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We still go door to door and hang door hangers. This is the first marketing we ever did and although we have grown from other sources we refuse to quit what work for us in the beginning. "Never forget where you come from" It is not easy but in my opinion it is a great source for new business! Internet is an excellent choice as well! We have NOT successful with EDDM, and for that reason have discontinued it. If you don't mind doing a little extra work take a look at sendjim, https://sendjim.io/home they have some great marketing ideas at affordable pricing.

Just a couple of pics of a project I am working on, this was some really old shakes that needed two fat coats of amber. you can see on the front where i left off on the second coat.

Support local charities and help people in your community who need it. Keep it between you, them, and God.

There is no drawback from doing the right thing. The drawbacks come from when people want to do the right thing for the wrong reason. Personally I think it goes against what god wants people to do to brag about how you donate or help out a service organization and expect to get positive exposure or a tax credit. Do it because you want to and be done with it. If you recieve a donation letter from them so be it but don't go looking for it.

My only "guarantee" is to turn up & do my best (results as explained)

I find that customers like you described are often ones that have been either taken by another contractor or were given unreasonable expectations. I have won these types over by setting the expectations and when possible over delivering. Then there are ones that just can't be pleased no matter what and they expect miracles. These often have conditions that can't be reversed and likely induced by either the homeowner/diyer or a hack. Some people are so difficult that I will intentionally bid it high to deter their acceptance but in the case they become desparate set a very low expectation. In the case of excessive questions, I find it that they are insecure and often a bit squirrelley to begin with. I try to be patient but sometimes find I have to control the narrative and leave them with either yes or no responses because they don't understand aspects about the project/scope/technology/chemistry etc. This helps them to find a path to a decision but I often have to leave a comfort line at the end, something to the effect of....if you have any further questions you can call me at... Guarantees. What is to guarantee in our line of work? That the dirt will come off? That the results will last 'X' years? I offer none where this is concerned even if I am the first one on the job because there are things I have no control over. I don't make the sealers, chemicals, stains etc. that are being applied. I didn't get the substrate dirty and have no idea of what it has been subject to and no way to tell until AFTER the work begins to reveal what was hidden or obstructed/disguised. What are your thoughts on Guarantees? Rod

New or return customers? If new customers, how did they hear about you? Referral? You'll likely have several different figures depending upon how they got your info. New customers who just found me online I'm about 40%, but that's only because I try and pre-qualify them before ever considering a site visit. I get a description from them over the phone or email, then I'll provide a brief explanation of the service I'm proposing as well as a price range. I let them know if the price range sounds reasonable to them, then we could meet to discuss & finalize the details. New customers who were referred to me from someone I've serviced in the past would be about 65%. Return customers about 90-95% When I first started my own biz in 1998, I thought I was killing it because I got most of the jobs I went and bid on. Come to find out it was only because I was offering my services way too cheap, (that's typically because many of us don't truly understand our total operating costs when starting a business). Although situations vary, I'd say that if you're closing % is much more than 50% from people who don't know you and just found your info online or in print, then you need to reevaluate your pricing.

We use both M5 X-Jet for House washing and we use a 12 volt 7gpm Fatboy or Shureflow Pump for Roofcleaning. We like the X-jet because you can reach upwards of 3 stories. You can apply chemical without ladders and can also clean most vertical surfaces without ladders. The roof setup gets the right chemical on the roof surface at low pressure.

I also have done quiet a bit of work for Real Estate agents in my area. What has worked for me personally is developing a good working relationship with those top sales agents and reward them with small gifts after a few jobs that goes a long way especially when you do excellent work.

I will expound on what Guy was saying. There is a sliding scale that many contractor use towards pricing and it is representative of the time, labor and materials it takes to complete a job. Higher price/sqft for smaller jobs and a reductively lower price/sqft as the job gets bigger. ie; 1.00/sqft - up to 200 sqsft. .75/sqft - up to 500sqft. .50/sqft - up to 1000sqft.....etc. Find out what it takes to do jobs of various types and look into your costs. How much fuel does your machine consume in an hour? Factor that into the price. What is your travel distance and factor costs for ass time in the vehicle for each person and a service area radius to base your rates on. Compute for larger distances as an additional charge upon the regular area. What are your overhead costs you have to meet each month? Divide that total by the number of days you work to come up with a minimum per day you need to meet those expenses and learn to factor that into your hourly costs overall. Many companies here have stated that they have certain minimums they will need to make before accepting any job. That is another thing to consider but beware, it is also market driven and demographically sensitive. You can price yourself out of business if your area of business can't support your costs if they are too high. Let me know if you have any questions... Rod

We used to do Ice Damn removal as well. Cold work and a bit treacherous in the snow of yards you have not been on before and are trying to find good footing for ladders. God I hate getting snow down the back of my jacket... Rod

Thad, Nonsense. You and many others not mentioned in my post deserve credit. Going back in time, if I can remember, Mark Smith, Ken Fenner, Greg R., Jim B., Diamond Jim Foley, and others used this website and the old Delco board to get the wood restoration business recognised by the general public. It helped my small business and many others. So take a bow!

