Going to Start my Own Carpet Cleaning Business

Keep your costs low. Most new business fail from too much overhead.

I started in apartments and it is a good way to get off the ground.  You'll need to find out the going flat rates for 1 bd, 2bd and 3bd units.  I did well by undercutting the competition on the flat rate and making up the difference with additional charges for red stain removal, pet urine treatment, repairs, spot dying etc.

You can succeed in this way to begin with but you'll want to transition to residential as soon as possible as it is more profitable.

Well I've spent the last couple of days just reading alot of posts at this site trying to gathers some information and 1 thing is for sure, people trying to start a new carpet cleaning business must be asking the wrong questions. If you ask a simple question about equipment it turns into a about 4 pages of bs...there were a couple of responses to questions but still most of it is someone that been in the business forever and knew everything from day 1...they never had to ask anyone, anything...I wonder how NASA has gotten by.....I can respect someone that has put the time in, but if you're not willing to help someone new...then shut up. Why doesn't site have a spot just for newbie and their dumb a$$ questions and the guru's of carpet won't even have to respond. I've done a few things in my life and most of them I didn't know crap about when I started, but with some trial and error I became pretty good at all of them. I AM going to start my own carpet cleaning business and came to this site looking to gain some information of types of equipment that might be best to start with, since there is wealth of knowledge here, but it's just a bashing area. I think when someone asks a simple question about equipment...since this is suppose to a place to ask such a question..and there are alot to choose from in this industry....it don't need a ole timer that doesn't do it anymore talking about crap that doesn't even pretain to the question....maybe there is a reason they don't do it anymore...who cares...if you don't know why bother with some bs all the time. I think this is my 2nd post here but I like I said I've done alot of reading.

well good thing you are here with this wealth of knowledge to post such a wonderful reply.

It happens on a lot of the forums...  every one is an expert or an authority...  LOL

Most of us have been here since 2004 when they first started the forum...  we have answered these question times and times over...  Hi-jacking and humor  and friendly banter is just a part of forum life.

nightrider wrote: Business is like  building a house, there are steps to follow , your business has to start with a plan ( Excavating the Land ) get proper footing with your financing, customer target, suppliers, equipment and staff ( if any ) Then you are ready for your business foundation to build on, one story at a time. Each level has to be solid and stable keeping in mind the next level of your construction. Any one level not properly stabilized will cause a ripple effect and your house of cards will come tumbling down.