Start up business - pressure washing

[Billy20]

Hi,
I’m looking to start a pressure washing business, cleaning driveways & patios etc. I realise that it is a seasonal job, and was wondering what other people in this business do during the winter months, I was thinking about gutter clearance but I don’t know how much work this is likely to generate.
Any help or advice is greatly appreciated
Thankyou in advance
Billy

 

[Mark T Jones]

I had a friend who did it - whilst winter was quiet he managed to keep going and earn enough to get by.

In the summer he just worked all the hours he could.

 

[Mr D]

May want to see if can get regular contracts for bin washing.

Couple of guys come round here on bin days, after the bin lorries. They carry the water, they have some solution added - and darned good at washing inside the plastic bins.

Gutter cleaning - some window cleaners offer that while they are up there as an add on service.

 

[MBE2017]

Window and roof cleaning are the obvious add on services, conservatory cleans getting very popular so I am told, but make sure you price correctly, a lot of old boys still haven’t put their rates up after ten years, must be mad.

 

[Mr D]

Window and roof cleaning are the obvious add on services, conservatory cleans getting very popular so I am told, but make sure you price correctly, a lot of old boys still haven’t put their rates up after ten years, must be mad.

I've heard multiple times people say 'Customers don't want to pay more' as an excuse not to increase rates.
But they don't know that.

My parents are old, their window cleaner cleans front and back for £6. The same rate for over a decade - a younger guy tried to get them to sign up to him instead, special offer for pensioners. £15.
Got nowhere as you can imagine.

 

[Mitch3473]

Are you going to carry your own water or are you using the clients.....

 

[Billy20]

Thankyou for all your replies, is conservatory cleaning year round?
Yes, I would carry my own water

thanks, Billy

 

[MBE2017]

Thankyou for all your replies, is conservatory cleaning year round?
Yes, I would carry my own water

thanks, Billy

I would have thought the bulk would be done March to October, but serious cash for a good job, £100 plus just for the outside, £250 to £400 or more for the insides as well, depending on the size.

BTW, anyone thinking that is a high price, call Thomas Sanderson for a price, they would be £1k plus.

 

[Bob Morgan]

Hi,
and was wondering what other people in this business do during the winter months

Banks and Post Offices mainly for me!

 

[SillyBill]

I've heard multiple times people say 'Customers don't want to pay more' as an excuse not to increase rates.
But they don't know that.

My parents are old, their window cleaner cleans front and back for £6. The same rate for over a decade - a younger guy tried to get them to sign up to him instead, special offer for pensioners. £15.
Got nowhere as you can imagine.

My first criteria for business or new product range is: is the barrier-to-entry high enough? If it isn't I wouldn't bother, otherwise you are competing with people who aren't business people who swap labour for below NMW effectively.

If it requires £100k to buy some specialist plant at least you know you are reducing your competition a thousand fold...

 

[billybob99]

I just entered a cut throat space on Amazon UK using FBA - barrier to entry isn't high at all.

But I have better branding, better packaging - same product as a few others, but it just looks better with engraving.

Now averaging 15 units a day £10 profit per unit, after Amazon fees.

Whilst my Forex account sits in a bit of a DD - Amazon is looking fruity and this is my very first product.

My friend does this after quitting his job as a lorry driver. He made his own website using Wix (it's rubbish) but he still gets a ton of leads from golden oldies, paying cash.

When he heard about Google Ads, he threw £50 a month at it, and bookings went up again.

He does exactly what you mention: pressure washing, cleaning driveways & patios and took some course on plumbing as well.

He markets both websites and does jobs accordingly.

Only one way to find out, take a punt.

 

[Mr D]

My first criteria for business or new product range is: is the barrier-to-entry high enough? If it isn't I wouldn't bother, otherwise you are competing with people who aren't business people who swap labour for below NMW effectively.

If it requires £100k to buy some specialist plant at least you know you are reducing your competition a thousand fold...

I rely on low barrier to entry - so my business can take part.

The business where I am just a cog in the machine has significant barrier to entry - cannot mass produce the product, takes years to become skilled enough to produce the product to required level - and distribution is by hand.
Yet those barriers can be overcome. They will, given time.

Another project that may turn into a business has zero barrier to entry, though there is a barrier in moving the project - if successful I get some lead time. If unsuccessful I waste a few years.

 

[AllUpHere]

I never understand why some people think that these sorts of businesses are seasonal. It's a bit like gardeners, there is absolutely no reason why you shouldn't be just as busy in the winter as the summer. If you are finding it to be seasonal work, you've balls up your marketing plan.

 

[Financial-Modeller]

^^^ This.

