Jeff

I dont know to much commercial work that is like residential work, so I would say you definitly have to charge different. Commercial concrete around here could go for $.05 - $.15 sq ft sometimes more with alot of rust stain removal. On large residential driveways i figure it at $.10 Now doing buildings like condos, I think I should be able to charge a big price, but the market around here doesnt allow it. Ive done homes for $500 and then Ive done condo complexes with several buildings that are twice the size of that $500 house wash and I only say charge $400 for each condo building and add cost of lift if needed. If I tried to chrage say $500-$1000 a building I would never get the work. Ive had the chance to see compitions bids and Im usually right around the right price. All the larger project I do with at least 2 machines up to 4 machines and we can fly thru a complex and I can make anywhere from $500 - $1500 a day after all expenses. What Im try to say is you just cant price commercial the same, You have to figure out what the market in your area will bear I figure alot of jobs by time , labor & material and then what I want to make per day, it works for me, theres no set price on alot of the work we do. Ive made $300 aday and Ive made $2000 a day, it really depends on the job and how you do it God luck maybe some of the other guys can help with pricing JL

Go for it, it can be done in this biz Good luck JL

Im a Pats fan, but they have to much against them this year. So Im hoping the Colts do it. Ive been a fan of theres for years , since my brother in the 80's was in charge of all food at the Hoosier Dome. I was able to see quite a few games there for free. Indy's a great town . I hope they go all the way, with a perfect season Go Colts!!!!!!

Herny and others. Henry after talking with you on another BBS, sometime ago, Ive started targeting and pushing gutter cleaning for all the property managers Ivedone work for. I have some very nice size gutter cleaning contracts now. Thanks I have some questions. I quite often use an electrians fish to go down. down spouts to check if they are clogged, works real good Question, I have run into several clogged downspouts and at times I have to dismantle them to get debris out. Is that the best way? Question. I also run into underground tubing that runs off down spout. That also is clogged solid and there is nothing I can do or use to get through these under ground pipes. What if anything can I do. Other than digging them up?? Question. These gutters & downspout are of course bigger than residential gutters. Where can I purchase replacement parts, such as elbows or the black tubing the fits over the end of downspouts. Lowes & HD dont carry them and I called a local company, that does seemleess gutters and he wouldnt helpme. Any place you know of were I can purchase some of the things I would need commonly. Anything else you can think of to help make it easier or how to market gutter cleaning would be great!! Thanks again , these gutter contracts are some of the best repeat biz I have

Steve Rowlett, of RPC in Tenn. uses Chesterfield Finacial for leasing company I like enclosed trailer in just the few months since Ive had mine, Ive had several people ask for estimates and comment on my trailler. Just today I was doing a high end house and someone stopped for an estimate and said they saw us working and my trailer and they said I looked professional, I got that job nd another in same neighborhood As for Yellow pages I pay about $3700 a year total for 2 books and Ive done about 40K-45K worth of work from YP calls. I think some of the best ways to get work is hustling the work, start a campaign targetting what kind of work you want, I like the condo work so every 2-4 months I send letters, faxes, call property managers. Ive been doing it for over 3 years and Id say at least half of the companies I target have called me to give bids and a few of them call me for all or alot of there work. Up until this year I also targetted alot of residential, with ads, newsletter advertising, post cards etc. Any type of work you want you have to be persistant. You have to send them things several times and keep sending, I figure more than one time someones called because they were sick of me writing them. Go after the work and dont give up even if you dont get a great response at 1st. I also ask all the property managers to tell others about my company. As soon as you get one job and complete it ask for more work, I believe Quality work , Great rates and On time service can and will make me a one of the most used PW contractors in my area. Just this month Ive mailed & faxed over 3 dozen different property managers fliers for gutter cleaning & concrete cleaning, Ive already have gotten over 5K worth of work for what 5 hours of sending letters & faxes & calls. I have doubled what I did in biz last year so I must be doing somethings right Hustle hustle sell sell sell I love this biz and just getting the work from my targetting is exciting and fun. I really believe that with in 5-7 years i wont have to pick up a wand and I project Ill be doing at least 350K to 500K+ a year at least worth of biz. Im no great business man, very little schooling, not all that machanical, learned and did alot of things the hard way at first, but I am persistant and now as I see what I can do, I keep doing it and more. I think anyone or most who have a good work ethic, the drive and the time can become successful in the PW biz, its a little easier in and area like mine where everything has to be cleaned becuase of climate , but any area always has room for a great contractor. Well enough of that good luck and go get it:lgjump: JL

