newlook

As mentioned in other threads, we don't get involved with the wood staining as much to really seriously to put much thought into it...HOWEVER...we are getting a respectable number of people inquiring about our overheads that we build. This is prominent in alot of the new homes in our area that is being built. Today, we use Behr Premium Cedartone or Redwood Stain. The reason for us posting here is that if building overheads continues to increase then I would probably want to offer to our customers more colors and more options. Most likely stop using the airless for the application and purchase a Decker5. Seymore has already gave us a very good recommendation about how to hide/dress up the steel brackets that hold the studs in place.

Good information Rod ~ thanks. Interesting point you make about the psi on airless and sealers. We use an airless, as you know, but I also throw a guy in with a "back roll" application with a 1/2" nap roller. My question is, if we are rolling it won't this assist in the stain penetrating the surface?

I think you are right Henry :) lol. I will email them...oh...the pricing that is in the contracts are not "real" ~ I changed them because I do not want you to know what I actually charge...but the scope of service is pretty accurate. Just a statement before I email them...I understand if you want to look at the general format that I use for a POTENTIAL Commercial or Fleet Wash contract ~ I am all for that and that is why I volunteered to send them to the original poster. If you are just curious about what I am doing, then I would be inclined to not send you a copy. It serves you no purpose if you will not use it. Make sense?

Your welcome Mike. I failed to mention that the $'s in the contracts are fictional. If you get into fleet washing let me know. We have a fleet wash contract with the postal service.

I would suggest that for those that are not familiar with the procedure/ratios of mixing that you start off with 5 gallons. If you have enough powder for 55 gallons then still do 5 gallons at a time until you reach a comfort level to tack a 55 gallon mixf. Nothing worse than taking powder that you spend good money on and messing up the ratio for a 55 gallon mix. If you mess up at 5 gallon's then all is not lost ~ you still have 50 gallons to play with :). Just some advice. We do 5 gallon's at a time. I do not store 55 gallon drums on our site.

good one....

Well...I am partial to "new look" :) Beth/Rod. I like it. The recent changes show that the Grime Scene is not staying in one place. Beth appears to be always looking at way to better improve the site experience. You can't go wrong with "new look". lol

I don't even know what brand our airless is....it is covered in stain. I bought it used for $125.00. There are some very good airless sprayers out there...titan to name one. Magnum is okay and can get you through a summer or two but I have heard that the primer valve goes bad on those things. Also, everytime I go to Home Depot I see at least 2-3 "returns" up for sale at a discount.

I guess if we get more involved in staining this year I would seriously have to consider investing on one of these.

Daryl, Need your email address

Celeste, You bring up some very valid points. From an "appearance" angle I do not believe that potential customers will walk away due to the fact that a business communicates via a cell phone. If a potential customer is looking at you and you have the insurance, nice rig, decals on truck, references, chamber member, B&B member, business card w/ info. on it, nice letterhead and etc. then I would venture to say that they would not even notice whether or not your communicating with a cell. Our business was conducted with a cell for the first year and half. I put on our business cards that the cell # was the main number. The ONLY reason that I had a main line installed was to take over the volume of calls that I would receive out in the field. I did not put much thought into as what the customer perception would be if I were to install a dedicated phone line. Rod ~ I agree with your points about customer perception and how one would want to make a good 1st impression. That is very important ~ whether it be with a cell or a regular phone line. The suggestion that if "someone is not in the phone book, then they must not be in business" goes along with the statement I gave about to Celeste. If you a laundry list of "credentials" ~ then I also think the customer will not mention the phone book and why you are not in it. I look at phone book ads as a MARKETING decision vs. the NEED to show people that I am in business. We do not run phone book ads. We never had to so far~ knock on wood :). With todays technology we can offer to our customers a better interaction experience vs. 5-8 years ago. And, I am quite confident that we will be able to interface with our customers even better in the future Good thread

We have a separate phone line in our office and a separate fax line. The business warranted it because I was receiving just way too many calls on my cell. Even when I did not pick up the call...I had to set some time aside to listen to the voice mail and return their call anyway. I have someone that screens my calls at the office. Current customers that I have ongoing contracts with have my mobile # in case they need to speak with me right away

Certainly shows in your pics in the Gallery. I am going to be honest with you...we suck with staining wood. We know enough to get by but that is about it.

Shane...not bad at all. Sounds like you have it "hook, line & sinker".

We use an airless sprayer for our overheads that we build with a back roll application. I don't hear of too many people using airless sprayers for stain...am I in left field with this concept.

this is a very good website...I agree.

Check out the store on the the grime scene website...good stuff in there.

That's pretty cool...

I will send it over to you this weekend

Craig - lol, that is about the extent of it. I think all of us sleep and live this business at times. My wife get's a little ticked off when we are on our way to a romantic dinner and I will pull a u turn to go look at a dirty building. She sits in the car pissed...I am out walking around the building in good clothes :)

Shane -- good for you. With the fence contract you have ~ do you need to clean them up at all before you stain. The fences are new so one would think that all you would have to do is stain them? Just curious.

Henry ~ lol My first unit lasted one summer with me. I am hard on equipment.

I remember years ago that creating a website was a "big thing" in our world and a little pricey. I am sure now you can go to 7-Eleven and buy a domain and get a free disc to build a website with a free Slurpee. :)

Mike, If you have a fax machine...I could fax down to you a couple different boiler plate contracts that we have used. One if for a restaurant chain ~ flat work, dumpster area, loading dock. The other one is for hotels...which is different all together as far as the p/w is concerned.

I do agree that Honda does make a good engine. With me, I totally beat the crap out of my unit. I did not take care of it like I should. Thank god they built those things with an oil shut off valve...if not, I would have blown mine up in the first month. :)