Mike W

I am going to try some f-13 on some really nasty gutters today. I am trying to get away from brushing. Suggested normal dollution is 20:1. Do you think if applied at 10:1, most brushhing could be eliminated?

PPE is a definate must have. Respirators are not that expensive, and I am not willing to take the risk of losing my health and livelihood over saving twenty bucks and the 2 seconds it takes to to put one on.

That would be great! Depending on the date I would be more than interested. Keep us posted.

I'm currently home based. I have a room dedicated to my office. Sometimes it spreads to the living room. It doesn't make my wife very happy thgough. All equipment stays on my truck. I would like to get more property so I can build a nice pole barn for everything.

I keep 2-100' sections of nomarking hose on my reel, and have 100' nomarking and 50' on hand as backup.

I would suggest a bigger tandem axle trailer. If you figure water weighs about 8-8.5 lbs/gal, a full tank would be 2550. Are you running both machines at once? If so, you need to subtract the gpm of customers water supply from your total gpm you want to run. Then figure out the average time segment you would be running the machines per job. multiply the leftover gpm by the time the job takes you, and you should get a good idea of the size tank you need. If your pumps are gear or belt driven, they should be able to pull water from your supply tank. I'm not sure how far up it will draw. Hope this helps!

I just oredered my M-5. Does anoyne out there use the prpoptotioning kit for it?

It took some digging, but here is the chart I use. C_Nozzle.pdf

First divide the GPM of your machine by 2. Then find that number on the chart that corresponds with the PSI of the machine. This will give you the correct orifice size. ie: If your machine is setup to run 4@4000, you would normally run a 4.0. If you need 2 nozzles for your surface cleaner, you would need two 2.0. The chart I use I got from dultmier web site. Hope this helps

You can plumb your unloader to vent back into your float tank.

Just curious... What are the average rates? I have shopped around locally and the best I can find is 800/yr. It might be because I'm new to the industry though. That or I'm not a very good shopper. I try to do as much business locally as possible, but it may not be the best course of action.

A sprinter would be nice. I currently have a truck setup. There is barely enough room for my equipment now. I would like a trailer, but don't have room in the driveway for it right now. The downside to a truck setup is if it breaks down, you have to get it fixed fast! Time is money. With A trailer, I have access to other vehicles to tow it with.

WOW! That's amazing insight. It seems that in my area there are a lot of people who claim to do wood restoration (most not legit). I have seen their work and I am not impressed. The funny thing is a lot of them are charging fair rates for high quality service, but not delivering. I personally know a guy like that. He is afraid that I may take some of his customers away if I charge FMV for top notch service. He has been 'washing and sealing' the same decks every year for the past three years. Everytime cleans w/ bleach and "high pressure". I don't want to stomp on his toes, but will not compromise my quality of work to keep him in business. Is it possible that I can charge more than these guys if providing a better product? Like I said, some of them are geting paid pretty standard rates here.

I'm still in the launch phase. Will be setting up this week. This is what I found is needed in my area. Hope I didn't leave anything out. State and county of the information - MI, Ingham DBA or Fictitious entity filing contact - County clerk Federal, State and or local contacts for EIN, Sales and use tax and licensing including fee's if available - EIN through irs.gov Environmental agency legislating or having influence over pw'ing in any way - DEP requires a permit for degreasing. Need to provide documentation re: wastewater capture and disposal Preferences for phone and internet service providers - Comcast Local repair and/or suppliers for chems, equipment and Personal Protection Equipment - repair: DIY - Chems:online is the best for me. $1 mil insurance And don't forget about having a sound business plan

Thanks guys. Russell - I'll be giving you a call soon. I was going to use a couple of other products, but with Michigan weather I am glad there is a product like this on the market.

How did you go about tinting it yourself from the one base color?

Definately go with a belt drive. The pumps last a lot longer. I don't know very much about Karcher, but have heard that they are expensive to fix. I have not seen any machines that would be worth the investment. You can get an 8gpm machine to run 2 wands. As far as vendors in your area, I can't realy help you. Maybe someone more experienced can chime in now.

The best advice I can give is get with another powerwasher nearby and ask for some training in exchange for free labor. Nothing beats hands on experience. Also, try getting some practice on your own home. Family members always enjoy getting free/discounted labor, and are usually glad to help.

Just wanted to say hello. After hundreds of hours of planning, my new pressure washing business is almost up and in full swing. I'm very excited to finally make money for myself instead of others. Hope to one day be as insightful and helpful as many of you. Thanks