VLM or Encap only

[lowxposure]

I am a housekeeping director at a small to medium sized hospital, and the entrepreneur in me has decided that it's time to build a business of my own. I've been doing a significant amount of reading about the carpet and hard floor cleaning business, and I've decided for my market that VLM/Encap will be my only carpet cleaning method.

I'm trying to make the best investment for my initial capital that will allow me to provide a high quality of service with minimumal expense. My goal is to provide hard surface and carpet cleaning at about 60/40 commercial to residential. As my experience is in VCT I will be starting with a bid to strip and wax a dental clinic (it's a lock)... to be completed about mid-January. For that I will need a rotary.

My question; is anyone out there exclusively running a 175 rotary on CGD and Residential carpet? The rotary will not be my go to forever, as I pick up accounts I will pick up an OP and a Cimex (in that order). Since I am the labor and all of my labor and profit will be re-invested in the business I am not too worried about my productivity rate (although it definitely matters). My main concern is the results.

Should I just bite the bullet and buy an OP along with my rotary? If I can use my rotary, what kind of results can I expect?

[P Cleaner]

I would be looking at the Low Boy from excellent supply. A good tool for all that you are looking to do with excellent end results. Good luck in your venture. P Cleaner

[Ed E]

I started with a 175 for commercial and residential work. Within six months, I bought a Sprayborg, and then a Cimex a few months later. The differences in productivity (800sf/hr vs 2-3000sf/hr) alone make them better choices than a rotary, especially on CGD. In my view, other than initial price, the 175 has few sustaining advantages, if any.

[lowxposure]

Has anyone used the lowboy on VCT or T&G? I saw a video of the orbiter in use in both situations, but Oreck has very little information on the lowboy.

If I could use the OP on multiple surfaces it would be much more valuable. At the moment the only machine I know will clean all of the above (albeit slowly) is the rotary.

[Hoss]

The Orbot with the weight kit can clean all surfaces.

[lowxposure]

Doesn't the lowboy have similar properties as the orbot? Motor, rpm, travel? The obvious advantage is that it's much cheaper.

[P Cleaner]

I have a sprayborg and 2 cimexs and all do the job very well. Your question was a machine that would get great end results that could do all floor cleaning ,tile, residential an commercial carpet with out breaking a bank. I would today start off with a Low boy.
If you wanted to re finish wood floors ( sanding ) you would be covered.
As your business grows then step up to the cimex sprayborg ect.ect.
PCleaner

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Let me add that the orbiter is a miniature low boy... P Cleaner

[rlord]

I to would go with the lowboy much better machine for doing all surfaces. If your business plan didn't call for 40% residential I'd say you could do ok with the rotary.
The lowboy will do am much better all around job.