Gutter / fascia cleaning pole length

[Scrubsy]

After lending my SLX to my brother I'm about to order a new one. I use an 18 foot nearly all the time for windows, and I wondered what length everyone uses on average for gutter / fascia cleaning please? I have extensions 5 and 6 anyway, so can reach to about 27 feet anyway so am just going to order another 18 foot pole, but wondered what pole length everyone uses on an average house please? I have only ever really cleaned my old house gutters myself but find I get asked quite often now, especially by regular windows customers, so I don't want to turn down work.

*in context I have been a bit lax trying to expand my windows round after being depressed, and would like to earn some more money while not putting to much pressure on being desperate to expand my window cleaning at a rate of knots. I have found that being out working more has actually done wonders for my mental health, it's just a little bit slower picking up new window cleaning than I'd hoped in the spring time (it is getting there, just a little bit slowly). If I do a few g/s/f jobs it's a big help to my overall income. I have a gutter vac I use sometimes so it seems a shame not to be able to offer the cleaning aswell as the clearing. Thank you for reading.

 

[ched999uk]

If you have extensions to go up to 27ft you should be fine. If you can do most of your work with an 18ft pole stick with is as it's lighter than a longer pole so will give you less fatigue. I haven't found a gsf I can't reach with my slx 27, I've not had any issues with apexes either. I use a backpack to spray then scrub, rinse, and dry off to stop the drips (cloth on brush).
It's probably worth mentioning to all your customers that you are now cleaning soffits, fascia and gutters - but when you quote double check they want a price for cleaning and or emptying the gutters. i.e. you don't want give the customer a price for a gsf clean when they expected them to be emptied as well!

 

[Scrubsy]

@ched999uk thank you very much. That's brilliant. I like having the extensions just to utilise the pole for different jobs. Yes good idea to keep the difference between cleaning/clearing. I have a little Maykker velcro sleeve t-bar that I can put a cloth on to help with the drying off too, but thought the same as you ill just put a cloth on the brush with a peg to hold it in place. Do you have a preferred brush head for gutters at all please? I thought maybe the regular medium sill brush looked ideal.

 

[Pjj]

22-25 will do most houses , 3 storey town houses 30-35 possibly depending on style

 

[ched999uk]

Do you have a preferred brush head for gutters at all please? I thought maybe the regular medium sill brush looked ideal.

I like my Supreme tapertec brush as it's long bristles get behind the gutters and brackets quite well.

 

[Scrubsy]

I like my Supreme tapertec brush as it's long bristles get behind the gutters and brackets quite well.

@ched999uk thank you. Probably a bit lighter than the sill brush too so a bit easier to control

 

[Peter J]

If you have extensions to go up to 27ft you should be fine. If you can do most of your work with an 18ft pole stick with is as it's lighter than a longer pole so will give you less fatigue. I haven't found a gsf I can't reach with my slx 27, I've not had any issues with apexes either. I use a backpack to spray then scrub, rinse, and dry off to stop the drips (cloth on brush).
It's probably worth mentioning to all your customers that you are now cleaning soffits, fascia and gutters - but when you quote double check they want a price for cleaning and or emptying the gutters. i.e. you don't want give the customer a price for a gsf clean when they expected them to be emptied as well!

And the other way round. Whenever anyone asks for a gutter clearance quote the first thing I say is,

“Do you want them cleared and cleaned or just cleared or just cleaned?”

So many people think the clearance price includes me scrubbing them. It’s best to make it clear straight away.

Sometimes they haven’t even thought about getting them cleaned as well and it can add more money onto the job. So it’s well worth clarifying immediately.

 

[Scrubsy]

Thanks @Peter J that's a very good point. I did get asked a while back by a lady and I could see from the ground that the gutters had stuff growing in them. When I asked about it she said she wanted them cleaned on the outside but wasn't bothered about the growth inside them! . Some people like to try and maintain their home and others just care about the immediate appearance perhaps.

