Good Starting Equipment?

[ARSuarez]

Hello All,

I am just working my way into the CC biz, and was hoping for advice. While planning to purchase a portable extractor, I am not quite sure which one would be "best," since they all tout how they are the "best." Because many of you will have had some of these experiences and seen how the portables perform, I would really appreciate advice.

What I am looking for is a generally affordable extractor, with good draw (probably will be nonheated, for best lift power), and, if there is not an affordable extractor with heat and good draw, an external heater that would perform well.

Once again, thanks!

Regards,

Angel

 

[Charlie Lyman]

lots of people told me not to waste my money on a portable. I didn't listen an wish i wold have. Now i have a portable siting in the garage doing nothing. I used it for 6 months and got a truckmount. Dont buy a portable and put that money towards a used truckmount.

 

[SRI Cleaning]

I agree with Charles 100%. Yes you can do a good job with a portable but you will waste so much time setting up and breaking down. Not to mention that alot of people wont take you seriously with a portable. I have one and it does come it handy for hard to reach and high rise jobs, but that might be 3 or 4 times a year. Even if our truckmount or truck breaks down, we usually cancel or reschedule rathedr than having to lug in a portable. i couldnt imagine doing it every day. But that being said.....Your going to get a lot of different responses here. And that was just my 2 cents. Good luck with everything!

 

[juniorc82]

you will hear many differant opinions on this board. moost are truck mount guys. I have cleaned with a tm and they are awesome no doubt but for just starting out I would go with a portable. I am certified master textile cleaner and I do just as good of a job with a porty as tm guys do with the truck it just takes me a while longer. I have accounts were you cant clean them with a tm so it has set me aside from my competition for example a multi state building were you cant run hoses up an elevator. that account alone is almst 17 k per year and my competitors that only rine a tm cant even touch it. another thing you will run into is accounts were they dont want the door left open at night time due to a security breach. I have nothing against truckmounts and am activly looking for one but while you get going start with a porty because the operating expense is so much lower plus they are so simple and easy to operate you can focus on cleaning. somthing else I strongly recomend is finding some iicrc certification classes and doing them . the knowledge you learn in those classes will out live any machine you will ever buy and they quality of your work will stand out. as far as a specific porty try either the recoil xps or a mytee m5 or mytee 1003dx all of these portys will allow you to run enough hose you wont need to drag them up and down stairs and alot of the time you can leave the machine in one spot and go all over the house which is also nice. also you will need to get a 175 rpm floor scrubber with a nylon brush and some bonnet pads using that machine regularly with your porty to scrub will put you ahead of alot of people. also DONT WASTE YOUR TIME ON A ROTOVAC! i had a rotovac and relized it was a piece of junk and got rid of it

 

[renegade_cowboy]

Hello All,

I am just working my way into the CC biz, and was hoping for advice. While planning to purchase a portable extractor, I am not quite sure which one would be "best," since they all tout how they are the "best." Because many of you will have had some of these experiences and seen how the portables perform, I would really appreciate advice.

What I am looking for is a generally affordable extractor, with good draw (probably will be nonheated, for best lift power), and, if there is not an affordable extractor with heat and good draw, an external heater that would perform well.

Once again, thanks!

Regards,

Angel

Great advice, pass on the portable and buy a used truckmount with a nice looking van. You can get both for under $5,000. Since image is important in this industry a good looking van is the most important. A truckmount is just a engine that powers a blower, pump and some cases a heating system for the water. Some truckmount has more bells and whistles than others, but they are basically the same and do a much better job than a portable.

If you get a portable some people will turn you away to clean their carpets. I get asked every week if I use a truckmounted unit.

