Papa John
Lifetime Supportive Member
IMO The first thing you should buy as a centrifuge and wait on all the other toys until really needed.
Help me setup a Rug Shop
- Thread starter Nomad74
- Start date
I agree on that. It's amazing how long it took those giant Karastan rugs to dry that I cleaned a few weeks ago. On this last rug haul I cleaned everything I could with as little moisture as possible. With all this rain things haven't been drying fast. A centrifuge would be great.
Desk Jockey
Member
First fook you! That music rocks!
Second there are lots of people with money in the big cities. We just don't live in a big city. The two primary counties we serve combine to just over 250k and a good share of them are students.
Desk Jockey
Member
You need to go clean some rugs for a few days. Price some equipment and then see if you're still as interested.
I can't wait. I'm afraid to go look at a Robert Mann type operation. My head might explode.
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Desk Jockey
Member
There aren't that many Robert Mann's. There are far more fools that thought they were going to be a Mann and are deep in equipment debt. If you have the market it could be a great move. IF you have the market.
Do your due diligence and investigate it well before investing in some happy horse shit.
Do your due diligence and investigate it well before investing in some happy horse shit.
Sierra Clean Care
Member
Dudes got a walk in freezer for rugs with insect/moth issues, AND,
A VAULT FOR THE REALLY SPECIAL ONES....
NO SHIT....
Mikey P
Administrator
Mikey P
Administrator
Come in early on Friday and visit Evergreen Cleaners in Reno
They have a full Centrum set up.
They buy from Conway, ask them for a tour
https://www.evergreencarpetcare.com/area-rug-cleaning/
Ask the guy in the video, the owner's son, why he went back out to a Resi route instead of cleaning rugs...
They have a full Centrum set up.
They buy from Conway, ask them for a tour
https://www.evergreencarpetcare.com/area-rug-cleaning/
Ask the guy in the video, the owner's son, why he went back out to a Resi route instead of cleaning rugs...
Hack Attack
Member
Sooo... are rugs a better option than water restoration your area?
As you were talking going that route.
I do 6 or so rugs in my driveway a month currently.. looking to definitely push more on water restoration for me as the gear still makes money while I'm out cleaning without much input from me
As you were talking going that route.
I do 6 or so rugs in my driveway a month currently.. looking to definitely push more on water restoration for me as the gear still makes money while I'm out cleaning without much input from me
Hack Attack
Member
I put wet rugs in my spare room with an LGR dehu overnight normally sorted come morning
I'd rather do rugs than water restoration. Main reason:
It's an 8-10hr business to do rugs, not a 24hr restoration business getting calls while I'm settling down at night.
Damon, have you thought about going the cheapest route, just to get your foot in the door with rugs and when your "older"competitor starts to show signs of retirement, just offer to buy his setup and customer list.
And don't listen to Mikey's opinion. He's probably just pissed that he can't afford a rug shop setup or competition in the overpopulated, Overpriced SantaCruz, lol
I think you should still start a small setup with the 1st machine that will save you the most time which is a centrifuge. Once you pay most of that, or are turning some big numbers $$$$$, then spend more on the shop
I think you should still start a small setup with the 1st machine that will save you the most time which is a centrifuge. Once you pay most of that, or are turning some big numbers $$$$$, then spend more on the shop
Trip Moses
IMOL
I had dreams of a “rug spa”. I rented a 1200 sqft air conditioned warehouse. I was slammed with rugs before I signed the lease then poof. Very little rugs. I glad though, I enobeing out and about. But here is my humble rug shop.
How’d you manhandle that big rug on the top shelf without pulling out your back? Moron!
Brian H
Member
Damon, have you done an ROI on the costs associated with the purchase of the equipment?
What kind of volume will you need to do to break even on the cost of the equipment? You need to know that number before investing in anything.
Have you given any thought to what other costs are associated with cleaning a decent volume of rugs? These are some of the questions it would be good to think about prior to incurring a huge debt.
What kind of volume will you need to do to break even on the cost of the equipment? You need to know that number before investing in anything.
Have you given any thought to what other costs are associated with cleaning a decent volume of rugs? These are some of the questions it would be good to think about prior to incurring a huge debt.
- How will you track those rugs? You will need some sort of tagging system for every rug/order.
- Where will you store the rugs pre and post cleaning?
- Who is doing the cleaning and can that person make more money for you cleaning on-location?
- What vehicle(s) will you use for pick-up/delivery?
- Will people be able to drop off rugs for cleaning? If so, who will be there to receive the rugs?
- Someone is already washing rugs in your area, any idea on what kind of volume they are cleaning? If you somehow end up with all their business, is that enough to support your proposed investment?
- Word of mouth only goes so far. How will you ramp up your marketing and advertising?
J Scott W
Member
A rug wash pit can be made very simply with PVC and lumber. The advantage of that type of set-up is for tight spaces or spaces that are needed for other uses. You can easily dismantle it, lean the PVC against the wall and have open space. It is also inexpensive.
It is a way to get started and test the viability of a rug plant with a minimum commitment.
I do prefer cleaning with floor drains once you are certain the space is going to be dedicated to rug washing.
The cost of various tools like tumblers, centrifuge and so forth can add up quickly. They don't necessarily provide any better quality wash but they do allow for greater volume to be handled efficiently. I don't suggest spending $50,000 to $100,000 before you open the business. Get started and see what the volume of your business will support.
BTW - Regarding comments on trainer having run a rug washing business, I had a small rug washing business in Tennessee for about 15 years. We started with a wash pit and then got a sloped floor with drains. In a small town (7K population) we cleaned 12 to 15 rugs per week, a few weeks 20 or more. Not a big volume, but I liked working with the rugs.
