PDA

View Full Version : Gutter cleaning



APS_QLD
08-09-2004, 05:34 PM
Does anyone offer this service and if so what equipment do you use?

The reason i am asking is I was listerning to the radio today and some insurance fella was talking mostly about the storms etc and he mentioned that in most if not all insurance policies it states or indicates the owner is responsible to maintain there property in good condition and failing to have the gutter clean and in the event water enters the house during a storm because of blocked gutters and drains you run a big risk of footing the repair bill yourself. Same goes for a fire which starts in the gutter. Not sure how they will pick that if it burns to the ground.

I checked my policy and yep its there allright. I Did not go right into the fine print but it did indicate its my responsbility maintain the property in good order.

Maybe a angle for earning some extra cash.

Food for thought.

Brian

mick
08-09-2004, 06:05 PM
It can be very dangerous cleaning gutters! I did it when I started but after almost falling 5 stories, I do it no more! :frightene That said, if you can pick and choose your jobs and stay only 1 story you'd probably be ok!

You can get blower attachments to do gutters but the only way to do them properly is to get up there so you can see whats going on!

APS_QLD
08-09-2004, 06:20 PM
It was more a consideration for others. I gave it some thought after i posted and figured it would need the extra safety issues different insurance and to be honest with myself i'm past climbing over peoples roofs.

The more firra the less terra for this fella :) I guess its back to the mowing.

Brian

pbm
08-09-2004, 07:40 PM
Was talking to a contractor last week who is a member of the LMCA and they have been told that if you have to get on to a roof to clean gutters you have to install safety barriers and they have to be installed by a rigger...sounds to hard to me.

Topcat
08-09-2004, 07:44 PM
OH&s has got us again- stick to single story homes.

A good sales pitch ;frosty; May be to start a small fire in there gutters to sell your service- JOKING :laughing:

Moe
08-09-2004, 09:24 PM
I do gutters, its nothing to get excited about to be sure, quote plenty and if they say "no thanks" just thank them right back for letting you off the hook, only do low single stories, the more you can do with a ladder as opposed to climbing around all over the roof the better, I just use a ten dollar gutter scraper available from the hardware store and a bucket, if up on the roof I place a wheelbarrow below and drop the contents of the bucket when full into it, I used a blower once on one that only had dry leaves in it but this turned into a mess when the wind picked up and all the detritus went all over the neighbours car.
Have fun :wave-hi:

Alex Callaghan
08-09-2004, 09:50 PM
A harness and anchor (in this case a roof anchor) is required by legislation, where ever there is a risk of free fall in any situation so if you wallys :wave-hi: are doing this work and you take a fall without the correct P.P.E gear good luck making a claim on ya injury insurance. There goes ya income and here comes the dole.
To set ya self up properly for roof work your looking at about $500-$600....So the question I pose is...............Is cleaning gutters really worth the outlay for the gear or not buying the gear and taking a fall and kissing ya accident insurance good bye!!

IMO give the gutter cleaning a miss!! :russ:

Topcat
08-09-2004, 09:54 PM
Great information Alex.

Thank You, that should help all out.... :wave-hi:

mojo111
08-09-2004, 10:58 PM
Made my own harness and anchor much the same as Alex posted. don't mind the gutters easy money for me. Two hours tops to do the average roof $160/200 per roof. I made a longer pice of pvc pipe for the bp blower, Poke it right in the gutter blow the cr@p out of it. Extra leaf on lawn just suck it up with the mower, blow the rest into the garden to easy :)

matthew pitman
09-09-2004, 06:49 PM
i always tee up the gutter clean with a mow
blow the crap from the gutters blow the area around the house onto the lawn and mow to easy looks neat and pays well
not really worried about the height thing.
did know a bloke who was doing his own house and slipped off and feel 2 stories into his fish pond broke a arm and a leg knocked himself out and almost drown, lucky for him his wife heard the blower running under water and wondered what the sound was and found him there, he said he couldnt work out why she didnt leave him there he said roles reversied he would of .