 

[royalkid]

I agree with Jon. Just starting out...portable. If you have the money, you can go with the TM...but if (as stated above) you get a used TM/Van for around $5,000....you get what you pay for...and for that price you'll be buying someone elses problems...with the money you can buy a nice porty (Mytee) with good psi/heat for around $2,000...if something goes wrong with the TM, the repair costs can be very high. You can do just as good of a job with a porty, just takes longer...but when you're starting out, you probably won't be doing 4-5 jobs per day...you'll have the extra time needed to do a good job with the portable. Call Mytee

 

[Farenheit251]

A portable is fine to start with. It will give you the chance to see if you have enough nuts to hustle up the jobs or not. That is really what its all about.
Don't waste money on a portable with extras. Get a functional used machine$4-800 and what you really need is a good rotary shampooer to get the stains out and soil loose then the extractor is just to rinse it out.($300 used) A $3000 new top of the line portable is not a bad investment once you are sure that is the way you want to go,but buy a cheap used one first and you can probably sell it for about what you paid when you are ready to upgrade.
If you get over to Orlando your welcome to work with me on a couple houses or restaurants.

 

[DevilThomas]

Junior and Brent are both right...but it really depends on what market you are targeting...you have to ask yourself where are you going to get jobs? If you are going after High rise, lockdown, or Janitorial carpet cleaning.... the porty plus a good agitation machine..(I like an OP machine) ... could do...if you are going for single family residential where a lot of the money is...then you should really go with a TM....and a good agitation machine.

Now I have been Carpet cleaning for 6 months...have guaranteed Property Management empty properties every month and Janitoral accounts...I have done it all with a Porty, rotovac, glided wand, and an OP machine...busy, making money, things are great! Portable, OP, and Rotovac, bought all slightly used, paid for themselves in less than 30 days.

I just recently purchased a used TM....why???...because its alot faster!!!! and quite a bit easier. I got it for $3000, cute, straight safari van...Hydramaster 3.7 crossfire, recent blower rebuild, pump work, Jon Don did work, all documented, came with Huby OP machine, pads, grout brush....crappy TM motor...slapped a brand new TM motor in ..$1200, reinsulated the heat exchange system, bought a new battery ...runs great, has reels, hoses, wand, chemicals...all in.. tax... license...$4500. Thats a pretty inexpensive all access ticket to the world of carpet cleaning. I also have a $4000 maintenance account set aside for the TM in the event repairs are needed...in my situation it will pay for itself in the very near future.

Six months ago I was all "I don't need a TM"...I was mistaken...the fastest way to "full" market access is undoubtably a TM....and if it is a really good $TM$.... you better have a very certain answer to "where are you going to get jobs"???.

A lot of people try Carpet Cleaning ...a lot don't make it...I suggest you will get a better deal in the "used" market when you buy your equipment.

IMHO...Ideally...every Carpet Cleaner should have:

A TruckMount System
A Portable system
A Rotory HWE Tool
An OP and/or a 175 Rotary machine.
A glided Wand
Various tools...stair, edge, UPh, sprayers... etc.
A good knowledge about what he is doing and the best chemicals for the job at hand.
Knowledge of Stain Treatment
A willingness to do the best job he can for every customer.
(A radiant sales personality would be a big plus).. :wink:

Can you get by with less?...a qualified yes...but this is what you should be aiming for... because with less you will suffer economic disadvantages competing against those that do have and use it all.

In the end...machinery allows you to do the work but ...you.... still have to find and sell the work. Marketing your services is no small thing... you better have a funded plan....beware of the many Marketing scams out there.

 

[bmas]

I have a Mytee 1003DX that I have used 3 times for sale. I paid $1900 for it and will sell it for $1400. Very nice machine with plenty of heat and vacuum. You can adjust pressure up to 500 psi. I use the truckmount all the time and I cant see keeping this machine if someone else can use it. I won't give it away but if you are interested just let me know
Brad Mastrangelo

 

[ARSuarez]

Hey All,

Wow! I really appreciate all this advice. I am glad to see all these different perspectives. And while I am interested in a TM, I think starting with a porty will get me a "taste" of the business.

I am pretty sold on Mytee, since I have yet to hear a negative comment about them. The M5 is suppose to be a beast, so is the 1003DX.

Also looking into a SEBO or Windsor carpet brush machine, to work pre-spray into the carpet.
Recommended?

If you have any more advice, please, feel free to offer.
I'm listening!

All the best,

Angel