Okay I have a few.....

Va is actually very fair about the issue. On contracting work when they pull a permit for a job they put your contractors licence number in the system and if it pops as inactive,completely fraudulent, or registered to someone else they make the contractor obtain a valid licence before they will sign off on the work.

The big 4-0 was this past September. I spent the morning of my 40th birthday in the Emergency Room with a kidney stone. That went away after some convincing, and all is well. My boys are 14 and 9 now........which is hard to believe. I stopped pressure washing in 2005 and switched to the HVAC business. I am in sales of residential HVAC and doing very well. For a couple of years I was a technician as well, but I enjoy sales more. Jim, I recognize your photo.......I hope all is well with you.

Doing it for nothing is something I won't do. You are performing on someone else's property and if you aren't charging for it and it is not disclosed in a proposal, bid or estimate, you are liable for any and all damages that result. Hourly rates are for employee's and lawyers. Even plumbers and electricians don't give hourly anymore. They charge by the service. We don't give out an 'hourly' rate either. Due to the varying factors many projects will have, there is no way to really put an hourly rate on it considering there is so much more that go into costs. Rod

Tim , I take care of a lot of furniture . Teak , cedar , pt, redwood, something that begins with a J. All furniture that ends up with people like us has gotten out of control and sticky . Over application of product is the biggest issue. So knowing what you put on and how to care for the finish is the biggest issue with outdoor furniture and when to start over again. Last year I did about 20 pieces of teak at the end of the year as a trial for he next 20 pieces in spring ( I think more). The tables could not be extended and the chairs couldn't be sat on when the temps hit 90. What a freaking mess but they new it . It went beyond there painter, local hardware store , paint store, handy man, advice from the product they put on,. The estate manager went to a dinner at one of my clients and ate / sat on the furniture I have cared for the last ten years. What a great new client I have and estate to work on . All because of something that couldn't be sat on ! Who wood of thunk ? With furniture less is best.... What ever is used don't over apply . Wipe off anything that doesn't sink in in 30 minutes . Don't allow much on the undersides at all . Just enhance the wood. With furniture the first finish and when to do the second finish is the trickiest . You cannot treat outside furniture like inside furniture.

If the coating is not permeable.....RUN. Beth

I like forums better because there is much less politics and more networking and civil discussion by contrast. Rod

I have done work at a reduced rate for the Salvation Army, a women's shelter, and a Food Bank. Neither group cares who you are or what you do. Their only concern is if you need help. But if I am told that I owe a freebie, if they tell me I can take a tax deduction, if they pull the guilt trip, we are done. The other thing, is I do not help for free advertising or other b/s. I help because I like the org or their goals.

The fishing part is not important. The being together is the important part. Just as important, is his little friends who do not have a good father figure in their lives. You have a chance to make a real difference in some kids life. Don't screw it up.

Someone hook me up with a frubal, thanks.

Frubals Have you ever heard the phrase 'instant karma'? Frubals (sometimes known as 'reputation') are are a very close equivalent. Let's say, for example, you see a post that you really like. You can validate that person by clicking on the little square green icon (if using The Grime Scene skin) or the scale icon (if using TGS Lite skin) that appears in that post. (It's toward the right-hand side, up top). A pop-up message will come up, asking what you thought of the post and will have a blank space where you can write your thoughts on that post. The other member will have it noted in their "User CP" that someone thought that that post was worth "frubals", and if you enclosed a note, that will appear next to the notation. Sending Frubals with a note is also a nice way to say thank you to someone who helped you. In your posts you will notice little squares under your user name. Mouse over them, and it will give you a message based upon your number of frubals. This changes as you get to new levels. There are many terms used on the forums that denote giving someone frubals. Among them are "frubaling a post," "frubalizing someone," and "fruballed." Here are some configuration numbers for you: Register Date Factor: For every 365 number of days, users gain 1 point of reputation-altering power. Post Count Factor: For every 100 number of posts, users gain 1 point of reputation-altering power. Reputation Point Factor: For every 100 points of reputation, users gain 1 point of reputation-altering power. Minimum Post Count: How many posts must a user have before his reputation hits count on others? 10 Minimum Reputation Count: How much reputation must a user have before his reputation hits count on others? 10 Daily Reputation Clicks Limit: How many reputation clicks can a user give over each 24 hour period? Administrators are exempt from this limit. 15 Reputation User Spread: How many different users must you give reputation to before you can hit the same person again? (Administrators are exempt from this limit.) 5

Yes Sir F13 Gutter Butter they all yield different results based on the gutters manufacturers and the age of the gutters. You have to be careful with the paint and surface and keep it wet all times

I hired a professional to do my work.

