JFife

I hear BMW techs can make up to 150K a year! I bet you are right, the Hybrid market is where the money will be.....but have fun dealing with the epa!

Jarrod, Why do you strip twp?? Just give it a light bleachwash and recoat--color will get richer, but if you don't want to change the color, cut it 1:1 with clear. Or wash with percarb, either one, will sure make your life a lot easier.

What do you aspire to do?? If you want to own a body shop, I'd skip college. Read about 100 books on running biz, marketing, etc. Depending on your age.....IMO, about 50% of the value of college is networking, 50% learning books, adaptability, ability to absorb, etc. If you are gungho to go to college, but also gungho to be self-employeed, DEFINITELY major/study accounting. You can read tons of books on marketing, etc., but if i were going back to college, as much as I hated accounting, I'd consider majoring in it.

Hey Mike, ....What do you mean by "light brown/cedar"......I thought you meant, "light brown on cedar wood" but then at the end you said they are redwood decks. Cannot beat the look of RS light brown on a redwood deck, IMO.

Mike, that looks awesome!! I like the way you can see the rows of screws standing out. NO WAY that thing is code!! I wouldn't get within 10' of the edge of that deck.

I'll just throw out $500, for a light wash. Might take 2-3 hours. While a light wash job like that would be profitable down around $300, it depends how you biz is set up. Is everything on reels, and set up to jump out, run up, blast, and roll up?? Guys that regulary do low priced jobs are set up that way, guys that wash driveways, etc. I'm not that fast, not set up to do "fast" jobs like that, so I wouldn't mess with something under $500. And forget about the "I might have screwed them" scenario. Believe me, even if you charged abundantly high on this job, and continued to get those rates all year, you wouldn't get rich. A very nice income, maybe, but your work SHOULD be valued high. I've had people tell me my consulting rates were as high as structural engineers and lawyers (a lawyer said this:)), stating it in a way as if to say, "who do you think you are charging this much?" I told him to open the yellow pages and see if he could locate any lawyers locally, and to see if there were any engineers local. Obviously there were tons of them, and then I told him to see if he could find someone else to do what I do. All about Supply And Demand. I told him he was lucky I was only charging as much as a lawyer:). I'd say, keep your prices up for whoever, and if this bothers you, I wouldn't work for friends. That is what I do; I either charge normal or I do it for free/help them/loan them equipment.

around $13, that is considering us constuction,

Steve R, How'd you get so rich, retiring at 46, and being playing at washing for a few years?? Must be nice, hey, never saw any photos of the Africa hunt, I'm heading west in a month to hunt Merriam Turkey, working on the Grandslam.

Rich, ....a dozen OSBORNES???? Geez, that thing must be a monster!!!

I'd go with Shane's Gray Away or TWP. Will hide the felting, make it less noticable.

Had a plan for a referral system that I am incorperating that I thought I'd share, may be useful to someone. When asking for referrals, I think what Jeff does is the best way, just tell people that you always are looking for new accounts, "please give my name to others." Another method I've seen used is the "paid referral" plan, or give away a free job, etc. What I am going to start doing is advertising (well, on website and proposal material) that for any referrals I get I will make a donation for "X" dollars in that persons name to a charity of my choice, unless they specify one. I just had an aquintance that was murdered by his wife in TN, and they've set up a Trust Fund for the three daughters for their needed counseling, and anything left will go to a college fund. I plan to donate since i knew the people involved, but these things tend to fizzle, so I was trying to think of a way for me to continue donating on a longer term. ....And, if the customer had a charity they donated to, they could specify it (I doubt many would). The reason I wanted to do this is two-fold. One, I don't like the "paid referral" thing, because it hints at desperatism to me. Then you gotta send them a check, after the job, but what if the customer holds your last check, blah, blah, blah. With paying to a charity, it would be on your honor, done when you wanted, no confusion. And it doesn't seem as desparate. Two, you'd (I'd) be giving, and helping. Sure, a referral check for $50 is nice, but I think most would like the idea of a donation being given in their name. Just what I'm doing, thought I'd pass it on.

I've had people pm me regarding the "coach" thing--the person I deal with mainly does phone consultation, so it might work nicely for some of you guys. Send a personal email to my acct: jonathanmarkfife@hotmail.com I'll get you her info right away. I'll wait a couple days for everyone to email me, so I can send a bulk mail.

Interesting point Rob, regarding not wanting to hire 10 people/10 tasks....... Ken Fenner and I have been debating this for awhile now. I am curious, what is the main demographic you are servicing?? I.E., suburban, below 400K, above 400K, etc?? Are you working mainly Clayton, Chesterfield, etc., or are you on another side of town? Ken was the first to bring it to my attention that people like to hire a one-stop-shop.......I was of the opinion that maybe upper-middle class felt that way, but the true UPPER class liked specialists, i.e. lawn guy, deck guy, wash guy, painter, handyman, etc. Recent events have me questioning my stance on this subject. I'd like to hear what your demographic is, and what has you believing that your customers would like to one-stop-shop with you.

