I can't imagine not cleaning with my Cleanco

I live in North central B.C. and we don't have many high rises, I just use heaters inside the van during winter (no shop yet).

maintenance on pto's is minimal IMO.

cleaning is much easier with a TM

I live on Vancouver Island and I agree, I couldn't imagine cleaning without a truckmount...moreover, a Cleanco Truckmount.

I've used portables when I had to clean skyscrapers in Calgary but still, it doesn't come close to a TM IMHO.

Ron

My expenses are higher no doubt.

1 out of 3 (approx.) phone calls I get from new customers ask if I have one of those machines that I bring in and use their water and dump in their toilet or do I just bring in the hoses.

There is a sound of relief when I tell them I just bring in the hoses and use my own water.

Even more so on commercial accounts.They just ask if I have a truckmount.

So I would have to say YES,it does help me get work.

No,I can't reach all high rises,but I can count on one hand how many buildings in my city I cannot reach.

If I were living in a larger city where portables were more acceptable,I would have given a more serious look at being a POG (portable only guy).

I'll give you one case I had a while back.

I showed up to the customers place and the first thing he wanted to see was the truckmount. Before me a POG came along and the customer nearly flipped, so he told me. Turned the guy away.

Another case was a customer wanted to see what kind of van I was driving and the truckmount.

I cannot justify the cost of a portable when a lot of people (homeowners) will not do business with a carpet cleaning company that doesn't use a truckmount out here.

Just like Steampile, I too can count on one hand the number of buildings I can't reach in my area with the TM.

As for an answer to Doug's question earlier

"I have a question for all you dedicated truckmount operators.  How much more a square foot are you getting for your truckmount than you got for your portable."

I could charge the same and still make more money because I can get the job done in far less time in my opinion.

Not trying to insult portables.

But even at 400 feet I feel I have better suction than a portable,and better heat.

Curious what machine has 1 heat exchanger?

all the machines I've looked at had 2

TM's I've worked with (about 8) were Cleanco's and AquaTech's

Well Doug, if you take a crappy 20 year old TM and compare it to todays State of the art Portable, yeah, the portable will blow it away. That I have no doubt.

It's all relative if you ask me.

But I would challenge anyone with a todays state of the art portable with my state of the art  Cleanco TM on the same square fottage of carpet and I would bet the TM would be done quicker with the same results.

I'm not trashing portables, that has never been my intent, they have their place...5 or 6 stories and higher.  The only reason I don't have one is because

we don't have too many buildings that are that high here.

Take Care

-Ron H. 

In my city, apartments are the major source of work.  The property managers require truckmounts on all jobs.  I believe the guy operating the cleaner is most important though.  I think I could do a better job with a rug doctor, than a monkey with a truckmount.  But  put me on a truckmount and look out.  Portables can do a great job, but What the customers perceives is way more important.  In my opinion, the respectable companies all use truckmounts, but of course, there are employees who don't care about doing a good job. 

I do like heat exchangers, provided the tech can stay moving.  I'm trying to get rid of my propane burners, I've almost had a tech blow himself up lighting the thing, a little cream fixed his face.  Almost blew myself up once, no burns that time, just sounded like the 4th of July. 

One last thought, I hate spending money but have learned to start with good stuff.  It's frustrating fixing equipment when there's work to be had.  Ever have to rig up an interesting contraption to finish a job?   I had to finish a restuarant I was doing out of town with a furniture detailer because my wand tipped over and the quick connect broke off.  Note to self: carry another wand!

ps.  I hate hydramaster!  those mix tanks drive me nuts when the float sticks and my van  becomes the titantic.

