Floor job 10,000 sqft, needing some advice plz

[G.C.S]

Is 10,000 sqft considered a 'big' job for all you vets out there? I know for myself it is but thats because Im new in the floor service dept. I have to say I'm not to keen on taking the job, I think its the rubber cove base & floor corners that gets under my skin more than anything else because it never looks clean When Im done or at least not up to my standards but thee client always seems happy with our service which is a bonus for us.
I have a 20" buffer and 20" Burnisher and they are old and Heavy. Also, I plan on using Aviator Fast Dry Floor Finish by Hillyard, the janitorial dept at my local public schools said this is the ONLY product they will use. I'd like to hear what others are using in terms of equipment for a strip/wax job. I was considering a backpack finishing kit and an orbital floor machine such as the TomKat orbital. I'd like to hear what all of you use in terms of equipment for floor strip & refinish.

Also, what method do you use to determine how much you will charge to move bulky furniture away from the area being serviced? I have 2 part time employee's that will go in and remove everything however Im sorta stuck on what to charge for that service.


Thanks to all

 

[steve_64]

Ive got something similar coming but havent worked on price yet neither. Ill be watching this thread.

 

[Mark Saiger]

@dealtimeman

 

[TomKing]

I bid $1 sf on these. We hate that stuff. Strip and wax is a lot of work if you do not have some larger equipment and the knowledge to make it go quick. I bid it high and when we get it all the problems seem better.
We try not to do it. We would rather do carpet.

I just bid a 22k quarterly rotational cleaning with a walk through spot each quarter for $900 per trip. we will make just as much as what you will probably get on 10k of waxing. We will cimex and average $150 - $200 per hour.

Just my thoughts. We did stuff in the beginning we would never do today. Good luck in growing your business to be what your dream is.

If I can help please call. PM me for a number or call the office. if you are selling big stuff like that you can get carpet also. Take the easy stuff.

 

[Bryan Thomson]

Great advise Tom!
In the beginning you think you need every customer/ job.....only to find out that you don't want or need ever job or ultra picky customer that calls you back for any and everything.
I agree on the $1-1.50 per sq ft to strip and recoat.....if you have never stripped a floor before.....better to learn by helping someone who does first, before learning the hard way.
He is also going to need a wet vac to pickup the emulsified floor finish.

 

[Cleanworks]

Great advise Tom!
In the beginning you think you need every customer/ job.....only to find out that you don't want or need ever job or ultra picky customer that calls you back for any and everything.
I agree on the $1-1.50 per sq ft to strip and recoat.....if you have never stripped a floor before.....better to learn by helping someone who does first, before learning the hard way.
He is also going to need a wet vac to pickup the emulsified floor finish.

Instead of a wet vac, use a portable extractor with a hard surface tool (gecko style wand) with neutral cleaner. You pick up the emulsified wax and neutralize the floor at the same time. You need 2 guys for a job like that. One stripping and one rinsing.

 

[Bryan Thomson]

I hear you and the only reason I recommend a wet vac is most cleaners especially those just starting out stripping floors is, they forget to save enough stripper to properly rinse out / flush all the emulsified floor finish and don't realize that if you let ANY emulsified floor finish harden in your gecko and more importantly in your portable / vac motors you will ruin your equipment in a matter of no time. A wet vac with a nylon filter over the vac paper filter is the safest way to extract floor finish. Followed by a neutralizing rinse with a portable or walk behind auto scrubber....before recoat.

 

[Desk Jockey]

I hate VCT. I totally agree with Tom, easier ways to make a buck.

We do as he does, price it high and grit our teeth when we still get them. Unfortunately there are times they want it packaged with the carpet and we are forced to do floors.

There are those with skills & knowledge that can really make a floor look great. Unfortunately there are too many of those guys out there and it just doesn't pay well.

 

[steve_64]

My situation is I have a regular customer with multiple stores I clean the carpets at. Now he has a 10, 000 sq ft store he is leasing out.

It wont be a lot of strip n waxing as much as buffing and burnishing but there will be some.

I havent talked price yet with him but im sure we will come to an agreement.

When I first met him he just had it done and it was terrible. Ive been charging double what he was paying with a lot of resistance.

I dont "need" the work but I can always use more if it pays enough. And I like quarterly and monthly jobs too.

 

[Desk Jockey]

I think the buffing & burnishing is where you can make money.

 

[Jack Zipper Zerkie]

Use a portable extractor and rinse the floor with water, the floor is clean and ready for the wax. Iv,e tried a shop vac and the extractor and the water rinse is worth the extra step. jz.

 

[TomKing]

I would disagree with using any carpet tools for stip and wax. The stuff ruins your equipment. We have tools just for waxing. We use a wet vac with a squeegee on it works great for pick up, The key is good chemicals and wax also. You get what you pay for when you buy the supplies.

 

[G.C.S]

Just my thoughts. We did stuff in the beginning we would never do today. Good luck in growing your business to be what your dream is.

If I can help please call. PM me for a number or call the office. if you are selling big stuff like that you can get carpet also. Take the easy stuff.[/QUOTE]

Thank you very much for your offer and advice! I will definitely pm you

 

[Cleanworks]

I

I hear you and the only reason I recommend a wet vac is most cleaners especially those just starting out stripping floors is, they forget to save enough stripper to properly rinse out / flush all the emulsified floor finish and don't realize that if you let ANY emulsified floor finish harden in your gecko and more importantly in your portable / vac motors you will ruin your equipment in a matter of no time. A wet vac with a nylon filter over the vac paper filter is the safest way to extract floor finish. Followed by a neutralizing rinse with a portable or walk behind auto scrubber....before recoat.

Have an old ninja that I use for rinsing floors and I have never had the emulsified wax gumming up anything. That's why we use the machine to rinse with neutral cleaner. We clean out the machine after every use along with our mops/buckets and anything else. As long you do your maintenance, you won't have any problems. Beats the hell out of wet vaccing and mopping your rinse on the floor

 

[Lee Stockwell]

I use SPP and "stripper free" process as much as possible.

Spray on with HF, scrub, foam squeegee off.

Spray dilute vinegar with HF, cw rinse with carpet wand.

Two of us can cover 1000 sqft/hr.

Apply finish with 18" flat mop. 2500 sqft/hr per coat.

 

[Jack Zipper Zerkie]

I would disagree with using any carpet tools for stip and wax. The stuff ruins your equipment. We have tools just for waxing. We use a wet vac with a squeegee on it works great for pick up, The key is good chemicals and wax also. You get what you pay for when you buy the supplies.

The portable I use is from 1982 a Hoover 15 gal extractor. I rinse all my tools as I use them and use a Floor tool not a carpet wand. jz.

 

[TomKing]

The portable I use is from 1982 a Hoover 15 gal extractor. I rinse all my tools as I use them and use a Floor tool not a carpet wand. jz.

Jack my thoughts always go to what you do with employees. Owners can do that stuff Employees usally won't or don't. We have 2 2013 trucks. The one my son drives great condition. The one a employee drives not so much.

 

[Jack Zipper Zerkie]

Thanks Tom your right. The only reason I said that is when I helped another cleaner. I used my method and his employees used theirs and when they saw the results they had me rinse and extract the floor. Even without a extractor the shop vac will work if you rinse with a pump up sprayer it works great. jz.