Water tank cleaning for homes and small sites

Homeowners, landlords, letting agents, small hotels, B&Bs and offices with their own storage tanks.

A fixed price per tank, with extra for hard-to-reach tanks, heavy scale or a follow-up visit. Landlords and agents can bring repeat work.

• Careful, hygienic working habits
• Comfortable in lofts and tight spaces
• Clear explaining to customers
• Basic plumbing knowledge

• Public liability insurance, and check whether your insurer wants proof of training
• Working in lofts: fall risk, poor lighting and tight spaces, so check safe working practice
• Disinfectant chemicals: check COSHH requirements and the rules for the water supplied to drinking taps
• Where to dispose of dirty or chlorinated water: check with your water company and environmental regulator
• Water fittings rules: check what work counts as plumbing and what you can carry out yourself

Estimates suggest startup costs are typically around £500 to £2,500, depending on the equipment, training and insurance you choose. Get quotes for each item before you commit.

Estimates suggest monthly revenue of typically around £400 to £3,000, depending on how many tanks you clean, your pricing and how many hours you work. Figures are revenue, not profit.

Things to check: public liability insurance, safe working in lofts, COSHH requirements for disinfectants, where to dispose of dirty or chlorinated water, and which work counts as plumbing under water fittings rules.