I do quite abit of work for prop. managers (condo complexes & neighborhoods) & commercial properties (banks & retail props), but I have never done any new construction work at all. I know nothing about what needs to be done on new construction. Myrtle Beach is going through a building boom, residential (homes & condo complexes)and commercial(New hotel, high-rises& all sorts of commercial & retail properties) What is to be cleaned on these types of projects, both residential & commercial. I would like to target some of this work. Residential is crazy around here, there is new nieghborhoods going up EVERYWHERE, Any help please, I'd like to get some idea of what is required to be cleaned usually and some ideas on how to do the actual work THANKS JL

Good luck to both of you, these BBS's are a great learning tool, enjoy Water Cannon in Orlando has some of the best prices on everything for PWing 4GPM 3500PSI belt drives are around $1200-$1300, if you can afford it get the belt drive it last longer. I have 2 Lowes machines still working them but I also have the Waterconnon belt drive 4gpm and I like it better Goodluck JL

Hey 2 of my machines I used for 4 years are from Lowes, they did the job & still do, but I have to admit the hot water & more GPM are real nice 15K you should be able to do less money than that and still get a great set up, Check out leasing the equipment with a $1.00 buy out at end of lease. Check out Sunbrite, & Steve Rowlett can give you some good info and all these guys & ladies on the board Im sure will explain chems to you, pick a chem and ask a question Congrats on your first year mine was in 2000 and I made 6K Good luck to you JL

HAPPY THANKSGIVING to everybody:lgsideway God Bless our troops. Hope you all enjoy today, gobble gobble CHOP The LeCours Family PS gas prices today $1.96, it must be Thanksgiving

I very rarely do residential gutters, just cant get any money for them alone, if they want house wash, roof or driveway then I'll do gutters as add on Commercial or condo gutter cleaning Im making a killing 1/4ly or biannual. I charge by how long it takes, we blow out and hand clean if needed and we fish all downspouts to check for clogs. These are $$$ makers

Who has the best prices on a 19-20" surface cleaner. I need to get one to get behind curbs of upcoming parking garage job. I have 30" Big Guy are there any with wheels like the Big guy can anybody beat WaterCannons prices? Any recomendations Thanks JL

Mike the Big Guy is a great piece of equipment isnt it, Ive had mine close to 2 years and not a single problem and a solid machine. I went with the WW Classic , because of the Big Guy, I figured if thats well built so would be the Classic

Over time with wear and tear Ive found that the fan part of M5 deminishes, I just bought a few replacement parts for M5, I got the upper black section and switched them out and I'll keep the old section for back up. The upper sections I got from Xterior for $17.50, better than buying a whole new one

The market is going to get flooded with mid price ($500-800k) houses and since supply and demand is still king, the larger house market is going to have some nice deals. I am on the decks of some of these multi million dollar properties and the ones that have newer owners have next to nothing in the way of furniture. Most people live beyond their means and pay the price for it. There is a huge difference between being 'income' rich and being 'balance sheet' rich. I lived and learned that one unfortunately. Jeff, I love that design. I wish you the best with it. Its sad when a mid price house is considered $500-$800K thats just crazy, Mine is coming in at $360+K. Which we can afford, just 5 years ago that would of been around 60K-90K less around here in Myrtle Beach, but like I said the prices here are nothing like up north. One thing I never want to be is "house poor" The design we like also , thank you. Its all going to work out great, Im very happy with builder, happy with whats going into house, not everything top dollar extras , but things we need and want, There are other things, Id like to add but will add later as I can afford them, For example, the original plan called for 2 foot brick border around the entire house, but with the in law addition to the plan it was an extra 6K plus so I wrote that out of plan. Instead of that brick I can plant some shrubs andd you'll never know the difference. Theres some Oak railings at the over look areas that I changed to half walls and saved thousands, oak railing and stairs will have to wait and can be done later. If all goes well I'll be taking some work in progress pics

I will be talking to builder more about airflow, we are having 3 HVAC units one for 1st floor, 1 for second and 1 for in law. Plus 2 80 gallon hot water heaters for main house and 1 50 gallon for in law. I want to make sure I have plenty of heat, air and hot water, which I lack in my present house, these heat pumps never produce what I like, so Im making sure I have enough, that was the 1st thing I talked to builder about As for builder he is highly rated and well known for excellent work and follow up if there is a problem Thanks everyone for some great advice

Thanks for the advice Smokey, but all the changes we have gone over with builder already and have been added into his price. Decisions, Decisions there willbe alot of them, it ought to be real interesting and I hope more fun than not, We are looking forward to it, I can tell you Ive worked on this plan for some time Thanks JL

