Kitchen Floor

[EasyPro]

Hey guy I got a 2,900 sq ft kitchen that wants the floors cleaned. . .they are tile and I need to know how you all clean these.

Maybe some of you grease guys have done this before

Me and Ash came up with a pretty good Idea and I figured i'd put it out here to see if you guys had a better way then what us two knuckle heads came up with . . .I'm fine on pricing just wondering about methods . . .I gotta make my 1600 a day :rolleyes:

Thanks for the help felas

[Alexy]

Be carefull with Kitchen floors.
Some things to consider
Is this a stand alone restaurant or is it iin a strip mall or next to other buisnesses. Reason I ask is the grout will leak no matter if it is brand new. It (water)can damage carpet,drywall, phone lines, elctrical ect, just be aware of that.
Does the floor have drains? Do they work? (not clogged) Does the floor actually drain down to them or will a helper have to squeege the water to it?
Equipment: What moves what doesn't? Also watch out for electrical stuff , refirgeration compressors ect on the line you will need to cover or at least protect by spraying lightly around those items.Be carefull of extension cords that have laid for 2 decades behind the line that will short out when the water hits them.
Also think about dunnage and storage items will you be removing them or will the customer. Just about everything needs to be about 2 feet above the floor to keep splatter and overspray off them. Bid the job accordingly and spell out these issues with your client in the service agreement BEFORE you start. Just things I have found over time that help make these jobs go easier.

[PressurePros]

Check the sanitary drains in the kitch first. If their flow is good, you can downstream your degreaser an run a 16" surface cleaner over it with hot water. Also make sure that you let the restaurant know that you will be removing any wax they have on the floor. (upsell?)

Edit, Alexy beat me to the punch with some very good things to consider.

[EasyPro]

I was going to use two helpers to sqweegie because the florr does not run the water to the drains very well (chef told me this) it is a stand alone resteraunt. i was going to use sodium hydroxide and a deck brush then rinse with hot water from the spiget. The drains work but i will be putting a sump pump on them just incase . . . everthing that can be moved IE tables and such with wheels will be pulled out ovens, fryers, and other things will not . . . I was thinking .30 sq ft

[EasyPro]

the cheff told me that they never sealed it the first time so no worries there

[Alexy]

All we do is KEC and we get this alot:yes:

It's a great add on to a KEC job but if you are not carefull floor cleanings can do some real damage.

[PressurePros]

Sounds low for a three man job. I don't know though. We used to have a guy that stripped my family's 1500 s.f retail store, applied two coats of wax and buffed for $180. I've never done this as a standalone job only as part of a KEC cleanup. Have you tried selling the hoods?

[EasyPro]

Ken the hood system on this has not been clean properly for YEARS!!! there are no access panels where there should be, built up grease, and to add its a HUGE system . . two stories, laterals, 2 16 - 18 foot hoods and a small one prolly around 10 to 12 ft, its huge and would be a nice gig but i wouldn't be comfortable doing it my self

[Alexy]

DJ,
Your honesty about knowing your limits is refreshing. I would see if there is a KEC specific cleaner that you trust for that job and keep the floor. you could assist the KEC job and confirm why you don't do that kind of work.:headshakesmile-fast

[EasyPro]

I don't mind the work and KEC is KEC the thing im worried about is the problems i could encounter . . .BUNN said he would come help me do it but I need help estimating it too thats the problem lol I know it would be at least 3-4k

and as far as admiting my limits i have no problem doing that . . . :)

[Alexy]

Bunn's good peeps and you will learn alot from him.
As far as modesty thats a rare trait. Good Luck on the job.

[RMedbery]

Ive done 1 floor/equipment clean and it was the last. Im not a janitor, I hate it, it sucks. I made ok money, the work absolutely sucked.

Youd best get 3 to 4 K out of those hoods because from the sounds of it youll never hear from them again.

[EasyPro]

Youd best get 3 to 4 K out of those hoods because from the sounds of it youll never hear from them again.


why you say that?

[Nalgas]

Youd best get 3 to 4 K out of those hoods because from the sounds of it youll never hear from them again.

I know what system he is talking about, and I can assure you that $3,000.00 would not be out of line, for the work that needs to be done. Multiple access panels need to be installed, some duct crawling would be involved, the fan (which is freakin gigantic!) needs a super hinge and a grease containment system, etc., etc. Once those issues are addressed, the system wouldn't be that difficult to clean, just time consuming.

[Matt Bryan]

DJ remember that this is technically flatwork, so you will need to have the proper uniform on while doing the work. I believe Shoes for Crews sells special non slip high heel shoes for kitchen flatwork. Also make sure the ovens are cool, I know you young flatworkers like to wear those short skirts when running your surface cleaners and I wouldn't want you to burn those nice legs.

[RMedbery]

why you say that?

the hood system on this has not been clean properly for YEARS!!! there are no access panels where there should be, built up grease,
Thats why.

Why all of a sudden do they want it done right? My guess is someone is telling them to. You do it right then they wait years again before they get it done right again. Thats a lot of agains.

[PressurePros]

Roger, I agree with you about many of the places getting you to basically unclog the pipes with no intention for maintenance. Not to steal DJ's thread as this may warrant its own.. How do you go about convincing a business owner that maintenance cleaning is in their best interest?

[EasyPro]

Actually i showed the cheff the pictures of the duct work RIGHT AFTER they cleaned "the system" which was actually just the hoods. This would be an every six month thing. The cheff wants it done right its just they have been steered wrong for so long when i came in and educated him and actually showed with what was wrong he instantly wanted to find some one else . . .

