Gutter Cleaning - Method

[DutrowLLC 14]

I am new to the power washing industry. I just purchased a power washing trailer with two heated 5gpm units and a 500gal water tank. I own an auto detailing company (Sharp Detail - Mobile Auto Detailing - 866-661-6786) and originally purchased the unit to clean tractor trailers. Incidentally, I also own this company: HolidayShine.com.

I was thinking about doing the following and wanted to see what people on here thought:

* Print up 5000 flyers to advertise gutter cleaning and have my flyer guy put them on 5000 houses in the same area.

* On the flyers, advertise ranch houses for $89 each and two story houses for $115 each.

* Have my secretary schedule 8-12 jobs per day and schedule everything at least a few days out to make sure I'm not going out to do just a few jobs.

* Automatically try to reschedule customers for next spring and next fall.

From what I've read on this board, it seems like the prices I was thinking about are a little low, but then people are also talking about cleaning gutters in 10-30 minutes. So it seems to me if I can group these all in the same area and get them to pay credit card so I don't have to even talk to them a lot of the time, then I'm making well over $100 per hour and this seems like good money to me.

I'm also still a little hazy about actually cleaning the gutters. A lot of people are talking about scooping them out by hand. But then what is the pressure washer for? Other people are talking about getting up there in the middle and blowing one way with the wand, then the other. Then cleaning everything off the ground. That sounds like that fast way to me. What is this scoop business? I've done the deal with christmas lights where you climb the ladder, put the lights on the part you can reach, then climb down, move the ladder a few feet, climb back up... it takes forever and sounds a like the the scoop method. I love it when I can charge less money and make more money for my time, its a win-win situation for me and the customer.

What is the best way to do this?

Thanks!

Chris

Edited November 1, 2008 by DutrowLLC

[MudDuck 20]

:yoda:Practice young grasshopper.......May the force be with you,,,,and an 8.00 hr helper......

[MudDuck 20]

Other people are talking about getting up there in the middle and blowing one way with the wand, then the other. Then cleaning everything off the ground. That sounds like that fast way to me.

Thanks!

Chris

After blowing that shnit six ways from Sunday all over the house sounds like your going to do a free 300.00 house wash for an 89.00 gutter clean. Plus get the oil muck from the shingle run off all over the house which might not come off.

[plainpainter 217]

Sometimes if you also have the house wash job - you can get away with blowing out the leaves with a pressure washer - but only if they have a really really natural landscape, one in which all that muck will look like it belongs. But if they have anything resembling a manicured lawn and/or shrubs and flower beds - you have to hand scoop. Some guys have some customers scheduled for twice a year - and I think they get away with blowing out the leaves with air.

[Doug T 19]

I use the hand scoop method. Get an extension handle, put your scoop on the end and you can clean 8 foot either side of the ladder.

[FLORIN 21]

The pictures below are a place that I cleaned out the gutters using my PW. The stuff gets everywhere and can take you more time cleaning up the house rather than hand scouping out the gutters. This job was a total package so was gonna wash the ouse anyways. If you look at the deck below you can see the debris.

Most houses you can walk the roof, or scoot on your butt to hand scoup out. Then you put it in a bucket or trash bag that you carry with you. What I do with some places that are right for it i spread out plastic on the ground below and I just scoup out by hand and throw to plastic below. With this way it is faster because I dont have to be as carefull to get it in the bucket or bag. Ithen go below and lift up the edges to where the debris gets in the middle and i tie it and use that as the bag.

Edited November 1, 2008 by FLORIN

[Exterior Attack PW 14]

Those are the nastiest gutters I have ever seen. They looked great after you cleaned them. How much did you change?

[FLORIN 21]

Those are the nastiest gutters I have ever seen. They looked great after you cleaned them. How much did you change?

Walkable roofs... $1per lineal for 1st story $1.25 per lineal 2nd story $150 minimum

Non walkable... $1.25 lineal first story $1.50 lineal second story. Same minimum

Good easy money

[DutrowLLC 14]

Ok, so it sounds like blowing the debris out with a pressure washer isn't the way to go with the cleanup, and oil-based grime mixed in from the shingles.

So here's the million dollar question:

What does this have to do with pressure washing? On the auto detailing forums, I've never once heard anyone talk about gutter cleaning...

[DAVID V 22]

It usually gets talked about a little this time of year.

It's an up sell or add on that alot do with the year winding down.

[Cajun Cleanin 64]

I use a hand held echo blower the nozzle fits right in the gutter and nothing gets wet so it all falls to the ground.50 percent of the time the leaves get blown into the mulch under the bushes.the rest we rake up and haul off.

I done a bunch of houses like this.If its not a walkable roof I charge so much its worth the ladder moving.

[FLORIN 21]

Well here is the million dollar answer. At least for me anyways. ... I am not a "pressure washer." I am an exterior cleaning professional. Gutters fall into the exterior category. The pressure washer is only a tool in my arsenal to do exterior cleaning including brushes, brooms, leaf blowers, sprayers, squeegees, rags, sponges, extension poles, ladders and so on. The pressure washer has its place in some of the jobs but some it don't and same goes with the other tools. About 90 percent of my work doesn't even involve the "pressure" in my pressure washer. Most is done using LOW pressure and use the pressure washer as a method to apply my chemicals, for the high reach areas that I could get from the ground, the gpms needed to rinse. Even though you have to hand scoop the gutters the washer can still be used for this purpose. After hand scooping all the debris I use the washer to flush out the dirty water at the bottom or the small debris that I cannot pick out by hand. I also use it to flush out and make sure the downspouts are working properly, and I use it to clean the outside of the gutters. Again its just a tool and not your whole makeup of your business.Ok now I want my million dollars payable thru paypal.

