment for University when they tested my deafness. I had to a wear non-magnetic glass to see. Easy money.. Ask mikey, i aint goofy when it come with dealing with customers.. As far as mechanical go...i am very mechanical...piece cake, i can fix or swap any engine anytime. Just get me replacment part book and a manual... Im good to go...how hard is it to replace a spark plug anyways?
Lol yeah, i am learning. I have accidently unplug one cord for my portable and i was was only utilizing one vacuum motor instead of two. It be nice to have a arduino or rasberry pi board with sensors to tell you the update of the machine to your phone app while in operation to make sure that you are fully optimal. Maybe a cfm sensor light indicator at wand to detect loss to inspect immediately. I think about this because i absolutely can not tell because of my hearing loss.The problem when you are new in the business, is you really don't know when your equipment is running right or not. I have been on large commercial jobs and as we have slack hose, we will disconnect a 50 ft length at a time. Some times, even though we have warned the tech that we are doing this, while the hose is disconnected, he is still trying to clean, not noticing the difference in the sound of the wand or that he is not picking up the cleaning solution. It's good to get some experience on different machines and if you make mistakes, it's better on someone else's dime. Having said that, there are often great deals out there for used equipment. Expect to have to work on it. If your handy with a wrench, go for it.
You missing a leg?I will hold back on my prosetic lower limb '10 CRB leg attachment joke....
The problem when you are new in the business, is you really don't know when your equipment is running right or not. .