GEAR
EQUIPMENT BY TIER.
Three capital tiers, three different starting businesses. We list what actually belongs at each tier — real part numbers, real price ranges, and the one item at each tier operators most often get wrong.
$3,000 TIER
Starter / Bootstrap
Cold-water, solo operator, pickup truck. Enough to legitimately serve independent restaurants from week one.
PRESSURE WASHER
4,000 PSI / 4 GPM Gas Pressure Washer
Entry-level cold-water rig with a Honda GX390 or equivalent. Enough pressure to strip an average hood if you pair it with a strong degreaser.
Why it matters: Cold water plus hot degreaser will work on most jobs. Hot water skids are nice-to-have, not mandatory on day one.
$1,200–$1,500Where to buy →CONTAINMENT
Containment Tarp + Clamp Kit
Heavy-gauge poly tarps, magnetic clips, 3M blue tape, and plastic sheeting. Seal off the kitchen before the first trigger pull.
Why it matters: Kitchens getting slimed with runoff is the #1 reason an operator gets fired before their second job. Containment is non-negotiable.
$180–$240Where to buy →CHEMICALS
Caustic Hood Degreaser Concentrate (5 gal)
Dilute 4:1 for soak, 10:1 for wash-down. One 5-gal jug handles ~15–25 standard hood jobs. Buy concentrate, never ready-to-use.
$85–$110Where to buy →PPE
Caustic-Rated PPE Kit (per tech)
Tyvek CHF suit, nitrile-over-neoprene gauntlet gloves, full-face splash goggles, P100 half-mask respirator, steel-toe rubber boots.
Why it matters: Caustic degreaser splash on skin or eyes is a medical emergency. Buy real PPE, not dishwashing gloves.
$150–$180 per techWhere to buy →LADDERS ACCESS
12-ft Fiberglass A-Frame Ladder
Fiberglass (not aluminum) for electrical safety near rooftop power. 12-ft reaches most hood plenums without extension.
$180–$240DOCUMENTATION
General Liability — $1M / $2M
Non-negotiable. No restaurant will hire you without a COI. NEXT Insurance or Thimble can get you covered in under an hour.
$55–$120 / monthWhere to buy →DOCUMENTATION
NFPA 96 Cleaning Certification Stickers
Dated stickers you affix after each clean. Fire marshals open the hood and look for these first.
$25 per 100Where to buy →
$10,000 TIER
Starter Plus
Adds a used hot-water skid, cargo trailer, recovery vacuum, CRM, and a real website. The "professional from day one" tier.
HOT WATER
Used Hot-Water Pressure Washer Skid
Diesel-fired, 3,500–4,000 PSI at 4 GPM, 200°F output. A used Hydro Tek, Landa, or Alkota skid transforms job speed.
Why it matters: Hot water + surfactant drops job time by 30–40%. That margin compounds every week.
$4,500–$7,000 usedWhere to buy →VEHICLE
6x12 Enclosed Cargo Trailer
Locks up your gear, doubles as a rolling billboard with branded wraps, and signals professionalism on arrival.
$3,500–$5,500CONTAINMENT
Wet/Dry Recovery Vacuum + Berm
Captures rinse water on rooftops where you can't let grease-laden water hit storm drains.
Why it matters: Municipal inspectors write real fines for storm-drain violations. Recovery = compliance.
$600–$1,200DOCUMENTATION
Jobber / Housecall Pro CRM
Schedule, quote, invoice, take card payments, and photo-log every job. Replaces three tools.
$39–$89 / monthWhere to buy →DOCUMENTATION
Professional website + Google Business Profile optimization
Simple 4-page site (home, services, service area, contact) plus a fully-populated GBP with 25+ photos. Most $10k-tier operators win 40% of jobs from GBP alone.
$1,500–$3,000 one-time
$30,000 TIER
Pro
Branded box truck, new hot-water skid, two CECS credentials, fire suppression cert. Bid chain work from launch.
VEHICLE
Branded Box Truck with Onboard Skid
14–16 ft box truck with a permanently-mounted hot-water skid, water tank, containment tarp racks, chemical lockers, and a generator. Pulls up looking like a national chain.
Why it matters: Commercial buyers (restaurant groups, property managers) trust a marked truck over a trailer. This is the capital move that unlocks multi-location accounts.
$18,000–$28,000 used + upfitHOT WATER
New Hydro Tek SS Series Hot-Water Skid
Bulletproof, 5+ year service life, higher GPM for faster job times. Warranty + parts availability matter at this scale.
$8,500–$14,000Where to buy →PRESSURE WASHER
Second Crew Kit (cold-water + PPE + containment)
Once you have demand for two crews a night, the economics of a second $3k starter kit on a used cargo van unlock 2x revenue without a hire-and-train freeze.
$3,500DOCUMENTATION
CECS Training + Exam for Owner + Lead Tech
Two CECS credentials is the minimum to bid national chain work or get onto large property-management vendor lists.
$3,500–$4,500 (travel + tuition + exam)Where to buy →DOCUMENTATION
NAFED Fire Suppression Certification
Stacks onto hood cleaning cleanly. Inspect + test the Ansul system on the same rooftop visit and double your invoice.
$650–$1,500Where to buy →
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NEED THE FULL BUSINESS PLAN, NOT JUST THE GEAR LIST?
Each of the three capital tiers has a dedicated Starter Pack page — equipment, certifications, marketing moves, licensing, and realistic year-one revenue. No magical thinking.
SEE THE STARTER PACK →