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Own your own carpet cleaning business Results from a Challenger User Technology Solutions International Top 10 Home Businesses with Rapid Break-Even Time
Businesses are not created equal. Some businesses are easy to start while others are more complicated. Some businesses can make money fast, while others take a longer time to recoup investments. Here are 10 businesses you can start if you want to break-even as fast as two months to a year. by Jenny Fulbright PowerHomeBiz Staff Writer 6. Carpet Cleaner. Carpet cleaning is one of the most popular home businesses today. As the name suggests, your job description is to shampoo and clean carpets for homes and businesses alike using special equipment. You can initially focus on cleaning homes or apartments, and then grow to service commercial establishments such as office spaces, restaurants and retail stores that could offer bigger contracts and higher percentage of repeat business. A carpet cleaning business has a low entry cost. You can start as low as $2,000 if you initially lease your cleaning equipment and already own a vehicle to transport your equipment. As your business grows, you can find used or new professional carpet cleaning equipment at wholesale janitorial suppliers. To reduce cost, purchase industrial-grade cleaning supplies at wholesale prices. Before you start, however, you must have some skills required for efficiently cleaning carpets and knowledge of the equipment and supplies to use. Consider the number of trips you need to make (one to estimate the job, and the other to do the job), the size of the carpet cleaned and the need for cleaning in pricing your services. You can charge your customers either a flat hourly rate or a room rate. Hourly rates can range from $25 to $50 per hour. On the other hand, a 10 x 12-foot room of 120 square feet can range from $18 to $30, at 15¢ to 25¢ a square foot. If charging by the room, most require a minimum number of rooms to clean, typically three. You can charge additional fees for moving furniture to clean the carpet. Potential first year earnings for this business can reach $35,000, and breakeven can come one month to six months. To augment your income, you can also clean upholstery, cars and full houses. There are various ways to reach your clients and market your business. Word-of-mouth is the fastest and most effective, although many carpet cleaners spread the word by placing classified ads in the local paper, distributing flyers and business cards. Resources: Carpet and Rug Institute (http://www.carpet-rug.com) Carpet and Fabricare Institute (http://www.carpet9.org) Association of Specialists in Cleaning and Restoration (http://www.ascr.org) Link exchange |