Rfitz, Those numbers seem askew to me. Seems like you are doing waaaaay too many estimates for the number you are closing. Hey, you give me 20% of anything I close, schedule me 10 bids a day, and I'll be up there tomorrow!!:) You can blast/strip until your hearts content, I'll blab about the Cardinals and sell deck jobs. Another thing--in the interim between now and finding a biz coach, read, "The E-Myth revisited", and the newer, "The E-Myth: Contractors Version" (I've not read the latter, but the former changed the way I work). In my opinion, you are at a very unstable and sensitive time for your business. From what you are saying, if I were to be honest, I'd say that within the next two years you will either be really thriving or you'll burn out, and quit. I don't think there is going to be a middle ground. You'll either have to fight through these growing pains and succeed, or buckle (not for lack of success, but burn-out). You are in an enviable position, you just need help!!!

Rfitz, I am seeing my counselor/coach tomorrow, pm me in the next day if you want me to find someone in STL, and I'll ask her. Where you are at in your biz, I think it would be priceless.

I understand you point--sounds to me like you need some help. Whether it be for sales or for labor, I think you need to farm out something. Sixty bids sounds like a lot to me, if you don't have at least 30 of those jobs, then I think you need to start meeting them, otherwise you are wasting your time doing so many bids. Honestly, you sound like a prime case for "burn out" to me. I go to a Business Coach once a week, it helps me keep my head on straight, helps me prioritize, plan for the future, etc. Money well spent for me, really has helped me in both personal and professional matters. I could get her to refer me someone in STL if you'd like to try this,

Rob-- Your posts usually seem negative, maybe it is just me, perhaps it is your writing style?? I am not being critical--rather, what if your customers percieve you that way?? Customers respond to upbeat, excited.....do you come off pessimistic, saying things like, "you better schedule today, if you don't we won't get to you until the fall. Everyone is thinking like you are, and are gonna start schuduling once the weather breaks." While that may seem realistic as opposed to negative, it is very similar to using fear-based marketing. It will work, but probably not on the type of customer you'd like to get (and hold on to). Regarding scheduling-out, this becomes more acceptable the higher you ticket prices are. For instance, if you want a remodeler to do your kitchen for 50K, you don't mind waiting six months--you don't expect him to start the day after the bid. One the other end of the spectrum, if you call in to schedule an oilchange, you wouldn't accept them saying, "we can probably lock you in a spot for October." With low/medium tickets like, say, decks, I'd say no more than a month is acceptable, the exception being a one-man crew that gets all referrals and is known for superior craftsmanship, and has a long track record. For something like housewashing, I'd say less than two weeks, maybe less than one week.

Jonathan Chiplock, I respectfully disagree. At this point, you've given this guy a free hour of your time, and for that, you've earned a "touch base" call to see if there is anything you can answer for them, and if they've made a decision to have you do their deck. There is a limit, IMO......if I did an estimate for a deck on a Monday, I might call at 4:00pm Friday afternoon and say, "I thought about our meeting on Monday and........blah......about to go into the weekend, thought you might wanna go ahead and get this scheduled so next weekend you can grill out on a beautiful, cedar-toned deck just like the one you saw on Bailey Rd. It's Friday, whattda say, you ready to get this done???" ....Another thing, people FORGET to call you. I've had many jobs that I called back and said they'd been meaning to call, but 1)forgot, 2) lost number, 3) etc. If you are concerned they'll be rude on a callback, they won't. Not after a face-to-face. I understand your hesitation; you don't want to force yourself on them. But you'll find out 90% of the time they don't mind you contacting them, and most will be happy.

.....and is there anyone in North Carolina that DOESN'T own a pressure washer?!?! Dang!! Everyone on here is from NC, it seems.

Rodney-- The reason you got that job is because IT WORKS. I do 90% of my sales in shorts and a Tshirt (read: dirty, holes, caulk, stain) and work boots. I've had customers die laughing at clothes I've been wearing. But.....the reason I do it is because I am more comfortable in that attire, as opposed to a nice outfit. I sell better. And I tell them before I come, that I am just walking off a job, I hope they don't mind (they don't). "I can come over in the next hour, but the thing is, I'll be leaving straight from a job, and I've got on the clothes to prove it (laugh)". So you show up looking like a bum, and blow them away with your intelligence, charisma, character, background, results, and referrals. I close the vast majority of my jobs, and I don't even have a polo shirt with a logo on it. Things work for different people. Like Donald Trump's hair.

