Equipment for VCT work.

[TimP]

Ok, I'm trying to get an appreciation for what is required to get into VCT strip/wax/maintainance. Also I think some other guys are thinking about it too.

I want to be able to make decent money doing this but don't want to break the bank getting into it. So obviously I want to look for used equipment to start with, and only new if I have to get it new.

I'm interested in smaller jobs probably 4k sq ft would probably be the largest I see myself doing and most will probably be well under 2k sq ft.

What equipment would one need to do these jobs quickly and as easily as possible.

Auto Scrubber? Size?

Burnisher? RPM Size

Buffer??? dual speed???? ( I own a cimex already)

What tools do you need to do finish or detail work???

Mops, buckets

What else.


What brands of wax and stripper are the best to buy. And where to buy them from.


Also where is the best place to get educated on it. I think Jon-Don offers a FCT class....has anyone taken it to know what they teach. I'd like something hands on. I've never done a vct floor strip/wax. I think I could potentially get a lot of this work if I knew what I was doing and if I can do it profitably I wouldn't mind getting into it.

 

[ronald pantelas]

Tim, I have done a good bit of this work lately. It is pretty simple, we have good floor people here in Fon and Dave Payne. Do not get discouraged when you here all the info that is told to you. This is what you need to get started. But before I go with my list. Do you have a jan store close by. Any supply house will walk you thru the training. It is mostly a low end job. You are bidding against people that bid so low it is sometime riduculous. The low bids are just cheating the customer in quality products and number of kotes applied. You must get in there , do the work fast, have a system to move furniture, more then yourself. Cleaning ceramic,color sealing, stone polishing is where you want to focus. But the following list would be the minimum . 3 mop buckets, 3 mop handles, 1 doodle bug for edges, scraper, regular mopheads, finish mopheads. The biggest purchase would be a shop vac with squeegee attachment and a quick dump. A 175 rottary machine is a must, black hi speed stripping pads. Always buy the best stripper you can. Most people like johnsons products. Once you get going and you find you like it. You can get a scrubber to strip with or a sidewinder(like dave has). You would purchase an electric buffer 2000 rpm, or a better/faster propane buffer. Hopefully one of those guys will chime in and finish your questions, good luck. Ron

 

[TimP]

I'm not worried about lowballers.

I get calls all the time with unhappy customers from the only guy in town that does it and he's not very professional.

I believe they would be willing to pay what it's really worth for a quality job after this guy.

I get probably 2-3 calls plus a week to do this work. And I have plenty of spare time.


I have a shop vac available but I hate to look like a hack. I want to do this stuff right and have the right equipment.

 

[Larry B]

Don'T use a shop vac. Get something like a Typhoon off ebay for a couple hundred and its best to not only have the squeegee attachment but also a hose and wand for small spaces.

Contact your local JanSan supplier for finish as the shipping from mail order will kill you.

Mops and all that crap listed above are needed.

At least a 17" 175 machine (the stripper will damage your Cimex over time)

For the small areas you are talking about a 17" to 20" auto scrubber would work fine.

Burnisher 2000 plus RPM is best. Don'T just buy a propane burnisher with out looking into them. Some of the no name propane burnishers can spin as slow as 1600 rpm so its a waste of money.

One of the biggest things to watch is the edges. When you first start doing VCT it might look clean but if you leave stripper or small patches of soft finish on the edges it will yellow soon after you refinish.

Don'T never guarantee your finish will hold up in a men's restroom or you will be back fixing it alot.

 

[Fon Johnson]

Tim, if I were starting out again fresh (knowing what I know now) this is the bare minimum I would buy:

1) 175RPM machine. I would PREFER a top mounted handle release over the foot release.

2) Two mop buckets with wringers.

3) Two lay flat style screw on mops and handles.

4) a doodle bug with case of black, brown, and blue pads.

5) 4ft Unger razor scraper.

6) A shop vac with a good quality wand (not the crap they come with.)*

7) Rubbermaid finish system. The pioneer eclipse finish mop is ok too, though.

8) One or two good squeegees. The moss type from Lowes work ok and are cheap.

9) Dust mop, broom, and dust pan.

10) 1 case each Black hi pro (thinline), black (thickline), green, and red pads.

11) You will need stripper, finish, neutral cleaner, and a good high pH cleaner.

If you intend to do maintenance, I would have:

1) 1500+ RPM burnisher (electric.)

2) Pads for burnisher: It depends on what finish you are buffing but I like to have these on hand: white, champagne, aqua, blue ice, white natural blend, tan natural blend.

3) spray buff

* If I could afford it I would replace the shop vac with a professional floor vac with a front mounted squeegee. This will make life sooooooo much easier. The cost could range from about $400 for a cheap powrflite to around $2,000 for a big battery operated one like I have. (I think I paid $1,400 for mine years ago.)

There are other incidentals such as tape, rags, etc. that I would want as well, but that covers the bulk of the basic NEEDS. You can half way do it and beat your head against the wall, or you can spend enough to do it right and make more profit.