[DutrowLLC 14]

I use a hand held echo blower the nozzle fits right in the gutter and nothing gets wet so it all falls to the ground.50 percent of the time the leaves get blown into the mulch under the bushes.the rest we rake up and haul off.

I done a bunch of houses like this.If its not a walkable roof I charge so much its worth the ladder moving.

Yeah, thats about what I was thinking. How much do you charge?

[DutrowLLC 14]

Well here is the million dollar answer. At least for me anyways. ... I am not a "pressure washer." I am an exterior cleaning professional. Gutters fall into the exterior category. The pressure washer is only a tool in my arsenal to do exterior cleaning including brushes, brooms, leaf blowers, sprayers, squeegees, rags, sponges, extension poles, ladders and so on. The pressure washer has its place in some of the jobs but some it don't and same goes with the other tools. About 90 percent of my work doesn't even involve the "pressure" in my pressure washer. Most is done using LOW pressure and use the pressure washer as a method to apply my chemicals, for the high reach areas that I could get from the ground, the gpms needed to rinse. Even though you have to hand scoop the gutters the washer can still be used for this purpose. After hand scooping all the debris I use the washer to flush out the dirty water at the bottom or the small debris that I cannot pick out by hand. I also use it to flush out and make sure the downspouts are working properly, and I use it to clean the outside of the gutters. Again its just a tool and not your whole makeup of your business.Ok now I want my million dollars payable thru paypal.

Sounds like you do really good work, how long does that take you?

[DutrowLLC 14]

Ok, so I talked to me neighbor who knows the DL on a lot of neighborhood stuff. She seemed to think the going rate was actually $80 for a ranch style house and about $95 for a two story walkable roof. How does that sound?

[FLORIN 21]

Sounds like you do really good work, how long does that take you?

HEY NOW, dont try to butter me up so you can get out of the million dollar question prize....

I try to do good work but I think the credit for my success so far goes to the great men and women on these PW sites that unselfishly put their thoughts, ideas and techniques for all to see for the betterment of the industry. Just stick around and read and learn and it will pay didvidens on the success of your business.

[FLORIN 21]

Ok, so I talked to me neighbor who knows the DL on a lot of neighborhood stuff. She seemed to think the going rate was actually $80 for a ranch style house and about $95 for a two story walkable roof. How does that sound?

To me that sounds on the LOW side, but again im in a different demographic than you. A 2 bedroom condo around here is the same price as a small mansion in some of your guys parts.

Also I wouldnt block price like that if it was me. Different size homes and different length runs of gutter can really bite you in the a$$ by pricing it that way. In my opinion per lineal is the most accurate.

Also be careful on how much stock you put on your "neighbors" knowledge of the DL on gutter pricing. Just cause she got it done by Joe Blow Pressure Washing for that amount two years ago does not mean that that is the going rate or what YOU should charge. You will go out of business quick by listening to what the homeowner suggests you should charge. If that IS the going rate of your neighborhood and it does not meet what you need to make to keep in business then I suggest that you concentrate your advertising to another neighborhood that "the going rate" is to what you need to make.

[john@AEC 37]

G'day

I find gutter cleaning the most difficult to quote of all the jobs I do. There are just so many variables.

* Space between gutter and roof, some are so small I can barely fit my gloved hand in.

* Type of gutter hangers, some are on the inside of the gutter which catches debris, while some are on the outside.

* Amount and type of debris in the gutter; dirt, small leaves, large leaves, small sticks and twigs, long branches.

* Wet or dry, got to love the wet slop in the bottom - especially when it gets on the roof tiles/metal or on the face of the gutter.

* Type of gutter guard, as most just trap dirt an leaves/twigs in the gutter, while some of the plastic ones bend and allow the debris to build up under the roof.

* Slope/flow of the gutter, nothing worse than rinsing uphill.

* Roof slope, I love an easy walk with a view.

* Height, OH&S over here doesn't allow being on (I guess about) 7' or higher roofs with a fall arrest system.

*Slope of ground, ladder use can get tricky if it is steep, or if there is a garden.

If the debris is dry then I use the leaf blower and a broom handle to break up the densely packed leaves. The dry mess is easy to clean up off the ground.

If the debris is wet then scoop it out by hand - it's messy enough. Better still I send clients to a local company with an enormous vacuum cleaner built especially for cleaning gutters - he does a better job for less money (I don't mind giving up the work as the customer thinks all the more of me for providing them with a better result and saving them some money).

These are a couple of my favourite gutters.

[Doug Dahlke 114]

I have to agree with John that quoting gutters can be difficult for the reasons he stated. We did a house last week for $150 that invloved a 32' ladder, getting on the roof of a covered porch to reach one area, raking up debris, etc. Had another quote last year for a ranch on a basement built into hill with gutters all the way around. Roof pitch unwalkable, uneven terrain on three sides of the house. You could tell by the look on the HO's face that the quote was way higher than expected. Homeowner never called back.

We hand scoop everything and run hoses on the downspouts to be sure everything is cleared and clean up the mess on the ground. Most roofs here are not walkable so everything has to be done from the eaves off of ladders. Most we have been asked to do are also chock full of wet nasty crap. I have done some with small trees growing out of them. I try and base my quotes on the time I estimate it will take to clean them.

[douseahouse 21]

please don't make the mistake i made and use your pressure washer to blow out the gutters with too much pressure. i got the dirt out of the bottom but it went behind the gutter and got trapped next to the facial board. it took some time to fix this mess. i find the best thing to use is a gloved hand and low pressure. i do not see how anyone can clean one from the ground without actually looking inside the gutter to see what is in there. i have found golf balls, tennis balls, dead squirrels and birds. to me it is not a fun job so i price accordingly.

rando