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I've been absent awhile working in political nightmare this country is facing ....the Marxist entitlement cradle to grave gubbimunt check is better for some than real capitalist work in a free market place I'm afraid.......

HOW TO GET THE MIX ON THE HOUSE? I know this crossroads has been reached by many p-washers and soft washers . But the Question is still ...to x-jet....downstream ...or a dedicated pump system to apply the house wash mixture ? I have done all 3 ....except not an actual x-jet but a rigged up high pressure shooter . This spring I set up a 12 volt pump 16 gal tank system. I hooked up a 150 ft hose reel with a spray gun that would shoot about 25ft. It paid for itself on the first 2 jobs . The only problem is that chlorine is a beast on all the connections and the pump is loosing power. Yesterdays job we were down to about 15 ft on the range ....even after a battery check .... I looked at the Bandit system and one on Sun Brite ..roofster ... that are dedicated pump systems . They claim they are built to withstand the harshness of the chems ... Today after reading many x-jet threads ....and with my pump system loosing pressure .......with a job looming this Monday ...I think at the least I will put the x-jet on my trailer and get my hand truck out of the shed to tote the 5 gal around. Luckily my son does most of the work these days but I still need a system that is simple to use . My pump system cost me about $125 for the hose reel...hose ..connectors ...and the gun I already had a tank sprayer for my lawn business and a 12 volt battery in the shed . My son would pull up to a job and unreel the hose . Turn on the switch and he could do a large house in 2 hours with this system. We developed a rinse system using the pressure of the garden hose . 2 large houses were easy with this system .....3 if they were close enough in travel time IN may cases he did the house wash without getting the pressure washers out .....I am interested in the Bandit system as it looks heavy duty but at $1,400 vs $150 for an x-jet ...today I'm headed to buy the x-jet and I will work on a more durable system of replacement parts for my current set up . I could use a more than 60 psi 2.2 gpm 12 volt pump the tank came with ...to get more height and some stainless connections to step up my system . After all these years in this business it is still fun to experiment with new ideas and process' to make this work easier and more profitable ........

I got a call from Jack in NJ and he gave a glowing review of the M5 x-jet ....What I decided to do was....drum roll please.....all 3 !! x-jet.....get a new down stream ( built in on pump doesn't work any more) add on ...and fix my hose reel system with stainless or plastic connections to withstand the chlorine and a new pump.....all of this is WELL below the cost of a Bandit or roofster system

We started last week here in Maryland ! We did a deck with a solid stain for a client we washed their house at the end of last year. This is my 20th season in this business and I still love this work. My son came on board 3 years ago when he got laid off from his auto -tech job. I had both hips replaced last year and my son took over the the work but I'm fixed up almost as good as new....Who says you can't put humpty dumpty back together again. I have been relegated to bidding and sales with an occasional supervisory role .....I did the deck this week with my son and this work is still rewarding and fun to see the looks on the customers face......!!! It must be a sickness!!!! It is amazing how the business has changed....and at the same time stayed the same.....MANY new players out here with the economy driving prices for this service. Many calls from people selling their house to get the hell out of Maryland . The most notable change I have seen is the turn to a service of quick washing a deck and then staining over old stain. A yearly service model to meet a price point demand I guess. The most notable ...same ...is that there is nothing new under the sun for this business.....good work = good pay = good referrals ...and there will always be someone doing this business on the cheap.... GOOD LUCK TO ALL THIS SEASON!!! $$$$$

Today we were washing a house , deck, and pool fence . This is a 4 peat customer. Their neighbor usually has us do their deck right after theirs. Today a kid was there trying to get off some picnic table redwood stain . He approached me for help. I told him that he was now my competition as that HAD been my customer for the past 2 stain /wash cycles. He didn't know how to get the stain off he started to apply as the homeowner hated it. Now I was that kid once......Well , maybe not so young when I started. I did what any good business man would do ...I protected my territory and my customer base... Sorry kid ....can't help you take away my customers......I'll wait for the call from MY customer ......Welcome to the big leagues kid!!!! When I was where he was there was no google or internet to youtube any answers....

I'm all for helping as we all have on this forum but a man has his limits . I went by there today to get an after picture of the staining my son did and that picnic table stain is still there. I'm not training my replacement!!! or my competition.

19 years in this business and I got a call about my first IPE deck!!!! what do I need to know about washing and staining this wood that may be different than PT wood or cedar even?

My Sherwin Williams wants me to try ZAR semi-transparent deck stain . anyone out there have experience with this product. It is similar in formulation ...waterborne oil base... to Olympic that I have used since 2005 with great success. The reason I ask is I can get a better price with my SW discount and availability at my local SW store

I went to the store yesterday to see the stuff. The mgr. tried to tint it to a cedar color and it looked like puke! You could see the red flakes of iron oxide used to give it UV protection . I wondered it that would e effective as a clear seal with UV protection . I told him I'll pass on that product for now . I'll stick to what I know works . They gave me a good price on Wolmans toner so I will try and sell that as well.

NO one!? sheesh!

We do decks , fences, house wash, concrete , patio's , and a roof or 2 . I've been around since 1992 . I can't say I've been asked to wash anything really crazy but I did use my pressure washer to dig some footers for a retaining wall . I cut a hole in the bottom of a 5 gal. bucket and used my 0 degree nozzle . It was a hot dry summer and I was building a retaining wall at my house around my pool area. I couldn't dig in the hard ass ground so I used my pressure washer to dig them. I just put the tip through the hole in the bucket to prevent blow back and simply spun the tip in a circular motion and it cut through that hard rock and clay in no time. We get calls to do one dirty side of a house and we charge enough to make it worth the trip. Usually I find you can up sell more once your there.