I am very very confident i could sell this job, my problem comes on what to bid it at and then the cleaning process !!

[RMedbery]

Roger, I agree with you about many of the places getting you to basically unclog the pipes with no intention for maintenance. Not to steal DJ's thread as this may warrant its own.. How do you go about convincing a business owner that maintenance cleaning is in their best interest?

Everything that DJ is doing, show them how bad it is. Does the chef pay the bills? Chances are.......no. Its just been my experience 90% of the time if the system is that far gone its because they dont want to come off the $$$ until they HAVE to. For example.......EVERY CHINAMAN.

[plainpainter]

Just reading this thread makes me respect KEC guys so much more - I know I'd hate this line of work, even without trying. It's been my impression that KEC guys are either 100% committed to doing just KEC work and nothing else. Does anyone here do KEC along with other lines of pressure washing - or do guys in general just focus on KEC exclusively?

[Nalgas]

KEC consumes you!:biggrin:

[Douglas Hicks]

Just reading this thread makes me respect KEC guys so much more - I know I'd hate this line of work, even without trying. It's been my impression that KEC guys are either 100% committed to doing just KEC work and nothing else. Does anyone here do KEC along with other lines of pressure washing - or do guys in general just focus on KEC exclusively?

NO nO, plainpainter, it is use greasers who respect the flat-workers. I cannot imagine having to wear a uniform that includes a short, tight skirt. Mr Carrol, I know the training you received from Bunn. I know you are aware we expect pictures of you in your short, tight skirt and your red hi-heels.

[Nalgas]

Mr Carrol, I know the training you received from Bunn. I know you are aware we expect pictures of you in your short, tight skirt and your red hi-heels.

When DJ visited BCC Headquarters, he traded his skirt and high heels in for a pair of jeans and posed for a few pics. Judging by the look on DJ's face, I think he enjoyed wearing pants.:yes:

[Nalgas]

...and here we have it, proof that DJ enjoys wearing pants:

[RMedbery]

Just reading this thread makes me respect KEC guys so much more - I know I'd hate this line of work, even without trying. It's been my impression that KEC guys are either 100% committed to doing just KEC work and nothing else. Does anyone here do KEC along with other lines of pressure washing - or do guys in general just focus on KEC exclusively?

KEC is where the money is, all other forms of PWing is just pocket change.

[EasyPro]

I actually like KEC . . .because as weird as this may sound its not power washing. . . I look at a house and im like okay im gonna clean this . . you look at a KES and its more like a project. . .Its actually fun if you have some one there with you . . i really enjoyed working with bunn . . . Well its fun untill you get to a hood that a dumb @$$ painted lol now that was a PITA LOL

[Nalgas]

Well its fun untill you get to a hood that a dumb @$$ painted lol now that was a PITA LOL

hahahahaha, that hood is missing a little paint now.:biggrin:

[Ron Musgraves]

Hey guy I got a 2,900 sq ft kitchen that wants the floors cleaned. . .they are tile and I need to know how you all clean these.

Maybe some of you grease guys have done this before

Me and Ash came up with a pretty good Idea and I figured i'd put it out here to see if you guys had a better way then what us two knuckle heads came up with . . .I'm fine on pricing just wondering about methods . . .I gotta make my 1600 a day :rolleyes:

Thanks for the help felas


I have two crews that all they do is Kitchen interiors sun mon tues. Theres a reason they get done on these days.

1600 for a three man crew interior of the larger chains could be possible. Fastfood is going to pay around 450 to 650. Keep in mind I would not be any place longer than 3 hours. Most i can do in 2 start to finish.

You need to perfect your methods or your pricing will never be right.
The grease guys gave some good things to watch out for.

I have a long list of No NOs... while working in a commercial kitchen.

They also have a bateria program, you can ask darden for the criteria they are happy to supply it to you. ask the GM most companys have a manual and precedure they want followed.

Ask greaser about foam on those fryers and how you can burn a joint down. I have had my competition burn a fridays down while rinsing a floor and shorted the off relay on the fryer. Poooffff the joint burned down shortly after they left.

Good luck, its easy once you do about 4 or 5 and figure it out.

[Ron Musgraves]

Dj, the GM always tell you the drains work. Then they hand you a bill for jetting service because you must have clogged them.LOL

[tegrey]

All the comments are varied. Bottom line is it profitable? Is it wat you really do, or just do to make a few bucks? Specialization in any field is good. We are asked many times to do work we don't normally do. We don't. Have fun grease diving DJ! LOL

[cleanhoods]

All the comments are varied. Bottom line is it profitable? Is it wat you really do, or just do to make a few bucks? Specialization in any field is good. We are asked many times to do work we don't normally do. We don't. Have fun grease diving DJ! LOL

All job are as profitable as you make them.
Marko

[Safeclean]

I know this thread is a little older but if you want some great information on cleaning tile and grout check out www.dirtygrout.com it is a great site dedicated to cleaning tile and grout and other hard surfaces.I have some high end steam vapor machines,and the complete vacuum recovery systems from Hydroforce and Turboforce(I am an equipment freak:yes:).If you have the right equipment,hot water ,vacuum recovery surface cleaners,and the right chems you can make great money cleaning tile and grout.With the vacuum recovery surface cleaners you don't have to worry about the floor drains clogging up,you extract the grease and grime from the surface instead of just pushing it around ,and the floors come out a lot cleaner and dry faster.I use the steam vapor machines for tough grout lines,Gum removal(like Gumbusters),graffiti etc,and I use the vacuum surface cleaners for interior tile and grout,exterior concrete,and graffiti etc.