I own 2 Ninja portable machines, a Hydramaster 4.8 truckmount and a 2001 Vortex truckmount.  Although the portables do keep costs down, they also keep profits down.  Portables break too often, require too much effort to set up and are too darn slow.  I was not able to make any money with them.  The van-mounted Hydramaster is a huge leap forward, but it is NOT a true dual wand machine.  The Vortex is an excelent machine.  I can run three wands from the Vortex with no loss of cleaning power to any of the operators.  It has a faster set up time, faster cleaning time, and drys carpets faster.  For $1100 a month, it is a real bargain.  Advertising and labour costs dwarf my equipment costs.  The biggest drawback is that I can only clean in one place at any given time.  The biggest benefit... No other company in Hampton Roads Virginia has a Vortex and my customers regularly ask for "The big truck".  I also like the Hydramaster for good profits. 

How much hose comes on those trucks?(vortex) 

How do you set up a typical job, let's say, 5000 sq ft?

How many techs can work off one truck?(where do they ride?)

They look sweet in the ads I've seen-I've always doubted dual wand capability's, but sounds like this one can handle it?

How's the heating system ran?

The truck has about 500' of hose, but there is room for a lot more (although no more will fit on the reel).  The heat exchanger is over 6 feet long.  The water is actually hotter when running on at least two wands.  I do not understand why this is the case.  There is seating for three in the truck (in the cab).  Yes, it can easily handle dual wands.  We have never used this machine at full capacity.  We dial down the vaccum, run water pressure at 500 psi and still leave any carpet dry in less than two hours. 

I do a lot of commercial work.  Although my source generally pays only 4.7 cents a square (for commercial work), there is a lot of work.  Most jobs are well over 10,000 square ft.  For example, my next job is 28,000 sqaure ft.  The job will pay a little over $1300 and will take 3 technicians about 5 hours to complete (at night) with one truck.  The price seems really low, but we typically clean over 100,000 square a month for the referral agency.   

My truck is three years old.  If you want a photo, I will email it to you.

I have a question for Monsterclean, I too have a truckmount that can accomadate 3 wands. I have an older model Steam Action 1990 in the original dodge 350 extended model van with a 360 V8. This unit has 2 heat exchangers Number 1 is a hot water heat exchanger where the water is preheated to 180 F and then there is a secondary exhaust heat exchanger linked to the catalytic converter where it is further heated to up to 240 F. On very hot days I have reached close to 290F . While operating at 3 wands I have no loss of suction, neither water heat. The blower is a 68 Roots, and believe it or not I have had carpet drying time down to between 15 minutes on low pile and never more than an hour for complete drying time on high residential type of broadloom. The CFM on the blower is 700 plus. This is the last workhorse on the market today in the world ( certified and true ) This unit is all stainless steel, has 2 Stainless steel fresh water tanks holding 100 gallons in each, 1 stainless steel 150 gallon waste tank and  1 stainless steel 50 gallon chemical tank to hold your prespray. Has 400 feet of vacuum and H.P hose on reels built in. I bought this truck from Ted at KleenKuip last year and I think he regrets selling it. After all that is said, even though I love this truck it has its limitations. I find where the truck was designed to do the bulk of all the heavy large square footage jobs, like the one you are about to do ( 28,000 ) It just doesn't cut it. If you calculate the labour and time to set up, gas running for 5 hours ( I think it will take you more than 10 hours to do that job........unless your 3 guys can clean 1,866 square feet an hour each, never take a break,never refill and empty the truck, never move a chair or desk or wharever, never scrape a piece of gum, never prespray, and never sweat) not to mention cost of chemical to clean 28,000 Sq. Ft. Hourly wage @ at least 10.00 Hr time to close up shop and drive home. If you already did this job from the time you posted to the time I responded let me know if you actually made more than 500 $ for all that effort. You would have been better off cleaning a small 3000 Sq.ft restaurant and walk away with 300.00$ in your pocket doing it yourself and a helper and walking away after an hour or so. The real winner is your customer, do you have any idea what savings he has hiring out the work to you. MOUCHO BUCKS. If you had 2 walkbehinds with 25 gallon holding tanks you can clean 4000-6000 sq.ft an hour using less soap, no gas, yourself and 1 helper, less time, and no energy costs.I don't know how you do it and still pay the bills, you must be freakin tired. Instead of the Vortex Truck working for you..........You are working for the Vortex Truck.     Jack from Montreal      aka NIGHTRIDER

F

Nightrider..

