# Jetter. Skid or Trailer?



## virtualplumber (Oct 23, 2010)

I will be buying a jetter. I have a 14' isuzu box truck that would make a sweet jetter truck with a curb side door. However, My local spartan Rep is saying that a trailer is a better choice. What are your thoughts?


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

Probably because their biggest skid mount is 3,000 psi 12 gpm....

Have a look see here...


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## virtualplumber (Oct 23, 2010)

I think you are correct. The Northwest Jetter That I am Looking at is 4000 PSI and 9 GPM.

The US Jetter is a very nice machine but I don't have the budjet for that. The Northwest unit is $8000.00 less the tanks

See here


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

You may want to talk to Song Dog about his experience buying a smaller more affordable jetter....

I believe it was about a month later he had made so much money with it he was already trading it in on a larger one so he could do even bigger jobs... :yes:

He started out with a 4010 and upgraded to a 4018...

As I recall he received full value on the trade in so he had a couple of months with a free jetter....:laughing:


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## virtualplumber (Oct 23, 2010)

A busy Jetter may not be a profitable one. Most likley isn't.


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## DesertOkie (Jul 15, 2011)

I vote trailer. You can go to the next stop towing a jetter, even if it won't be needed. If you have a dedicated truck you'll lose some $ on the trip. When our jetter business was slow we would tow it around, it seemed to help selling it.


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## okcplum (Jul 16, 2011)

build your own and save big $.
if you know what you want in gpm etc then just price the parts as needed.
i built my own trailer jetter and its worked great for me.
its paid for itself over and over.
im now in the process of re-building it as i want it to have a fancy cover with advert on it.
when i have finished it i will post pics, it looks a little different to the first pics i posted of it as im giving it a once over while i have it in the shop as i have worked the thing hard.


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## virtualplumber (Oct 23, 2010)

mark kiernan said:


> build your own and save big $.
> if you know what you want in gpm etc then just price the parts as needed.
> i built my own trailer jetter and its worked great for me.
> its paid for itself over and over.
> ...


How much less is it? Always been intrigued by this idea.


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## virtualplumber (Oct 23, 2010)

Good point Desert!


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## okcplum (Jul 16, 2011)

Around $2500~$3000 to build one.


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## virtualplumber (Oct 23, 2010)

That is a big difference. I am looking at 18 gpm 4000 psi. How much for the parts for that would you think?


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## SewerRat (Feb 26, 2011)

Make sure you compare every angle of your true costs and potential revenue before deciding whether to purchase or build a jetter.

I too am intrigued by the idea of building a jetter to your own specs but for me, I have a hard time finding the time to even keep my office work current and spend a little time with the family, much less undertaking a shop project of that scale. While I and my partners are fully capable of building our equipment, for lack of time it would drag on and on until finally we just took some time off to finish it. Time off= lost revenue, which has to be added to the cost of the equipment. 

Next, let's say it takes you a month of evenings or saturdays to get the project completed. What could you make in a month with the jetter if you just bought one and had it right away? If you are seeing a need for a jetter you obviously must be passing up work right now. If you are already committed to purchasing a jetter the extra revenue that you miss while your jetter building project is underway could (should) be figured into the cost of the machine as well, since if you bought one you'd be up and running as soon as it arrives.

So, building a jetter in concept is a great idea, there's really not much to them.

Building a jetter for us would be a bad idea given our work load and time schedule.

But for you.......? How much extra time do you have? Do you have any other important things that would suffer while you built out your equipment? If no, then go for it!


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## SewerRat (Feb 26, 2011)

One more thing: if you aren't seeing a need for a jetter but just want one, don't go there. We used to buy equipment on the hopes that it would generate enough work to pay its way. That approach ended us on the brink of bankruptcy.

Make absolutely sure you have proof that it will pay for itself based on jobs you have missed and work you have passed up before you pull the trigger. Start a spreadsheet, and every time you miss or sub out a job or know you could have sold a jet job had you had one, put it in your spreadsheet with a date. This will allow you after a short time to actually see what you could make with it. Sometimes it seems like you are passing up "a lot" of work, but when you start to track it on a spreadsheet it really doesn't amount to enough to justify the investment. Do this with any major purchase you are considering. Unless of course you have stacks of cash lying around and can afford to experiment.

I seriously am not trying to discourage you, I think any drain cleaner needs a jetter. I'm just so mad when I see how financially stupid we were in previous enterprises that I just want to pass along some of the lessons we've learned the hard way.


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## virtualplumber (Oct 23, 2010)

Kendall,

Good words. 

Andy


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## okcplum (Jul 16, 2011)

Couple of weekends to build one I would say, that's what I did it in.
On the notes from Other members, as you built the machine you know how to repair it fast and exactly where to go for parts if needed.
No waiting for service or extended repairs with parts that have to come from who ever built the machine or the warranty is void etc.
I think both options deserve to be viewed from all angles, from build cost or purchase, getting service parts as required, paying through the a** for service and parts and not to mention down town.
I would have paid the price to buy one retail but after I did the math and learned where and who to buy from I went with building my own and am very glad I did.
IMHO.
If you need a machine fast and have local service for the machine and can dump over 10k on the said machine then I would say go for it.
If service is going to be a problem or you have some spare time for a couple of weekends then build your own.
Only build or get one if you have the call for it though, as other people said don't get one in hopes it will always be out earning money.


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