Doug Dahlke
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Posts posted by Doug Dahlke
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I don't know what's going on but the last few jobs I have done required a ladder for part of the work. Sharp angles to have to shoot from, dormers that couldn't be hit and other architectural wierdness. Last year I pulled a ladder out once or twice. I had one out three times in the last week even with the x-jet.
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Can any of the work be done at night? Just hire some more guys and use the same rig 16 -20 hours a day if the logistics work.
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I recently bought a Ladder Max to use for some gutter cleaning jobs. It can sit on the roof to keep the ladder off the gutters and give you a more comfortable position to work from. It can also be laid against a wall like a regular stand off. Attaches with some pins in just a few seconds. My only complaint with it is that it needs to be a couple of inches wider. It won't easily fit across a single window.
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Can you rent the equipment?
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Bleach is very harmful to mold and mildew. That's why I use it.
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If your mix has bleach in it and the screen frames are bare aluminum be careful. Caustics on those frames can sometimes react and leave them looking bad. Wet the frames first and try to keep your mix on the screen as much as possible.
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I have been to one roundtable during my 15 months in business. It was fairly close to home and the price was right. Saw some new equipment, got some new ideas, met some nice and knowledgable people and learned some things from the presentations given. I am interested in some of the other training out there but need to hear some feedback from others who have been there before I part with that much cash.
The Jeckyl Island training looks good. Still debating signing up for that.
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Here are some before and after pictures of a gutter done with F-13. 4:1 ratio and brushed on. Temp was about 60 that day. I used Power House and SH at 3% on the vinyl.
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Pressure Tek sells F-13
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If you're talking about cleaning gutters F-13 beats butyl in my experience. I have some Simple Cherry but have not tried it mixed with F-13 on a house yet.
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I mix F-13 4:1 and brush it on gutters. For upper levels that can't be reached with an extension pole I x-jet it on. I really like the results but it is affected by temperature.
Why can't you mix butyl with bleach? I use Power House which is a butyl cleaner and almost always have bleach in the mix.
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I used white vinegar on stucco (EIFS) last year with egg stains. The egg had been on for several months. Ended up with the x pole and scrubbing. Shadows remained.
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Phillip,
I am speaking of a specific store in the area. Didn't want to name names. I don't doubt that some stores farm out the work for the very reasons you stated. You can easily tell which stores have it done and which ones try to do it themselves.
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Take this test. Check out the concrete at the entrance to your local big box stores. Good chance it looks pretty bad. Ask the manager who cleans it. Chances are they will tell you they have their employees do it. Their employees do the work with the machines and chems they sell and the concrete looks bad. Enough said about the cleaning power of the machines they sell.
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I went to the Greensboro RT. That was my first and I would like to attend more. As others have said it is a great opportunity to put faces to the names you see on the boards. Relationships in any business are good and having people you know will help you out and whose opinions you value are like the commercial says, priceless.
Another benefit is to see the new equipment that is out there, even the stuff with a price tag that may be out of reach. Anytime I see a piece of equipment it gets me thinking about how that could be used in my business. If it is priced out of range of what I can afford it still starts the wheels turning with alternative ways to accomplish the same thing or makes you hungry to grow your business to the point you can afford that machine and you need it.
I would like to go to some training classes but so far the price has been more than my business can afford right now. Spending $800 on a class that could give you the skills to earn thousands is certainly money well spent. Before I spend that I would like to talk to people who have been through the classes to be sure the knowledge taught is worth the money spent. On the other hand how can you go wrong spending a few bucks on a roundtable?
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You can also try a call to Prosoco and Eacochem. They both make some restoration cleaners.
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I use 87 octane in the truck and my power washer. 18 HP Kohler Command 2 cylinder engine. I use kerosene in the burner. I've heard about the fuel pump issues but that is how it was set up when I got it so I continue to use it. The machine still has low hours on it. If there is a problem I'll make the switch to diesel.
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Do you wet the windows before you soap? I always try to wet the windows first, then soap. Most of the time I will immediately rinse the windows again right after I soap.
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My liability insurance at 1M/2M is just over $100 a month. Sounds like I am a chump or the rates some of you pay aren't so bad. My coverage is with State Farm. My WC insurance was around $850 and I have no employees. Had to get a policy to qualify as a vendor with a PM company I do work for.
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I've done Dryvit homes. None quite that bad but I usually use Power House with SH in a mix that puts the SH at about 3%. X-jet on and wait. Rinse thoroughly. Has worked well for me. Some bad stains may need something else to get them off. No more than 600 psi on Dryvit. Usually I just use a chem tip.
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My short term goal is to get to a point where I have enough commercial work to compliment my residential stuff that I don't have to sweat the bills month to month. That is starting to come together and hopefully will be accomplished by years end. I also continue to learn and refine my skills which is leading to more work. This board is a great resource.
Since I also have started late, I'll be 50 this year, my longer term goal for five or six years out is to be able to hire people to do most of the work and I can run the biz. It would be great to involve my son and nephew more in this. I was a plant manager for 11 years prior to starting this business so I have some management skills. I would love to to be able to manage this thing, pay myself and employees well and be a PW force to be reckoned with in the south Atlanta area. Maybe have a business to leave my kids or still provide me some income when I reach 65.
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I haven't done much wood but that sounds very low especially considering the heigth. The decks I have quoted for strip and stain have been in the $2.00 per s.f. range.
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March has been a good month for me. As a sole prop business just getting into year two I define good as any month I make enough to pay the bills. I've done a number of house washes both residential and new construction, some driveways along with a few painting jobs. I have busines lined up for next week and when pollen season ends here I hope the residential wash stuff picks up. Yellow Page ad has brought in business along with some flyers I sent out. I also belong to a netwrking group which has brought some business also. Am thinking about putting an ad in the local paer service directory as well.
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From what the customer was describing and what I saw of the house before I washed it I am guessing the last guy threw bleach and soap on the house and left. No rinsing. He probably never came back to do the gutters because he knew that he couldn't clean them.
Brushing the Gutter Grenade on kept it pretty much on the gutters only. I did continue to rinse everything below them just in case. When I x-jetted the other gutters I continually rinsed the siding and windows below while it dwelled. The windows looked good when I left and no customer complaints. I am doing some painting for this same customer in a week so I will have a chance to see the house again then.
Back of a pickup
in The Club House
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The bed of my truck is full of stuff. Chems, extra high pressure hose, garden hose, tools, extensions, surface cleaner, wands, empty drink bottles, etc. The passenger side of the cab isn't much better.