Thats horrible 70% I bet many will end up losing it all. I'm doing construction perm 30 year fixed, as of yesterday its 6.65%. banks shouldnt even offer Intrest only loans, because they know people are going to fail I did a intrest only on my lot for 18 months, because it was short term and i was either going to build or sell it if I couldnt afford to build

I know its crazy everywhere now, I dont know how most people afford homes now. the one I want to build is about 30K more than I thought it would be. But if I wait a few years, like I was going to it will be how much to build? Example of houses, My parents old house 15 minutes outside of Boston Ma they sold in 98 for the highest on the street at the time for 160K in 2000 iy resold for 269k, in 2002 it went for 301K now nothing on the street is going for less than 360K - 425K Thats crazy. My parents bought it for 16K in 1961 and they were worried how they were going to pay for it Down here in Myrtle Beach its nowhere near that but getting there. We have all the retiries from upnorth coming here. They sell up north for 500K to a million and buy a house the same size or bigger for 200K - 400K and use the rest of the $$$ for retirement My house here I bought for $138K 3+ years ago, its going to sell for $180K - 200K. Like I said the lot I bought for 60K I could sell easy for 40+K ore and probably 50K plus They have some luxury ocean front condos last year preconstruction they were selling for 369K, the day construction ended they were reselling for 600K-800K and now a couple fpr over 1million. Im telling you its great if you own a home, but for the 1st time home buyer just trying to get by, it must be scary I am looking forward to having this built, it will be a pretty home, I have a guy I do alot of work for going to do the flooring and he's going to save me a few grand and the tile will be upgraded to what I want and he gives me all flooring at cost. It will be plenty of room in back & front yard for my boy , plus the wifey & I are working on having another baby. I like that I'll have my own office instead of using one of the bedrooms. The bonus room will be great for a kids play room. I dont think I'll have problem with bank. We are putting down some good $$$. My mom with the sale of her home will be buying here side 900sq ft for cash money & I owe less than 97K on my house so I'll put at least 50K down and taxes & insurance is still fairly low and my biz is going & growing real well. I just worry if I ever got hurt and couldnt work, but other than that, Im good to go and want to build today. plus the school district is real good too. Tropical good luck with your house! sell it and come to Myrtle Beach, you can be the pressure washing Prince of Myrtle Beach, Im going to take the King position in the next few years:lgbow:

Got the new Classic 19" today, seems well built, I'll be checking it out tomorrow, same type bar as Big Guy I have, I like it!

Alright, with all these great minds out here. how could I make a remote control system for pressure washing multi-storied buildings. Theres a PW company that has a set up that is remote control for doing flat straight drops on buildings. He wont tell me how he's made it and Ive never seen it. Alot of the hotel/condo high rises have just flat walls no obstruction. Im trying to figure how a motorized swing staging could be run remote and also how I could hook a pressure washer to it to apply chem then rinse with moderate pressure. I figure if I could get a long bar with several tips and set up on rig. Take rig up wetting building, apply chems on way down and then rinse I havent time to research this yet, butIf I could come up with a totally remote system in the next year. I would start targeting the may tall buildings here. Must just have some dirt, mold and mildew on them and usually could do half a building or more remotely and then the rest we'd have to do with us on a rig Just an idea, Ive been thinking about for a while, Any thoughts on this? JL

Christopher, your right, it would be something just like a water broom. Im also thinking the lift itself be remote. I was hoping to try to figure stuff out this winter but just to darn busy with life

Is it overspray from the painter next door? Snow I only miss the snow for a few minutes when I think of it. I like being a Damn Yankee in SC. Good luck this winter it was 77 yesterday here

How many years you been 39. Hope you have a great Birthday

I just got new 7x16 enclosed, Homesteader Hercules, really well built, painted the plywood with epoxy. Can store alot of stuff, Im having some metel racks and hangers made for it. Im lucky in SC you dont have to register them, no plate either so that saves $$$. Nw I just need a bigger truck I have 2001 4x4 1500 Ram, it pulls it real well, but I know I need something bigger

Going to school in the 60's & 70's on Vetrans Day we always had a great ceremony either in the Gym or in our large courtyard. Usually with a few military men and always taps played in the distance. The Taps always gave me a chill even when I was real young and still does to this day. You know I look back and it was always a great day. I got to thank about 5 Vets today and my chlorine guy, reminded me, yesterday was the anniversary of The Marine Corps , he's about 65 years old and still wears the crew cut. In this day and time we need to teach and remind the/our children of history. History happens everyday. I think of those in Iraq and wonder how bad it is and I thank them, they like the vets of the past give so much and get little, we can at least give them a thank you and a hand shake Thanks to all that served JL