Going to Start my Own Carpet Cleaning Business

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   Hi there everyone, I'm a total newby when it comes to carpet cleaning. I am going to begin my own carpet cleaning business in the the next 12 months and I'm in the process of researching the best way to get my business started and to make it profitable. 
And of course, I am going to be taking the IICRC carpet cleaning technician course before I even spend my first dime starting my business. 

I live in the Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; I'm going to be starting with a Ninja 200psi with heat and will have a Dodge minivan to use for my business. Now, I have a couple of questions:

1) To get my business off the ground I would market heavily to apartment owners/managers. I would offer them a free demo of my skills and equipment capability; I will also use kijiji and Craiglist exentsively to get customers. My goal here is to work my past clients very intensively and seek referrals from all of my customers; I want a business that is built upon past clients and referrals. I don't like the idea of spending money on advertising and fliers and that sort of thing. Besides your equipment, I just don't believe that you can 'buy' your way into success in this business. Does this particular marketing plan appear to be a practical method of gaining a repeatable and sustainable business?

2) I really don't know how to price my carpet cleaning services. I have read on this forum different people saying that they charge anywhere from .10/sq. ft to .50/sq. ft. . What are you Technicians charging in the Vancouver, British Columbia area? I don't like the idea of servicing your clients customers for next to nothing just to get the job, but I also don't want to price myself out of the business by charging too high. I do believe that people will would rather pay a good price for a good quality job, rather than paying a low baller to do a lousy job. I would like to eliminate the low quality customers who only care about saving a penny. I want only those customers who are willing to pay for a consciensous, talented, and knowledgeable carpet cleaning technician. So what kind of pricing would accomplish this objective? 

Again, I'm still in the planning stages. 

Thanks everyone

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formula Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 24/July/2010 Status: Offline Points: 11	Post Options Post Reply Quote formula Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Going to Start my Own Carpet Cleaning Business Posted: 26/July/2010 at 8:03pm
	Hi there everyone, I'm a total newby when it comes to carpet cleaning. I am going to begin my own carpet cleaning business in the the next 12 months and I'm in the process of researching the best way to get my business started and to make it profitable. And of course, I am going to be taking the IICRC carpet cleaning technician course before I even spend my first dime starting my business. I live in the Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; I'm going to be starting with a Ninja 200psi with heat and will have a Dodge minivan to use for my business. Now, I have a couple of questions: 1) To get my business off the ground I would market heavily to apartment owners/managers. I would offer them a free demo of my skills and equipment capability; I will also use kijiji and Craiglist exentsively to get customers. My goal here is to work my past clients very intensively and seek referrals from all of my customers; I want a business that is built upon past clients and referrals. I don't like the idea of spending money on advertising and fliers and that sort of thing. Besides your equipment, I just don't believe that you can 'buy' your way into success in this business. Does this particular marketing plan appear to be a practical method of gaining a repeatable and sustainable business? 2) I really don't know how to price my carpet cleaning services. I have read on this forum different people saying that they charge anywhere from .10/sq. ft to .50/sq. ft. . What are you Technicians charging in the Vancouver, British Columbia area? I don't like the idea of servicing your clients customers for next to nothing just to get the job, but I also don't want to price myself out of the business by charging too high. I do believe that people will would rather pay a good price for a good quality job, rather than paying a low baller to do a lousy job. I would like to eliminate the low quality customers who only care about saving a penny. I want only those customers who are willing to pay for a consciensous, talented, and knowledgeable carpet cleaning technician. So what kind of pricing would accomplish this objective? Again, I'm still in the planning stages. Thanks everyone

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nightrider Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Marketing Master Joined: 12/March/2004 Status: Offline Points: 4656	Post Options Post Reply Quote nightrider Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 27/July/2010 at 5:59am
	I think you should learn about business first, then carpet cleaning or any other service or product.. By reading your post you have no knowledge what business is about, what success is or the fair exchange between money and product. Nightrider

formula Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 24/July/2010 Status: Offline Points: 11	Post Options Post Reply Quote formula Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 27/July/2010 at 6:18am
	I wouldn't be here if I knew all there was to know about the business Nightrider. I'm trying to get basic knowledge about pricing and marketing. Thanks Nightrider and everyone else. formula

nightrider Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Marketing Master Joined: 12/March/2004 Status: Offline Points: 4656	Post Options Post Reply Quote nightrider Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 28/July/2010 at 7:26am
	KleenKuip and its posters is not here as a school, you won't learn much except along the lines of machinery, equipment and cleaning products, but that is as useful as a website about running shoes ( you will not become an athlete ) My point is, where I live I may get .50 sq. ft and where you are the rates are .15 sq. ft ..... so if I were to tell you to charge my rates your phone would never ring. Another thing rich people also penny pinch, so low-balling is not always a bad thing.....low price does not have to mean low quality, Wal-Mart is the largest company in the world low-balling , and General Motors went BUST claiming to build quality cars. 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. I guess that's the best I can do, on this forum regarding my short explanation outside of a class-room. Good Luck Nightrider

Michael Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Carpet Cleaning Specialist Joined: 18/June/2005 Status: Offline Points: 557	Post Options Post Reply Quote Michael Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 28/July/2010 at 1:59pm
	Seems like you're in your pre-planning stages, and I won't fault you for using this forum to help get into things. Nightrider is right, though--this is a fine place to talk shop but not so much to learn the biz. Lurk around and get more involved as you develop your plan and eventually put it into action. You'll learn some and it will keep you thinking about the industry while you get things going.

