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bigchaz

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Posts posted by bigchaz

  1. Posted · Report reply

    Start the new crew to get a hand on all the waiting list. If you slow down after finishing the PMs you could always start the new crew doing the residentials to keep them busy until you get more PMs

    Buy the equipment and start the crew

  2. Posted · Report reply

    Not to pick on you but the story seems a bit strange. You simple showed him some pics your work and he started getting mad at you? Or was their something else

    If he really just got that mad then they obviously have some serious issues dealing with other people

    I agree you did the right thing after all those people started making a huge deal out of it. Especially for the homeowner to call the company that originally did the work, thats just ridiculous.

  3. Posted · Report reply

    Im bringing this topic back up since I cant seem to find good info

    Looking for a respirator to wear when spraying sodium hydroxide or precarb and oxalic. Also if it worked with oil based stain that would be a plus

    What I cant figure out is the millions of types they have. Dont really need to worry about dust or asbestos. Theres the basic kind that you can buy in a 10 pack for 2 bucks at any store. Then there is the kinds with the little pink circles on the ends. Seems like that would probably get wet when pressure washing so not sure if thats good. Dont want a full face one either. Also seen the kinds that have cylinders sticking out 5 inches from each end of your mouth

    How do I figure out what to get? Theres so many types of ratings (organic vapor, n95, n99, p95, p100, acid gas, prefilters?, cartrides) and im totally lost. Prices seem to range from 2 bucks to 200 also.

  11. Posted · Report reply

    It can be stripped and a semi put on, but not easily and not cheaply. Putting another solid on would def be your best bet.

    Your plan so far sounds pretty good. If you are familiar with Cabot, their cleaner is decent for something you can buy in the store. Give that a try.

    The best option is for you to throw down a primer. It is recomended for cabots solid stain. Its called problem solver primer. Put that on and then apply the solid cabot on top

    Of course the option of flipping the deck boards over is also a good idea if you really don't want the solid.

    Otherwise, if your budget changes, 1100 is a good deal for that amount of work. What was the company?

  12. Posted · Report reply

    I would have told her if she was so interested in doing it herself to go ahead. Have her kill all her plants, burn her eyes, and probably destroy her roof.

    If she wanted to actually do it herself she would have. The fact that she was willing to hire you with a 100 dollar discount proves she was only using the info to talk you down.

    As for the article in the magazine about decks. If people are set on doing their own deck its going to happen. The people who use my services are ones who realize that A) its not worth their time B)they cant do the same quality of work

    To be honest if someone confronted me with something they read on one of these forums, I would tell her the truth: That the site is designed for contractors to share methods and work out problems with other professionals. If she is interested in getting into the business she can look forward to competing with my company until she goes out of business

  14. Posted · Report reply

    Also, in closing....I don't believe people are paying for anything in the way of measuring. It is just considered internal for my business use to keep some consistancy between quoting customers an end price. When a job is very product use intensive then it is important for you to not loose your shirt but on regular maintentance of things I would get laughed off property if I start measuring things so specific and be considered a nickel and dimer. In my opinion it is ok to discuss approx. sqft. and pricing thereof with customers but that it is way better to discuss what your going to do for them in the way of service and quality.

    Exactly my point. As long as your are consistent thats the important thing. But as I showed in my very basic example, when you use such a specific measurement you're getting down to hundredths of a sq foot and tenths of a penny. Thats just ridiculous from a bidding standpoint, and probably looks equally as ridiculous from a customer deciphering your proposal

  15. Posted · Report reply

    We have a formula for standard handrails, those with sweep-throughs, extra wood, less wood. For something like this though - would you not do the math?

    Heck no I wouldn't do the math. Would you seriously measure the length of every single one of those spindles? Id be making close to a hundred calculations to find the true exposed sq footage.

    For something like that I would just up my charge per linear foot on railings. That would be maybe 5 or 6 bucks a linear foot.

  18. Posted · Report reply

    So for those of you who have these complex measuring plans

    do yall take a 3.5 foot tall spindle 1.5"x1.5" and calculate that? That would be 1.75 total square feet (3.5 feet times .125 feet(1.5") times 4) Then you have to subtract the wood thats not exposed (if its secured to a fascia or stair stringer) Assuming thats maybe 6 inches on one side you have .0625 sq feet. (.5 feet (6 inches) times .125 feet(1.5 inches)) That leaves you with a total of 1.689 (rounded) sq foot on a spindle.

    Then if you have 2x4 railing 8 feet long with three sides exposed do you get 4.33 sq feet? (3.5 inches times 8feet) plus (1.5 inches times 8 feet times 2)

  19. Posted · Report reply

    Send him my way. I will sell him everything he needs so he can bust hump and do it himself then call you halfway through and apologize because he didn't realize how much was involved in it.

    Charlie, what other way is there to bid it? Everything that was mentioned has to be cleaned and stained.

    FWIW: I was told by a certain stain manufacturer whom has lost touch with the real world that I was low balling and that I should raise my prices. At my current pricing I wouldn't have touched it for less than $4500.

    he listed 2300 sq feet measuring every part of the wood. I don't waste my time calculating square foot on an inch wide spindle or id be bidding all day. sq foot on the surface, linear on the rails. Otherwise I could spend all afternoon making a 10x10 deck come out to have 1800 sq feet of wood surface

  21. Posted · Report reply

    O nd Rick no apologies necessary. Gave me a good laugh

    I appreciate yalls input on the fish though. I realize its probably a risk, but after thinking about it, I think its gonna stay. I think it represents who I am, and if people have a problem with, Ill be more than glad to talk it over with them...while doing the best dang job on their deck they'll ever get.

    Ill spare everyone my disagreements with the concept of tolerance and offending people. In short tolerance forces people to support the "live and let live" lifestyle without any semblance of respect. Makes having a moral character, a "crime of intolerance" Call it my last little stand against ever decreasing symbols of social morality in culture. Maybe I can get the ACLU involved. Thatd be a fun venture

    Uh o i probably already said too much

    Thanks for the feedback guys, appreciate it

  23. Posted · Report reply

    hahah Rick the fish question is probably the funniest thing ive heard in a long time!!

    I think i might actually play the fish off on people

    Customer: I see you have the fish on your card, glad to see your a Christian contractor

    Me: (redneck voice) Christian? Naw i just lovveeee me some fish

    Haha but yea like Jeff said its symbolic for Christ. He was a fisher and instructed his disciples to be fishers of men. I could go into the salvation story, but you get the idea. Its to let people see that they are working with someone who has principles based on the gospel.

    Anyhow on the card:

    Do you think the fact that I looks like cedar is a bad thing? Ive never done cedar in my life (not big around here apparently)

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