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Startup Package

April 4 2011 at 12:25 PM
James 

Frequent Reader - First Time Poster

I am planning on starting a VLM business in my area. My startup date is in December of this year, as I am overseas working currently. I have a budget for equipment, yet conflicted between the cimex and the challenger op. Also - some confusion exists when reading about 175 machines.

I plan on starting off looking for small commercial business - less than 2000 square feet and some residential as if comes around.

What would be the best machine to start off with? I understand that each piece of equipment has a place - but wishing to attempt to make a wise purchase that fits my startup above and add equipment as I go. I have budgeted $5000.00 for equipment, but if I am able to only spend a portion of those funds in the beginning until I build a customer base it would be better.

Suggestions...

Very Respectfully -

 
 
AuthorReply
Steve Borcherdt

Just a few thoughts-- not a comprehensive answer

April 4 2011, 1:40 PM 

Do you have any carpet cleaning knowledge outside of reading the boards? Any hands on experience with HWE or any other method?

I am new here and to VLM but I have been in the industry for 13 years. I have combed this board and it is my impression that most would recommend a Cimex machine for commercial work. Remember that a Cimex cleans at 2-3000 sq ft an hour. A commercial business of less that 2000 is going to yield a little more than an hour of work for a beginner and $2-400 depending on your price. A 5000 sq ft business might take that same effort to sell and yield more work and a bigger check.

Getting started in commercial work for $5000 is doable in my opinion but I would not recommend it for trying to do residential and commercial and especially with little or no experience.


 
 
James

Re: Just a few thoughts-- not a comprehensive answer

April 4 2011, 2:06 PM 

No experience in the business. I am taking the IICRC Training in June when I am home. I do not plan to start cleaning right away, I have my own home to practice on for the residential side and I have access to some commercial situations through family and friends. I appreciate your input... The Economy in the states is horrible and I will be out of work for 6 to 8 months once I return to the states. I was hoping to start something and see where it goes from there.

 
 
Steve Borcherdt

Residential vs Commercial

April 4 2011, 3:10 PM 

IICRC training a good place to start. Residential and commercial carpet cleaning are TWO different animals. They both take different training, tools and marketing. What works for one won't necessarily work for the other.

In my opinion the learning curve, tools and marketing of commercial carpet cleaning has advantages over residential. I would guess that many here have found that to be true. Most started out in residential and came here to commercial seeing those advantages.

The advice of my accountant was to decide which you are going to do and stick with it. He went on to say, "If you want to cut your income in half, do both"

Chuck Violand an industry guru says commercial cleaning has these advantages,

Regular cash flow Commercial accounts provide year-round work, smoothing out the peaks and valleys in your cash flow.

Retention of valuable employees Having regular commercial accounts means you wont have to lose key employees during the slow times typical of residential work.

Long-term relationships Commercial customers value a higher-level partnership relationship based on open and honest communication, and looking out for each others best long-term interests.

Bigger dollar jobs Commercial carpet cleaning jobs are usually much larger than residential cleaning jobs. So you need fewer customers to achieve your sales goals or to increase sales.

You are on the right track here, in that, you can ask questions of people who have years of experience they are willing to share with no financial interest, like a truck mount sales person. Perhaps all the collective wisdom you need is assembled here if you ask the right questions.


    
This message has been edited by cleancarpetman on Apr 4, 2011 3:16 PM
This message has been edited by cleancarpetman on Apr 4, 2011 3:12 PM


 
 
Joe Gilstrap

Re: Residential vs Commercial

April 4 2011, 8:04 PM 

There is absolutely no question in my mind as to the machine you should get. Orbot all the way. The Orbot can do it all, commercial and residential. The Orbot is also great for tile and grout, vinyl, even cleaning concrete.

The Orbot with all of it's accessories equals a happy cleaner. IMO

Good luck!

 
 
bigchuckie

Re: Startup Package

April 4 2011, 8:48 PM 

The Orbot is a great machine but it is going to eat up alot of your start up costs. If you are going to try commercial and some redidential a 175 rotary some Fiber plus and tuway pads will be alot cheaper to start with just my 02

 
 
Joe M

What he says

April 4 2011, 10:02 PM 

I would listen to Big Chuck.

Get a 175 roto with a tank and some of ricks FP pads and some John G's glads, chems and maybe a small porti and a water claw spot, oh and a cyclo for uph and your small tools and brushes and you will be good to go. With that set up there is not much you cant do.


 
 
Anonymous

Thank You

April 5 2011, 11:07 AM 

I appreciate the input... I assume that an op machine would be a better option over a 175 roto and the Challenger OP is less then the Orbit while still providing versatility.


 
 
Anonymous

Re: Thank You

April 5 2011, 5:00 PM 

I have a Challenger and a swing machine. I have yet find anything that I cannot do with my swing machine that my Challenger can do better. It is all in the operator. Heck I can clean a carpet with a toothbrush and still make it look good

 
 
Judd Bowers

Re: Startup Package

August 25 2011, 11:34 AM 

Orbot. If you can't spend the $$$ on a new one, keep searching craig's list and ebay for used ones. Its too versatile of a machine to pass up, especially on a start up.

 
 
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