formula Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 24/July/2010 Status: Offline Points: 11	Post Options Post Reply Quote formula Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 28/July/2010 at 9:31pm
	Thanks Michael, I appreciate your encouragement. Of course I'm going to be taking the IICRC course to get my absolute basics in place. It's true that I'm in the pre-planning stages right now because I believe in what Nightrider has said, and that is to learn more about the business before getting involved with it directly. I couldn't agree more about that. I have learned one important thing already, that is, instead of the Ninja 200 I think I will spend more money and get the Ninja 500 that goes at 500 psi instead of the much lower 200 psi. It's quality work that I want to do and will have to do if I'm to compete against the Truck Mounted systems. There is a guy that does our apartment carpets and he charges $80 for a one bedroom apartment and $90 for a two bedroom, so I will probably charge that as well. It looks like that works out to around $.12/foot. He also uses a portable carpet cleaner/extractor and a minivan. In fact, he has two vans and with portables and is clearly doing very well in his business. That is what I would like to do also. Anyways, I'll take your advice and just keep on learning from what other have written here. Thanks Formula

Michael Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Carpet Cleaning Specialist Joined: 18/June/2005 Status: Offline Points: 557	Post Options Post Reply Quote Michael Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 28/July/2010 at 10:25pm
	I have a Ninja from five years ago that I recently replaced with a Mytee. The new Ninja--the Ninja Warrior--looks like a quality machine, plus it's named after an awesome show. ;) I wouldn't recommend going over 200 psi on carpet using a portable. Take a little longer at 200psi and you'll avoid over-wetting. I only use 500 psi for tile. More on that in the Portables section. Good luck, Formula. Welcome to the forum.

formula Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 24/July/2010 Status: Offline Points: 11	Post Options Post Reply Quote formula Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 28/July/2010 at 11:29pm
	So you wouldn't actually get a Ninja 500 psi for carpet?? That's interesting because I have been reading more in the portables section and everyone seems to be unanamous that 200psi is not an adequate amount of pump action to do top-notch work. I would like to stick with a Ninja 200 but I would also want to do the apartment building's hall carpets as well. Do you think that would be adequate for that kind of job? So you are still using portables after five years, obviously you must do pretty well in this business. Do you mind if I ask you, how did you get your first customers? I want to get repeat business and referrals. I want my customers to be mine for the life of my business. Everyone has a sphere of influence comprised of about 250 people, so there's no reason why I shouldn't be able to make a sustainable and profitable business by going for repeat cusotmers and referral business. Do you use a minivan to transport your portable around to your job sites? Thanks Michael formula

Soil Lint Green Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Carpet Cleaning Specialist Joined: 30/December/2007 Location: Oregon Status: Offline Points: 551	Post Options Post Reply Quote Soil Lint Green Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 28/July/2010 at 11:38pm
	Hope you understand how to market a service business and that you have also done your business plan so you know what challenges you face. It's not all about knowing how to be a grunt and run a machine. Nuff said.
	It's ORY GUN, not OR A GONE. Learn to talk.

formula Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 24/July/2010 Status: Offline Points: 11	Post Options Post Reply Quote formula Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 28/July/2010 at 11:41pm
	Hi Soil, I agree with you. I'm trying to learn how to market my services, I know that is one of the biggest challenges facing any business. So if anyone has any ideas on how to market a new carpet cleaning business I would definitely appreciate all the knowledge I can get. The thing is, I want to stay away from trying to get into the Yellow Pages, Local papers, and other high cost marketing techniques, unless I absolutely have to use those venues to get business. I have read other's experiences with these forms of advertising and they have said that they don't bring in enough business to justify cost. I would like to phone every apartment block in my city and market my services to them by doing some free demo work for them. I would also like to use venues like Craigslist and Kijiji to market my services. Again the idea is to work past clients for more business and referrals. Every other business does marketing that way, so I believe that It should also work for my small business. Thanks

Ken Harris Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Grand Potentate Joined: 12/January/2006 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 1120	Post Options Post Reply Quote Ken Harris Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 29/July/2010 at 1:43am
	Stay with the 200 psi machine IMO. Water delivery and water recovery need to stay in balance to stay out of trouble. IMO 500 psi pump on a portable needs 2 3 stage vacs for proper recovery. If you don't have that I think that 200-250 psi is as high as you should go.
	Inventor of Teflon Carpet Wand Glides.Free Glides for all Cleaners in June!

cleanex Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Carpet Cleaning Specialist Joined: 17/October/2004 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 705	Post Options Post Reply Quote cleanex Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 29/July/2010 at 2:19pm
	Same as Ken said you must stay in balance, dry times are very important in this day and age.
	DON ELDRED YOU CAN "STAND" ON OUR REPUTATION

formula Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 24/July/2010 Status: Offline Points: 11	Post Options Post Reply Quote formula Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 29/July/2010 at 3:56pm
	Ok, but with a 200psi machine I should still get one with an internal heater, agreed? Or is heat not to terribly important here? From what I have read in the other sections, many say that your machine should have an internal heater as well. Thanks again formula

cleanex Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Carpet Cleaning Specialist Joined: 17/October/2004 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 705	Post Options Post Reply Quote cleanex Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 29/July/2010 at 4:13pm
	Heat is good, however, I am willing to bet that more than 3/4's of the time you will not need/use it. It will require a seperate outlet etc.etc. May end being a pain in the butt.
	DON ELDRED YOU CAN "STAND" ON OUR REPUTATION

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Going to Start my Own Carpet Cleaning Business