Starting up your own business is not for the faint hearted. However, despite years working in the construction industry, when circumstances forced a change in direction, local man Mark Pascoe took his hard graft ethos and is using it in the world of oven cleaning.
“I don’t rush the job,” explained Mark, who only charges a flat fee for each visit.
“I like to do it properly, and this can take well over two hours, up to four hours if I am cleaning a Range cooker, hood and extractor.
“Ovenclean only work with environmentally friendly products rather than abrasive or caustic cleaners, so, although the cleaning is hard work, I am not subjecting myself or the household to any nasty odours. It also means that the oven can be used straight away, and the whole process is completely safe for pets, or people with breathing conditions.”
Despite working in the field for just over a year now, starting in South East Cornwall, before taking over from a previous business in Plymouth; Mark has over 270 regular customers.
“I am definitely a people person”
“I generally recommend a visit every six to 12 months, and have a standard price from £50 a visit for a single oven. My customers seem to like my efforts as most of my business is repeat. I am definitely a people person,” added Mark.
“Obviously I keep my own cooker at home the same way. It’s so much nicer to cook in a healthy, hygienic, clean space – and I do like the kitchen looking this way. I have many customers who think the same, but for some reason, perhaps they find it harder to get down on their knees to clean, need a bit of extra help to keep up their standards.
“I am able to do a really deep clean as well, removing everything that can be, including glass and hide and slide doors, so that all the seals, hinges and hidden bits get proper attention. It definitely adds to the life of the appliance and is a really good maintenance practice.”
Ovenclean operates a franchise, so Mark benefitted from lots of professional support in the beginning.
“My van was bought fully kitted out so the pieces I remove from the oven can be cleaned inside the van”, explained Mark, “making sure the customer’s kitchen remains grease free.
“I also benefitted from working with an experienced franchise holder in a different part of the country to get to know all the best tips and practices. In fact he and I have remained in contact, and are still good friends now.
“I would recommend franchising to anyone thinking of starting up a business themselves. I saw an advert in a newspaper and just went to an inquiry session with my wife. She said that within the first five minutes she knew it was the right decision for me, and I am delighted to be able to prove that the faith she had in me at the start was well placed.”
“…Amazing value for money.”
It’s not only Mark’s wife that is singing his praises; some testimonies on the Trust Pilot website report:
“Excellent service from Mark at Ovenclean. He was punctual professional pleasant and the ovens looked like I had only just bought them. I will definitely have them cleaned again. Amazing value for money.”
“I had Mark visit my flat today, he was very professional and friendly. Great service I will definitely be using Ovenclean regularly and recommending to my sister as she needs to clean her oven!
“We had our double oven cleaned today by Mark Pascoe who works for Ovenclean.
Mark arrived bang on time and was very friendly and professional. It was clearly a labour of love for Mark. He spent hours cleaning the oven and the end result was well beyond our expectations. I would thoroughly recommend Mark if you live in Devon or Cornwall and are considering who to use. You will not be disappointed!”
More reviews can be found at www.trustpilot.com/review/ovenclean.com.
Mark can be contacted on 07908458756, and you can take advantage of an extra discount on your clean with the voucher in this month’s Chronicle.
Story by Karen Pilkington
You can also find this article in the July printed edition of the Plymouth Chronicle.