As I grew, I would assess my needs and consider a small propane burnisher and a small auto scrubber. The auto scrubber will really save time and hassle of you are doing much wet work, or mopping before you buff.

Now, I know that several guys are going to come in and tell you that you NEED a propane burnisher. While they CAN cut a 40 minute job down to 15 minutes, they don't always fit the bill. I have a bunch of accounts where we can NOT use one. I get the floors just as shiney with an electric, and I make $100 to $150 per hour on these jobs. You don't have to worry about the dangers of propane, and if you wanted you could haul a little electric burnisher around in a hatch back. I won't go into a lot more detail as I have helped my local competitors way too much already. Over the past few years I have screwed myself out of TEN of THOUSANDS by helping local people. I'm done with that.

Ultimately you need to decide IF you want to do it, and make a PLAN. PLAN what size accounts you want. I found a NICE niche. I let the other idiots fight it out with each other and the brokers trying to get the big ticket jobs. While they are out with a crew stripping all night, I can take a burnisher in the trunk of my car and make the same amount of profit as them and be home by 9:00. They can fight over the dollars for hours, meanwhile I'll quietly scoop up the quarters in minutes without breaking a sweat. I'll take the small crap jobs they don't want to fool with.

I'd be glad to walk you through it.

 

[Jay D]

Fons got it right. IF your shoulders, knees, back and you are in good shape then yes it can be profitable. My back is'nt what it use to be, so the VCT I use to do well, i can't due anymore. Small accounts can be the best if your set up right. Try and run it out of something other than your carpet cleaning truck otherwise your loading and unloading too often or just do floors 1 or 2 nights a week. Ics also has a floor board for you too. do your best and start slow.

 

[floorguy]

Dave Payne???? thats my uncle.... :roll:


thanks for the thought though....

 

[The Preacher]

call me. i have all the supplies Fon told you to get, plus i might have an electric burnisher you can have for a good price!!!

PS is Johnny Walker the VCT hack in yore area that you speak of??? i know a guy who can teach you the ART of VCT work and if your good, he might funnel you some accounts!

 

[steve frasier]

Tim, if I were starting out again fresh (knowing what I know now) this is the bare minimum I would buy:

1) 175RPM machine. I would PREFER a top mounted handle release over the foot release.

2) Two mop buckets with wringers.

3) Two lay flat style screw on mops and handles.

4) a doodle bug with case of black, brown, and blue pads.

5) 4ft Unger razor scraper.

6) A shop vac with a good quality wand (not the crap they come with.)*

7) Rubbermaid finish system. The pioneer eclipse finish mop is ok too, though.

One or two good squeegees. The moss type from Lowes work ok and are cheap.

9) Dust mop, broom, and dust pan.

10) 1 case each Black hi pro (thinline), black (thickline), green, and red pads.

11) You will need stripper, finish, neutral cleaner, and a good high pH cleaner.

If you intend to do maintenance, I would have:

1) 1500+ RPM burnisher (electric.)

2) Pads for burnisher: It depends on what finish you are buffing but I like to have these on hand: white, champagne, aqua, blue ice, white natural blend, tan natural blend.

3) spray buff

* If I could afford it I would replace the shop vac with a professional floor vac with a front mounted squeegee. This will make life sooooooo much easier. The cost could range from about $400 for a cheap powrflite to around $2,000 for a big battery operated one like I have. (I think I paid $1,400 for mine years ago.)

There are other incidentals such as tape, rags, etc. that I would want as well, but that covers the bulk of the basic NEEDS. You can half way do it and beat your head against the wall, or you can spend enough to do it right and make more profit.

As I grew, I would assess my needs and consider a small propane burnisher and a small auto scrubber. The auto scrubber will really save time and hassle of you are doing much wet work, or mopping before you buff.

Now, I know that several guys are going to come in and tell you that you NEED a propane burnisher. While they CAN cut a 40 minute job down to 15 minutes, they don't always fit the bill. I have a bunch of accounts where we can NOT use one. I get the floors just as shiney with an electric, and I make $100 to $150 per hour on these jobs. You don't have to worry about the dangers of propane, and if you wanted you could haul a little electric burnisher around in a hatch back. I won't go into a lot more detail as I have helped my local competitors way too much already. Over the past few years I have screwed myself out of TEN of THOUSANDS by helping local people. I'm done with that.

Ultimately you need to decide IF you want to do it, and make a PLAN. PLAN what size accounts you want. I found a NICE niche. I let the other idiots fight it out with each other and the brokers trying to get the big ticket jobs. While they are out with a crew stripping all night, I can take a burnisher in the trunk of my car and make the same amount of profit as them and be home by 9:00. They can fight over the dollars for hours, meanwhile I'll quietly scoop up the quarters in minutes without breaking a sweat. I'll take the small crap jobs they don't want to fool with.

I'd be glad to walk you through it.

that is why he is the moderator