Gutters too high up!

[Gene $immons]

I was asked to bid a Church. Looks like a great account. The lady asked to include gutter cleaning. The problem is that on one side of the building, the roof line is 3 stories high. The roof is very steep as well.

This would require a seriously tall ladder, and having to climb up and down many many times to do the job.

Anyone have any thoughts on this problem?

Thanks - Gene

[newz7151]

You'll either have to use the ladder many many times, or climb up on the roof and do it from the roof. Price it accordingly. Get a heavy long rope (or cable) and anchor it to the other side of the roof over the peak and use that as a tie off to keep yourself from falling off the roof. Tie it around your waist (or use a proper climbing harness) and take you a hand held leaf blower up there. Walk backwards towards the gutter and just use the blower to blow out the gutter.

[ed2hess]

Have them put leaf gutter guards on:laugh:

[clallen03]

Why dont you just call a gutter company and find out what they will charge to do the job. Put that in your bid and when it time to clean the gutters call them to knock it out for you. We do it all the time on services that we dont offer like gutters, stump grinding, tree work, ect.

[LushGreenLawn]

Why dont you just call a gutter company and find out what they will charge to do the job. Put that in your bid and when it time to clean the gutters call them to knock it out for you. We do it all the time on services that we dont offer like gutters, stump grinding, tree work, ect.

For a 3 story gutter thats what I would do. If your not on a ladder every day, then you don't want to be on one 3 stories in the air.

Another option may be to rent a sissor lift.

[mattfromNY]

For a 3 story gutter thats what I would do. If your not on a ladder every day, then you don't want to be on one 3 stories in the air.

Another option may be to rent a sissor lift.

Agreed.
Check your insurance policy, too, if your insurance doesn't cover you on a three story ladder, you may want to avoid putting yourself there.

[GWar]

I was given an I-robot Looj for Christmas two years ago. It works great depending on the type of gutter. Check out the video at the attached linked. As long as it has a good charge you can do some pretty long gutters. Just set up ladder at the gutters highest point and remote control the unit to the other end and back, the flush it with a hose. Most of the time I clean gutters are during a medium rain storm (when I can't cut), thus saving time w/ rinsing.

http://store.irobot.com/category/index.jsp?categoryId=3334470&cp=2804605

[corey4671]

find one of those guys on craigslist that does gutters for $20

[jeffex]

I use painters extension poles that I have for my pressure washing business. I can put a 2 section inside of a 3 section pole and reach that high. I put a pencil point nozzle from home depot on the end of the water hose and duct tape it at a downward angle. I put a shut off valve between the section of hose that is wrapped around the extension pole and the hose from the water source to act as a control . I aim the water away from the downspout to clean out the gutter and keep too much debris from clogging the spout. A little tricky to manage at 3 stories but better than moving a ladder every 6 ft. or falling off a roof.

[prizeprop]

Why dont you just call a gutter company and find out what they will charge to do the job. Put that in your bid and when it time to clean the gutters call them to knock it out for you. We do it all the time on services that we dont offer like gutters, stump grinding, tree work, ect.
This is what you need to do.

[F3Nelso]

This is what you need to do.


+3 couldnt agree more, mark up the price and make money doing nothing

[White Gardens]

For a 3 story gutter thats what I would do. If your not on a ladder every day, then you don't want to be on one 3 stories in the air.

Another option may be to rent a sissor lift.

You could also think about a pull behind cherry picker/man lift.

[Junior M]

You could also think about a pull behind cherry picker/man lift.
I was just about to suggest that, or if you got a tree care buddy, borrow his bucket for the day..

[prizeprop]

There's lots of things you can do to get the job done, in the end it has to be cost effective and worth your effort. Pick up the phone, let someone else do the work,and you still might be able to make some coin.jmho.

[georgiagrass]

definitely sub it out. If your workman's comp carrier knew you were even thinking about doing this ....

[Alpha Property]

you can rent booms fairly reasonable, i worked for an arial lift rental company for 2 years doing service work. there a blast to play around on, they range in sized from 30ft to 135ft, 2x4, 4x4, gas/LPG, deisel or electric. check United Rentals, there one of the biggest rental companys in north america

[LawnGuy73]

Just wondering here... Do you normally offer gutter cleaning as one of your services? I don't, I have been asked in the past to include it with the bid. I simply tell the potential customer that we do not offer it and that they should check the yellow pages or local newspaper for a company that does this. I have never lost an account because of this, I also don't carry insurance coverage for this. For me personally I would rather be professional in a couple of things, then try to do everything and suck at all of them. Thats just my opinion, and thoughts on this issue.

[DuallyVette]

Why dont you just call a gutter company and find out what they will charge to do the job. Put that in your bid and when it time to clean the gutters call them to knock it out for you. We do it all the time on services that we dont offer like gutters, stump grinding, tree work, ect.


I'd go this way too!

[Green Earth Inc.]

You dont want to lose the account because of gutter cleaning. Get paid for it or pay somebody else. dont be greedy and lose the contract over this service. surf the web to see if people post there prices on there web or not.