Read this op.ed. from this moron. He is a Home Inspector, and considered an "authority" on all things home. Went to his website--he is your classical pencil-pusher that establishes his credibility by writing articles. ...Notice he endorses blasting the lead paint right off of older homes......jeez. I'm gonna write the editor (yes I am bored, yes I do need a job:)) and expose this jerk-off. . I Don't Get It The mysterious things that homeowners do By Walter Jowers I look at houses all day, five days a week. I've been doing it for a long time. Even so, there are some things that still surprise me—not because they're unusual, but because they just don't make any sense. For instance... The lighthouse: I want to know who came up with the idea of the two-story, 16-foot-high foyer with a chandelier hanging from the ceiling, shining through a supersized Palladian window. Maybe it's just me, but I think this arrangement makes the victim house look like a wannabe lighthouse. Worse yet, there's no good way to change the bulbs in the chandelier. You need a 16-foot ladder just to get up there. Most people don't have a 16-foot ladder and don't want one. Those who've climbed up a 16-foot ladder to change light bulbs know that it's a hard job, and dangerous besides. I say that if you need a fireman's ladder to change your chandelier bulbs, you need a different light in your foyer. Power washing: There's a cottage industry devoted to using water-blasters to blow fungus off asphalt-shingle roofs and wood decks, and to clean concrete drives and walkways. The people who do this work, and the people who hire them, call it "power-washing." Believe me when I tell you: There is nothing on your house—and nothing in your yard—that needs power-washing. Power-washing can destroy a perfectly good roof or deck, and it puts years of wear and tear on drives and walkways. If you decide something at your house needs power-washing, try this test first: Take off your shirt, hold the power washer an inch away from one of your nipples, then turn the water on, full blast. If the water hurts your nipple, it will hurt your house. If you're buying a new house, tell your builder you don't want anything power-washed. Just about every time I go into a new development, I see workers blasting away at houses, trying to knock errant paint, crud and mortar off siding and brick. Often as not, the water gets into walls or attics, where it doesn't belong. Anything at your house that needs washing ought to be washed with a gentle flow from a regular old garden hose. Use mops or brushes for wiping. One possible exception: If you're removing paint or decades-old grime from the outside of your house, you'll have to find a contractor who knows how to do low-pressure power-washing. So far, I've seen only one guy do it right. Sealing: Sealing is the evil twin of power washing. You can't watch a football game without being bombed with ads for deck sealers and driveway sealers. The ads tell you that your wood and concrete will crumble like a sunstruck vampire if you don't get out there and do some sealing during halftime. I've seen thousands of wood decks, old and new, sealed and unsealed. After about 15 to 20 years, they all look the same. Eventually, wood that's exposed to the weather will split, crack and splinter. From what I've seen, sealing a deck doesn't slow down the process. Sealing a concrete driveway is just crazy. Big bridges are held up by concrete that stays underwater all the time. Nobody seals that concrete, and it works just fine. Sealing an aggregate driveway or walkway isn't just crazy, it's a little dangerous. Those aggregate surfaces—with all the little rocks and seashells sticking up out of them—are born slick. Coating them with sealer just makes them slicker. If you ask me, money spent on sealer would be better spent playing the lottery. New-house lust: I know that people like to have new things—things that were made just for them, untouched by previous owners. I know that a lot of people just love the idea of owning a brand-new house, fresh out of the ground. I don't want to pop anybody's bubble, but I've got to tell you: By the time you move into a "new" house, it has been peed in, pooped in, cooked in, slept in and probably humped in. It's as used as a Bonnaroo porta-potty. Add to that, nothing at the house is really new. It's just earth and wood. The earth part is 4 billion years old, and the wood part is probably older than you are. For all intents and purposes, the permanent parts of your new house aren't much younger than the permanent parts of Monticello. With few exceptions, older houses are better than the new ones. Here's why: Best I can tell, the workforce building today's housing isn't as skilled as the workforce that built houses, say, in the '50s and '60s. A lot of new houses have problems—sloppy construction, cheap parts, leaks—that will only get worse. From what I've seen, the best houses in our part of the world were built between 1955 and 1970. If you can't stand the idea of living in a house that old, then buy one that's between 5 and 10 years old. By five years, most things that can go wrong probably will have gone wrong, and some of the problems will have been fixed. After 10 years, things like roofs and heat-and-air systems start to wear out.

jeez, I feel like hiring Ken to come do my deck!! Great info, as usual. Very well thought out. ....My question is (Ken), what percentage of people that you hard-close like this call to cancel?? What I've noticed for myself is that when I go for the jugular and close on the spot, I have a higher rate of call backs, "we've decided we want to take a little while longer to think about this,". Are you having them sign a contract?? When I get the callback (we've decided to think more....) it is still quite easy to keep them closed, but then your back is against the wall and you have far higher to climb to please them, and I've found sometimes you cannot. They feel guilty about their purchase.

Interesting story about your work as a driver. I feel ya, I lived in CO for a period when I was in college, and I did line-hauls for an air carrier, had to drive straight trucks through the middle of the night. I tell ya, driving up I-25 through Cheyenne and I-80 from Cheyenne to Rock Springs, WY is about the scariest thing I've ever done. Wyoming has the freakiest weather I've ever seen, and terrifying wind. Give me tornadoes any day over the wild weather of the Great Plains!!!! I think you are right, do the bottom of the car in Black. Thanks for digging up the pics,

www.housesenseinc.com ....I read some of his other articles, laughable. The classic inspector. "Improvision" is not in their vocabulary. Dead-end job, Dead-end people. I don't mind idiots, but I don't like idiots framed as an expert for an unsuspecting public. Especially when they have a captive audience.

NICE!!!! That is the same color as my buddies, must have been a standard color. How you could leave that for ten years without driving it is beyond me.......