Different things work in different markets. A NC gutter weighed down with wet pine straw and a roof with a 4 inch blanket of straw would laugh at a vac. I can see how it might work if you were in a location with leaves. We have a multiple properties where we coordinate with the landscapers and they literally haul off the roof pinestraw in dump trucks and dump trailers. One roof can fill a dump truck to the top.
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Thatās insane
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Walk away. 
I would.
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I am trying a new tag line for the fall in the print ads I do. āDonāt let your wood weather another winter!ā Granted this is for the outdoor wood restoration. I didnāt slow down much last year but I always expect to and try to market to keep it from happening.
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Thanks for the input, you and everyone else that is.
So you are saying for $200, I can get into the 1 story gutter cleaning service? What about the leaf blower to blow out the down spouts? Should I get one for that as well.
I am assuming this machine will have to hook up to the customers outlet, unless I get a generator.
This is the blower I use. $40. Blower from the bottom up. Then shop vac. This is 440 CFM or 3 times your shop vac CFM.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Ryobi-135-MPH-440-CFM-8-Amp-Electric-Jet-Fan-Blower-RY421021/301076739
Only once did I run into a house without an exterior outlet, but I was lucky enough to have a power inverter in the truck.
So yeah. With a power inverter, the blower, and this system you could be tearing through one story neighborhoods, charging $50 a house and you could still do 7-10 houses a day I bet, knocking on doors. Put out that you clean 1 story gutters on your personal facebook page. I bet you have a day or more of work scheduled immediately. People hate cleaning gutters. But you should up your budget to $300 if you think you need a power inverter and blower right away.
You only need a 5 foot section really for single story houses.
Tip for later: Buy a generator just because. I just bought a second generator because you will find 10 different things you can use the thing for. Running 110v hot box for your pressure washer, deer camp, running a welder if your shop doesnāt have the powah, all kinds of junk. Iām gonna start giving generators to friends as wedding gifts or house warming presents. Lol
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Thumbtack is a great place to get gutter cleaning only leads. Itās also a great place to find out what the market is looking for at the moment.
Correction to the post above: if you donāt have a folding ladder thatās probably a good idea too. You may never need it, but when you need it you might as well have it.
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Great info you are providing here squidskc, thanks.
Keep an eye on craigslist for generators. I just bought a nice 6200/5000 watt for $150.
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Iām not embarrassed to say the first generator I bought for a song was a Predator harbor freight thing (from a guy who bought a bunch thinking he could get more than the market was demanding HA!) and the gosh darn thing is wonderful!
It surprised me so much I spent the $330 on the same model. Space on the truck and trailer is at a premium at the moment so the 4000/3200 has the perfect footprint for what I need it for.
I didnāt āslowā down (this year has been busier than last) until the day before Thanksgiving last year and then it fell off a cliff before late Jan/early Feb.
Thanks for the heads up with the single story gutter cleaning. I am going to start offering gutter cleaning and gaurds for single story homes. I believe I read that I can charge roughly $4 per linear foot for cleaning and installation. Seems like some good profits.
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The foam gutter guards are lightning fast to install. A pair of scissors in your back pocket, you cut them to size on the ladder so a little edge goes under the supports. We always tell people we donāt have any experience with them when it comes to longevity, but according to our first ātestā house he says they work as advertised.
You use the foam ones? How much do you charge to install those. Do you just stuff them in the gutter?
Why would you choose the foam ones? Are they cheaper overall? Just easier to install?
$4/linear foot. Lol. I didnāt choose them. A previous customer asked about them because he got a quote for those roll over gutter things at $4k and he wanted to give them a shot. Asked what Iād charge and at $4/foot he was a lot happier paying me $700. Iāve only installed them twice since then and $4/foot seems to be what people are willing to pay over 3 houses. Not a huge sample size. I only bring it up when I can fill a hole on the calendar with it.
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I looked on lowes and it seems like those foam ones at $53 per 36 ft. It seems like for 200 ft, that would eat up a large portion of the sale. Granted itās super quick though.
1.42 of the 4 is in expenses 
but still quick money.
Yeah. Thats over 2x labor on 1x materials that you can earn in minutes. 
Dang!
I like money, I am going to offer this to everyone I can. However I will have to take half up front on these types of jobs. Iāll probally install the snap on plastic ones. Higher profit margins.
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Whatever keeps food in your belly. Everyoneās business is gonna be a little different.
I really am thankful for the advice.
Iāll be investing in those gutter cleaning tools soon. I got to get my unger 30ft and gutter bomb first though!