Doug Heiferman operated Running River on Long Island which is a much larger operation. Last month he cleaned a rug from the estate of John Lennon. On the floor under his piano for 30+ years while they decided what to do with it.
It is a way to get started and test the viability of a rug plant with a minimum commitment.
I do prefer cleaning with floor drains once you are certain the space is going to be dedicated to rug washing.
The cost of various tools like tumblers, centrifuge and so forth can add up quickly. They don't necessarily provide any better quality wash but they do allow for greater volume to be handled efficiently. I don't suggest spending $50,000 to $100,000 before you open the business. Get started and see what the volume of your business will support.
BTW - Regarding comments on trainer having run a rug washing business, I had a small rug washing business in Tennessee for about 15 years. We started with a wash pit and then got a sloped floor with drains. In a small town (7K population) we cleaned 12 to 15 rugs per week, a few weeks 20 or more. Not a big volume, but I liked working with the rugs.
Doug Heiferman operated Running River on Long Island which is a much larger operation. Last month he cleaned a rug from the estate of John Lennon. On the floor under his piano for 30+ years while they decided what to do with it.
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Desk Jockey
Member
Hopefully they didn't wait that long deciding what to do with John.
Crabs In a bucket, “If I can’t have it, neither can you”.
The crab in a bucket theory, refers to the behavior of crabs, when placed inside a bucket. While a single crab can escape if several are in the bucket, none will escape. As one crab claws it’s way to the top, the others pull it back down. The other crabs will kill the one trying to get out, if it continues to pull itself to the edge of the bucket, while not staying down with the other crabs. This is a true phenomenon. The crab mentality is a metaphor for the human response to self improvement in others. So often when people see others advancing, they subconsciously or consciously reach out to hold them back.
Also with negative talk, gossiping and biting at each other, and not achieving anything in life. While never trying to get out of the bucket. Members of the group, will attempt to negate and diminish any member, who achieves success beyond the excepted normality of the group. Hence they will use envy, spite, conspiracy or competitiveness and other methods.
Do you have the crab mentality ?
Do you have the crab mentality or are you surrounded by others with this mentality? There are so many reasons we don’t want to lose people in our lives. Since we don’t want to be lonely, be excluded, feel disappointed, or upset people. Therefore we are in fact being people pleasers. We have to be willing to lose people in our lives who are not supporting us, or who have the crab mentality. They want to drag us back down, kicking us in the “guts” passively or aggressively. While talking to us in a way that makes us feel unworthy, we end up selling ourselves short. While missing out on the dreams we may have been capable of achieving.
The crab in a bucket theory, refers to the behavior of crabs, when placed inside a bucket. While a single crab can escape if several are in the bucket, none will escape. As one crab claws it’s way to the top, the others pull it back down. The other crabs will kill the one trying to get out, if it continues to pull itself to the edge of the bucket, while not staying down with the other crabs. This is a true phenomenon. The crab mentality is a metaphor for the human response to self improvement in others. So often when people see others advancing, they subconsciously or consciously reach out to hold them back.
Also with negative talk, gossiping and biting at each other, and not achieving anything in life. While never trying to get out of the bucket. Members of the group, will attempt to negate and diminish any member, who achieves success beyond the excepted normality of the group. Hence they will use envy, spite, conspiracy or competitiveness and other methods.
Do you have the crab mentality ?
Do you have the crab mentality or are you surrounded by others with this mentality? There are so many reasons we don’t want to lose people in our lives. Since we don’t want to be lonely, be excluded, feel disappointed, or upset people. Therefore we are in fact being people pleasers. We have to be willing to lose people in our lives who are not supporting us, or who have the crab mentality. They want to drag us back down, kicking us in the “guts” passively or aggressively. While talking to us in a way that makes us feel unworthy, we end up selling ourselves short. While missing out on the dreams we may have been capable of achieving.
I would love to check that out.
Desk Jockey
Member
The boiling frog
Is a fable describing a frog being slowly boiled alive. The premise is that if a frog is put suddenly into boiling water, it will jump out, but if the frog is put in tepid water which is then brought to a boil slowly, it will not perceive the danger and will be cooked to death.
I sense the temperature being dialed up.
Is a fable describing a frog being slowly boiled alive. The premise is that if a frog is put suddenly into boiling water, it will jump out, but if the frog is put in tepid water which is then brought to a boil slowly, it will not perceive the danger and will be cooked to death.
I sense the temperature being dialed up.
ALL GOOD QUESTIONS. I'm not doing anything overnight. I'm just looking for the best way to get to my end result. The building is going to sit there regardless if I do anything or not. I just know when I take on these large rugs they are very labor intensive. It would be nice to make the process easier and maybe build that side of the business as well.
I actually printed out your post to help me organize a flow schematic.
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If I listened to all the people that told me not to start a carpet cleaning business because there are 57 cleaners already in my town, I would be selling hotdogs in the park.The boiling frog
Is a fable describing a frog being slowly boiled alive. The premise is that if a frog is put suddenly into boiling water, it will jump out, but if the frog is put in tepid water which is then brought to a boil slowly, it will not perceive the danger and will be cooked to death.
I sense the temperature being dialed up.
Are you missing the part where i'm going slow? I just want ideas how to best setup a shop. I didn't realize I was going to upset the apple cart.
Trip Moses
IMOL
That’s carpet padding
That would still throw out Matt's back
Mikey P
Administrator
I wonder how much the monthly payment would be on a complete Centrum Force RF kit?
Should I open a Go Fund Me account?
Hire George too Market it for you!
