How much money needed to start a carpet cleaning business?

I know some will say $100 and some may say $100k but what would it really take if YOU went to the bank and wanted to fold out a full blown Carpet cleaning Company? Do water Damage if you want.....just want to hear what you would do and how much and how.


When I first started on my own I got a $1500 van and I think a used TM for $3000 or so.....ran few adds and boom....BUT if I was to do the BANK thing or if money was a little more available than your "first start up" how would that have been different? What would you do knowing what you know today?

I started out with 52k in cash, but was entering a different service which used some of the same equipment.

If I was to do it over from scratch now, I would lease a butler van and then add a crb, airpath, and a few wands. The lease covers the new van and machine with a warranty for 5 years, then I would turn it in for a new one.

I used to think that any lease was a bad idea, but the simplicity of it sounds really good to me these days. Being able to work out of a new van and machine all the time makes your life a whole lot easier.

I would still have a shed full of tools....

I guess I only answered part of the question...

By leasing that unit at $699 per month (a little more depending on options), my up front cash would be rather small.  Wands and misc., probably would run about 4k, so then I would have a set-up that not only functions as well as anyone, but looks great as well.

High-end customers will judge you by your van and equipment, so for about $35 per day, you will look and be able to play the part of a much larger / successful business under that lease.

Sure, in the end you are spending a lot more total on a lease, but what that $35 per day affords you is worth it in my view and should get allow you the cash flow to make it work well...how hard is it to get $175 per week to cover the lease?  Except for a few months out of the year in the Midwest, that should be pretty easy for any company that is actively working and advertising.

So, one could probably start a company back up under this plan for probably $15k up front and be right there with the big boys trolling around those wealthy neighborhoods....without a dragging muffler, visible rust, squeaky brakes, leaking tank, etc. like you see much of the time.

As far a equipment money start up, I was big time 2k start up package from challenger.  If I were to start over again I would do the same thing only spend a hell of lot more on advertising.

I think it really depends on what you need or think you need. Once you determine the type of business you are going to go after and buy the equipment you also need to have a Min of $5,000 set aside for emergency truckmount repairs (Or any equipment) so if something does go wrong with your equipment you are able to get it fixed right away and then you also have to have some sort of marketing money set aside so you are able to market to get your customers and then finally you need to have a separate emergency fund set aside for your winter time.

In some ways, you should just plan on screwing up the first few years, close it down, then re-open a new company with new knowledge of exactly what you really need and for what markets.

I sure could have saved myself a ton of money with that hindsight.