 

[Peter J]

Thanks @Peter J that's a very good point. I did get asked a while back by a lady and I could see from the ground that the gutters had stuff growing in them. When I asked about it she said she wanted them cleaned on the outside but wasn't bothered about the growth inside them! . Some people like to try and maintain their home and others just care about the immediate appearance perhaps.

I had one on Friday. She just wanted them cleaned and there was loads of plant life growing in them. I’m going back this Friday to clear them. Should’ve had the gutter vac with me but they’re only down the road so it’s not too much hassle.

 

[Pjj]

And the other way round. Whenever anyone asks for a gutter clearance quote the first thing I say is,

“Do you want them cleared and cleaned or just cleared or just cleaned?”

So many people think the clearance price includes me scrubbing them. It’s best to make it clear straight away.

Sometimes they haven’t even thought about getting them cleaned as well and it can add more money onto the job. So it’s well worth clarifying immediately.

I quite agree with this I do exactly the same

 

[Cleanco]

Ye I’ve found out the hard way in my early days the difference beteen a crusty wanting them cleared out or washed down externally. Always best to ask just to clarify. I’ve been using gardiners standard sill brush for fsg’s as I find it covers a large area cutting cleaning time down and is great for getting inbetween the gutter/fascia and also getting right into the nooks and cranny’s of the gutter clips. My 22’ does most jobs but occasionally have to use something bigger to get high apex’s.

 

[Kevjos]

After lending my SLX to my brother I'm about to order a new one. I use an 18 foot nearly all the time for windows, and I wondered what length everyone uses on average for gutter / fascia cleaning please? I have extensions 5 and 6 anyway, so can reach to about 27 feet anyway so am just going to order another 18 foot pole, but wondered what pole length everyone uses on an average house please? I have only ever really cleaned my old house gutters myself but find I get asked quite often now, especially by regular windows customers, so I don't want to turn down work.

*in context I have been a bit lax trying to expand my windows round after being depressed, and would like to earn some more money while not putting to much pressure on being desperate to expand my window cleaning at a rate of knots. I have found that being out working more has actually done wonders for my mental health, it's just a little bit slower picking up new window cleaning than I'd hoped in the spring time (it is getting there, just a little bit slowly). If I do a few g/s/f jobs it's a big help to my overall income. I have a gutter vac I use sometimes so it seems a shame not to be able to offer the cleaning aswell as the clearing. Thank you for reading.

Hi. Sorry this isn’t an answer to your question. It’s actually a question that I would like to ask. I’m thinking of buying a telescopic pressure lance for high level cleaning ( facias and possibly gutters cleaning. Any views and advice gratefully received. Also what ball park prices would I charge for these services?

Thanks
Kevin.

 

[Pjj]

They are a nightmare to use I tried this years ago very tough on the body and difficult to use . If you want to go down this route I would suggest using wfp and converting the pole for pressure washing it’s better than the ones you are mentioning but still not easy

 

[Scrubsy]

Hi Kevin @Kevjos I haven't tried using a lance myself. As @Pjj has said I have a feeling they might be a bit unwieldy, but I did see someone on Facebook a couple of weeks back who has bought an lightweight extendable lance and connected it to a little pump sprayer. They said it had been working ok. I have one of these that I'm going to use if it needed. It's a single jet holder I can put on my Gardiner pole brush socket. Then once I've applied the cleaning solution I'll swap over to a brush head for scrubbing.

 

[ched999uk]

Hi Kevin @Kevjos I haven't tried using a lance myself. As @Pjj has said I have a feeling they might be a bit unwieldy, but I did see someone on Facebook a couple of weeks back who has bought an lightweight extendable lance and connected it to a little pump sprayer. They said it had been working ok. I have one of these that I'm going to use if it needed. It's a single jet holder I can put on my Gardiner pole brush socket. Then once I've applied the cleaning solution I'll swap over to a brush head for scrubbing.

I use one of those with a 50 degree fan jet in to apply chemicals for gsf via a gardiners backpack. Works well for conny roofs as well.