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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

Yeah, My updated info. from the Gov't is that we will be able to start on the 19th. This is one of those times when having Toronto right next door is a hindrance, The more rural areas could open but Toronto is so dense it makes it more problematic. dense def. 1) highly populated 2) thick headed both apply. OK kids. Stay safe and have fun.

I hear ya. We are beginning next week on the 11th. Given our season is finite and ends late november, I feel much of this year is going to be diminished and our biggest concern is people dropping off due to financial reasons. Rod & Beth

I'm a '64 model (if you want to know how old that is you can work it out yourself - I don't want to know) and this is definitely a young persons game, especially in summer. I've had a few injuries over the years and am not 100%, so only a couple of years left for me - but I do love working for myself, being outdoors & doing stuff for people.

What percentage of bids is everyone closing on? We were right at 80% for this year but I feel like we left a lot of money on the table! I don't want to close on all of them just wondering if that's about normal for some of you that have been in the business for several years?

Done and getting ready for snow plowing. :(

I don't bother to quote stripping that stuff anymore. It is cheaper to re-skin the deck. Consider that the wood has already gotten to a point that this is a last resort for anyone to consider using this....Crap! After having it on for a long enough period, the wood starts to rot because it is holding in moisture where ever it fails and allows water to collect beneath it where it flakes off. I have tried to strip it off only to find a turbo nozzle works the best and even then it never got rid of the stuff that goes into the cracks. For all the cost associated with trying to remove it, it is far cheaper to just replace the wood and then apply a sealer. fwiw. Rod

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

my 20ish years old titan 440 is still running hard. Changed the packings a couple times. run MEK thru it once a year to keep it new inside. Can't beat that ball valve.

Testing testing Sent from my RM-860_nam_usa_100 using Tapatalk

Could also be a mud-daubers nest (wasps). Soft rinse is all I use in this case. Rod

Two areas that you need to be careful around with F-13 is painted aluminum garage doors and especially factory coated hardyboard siding. I'm not sure why, but these areas are highly sensitive to the chemical and will oxidize quickly leaving a lighter colored chalky stain!

Guy is the real deal. Had the pleasure of sitting down with a bunch of friends and getting to know him over drinks. Very interesting, knowledgeable, astute PW'er and just all around nice, engaging person. Next year will even be better!

How much will the book cost, Beth? Sounds like a "Must Own"!

I hate cold weather. Just saying. I really do. I want to wear my flip flops and shorts!!!!! Beth

John and myself don't agree on a LOT of things, but this isn't one of them. lol

No I didnt, Dave. Thanks for the info though! I do want to give a HUGE thank you to Mark Smith. I sincerely appreciate the phone call.

A couple more red flags 1. How much is material cost and how much is labor cost? 2. Give me the material list. I will get the material and that will save you time. 3. What is that chemical and where do you get it? 4. How much can I save if my son helps you? The answer is "Thank you for your interest in my company helping you with your service needs. I do not think we are a good match for your needs. Good by."

Hello everyone, remember me? It's been a while since I.ve been by to say hello. No, I haven't been cheating on you with another website. I thought I finally learned everything there is to know about everything and I didn't need to stop by anymore. Guess I was wrong. ;) I've been very busy in the business, everything is going very well. Missed you guys. Actually a friend from Florida is in the painting business and he called tonight to ask me about roof cleaning. I told him all I knew (which only took a few moments) and advised him to join TGS. Then I remembered that it's been a very long time since I logged in. Thats about it. Business is good and the family is fine. Taking a trip to the Domician Republic tomorrow for I little vacation. Bye for now, Ricky.

Thought Jake might enjoy these photos of a recent job. Thrilled owner! Beth

I've started adding butyl my tough strip mixes it works great!

Have u ever tried an injector? They r amazing and u can get a long range nozzle to reach the high parts. Just my two cents.

This forum was built by wood geeks and we can't help but appreciate fine craftsmanship and are very quick to compliment when we see it. With the age of automation and mass production, work like yours is becoming a rarity. Thanks for sharing. Rod

Ps...I should have also mentioned that traditional latex stains were very prone to peeling. It was due to a couple primary reasons. 1) they didnt expand and contract with the wood as well and 2) they were not as permeable and humidity trapped under a deck could literally push the stain off. In the "days" a solid oil may have been a better option than a solid latex. The new hybrids like the flood product I mentioned doesnt behave that way. In my experience, it is very durable and holds up well to foot traffic, patio furniture, weather etc. It doesn't come off in strips like old school latex. It more less will scuff over time, very much like some of those oul based prodicts that have a less penetrating topical membrane. If you have a virgin deck, a deck with an oil or even some acrylics. .. stick with oil and sell the customer on it's benefits such as protection from within, ease of maintenance, fade vs scuff, enhancement of woods natural beauty and grain etc. On those tough to strip decks or ones that have a solid on them already you may want to consider water based as an alternative, one with an oil self priming polymer. GL!

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.

Dan and Heather Galvin were kind enough to share their HUNDREDS of photos from the PWNA Convention. I have posted some on our site, and I will add more. (It's just taking awhile.) Please check them out: http://www.ecleanmag.com/2013-pwna-c...os-2013-11-07/

However, it's also important to realize that just because you're doing something for the publicity does not mean you're going to get the publicity. Smart business owners and association representatives make friends with their local or industry media rather than enemies.

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.