But also, consider what other applications the equipment that you will own have @Billy20

Presumably you will have a van with a large water tank and a compressor, and some hoses and brushes etc.

Can that be used for cleaning vehicles, drains, bins (as mentioned earlier), or as preparation for painting surfaces etc etc?

 

[Socio South West]

There are a lot of other power washing applications you might try and look at... some of them easy... some not so... Poultry sheds, boats, bins are just three varied examples. All will go on all the year round.

Many businesses start with a target market in mind, but a couple of opportunities open up and take the business on a totally different course.

As with anyone starting up.... Make sure it is worth your while, or you may as well go stacking shelves in Tesco and not have the worry of where your next day's work is coming from.

 

[BusterBloodvessel]

Friend of mine has been doing this for a couple of years and seemingly doing very well. He doesn;t provide his own water so has a small Berlingo van for his equipment - when not doing jet washing jobs he also does small tip runs (has a waste carriers licence) or small removals, fridges, cupboards etc.

One thing I've always wondered is why it seems to be a "thing" to let your patio/decking get grubby as hell for 3 years, pay someone £150 to clean it and have it sparkling, then do the same thing again for the next 3 years and repeat. Could there not be some merit in offering a monthly "maintenance" option. Quick nip in, 20 or 30 minutes wash over, keep on top of it and away you go at £15 a time or whatever. Surely that could prove a nice regular earner especially through the winter months?

I have no idea what the running costs are like in this kind of game nor set up time etc which would make the above unfeasible so apologies if that's a completely impractical idea!

 

[Mr D]

Friend of mine has been doing this for a couple of years and seemingly doing very well. He doesn;t provide his own water so has a small Berlingo van for his equipment - when not doing jet washing jobs he also does small tip runs (has a waste carriers licence) or small removals, fridges, cupboards etc.

One thing I've always wondered is why it seems to be a "thing" to let your patio/decking get grubby as hell for 3 years, pay someone £150 to clean it and have it sparkling, then do the same thing again for the next 3 years and repeat. Could there not be some merit in offering a monthly "maintenance" option. Quick nip in, 20 or 30 minutes wash over, keep on top of it and away you go at £15 a time or whatever. Surely that could prove a nice regular earner especially through the winter months?

I have no idea what the running costs are like in this kind of game nor set up time etc which would make the above unfeasible so apologies if that's a completely impractical idea!

Thats a good idea.
Monthly / bi-monthly cleaning of a patio / decking area.
Doesn't need to have the same profit margin as the one offs as its regular income.

 

[Karimbo]

Are you going to carry your own water or are you using the clients.....

I'd imagine it's always easier and better to carry your own water - you don't want to be held up on a job because customers tap won't take your hose attachment.

 

[Energise Accounting]

you can make quite a good living do this sort of work i would offer all the above services plus cooker cleaning.

What you have to bare in mind there is a maximum people are willing to pay for these services and it is quite easy to price yourself out of the market as it is one of those tjings people will just do themselves.

 

[AllUpHere]

you can make quite a good living do this sort of work i would offer all the above services plus cooker cleaning.

What you have to bare in mind there is a maximum people are willing to pay for these services and it is quite easy to price yourself out of the market as it is one of those tjings people will just do themselves.

There is no such things as a going rate or maximum price for stuff like this. Just find out what the average price is, double it, and call that your price. It doesn't matter if you get half the amount of work than others.

 

[Aniela]

One thing I've always wondered is why it seems to be a "thing" to let your patio/decking get grubby as hell for 3 years, pay someone £150 to clean it and have it sparkling, then do the same thing again for the next 3 years and repeat. Could there not be some merit in offering a monthly "maintenance" option. Quick nip in, 20 or 30 minutes wash over, keep on top of it and away you go at £15 a time or whatever. Surely that could prove a nice regular earner especially through the winter months?

I think it's because the dirt builds up over time, so you don't really notice it or pay much attention to it, until it's really bad.

The issue with a monthly jet wash service is that you're not technically advised to jet wash most patios etc on any sort of regular basis. It wears them out and degrades them.

 

[Karimbo]

Billy20 is this something short term to get through a business slump right now, or a long term thing? Even somethign that looks as basic as patio cleaning can be complicated and require investment to do commercially. If it's short term - I'd say don't bother and do something else to bring money in the short term. You'll also about to go into the low season for this market.

I had a look at some patio cleaning services in my area. I can see a very well SEO'd business whose cherry picked all the rich areas of London. Some of their yt videos suggests that some people have very large and expensively laid patios.

There would be quite a bit of knowhow, equipment, insurances required for this sort of work.