AllAmerican

Burn out blows! I've been wanting to do something new for over 10 years now. I just can't seem to find anything that I'd like to do as much as pressure cleaning. Plus, you can't dispute the money. Hell, I can work a couple of hours doing houses and make as much as I would bustin my tail all week for "the man". I laughed when someone said hire employees. HA!! Screw hiring employees. Been there, done that. Who in the world needs that headache????? I was 42 with 3 young kids getting a stress test cuz I thought I was having a heart attack. All because of my wonderful employees. They wouldn't show up, they'd fight with the customers, trash the equipment, I'd constantly get calls on their driving (wasn't their vehicle & equipment), then lets talk about them showing up on whatever kinds of drugs...... Again.......employees......HA!!! I fired 'em all, raised my prices (to cut back on work & make more per hour) and am plugging along being kind of fat, dumb & happy. Still looking for something else not as strenuous but as profitable. I think we all get tired of "going through the motions". The key is.....save your money, don't spend more than you make (credit cards, huge house payment) and get your money working for you.

Hey Scott, that sounds like you fell into a pile of crap and came out smelling like a rose. It's not $8,000 you lost because they didn't pay. It's more like $12,000 because you probably had about $4,000 - $5,000 in expenses to complete service. So you not only lost what they owed, but you also lost your expenses. It just sucks all the way around......

BTW...Know any good collection agencies (or lawyers located in Georgia)?

Thanks guys for the info, but all states are different. The rule in Georgia is 60 days to put a lien on the property. So that's pretty much shot out. Plus I contacted 2 of the properties and they said, and I quote, "Some of the properties are financially challenged, but this one is not." made me feel a little better that I might see at least some of the money (1/4 of it). I don't want to start action on the money owed over 90 days just so I don't screw what I may possibly get with the invoices that are over 30 days from the properties that can pay. The kicker is......my folks got old (in their mid 80's), my father-in-law got leukemia (currently in remission) so we had to move back to Siberia (Youngstown, Ohio or as I refer to it "Upper F**ckin Siberia") to help out the parents on both sides. So now I drive 12 hours one way to Atlanta and have to stay with and old friend/neighbor to work. I have 2 employees that work with me when I'm there (and on smaller jobs when I'm not), but now I can't even go to the courthouse to place a lien cuz there's a chance I won't have the finances to get back there. The moral of the story there......Just when you think your life truly sucks, mine is probably worse.....

The difference between Republicans and Democrats. Republicans - Economy tanking = give people stimulus money. Democrats - Economy tanking = give banks 5 times more money than the Republicans gave the people back.

I'm gettin screwed now. I have a property management company that ordered service on 5 apartment complexes. They owe me approximately $15,000. $11,000 is going over 90 days and the other $4,000 is over 30 days. They always paid good in the past. Now I can't make my mortgage or pay my bills cuz these idiots ordered the work but aren't paying. So not only does it look like I'm out the $15,000, but also the $8,000 it took in labor, chemicals, equipment, fuel, etc. to get the jobs done. "Oh ****s" are never good. This is an "oh ****" if I've ever seen one. I don't know what I'm going to do if they don't pay. Probably have to shut my doors and move on to something else.....

I estimate things by the square foot and also my estimated hourly costs (My rig produces $200+ per hour). Then I compare both numbers to see how close they are. Then I have a good idea of where I should be. Personally, I'd rather over charge and sit at home than under charge and cuss myself out the entire job and lose money. If awarded the job, you can always go back to the customer and tell them you made too much and cut the invoice down. Good butt kissin move. Then they know your fair. Keep in mind, since your doing shopping centers, your going to have to clean the windows. Average window cleaning charge is $1.00 per side. And your going to have to have window cleaning equipment, which should set ya back about $60.00 - $80.00 (squeegee, chamois, wetting wand, sponge, pole & bucket.) Make sure you put that in your proposal.

A good place I've found to get hoses is Dultimier Supply (Dultmeier Sales: Wholesale, B to B equipment, supplies, and parts for Carwash, Truck Wash, Mobile Cleaning, Agricultural, Lawn/Turf Care, Golf Course Maintenance, Liquid Deice/Anti-Ice, Liquid Chemical & Fuel Handling, Right-Of-Way Spraying, and Gene). They carry a bunch of pressure cleaning supplies, like the ball valves your looking for. The Cox hose reels suck for pressure cleaning. I've had the best luck with Reelcraft Reels. They're built like a brick sh-t house and last forever. As far as the hose goes....I get mine in 100 foot lengths. That way, if they blow, which is usually in the middle somewhere, I'll have at least a 50 footer left. Anything under 50 foot is usually a waste. Then at least I have some spares. Keep in mind, you'll lose about 1 pound of pressure per foot of hose. So the more hose you got, the less pressure your going to get at the gun.

I've been doing pressure cleaning for over 18 years. I've watched the schmucks (guys buying a Home Depot pressure cleaner and now they're in business) come and go. Unfortunately, it seems there is getting to be more and more of them every year as manufacturing jobs go away. I do mainly big commercial properties. All I know is that I can't raise my prices, yet all my costs keep going through the roof. I've kept my same pricing on buildings for the last 10 years. I was able to do that through efficiency. I am now as efficient as I can get. Every time I raise my prices, I don't get the job. I just lost 4 LARGE accounts in the last month because I got under-bid "by a few thousand dollars" per job. Different clients, different jobs. I had to come down $4,000 on an $11,000 job just to get it. It's KILLIN ME!!!! I'm starting to look around and see what else there is to do.......

No prob. That's just how rumors get started. Instead of just trying to sell something I've worked my tail off to start, the next thing ya know your people say you have some kind of disease where body parts are comin off, and you have no customers, etc. You know how it goes......Information is the key.........

It's my business. You guys are like a bunch of women coming up with all this chitter chatter. First of all, I wrote that reference page over 5 years ago. I don't even service most or any of those people anymore. People have quit, moved on,properties sold, etc. Go ahead, call and get a bunch of dead ends. Do ya think I'm that dumb. You'd do just as good as going thru the phone book. C'mon, give a guy some credit. #2 - The equipment is not that old. The trailers are 5 years old at best. Each one has over $15,000 worth of equipment and takes 2 weeks to build if you have all the parts. One van is a 98 Ford and the other is a 2003 Chevy. I have bins in the backs of the vans with thousands of dollars of supplies ("O" rings, unloaders, chemical injectors, shut off's, quick connects, etc.) #3 - If you think that you can get $20,000 worth of equipment and do an $80,000 advertising blast and have a pressure cleaning business up and going, go for it buddy! If it was that easy, everybody would do it. #4 - I'm selling because my parents are getting old and cannot take care of themselves anymore. I have to move back to Ohio to take care of them. You haven't seen the vans as much because I've decided to downsize and pocket as much money as I can before I move. #5 - I took the business to a broker to sell so I could have it properly appraised. He appraised it at $216K based on tax records, equipment, etc. I have the price substantially lower than that due to wanting to move. #6 - Our friends and family is all in Ohio. Since I'm the boss and work all the time, I have no friends. My wife is a stay at home mom with our 3 young kids. She has no friends. We just want to get back to our roots, see our friends and take care of our family. I hope I cleared up all the rumors and ineundo's.