Carpet cleaning is one of the most well-liked home start up businesses that are considered. The start up costs is minimal and one can usually get started in a business such as this for well under $1,000. Most people will initially rent their equipment and supplies until they begin to see a profit. When it is time to start shopping for the equipment many will buy used at first. Wholesale suppliers very often have amazing deals on both used and new equipment that is needed for this type of business.
Not just anyone should jump into carpet cleaning businesses. While it can be a lucrative business venture it does require some skill and knowledge about this arena. You have to know how to professionally clean rugs and carpets. At first it is likely that you would begin with smaller residential accounts but your goal should be to grow commercially and expand to larger contracts and the ability to rely on repeat customers and regular accounts.
Considerations
When it comes to providing prices for your carpet cleaning business there are a few considerations to make:
- Will you charge an hourly rate
- Will you charge a flat rate
- Will you have a minimum
- Will you move furniture for free or will you charge an additional fee
- Are you competitive with other companies in your area that offer the same service
Marketing & Reaching the Customer
How do you plan to get the word out about your new business? Good business people will always rely on word of mouth but it takes time to create a buzz about your service and generally that is only of it is outstanding. Word of mouth is not enough so you will have to incorporate a degree of passing out flyers, advertising in local papers, and handing out business cards. Networking is also a great idea.
Growth
While it might be alright to begin your carpet cleaning business with leased equipment or freestanding units you will have to eventually keep up with the big guys. The professional companies use truck mounted systems. The good news is that once you upgrade your prices will be able to professionally reflect the upgrade. For even more growth you should eventually consider adding upholstering cleaning to your cleaning menu.
Knowing the Ropes
It is important that you have the ability to provide a quality carpet cleaning service to your customers if you want to expand. To become familiar with the latest and greatest carpet cleaning technology it is often a good idea to take a short term job with a company that is already established so you can learn the ropes. Here are some things that you should never do:
- Schedule more customers than you can efficiently accommodate
- Never be late
- Never reschedule
- Never try to do a two man job by yourself
Just remember all of the places where carpet exists when you are preparing to advertise:
- Cars
- Houses
- Offices
- Boats
- Stores
- Hospitals
- Various buildings
Starting a carpeting cleaning business can be the key to your future financial independence if you have a passion for cleaning, enjoy dealing with people, and need to keep your start up costs very minimal.
