For the first time.....

That's why I was suggesting the one van with dual pressure hoses set up, but like Dave said there are more ways to skin the cat, whatever float your boat   
Mark, same here, workers comp is anywhere from 15% - 17%, I'm considering adding one more guy that's currently working saturdays only, but still debating, have to be careful with my winter months, even though our winter is nothing compare to you guys out in the northeast.
Charlie, right now we are running one and a half van, about 7 - 8 jobs average for both vans, usually we average about 10 - 12 but this year we increased our pricing, so we get less quantity but $$ average is increasing and I'm happier dealing with higher end customers, easier to deal with and higher chance of repeat businesses.

People always presume that if you deal in volume that u have to be doing cheap work. I work in a variety of middle to high end homes. I don't do apartments or ghetto areas of town. I'm not the most expensive guy in town, really I'm right up the middle, but I have very high job averages and provide very high quality work with no high pressure sales. We just work very efficiently with a two man crew and make the most out of every minute. From the route to set up and tear down, it's all planned out to be timed perfectly.

Well said there Fuzz!

A former Commander of mine called it "Planning it down to the dirt" so that every minute is accounted for. Logistics matter if you want to be efficient and it sounds like you take that same approach.

I actually was asked to do a presentation about our small family company and a bit of this topic of 2 vans and 3 people on most jobs.  We also clean very large homes and upper end.  Here are some of the items I am cutting and pasting from those powerpoint screens (wish I could take the time and try and upload all the items, just too much, so no pics to go with.  

The big surprising numbers are at the end of this.....now keep in mind, I am also going to be short a guy coming up the first of June, so we are going to look at things again and see if we want a 3rd person at this time, but here is the info:

I have been also trying to put myself in a good position for semi retirement and passing the torch to the family:

Being on site, past and future clients start to trust the guys work
Still on van (like it) and like to run a wand!

A Goal: I drink coffee and make guest appearances!
People see what a great job the guys do, trust them to be solo in the home next time.

Schedule just too crazy!
Business was getting harder to keep up with demand
Guys look 16 years of age (actually 28 & 20 yrs of age)

2 Van, 3 worker advantages

In and out quicker for homeowners
Homeowners get on with their day
Drying faster because in and out quicker
Don’t have to try and upsell or schedule extra work another day. (sure we can clean that sectional today)
With 2 vans, we can take on last minute “I need it today” calls
Pacing of each other on the wand, not as panicked to get to other scheduled jobs, etc…

2 vans

Buy same units and set ups (parts interchangeable, less training between units, same great cleaning tools and units)
If something breaks on one, can take parts to test on the other and order correct parts
No one is fighting for which van works better and both vans tend to work great!
Emergency call…pack up the one van when we can and get going.
Looks like a parade through town everyday!!!
“we see your vans everywhere!”

The financial numbers with 2 vans, 3 people
Note: we have not raised our rates since July 2011 (we are the highest per square foot price in area). NEW NOTE: We did raise our prices now for 2014...

2 years in row, reduced miles on each van…slight increase in carpet clean machine (Truckmount) hours.

Have reduced amount of hours per square foot cleaned!

The financial numbers with 2 vans, 3 people

2013: 54,055 additional square feet cleaned ($20,000 additional cc monies) does not include other services such as upholstery, tile & grout which all increased too!

2013: 20 more total van/cc machine hours over 2012

2013: each van generated over $25 an hour total increase for the year! (we gave ourselves $25 an hour raise for every hour the van was running)

2013: a total of 20 more van hours - increased income of $20,000 (almost $1000 “per hour” additional increase!)

2013: 886 less total van miles! (and more money made!)

2013: each van doing over $178,000 each (just barely keeping up with demand)


Hope this gives you guys an idea as to how things transpired for us just out of necessity, some family necessity and some just plain experimentation.  I do not want to become a really large company, just an efficient company and try to meet the needs of our community (and my family)

Best wishes to everyone,

Mark Saiger
www.saigers.com

Nice write up there Mark, thanks for posting that one.

I can see the value in 2 vans on the same job from the stand point of always having a working machine and being able to pick-up unscheduled items like tile or upholstery.

I am glad to hear that it works so well for you, I think I will give it a try when I get this second vehicle on the road. It would let me monitor the guys on the second van closer which is a headache saver as well.

I just can't get Foreigner out of my head whenever I see this thread.

I have waited a lifetime
Sailed across the stormy sea...

Didn't cross my mind......until now, thanks a lot Fuzz  

Wow lots of use full inspiring info here!
Thanks bros!