What do I need to start my own Gutter Cleaning business?

Starting a gutter cleaning business is a great opportunity to be your own boss whilst earning a competitive salary. Get the freedom to work when you want, with huge financial potential. Every property has gutters, and all gutters need to be cleaned…

There are a few things to consider before launching your business or purchasing any equipment you need to gutter clean. We have highlighted some of the important factors below for you:

• Transportation - you must consider how you’ll be moving from one job to the next. Do you have a car or van? This may also impact your decision on which gutter vacuum to purchase.
  
  
• Physical Wellbeing- gutter cleaning can be a demanding but rewarding job, as you will be spending most of the day on your feet holding long lengths of poles.
  
  
• Time Management- what area are you going to be operating in? Think about how you can limit your travelling time between jobs. Time is money and you want to maximise how many jobs you do daily.
  
  
• Marketing - how are you going to attract customers and ensure they come back to you? How do you stand out from the crowd? Consider the equipment you use and your prices. Social media is a powerful tool when used correctly. However, also think about the age demographic of your customers – homeowners of a certain age might only be reachable through more traditional methods (flyers/newspaper ads).

Once you consider the above factors, it is time to think about what gutter-cleaning equipment will satisfy your needs. The biggest change within the gutter cleaning market over the last decade is the shift from traditional gutter cleaning, involving ladders, to gutter cleaning with a vacuum.

Cleaning gutters using a vacuum provides so many benefits – jobs are carried out quicker so you can finish more tasks, it is safer as you do not have to climb up ladders, and it does the job better because you can reach further than you could with a ladder. We definitely recommend a gutter vacuum. The one you choose will depend mainly on two things: the size of your vehicle and what you are vacuuming.

• If you have a smaller vehicle and limited space, you want a compact yet powerful machine. In that case, there are two gutter vacuums for you - the Cyclone 37L 1700W, or the Cyclone 50L 3400W. Both these units are fantastic machines that are smaller than the rest of our range, yet still extremely powerful. Both have built-in side entry inlets which increase airflow and suction power.*(Consideration: the 37L vacuum is great for domestic properties, but if you’re cleaning bigger properties, the 50L might be the machine to go for.)

• You also need to consider what you are vacuuming – are you in an area with lots of pine needles, or are you clearing general leaves? This is important, as certain debris presents different challenges.
• Pine needles, for example, are notorious for causing blockages in front entry machines and you don’t want to be stopping every 5 minutes to flush out a blockage. In that case, having a unit with a larger side entry would prevent this from happening.
• If you are vacuuming general leaves/dirt then a front entry unit may be ideal for you. Furthermore, you can choose a size suitable for you (60L, 80L or 100L) and not have to worry about side entry kits or pine needles!

KV100

KV80

KV60

If you have plenty of vehicle space and want a vacuum to tackle all jobs, both domestic and commercial, the top-of-the-range Cyclone 76L 3600W machine is the most powerful gutter vacuum on the market. Its 3 x 1200W motors can run off a standard 13amp plug. Furthermore, it comes with a built-in 51mm side entry unit which provides massive airflow that increases suction and reduces the chance of blockages. The Cyclone 76L is available in either polypropylene or steel and can be used with either carbon or aluminium poles.

CARBON v ALUMINIUM POLES

You can use your gutter vacuum with either carbon or aluminium poles. Both have their positives and points for consideration.

How much do gutter cleaners charge?

There are several factors to consider when determining how much you should charge to clean gutters. A few that we think are most important include:

• HEIGHT- If you can, you should check out a property and find out its height before giving a price. It will take longer and take more time to clear out gutters several stories high, so factor this into any quotes. 
• PROPERTY- You will also want to consider the type of building, looking for any potential hazards that may make the process more difficult. 

Due to the recent growth in demand for gutter cleaning the market is only expanding, so work should never be too hard to find. If you build up a strong portfolio and rapport, customers will keep coming back. Word of mouth travels fast so new opportunities are always around the corner. If jobs are well managed and priced correctly, you can earn a good living off gutter cleaning and create an established business within the area.