I learned if a customer starts off asking a bunch of questions and seems like there nit picking that to bid it high because of all the extra BS you'll have to put up with. Had that to happen two different times this past year! Found out that both customers had already had others clean but wasn't satisfied with any one's results on two other pressure washing business? Go figure that ?Always follow your gut feeling on any bids? Got into a little more wood & concrete cleaning to help our 2018 be a success! May try and boost a few post on FB for increase sales ?

Graco recently released a new line of Fine Finish Low Pressure Tips, which allow you to spray at about half the pressure as the old Fine Finish Tips. I thought this might be useful info for those who've stayed away from using an airless to apply stains & sealers due to excess overspray, as well as for those airless users looking for an improvement. I've used their old fine finish tips for years to apply stain, and I'd agree that even with a small tip and the pressure turned up just enough to create a good spray pattern, that overspray was often an issue. Since it's been steady rain here in Portland, OR for most of the spring so far, I've only done 2 stain jobs, but on both occasions I've had the chance to use the new Fine Finish Low Pressure Tips, and the difference is amazing. I'd definitely look into them if you're using an airless. Here's a link for those interested. Graco Fine Finish Low Pressure Tips

Ok ... I'm just a little homeowner, not a contractor, but I AM WOMAN HEAR ME ROAR! LOL I figured out how to get Rust stains, that were left from my wrought iron furniture, off my Trex (2nd generation) light gray composite deck planks ......READY???? A simple and cheap Hydrogen Peroxide and Baking Soda paste you can make, and an old toothbrush! IT WORKS! (I came to this site looking for a solution or recommendation and didn't so I started trying different things myself and WHOLA! Hope this helps! Each stain took me about 10 minutes, to scrub with this paste, but they all came up! Good Luck!

I wonder what everyone has been using to clean there gutters, just the black streaks on them not the insides. Ive been using la awesome for years and it works great on a car wash brush and a little scrub its gone. only bad thing about it is when its colder than 60 it wont work unless the gutter or the brush has hot water on it. If you dont know what la awesome is they sell it at most 1.00 stores and dollargeneral, family dollar and i think walmart sells it to, its 1.00 for spray bottle or 3.00 for half gallon! works wonders with carpet cleaners and just as a general cleaner, been adding it to all my house washes for years. back to the question what is everyone using for cleaning those streaks on gutters?

We have always done Home Advisor, Local advertising and all the usual door hangers etc. We have been lacking with our internet presence so we have a new website and are working on our visibility on line. John

I know that is my go 2 product

There's a big difference between drilling out a red tip and using a "shooter" tip. Its like going to a shooting range with a handgun and a rifle to do some long distance target practice. The barrel of the rifle makes a world of difference in target shooting for long distance as does the barrel of a shooter tip. $30 for a pinpoint accurate shooter tip that give you excellent distance as well is money in the bank every time in the powerwashing business. Its also great for safety reasons because it keeps you off ladders and saves your back because you'll use your extension wand much less often so it's a "win win" in my book!

Big house. Lots of windows and dormers. It is a shame to put a solid stain on decent lap cedar. I'd charge an extra 20% on labor just to put up with the sacrilege.

I'll see you guys there.....John T....1st beer is on me Brother!

There is a reason acrylic has cry in the middle of the word !

The PWNA is having it's 23rd annual convention coming up Nov 1st http://pwna.org/convention/ They're offering excellent classes to help Contractors in their field of choice. Anywhere from Garage cleaning all the way over to wood restoration. You can also get a certification for some of these classes that is backed by the Industry's longest running organization which is the PWNA. Another great session is the "Millionaires Panel" open room discussion. Some of the people on this panel gross between $4,000,000-$18,000,000/yr. That's right those numbers are in the MILLIONS! You can network with these guys as well as any and all of the other guys at this Convention. Also the Trade Floor will have some of the most successful and well known Vendors in the Power Washing Industry. So book your flights today because you can get some great deals on them now. Looking forward to seeing you guys at this Event :)

No problem.. No the glycol adds some boosting power to the stripper.

Having a license actually puts contractors in a better position over the others in this region. People are actively looking for credibility. Rod

Yeah I remember that, we were blocked from participating by a local guy who planned it, yet, I was the writer for CT who got the assignment to write about it. Go figure. LOL Beth

A couple of years ago I got a message from a FM in Michigan. He wanted to know how to contact Dave. He wanted Dave to add his jurisdiction to Dave's service area. That is an indication of the high regard others had of Dave.