I am wondering if anyone has tried the dried chlorine available at pool supply houses. I would like a more portable and convenient source for my house wash . I mix HD80 with water for decks and that is a portable source . When they add on more work it is easy to just mix more dry than tote liquid. I would like to carry dry chlorine to mix with water for those customers that add on service when you get there . " My house looks great. How much to do the sidewalk and driveways" If so what was the chem name and your results?

Thanks for the heads up. I'll experiment with something else. innovation keeps me passionate about this business.

calcium hypochlorite vs sodium hypochlorite (liquid SH) . Most tablets are calcium hypochlorite. I guess I just have to try it and see for myslef if I can get good results.

I got a call for removal of egg on vinyl siding . He says he tried to power wash it off himself. Any experience out here with this. He didn't use any cleaner to loosen up the egg .

I used hd80 once when some girls threw 3 eggs at our house. This guy says it has been there since august! I gave him a price and said I could not guarantee the removal though. l'LL just bring all my chems .

This winter I have been busy looking at where my business changed in 2009 and where it might be headed in the future. I saw deck cleaning and staining fall off the ledge in July but house washing jump . My best determination from my experience is people were getting their houses ready to sell with more price shopping than usual. 2009 seemed to hit a wall for me in pricing even as my costs went up. My price per sq. ft stalled. The scare in the economy and uneasy outlook for the future made basic projects and maintenance my staple. I was able to book work at the end of the season to start the spring of 2010. Last season I started totally a new and it took until the warm weather came for sales to start. I also began to look at the political climate in our State as Maryland is deep in debt and more taxes are comming our way. There has been an attempt in years past to impose a sales tax on services and it was shut down by business' stepping up to show their power in Annapolis and Washington. I feel that is comming our way again as our current political class don't know how to cut back. If you are as concerned as I am I would ask you to take a look at a candidate for US Senate here in Maryland that needs your help in protecting the business enviornment in this state . Jim Rutledge is a conservative . www.Rutledgefroussenate.com No matter what party you are registered as I think this state needs business friendly elected officials to keep us from turning in to California. Take a look for yourself and decide if you can help by getting out the word about Jim Rutledge for Us Senate.

where should I start a political thread on this forum?

I did find a way to turn my pressure washer in to a snow making machine to sell a "white Christmas " but this year mother nature beat me to it. No winter work in this area .

I building my arsenal of pricing and services in anticipation of fighting low ballers and start ups . I have my bottom line prices ready to keep my people from jumping ship if it comes to that. I am aggressively going after all work to build my customer base. I have in the past picked and choose' d but not this year.

its your world.. sorry...I fixed it

As far as 2010 goes I am sticking to a phylosophy that has worked for me the past 18 years. I will prepare to go in the direction that the demand for my services goes. If its more house washes this year then I will be prepared with a new web site to promote that service. I am building that this winter as my current web site draws more on the deck care side. I have a lawn business as well and I am planning on some stiff competition from newly laid off people with their lawn mowers in the back of their trucks . One tactic that has worked well in both business' is to keep prices reasonable for basic services and up sell after you get the job. I will be promoting my services to people looking to sell their house more in 2010 . I am making inquirey about another service to add on in the wood floor refinishing market . My goal is to have year round work with that.

I'm in Maryland as well. I usually cut off work when it gets below 50 Degrees. A few jobs still left to go and hoping for several more weeks of good weather. Booked a deck for next year already and that is what I normally start to do at this time. Last fall I didn't book any work for the spring of this year and things started slow and had a few spurts. This year the deck business was slower than normal and house washing was the big seller for me. As my stain prices went up my cost were not recovered in my price per sq ft . 2008 was the pinacle of my pricing. I managed to get 2008 prices but ate the cost increase on the stain. As the economy stumbles I can find better profit margins in house washing as the cost of materials is much less a % of the price than deck washing and staining.

I washed a house today DS ing simple cherry and rinsed with a pencil nozzle on the garden hose. I only needed the pressure washer to DS the mixture. Does anyone have a setup to simply DS the chem through the water hose? I cut my time from 6 hrs to 3 and only had to get on the ladder to reach the back second story. Will the DS work if plumbed through the garden hose?

well, i've made YOUR day I see...I hope "William " is ok.. 2 hours for an apartment building..one person ... how do you have time for a minion like me with all your millions to count? I am pleased that your level of equipment and setup must be something for us all to strive for one day. In my simple mind if I can create a system where as I could wash a house using a garden hose , extension pole and brush, ladder, pump up sprayer, and the proper chems I could create more than one crew on the cheap and max profits. My son is training with me now and although we will only hope to be as good as you one day we still made a few measly dollars. I have had great luck with the simple cherry formula and f-13 reducing time onsite washing houses from the days of vinyl brite and the pressure washing extension wand. However, in my area the gutters still need scrubbing to remove the black stains in many cases. It still takes time to protect plants from the SH chems and I would rather take time to rinse them off rather than replace them later. We were able to sell an add on of washing the windows on this job as well. Math doesn't lie. I believe this house could have been washed without a pressure washer and acheived the same results. Without the cost of that equipment to factor into the profit margin even the lightning fast time some are able to wash an apartment in must pay for that rig. just an observation . let the floggings continue until morale improves!