I will make money on the job, and yes, I know that it sounds crazy.  I couldn't make a fair profit with my van.  The Vortex turns and burns.  

I have a BSBA in accounting.  Numbers are my thing.  This space can easily be cleaned in five hours (low-grade commercial carpet).  I have done it many times.  My customers are satisfied with the work.  Net on this job is $900.  I kill my competition with these prices (no, I don't murder them.... but it is a thought).  My goal is to net over $200k next year.  

Advertising costs scare me.  How does $60k a year sound?  Yeehaaa that is scary stuff, but it works.  I am buying more trucks this year too.  No, they will not all be Vortex machines.  They are not well suited to residential work.  I can't split the damned trucks in half.  

Best of luck to you in your business adventure.  Have fun!

Sincerely,  Barry

Hiring people is difficult.  

How do I know who to hire, how many people to hire, whether they should be seasonal or full time?  If someone has a formula that works, tell us about it.

Stanley wrote: Hey Doug...who services your two prochems????

Sinclair Sales in Chatham.  Thats where I purchased them Chatham is closer.

Doug do you find that the internal parts dry out and crack fast???all those little hoses?? or the Belts???

Do you do any service yourself?????is your van Insulated???

Stanley wrote: Doug do you find that the internal parts dry out and crack fast???all those little hoses?? or the Belts??? Do you do any service yourself?????is your van Insulated???

The parts are fine.

Hoses are fine

The vans are insulated.

I went to the 405 units because the Bruin II unit was to high maintence with constant belt problems

WE do alot of our own service.

The 405 has little to service compared to the bruin

Well to Tell you the Truth Doug...this unit use to be hell.....I got it from Sinclair T.O. but every week something use to blow...solenoids....to control the temp...overheating shut down...and all the little by-bass hoses use to dry up and crack...the belts use to break 1 a month at least...I remember a time I went threw 6 belt changes in a week...1 a day in real hot weather.....But Carpet cleaning not being my only background..I pulled most of the crap out....changed a lot of the hoses to black steam pipe...

reworked the temperature water wasting system...no more emptying my fresh water tank while I cleaned at low temperatures or furniture...

I also have a belt made by a company called power fist...rated for real high temperatures ...so now I only change the belts every six months...

It was a great learning experience...I really know the ins and outs of that machine, and I think my improvement have improved the overall proformance...

I haven't been down a day for the last two years....I just maintain with regular maintenance...That machine works six days a week..I love her and she loves me..

actually the same machine...They stop making the bruinII because of the belts....the bruin II became the legend...and they never did fix the problem. 

 It sounds like the solenoid was gone on your unit...the gasket assembly inside which actually stops the water...so even though its closed water still gets sucked into the waste water tank. 

when to pay 95 dollars an hour ...you start to learn really fast how to fix it yourself....I feel sorry for those who don't have a clue

Stanley wrote: I have a big bad kohler......air cooled...I have an extra engine just sitting...I can have it in and out with in an hour......mine has 12,OOO hours 1 engine change

I will certainly give you credit in the maintainence department.  That is a lot of hours to still be kicking.  Pro Chem wouldn't want to hear that. Not much wonder your blower is starting to get loud.  The are worth a couple of grand. what you have to watch if you change it is the replacemnet blower warranty.  It starts when it leaves the factory not when it is installed.  So if it goes order one don't take one ii stock.  I went threw that once the new one rattled and they tried to say I only had a coup[le weeks of warranty left.  Pro chem replaced the second one. 

Whats a TM unit...some fancy switches....a blower and a pump...I found my problem anyways.....it was a leaky hose...from the blower to the rad heat converter...I change the hose recently...but I guess I didn't check the heat rating...it melted on one side....

But that could mean my blower is running to hot????and it is going...hmmmm I have an extra on the floor waiting for an install

NEVER...the Machine is built like a machine...I can make her new from the ground up as long as I have the frame...

I love my machine and she works for me...The most trusted employee I ever had

PTO baby!! No down time