Shane, I really have to thank you. I have added butyl based degreasers to my mix, but its always a premixed product. Thanks a million times for posting that. I have it bookmarked and will be ordering next week. I have to say that your advice, both in forums and on the phone, have made me money. I truly appreciate your help.

Jim's points are exactly what anyone should be considering. Wood at 50* or lower begins to tighten up as a response to the temperatures and won't absorb well. Also, oils are like bacon grease, they begin to congeal at that temp and don't penetrate. Combining these two factors makes it a difficult assessment for when to start. Getting temps during the day is fine but remember overnight temps can literally squeeze out the sealer that hasn't dried/cured by then. This leads to tacky finishes which will never set right and leads to a premature failing of the product. Acrylics have a little better performance ability but again need to have consistent temps above their application range to ensure proper curing. Some can be applied as low as 40* but keep in mind the substrate. If it is a hardwood. Forget it. Wait for warmer temps. I acknowledge Jim's predicament over the years and that he has had it very difficult where temps AND rain have been concerned. He and other in the northeast corridor have been hit with some unfortunate weather which has impacted their businesses and complicated their ability to do quality work without having to resort to alternate measures to get the job done. Here's to hoping all have a decent weather year. Rod

We've been with them for a little over a year. Had two other agencies in this area. No service whatsoever. And that was with no claims. Made me think "what if I had a problem?" Joe Walters has been very attentive so far. At least that makes me feel more secure. A guy told me one time "If your customers are bothering you, ignore them. They'll go away!" Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk ANR Cleaning Services LLC www.anrcleanteam.com www.anrcleanteam.com

I couldn't talk my neighbor out of using Restore completely, but was able to at least get her to test it on some wood lawn chairs first. After doing the chairs, she finally agreed on what I was trying to tell her. It is a terrible product plus looks awful, and like Beth said "If the coating is not permeable.....RUN." All of these companies keep trying to develop a product that can beat Mother Nature. The fact is Mother Nature will eventually win.

One day closer to spring? Beth

That is exactly how we do it as well. Allison was kind enough to use a picture of my son Zach rinsing out a gutter after scooping the debris. A link to the magazine http://issuu.com/pccmag/docs/eclean_issue_18/1

As far as gutter whitening, I would like to see product comparisons. Gutter Grenade, Gutter zap, super clean..etc etc. Maybe in different temps too. With clean outs, I would like to see how people are doing the job. I use the old fashioned bucket and rubber glove method. Then I run a hose down the downspouts. Works every time. I've heard of people using vacuum systems on them. I would like to see the effectiveness of that.

I don't hunt. The best inside speckled trout fishing is during deer season but I told my dad I would hunt with him this year. He's saying this might be his last year so that puts it in a different perspective.

^ Well that is real positive. Fishing should be fun when first starting out at a very young age. Ryan's suggestion of simple bluegills or sunny's is a great idea. Little fish, usually bite on most anything, and easy and fun to catch for a little guy. Don't remember being quite that young and never had children. But would imagine a few hours without a catch or action would be a bit of a boring stretch for a youngster. Time spent with a small child is important. Fun time spent is more valuable and ingrained. Back to the thread about hunting. Long story, will try and be short. 2 Thanksgiving's ago, we spent some time with my (inlaw) nephew and family in central NY state. Arrived on Wednesday afternoon, and as soon as out of the truck, my nephew declares, "We're going deer hunting early tomorrow morning". Well OK, I'm up for something new and unusual. Problem is, I've never hunted and the last time I shot a gun was around the age of 12 with a 22 long at YMCA camp. He takes me out on his property, hands me a 30 ought(?) 6 rifle, and gives me 5 rounds to hit a target at ~ 80 yards. I did manage to hit it around the edges with 2 rounds, and thought my right shoulder was permanently damaged. Next morning, at friggin' 5:00 AM, we up and at it. Private property of a friend of his. Sit in a tree stand and gaze over the woods. See a few white tails running out of range, and after 4 hours go back to the house. Beer time. Next morning, drags me out of bed before the sunrise. "Let's go again!" Cracks a big smile, hands me a beer. People do not act like this in suburbia. Same place, different tree stand. Quiet. lovely morning, warm when the sun comes up. Peaceful, almost meditative., but I'm watchful. I swear that this deer appeared right in front of me, like it was "transported" from space. Maybe 70 or 80 yards away. Never saw it browsing through the field right in front of me. Took a shot. Went down to the ground, struggled up, and ran like a bat out of hell. We tracked the blood for about 300 yards and it was down. Never heard the report of the rifle, or felt the recoil. Maybe an instinctive genetic memory when man really had to hunt for food or starve.