Newbie getting plan together.

[Done Right]

Hello,
I am new to this forum and have found it to be very educational and with a good sense of respect for eachother. Many forums today (whatever the topic) seem to be angry and just downright unhelpful. I have spent some time and read past threads,made notes and reviewed products. With that being said, I would like to layout my inital approach to getting started and get feedback.
I currently work a full time job and wish to develope and carpet cleaning business parttime with the hopes of it overtaking my full time job. Currently I have my evenings and weekends free to dedicate to the new business. I am thinking my inital focus will be encap cleaning and my customer focus will be aprtments / motels /realtors. I have extensive Real estate, property management company contacts coupled with Motel owners. Additionally, it is important I should point out this "start up" will be done with a very limited budget. Earnings will be directly returned to the business for growth.

Recently I purchased a refurbished "Whittaker" 21 machine with two new Blue brushes.
At this point I am working on finishing the layout of my marketing materials.
My direct questions to the forum are :
Will this machine (if in good running condition) allow me to get a good start?
What basic solutions should I purchase to get started? Forum has some conflictinng ideas.
What is a good hand held divice to do steps?
Bid Price: I will do market research, but is there a ballpark $ /sg.ft for vacant apartments? A launching point, then I will adjust as I inspect the condition.

I hope that is not to much to blert out, I am excited and my head is full of 1000 ideas and questions.
Thank you in advance for your time and replys.

[encapman]

The Whittaker machine can work. It's not a bad place to start. I think you may find that a CRB machine works well in conjunction with other equipment art its side. However, if that's what you have to work with it should be possible to get the job done.

The big element that's needed is having a heart for it. Being willing to step up and take a swing at the ball. And I sense from your post above that you in fact have a heart for it, so my hat is off to you.

Succeeding in business can be a challenging animal. Yet with some drive, effort there's no reason to think it can;t be done. For crying out loud I was still wet behind the ears when I started my cleaning business when I was out of the trunk of my car (literally). That was 30+ years ago, and I'm still here.

Learn as much as you can about the business. This forum can go a long way toward helping you. Also learn about marketing. In fact, you need to become a marketing firm that provides carpet cleaning. Your equipment can get the job done. The bigger picture though is your determination to plug yourself into the role of entrepreneurship.

Regarding stairs, a simple low cost approach would be the Drill Driver. The Whittaker is OK to get you started. It's really a matter of just getting out there and going for it. I certainly wish you the best as you go forward. I and my staff at Excellent Suply are here to help you. And this message board is a treasure store of information too. I wish you the best, and welcome!

[ebarnett]

If You can afford a lowboy in conjunction with the CRB, your results will be much better. In this industry, great results are critical for sustainability. If you cant afford the lowboy, get a 175 that is in good shape along with some micro beast bonnets. Rick is correct, the CRB is not your best option as a stand alone.

As far as chems - stick with punch as your main prespray. On nasty light colored apartments, Hydrox would be a good choice.

[Done Right]

Thank you both Rick and Eric for your swift replys and your suggestions. I agree with just a CRB I will be undergunned and will need additional equipment. I am still looking and planing. Again, Thanks

[NJP]

Yep you have some good information from the posts above. Rick's chemicals will get you a great start. Talk with his staff and they will help you with your needs. They are very helpful. If your tight on money just take it one step at a time. The tool Rick is talking about is great for stairs and pretty cheap also.
When your in the market for a rotary, let me know I have a175/300 Hawk with a telescopic handle with a T&G brush used once I would sell at a reasonable price.
Anyway, welcome to the forum and good luck!

[FloorCareMD]

I really am a fan of DS2 and Punch. Performed miracles with these chems. I did not however find the Hydrox effective when we tried it. Maybe we used it incorrectly, I do not know, but we re-did the carpet with DS2 and it then came out great.

[ebarnett]

I feel Hydrox has its place. If you come into a nasty residential with food stains everywhere and the carpet is light colored (sounds like I am limiting the product to a minority type of carpet, but in actuality, light colored plushes are the standard in apartments) Then Hydrox would be a good choice. If your soil is foot traffic in a commercial setting, punch and DS are the way to go.

[davidlax24]

Hi this is david. work in a cleaning company in Montreal. Like to do music, driving car.

[FloorCareMD]

David, You must be looking for e-harmony.