alvisishere

I did a job today on a small box ranch near my home and I gave the quote of my basic minimum of 150.00 to clean his home, he was very pleased with the price and I was washing within minutes. He stay outside and watched my technics and results, we started talking and he told me he had couple of estimates ..... one was 250.00 and one was well over 1,000.00, the guy that quoted well over 1,000. said that 2 facial boards needed to be replaced. After the house was cleaned he saw the boards was not rotted but just needed a fresh coat of paint. His real estate agent told him don't pay over 175.00 and he said I was the only one under. His next statement was he was going to pay me 175.00 instead of the 150.00 I quoted, I often get customers that tip or pay more than I charge, it happens more when they are watching me work. I realize that people may charge more and I am by no means a low baller but I don't like to over charge my customers either. I know what I have to charge to make money and in my area I know what is overcharging, Its hard to find a honest contractor in any field and I know whats it like to be overcharge and I like to treat my customers the way I would like to be treated

WELL HERE WE GO AGAIN!! I got a call today on another local small ranch, took the time to drive and look at it, Gave her a price of 175.00, she told me she had 2 other est. I ask who and how much...one was 150.00 and the other was 160.00. One of them was from my competitor that lives in my area that a lot of you know (Hi, if you read this this is how it went down). Both was quoted over the phone. I informed her mine included movie tickets and if she wanted to waive the tickets, I would do it for 150.00 since I was out there, but If I had to come back, it would be 175.00. She then asked about using her water and I informed her that we legally could but she could not (drought), but she was worried about in increase in her bill, I asked her if others quotes supplied water, she did not know so she called and they said only if requested at a fee of 75.00 extra. I explained the higher cost was not for cost of water but 4.75 gal fuel bill. Bottom line is she had 3 est. from 3 reputable companies that had biggest display ads in yellowpages and only few dollars separating them Like I said earlier, once I am in front of a customer, usually its only a price issue that works for both of us. At the end she said she would refer me to anyone that needed any PW. By the way I did not talk negative about my competition, I assured her that He could do just as good job as me!!

can we lock it now!!

every time I read a post here...I have to go back to the first one to see what it was about. Since this thread has got so far off topic and obviously has become a thread to diminishes others character that post here.....Beth could you possibly lock it out. because I personally think it has it has no value to the pw industry

congrats Doug!!! kept waiting on your phone call for help!! glad your finished...now go pay some bills!!

Quality is always #1 on my list....its a given. When I pull up in their business or driveway and they see my equipment and reclaim set up, I usually don't have to convince them on the quality of work, usually all we need to do negotiate a price that will work for both of us. I close most of my jobs when I meet the homeowner, the ones I don't get are the ones quoted over the phone for obvious reasons I don't consider it a cheap price or low work quality, 175.00 for 45 min job not bad in my books.

Believe it or not the agent recommends (as in this case) and tells the homeowner to wash the house before they put the home on market, the customers are very uneducated at this point and will often ask the agent if they can refer someone to wash the home. Most agents do this countless times and are very aware of what a fair price is. It don't matter if you are on the selling end or receiving end, when someone is overpriced, if you are on the selling end you know you are high and if you are on the receiving end, you might not catch it when you pay but they will find out quickly when you tell the first person about their so called good deal. This will tell you if you get a referral out of it.

In this business you do not have to have a collage education to be successful. I can only speak for myself but I would be lost if it was not for spell checker on these boards and when I have to write a proposal, letter, ad copy ect....I use spell checker and then I have my wife read it because if seems there is always a way it be can improve. Customers might have caught my misspelled words or heard me not speaking correctly using southern slang words. I hope they base their opinion of me and my company on my integrity, honestly and by the contents of the words I speak or write. I am sure you can find some errors with my post (since wife is asleep) but hopefully you can get past the words and understand the meaning of my post.

looks like you have a great product.

I asked Doug to post this, I do not have time do this deck and its a little to far for me. If you service this area and you are interested "Call Me"" and I will pass the information on to you. It is located on a golf course in Hampton, Ga Al Patterson 770-652-1794

I belong to to Bartering Company called Itex. People will call me outside of my customer base, it is up to me to barter % labor and/or materiel. I then buy goods/services for other who's business use Itex bartering system. Not for everybody but works for me.

I have been known to drive Ga to Tn. to wash my Father in law home, deck or whatever else he might needed washing. Might have cost me some money but I know if I need anything, I can always count on them as well. It always make me feel good when I donate my time and it is greatly appreciated. (big brownies points with the wife too!)

Good thread, how are your machines holding up?

Before-During-After S/D Entrance that I done today, The man that hired me manages monies for home owner associations all over Atlanta. He came by as I was completing a washing job and we talked about hard times and he offered to help me and he said he would print me mailing labels for me to put on my postcards to mail to all of his customers in all the S/D he manages. (which is a lot) The funny thing is when I told him what I was going to charge him, he got a funny look on his face, I ask him if it was to much...he told me the association was only wanting to clean the white sign in the middle !!! OPPS !!! I'm glad I was taking pics, I told him stone needed it worse than the sign and once he saw the pictures he would agree. (of course he agreed before the pics, but I am going to send'm anyways!!)

The soap?

Hey Celeste, you might be on to something I bought qb pro and I haven't had the time to learn it. I'm sure they are others would like to learn the things qb's can do in "Layman's terms"

Been using um since 1999, I have bought 2 rigs from them. After one of my rigs got stolen...I got them to build me another one just like it. Met them half way to pick it up both times.

Atlanta, Need Roof Cleaned Apple Sauce Style!! Anyone in the Atlanta Area clean roofs using the "Apple Sauce Recipe? It is one of my customers and I am scheduled to clean his home this week and he is wanting the roof done as well, preferable at the same time. I have been wanting to watch or help someone clean a roof so this might be my best time to do so. The home is a very large home, 3 story stucco and stone, not sure about the pitch, but it is big enough...I don't want up there. This would be a good job to do the whole thing as a joint effort. If anyone is interest call me at 770-652-1794 asap and we can set something up for you to go look at it.

No offence but this is one of my customers and I would like him to feel like he got a good deal in the end. This does not mean you have to work cheap, just treat him the way you would want to be treated if you wanted to hire out a professional.

Just to give everyone an update.......I got a call today from the guy who wanted his roof house and roof cleaned from a couple months ago. He has not found anyone to do it yet and he asked my again if I came accoss anyone. He is not sold on a soft wash, for the fear his plants cost more than the whole job. Anyone interested???

Thanks for sharing, this is very helpful, Are you compatable with qb pro as well?

Can a stain break down and after a year or more? I cleaned a home that had a large deck on back. He stained it over a year ago with "Cabot Sealer" I washed the home and deck with my Reg mix of SH and cleaner (mildmix) I Used X jet to apply mix to all back of house including deck and "light rinsed" off to remove pollen. He had concrete pad underneath deck and my mix broke down the sealer and dripped sealer onto concrete and stained it. I can't imagine a sealer breaking down like that, this was not a strip job, just a light wash and rinse When you are underneath you can look up and see where it dripped. looks like droplets between the boards.

I'm in Conyers and know about the red clay and new constrution, give me a call

Hindsite, we would have handled it a lot differantly.

I am very open to meeting all my contractors is my area and these rd tables are a good way to do it. My philosophy is to help others and it will be rewarded, occasionally it will bite you in rear end and if someone does bite you, chances are they are not going to be in business long and I don't consider them a threat. I personally like to work with other contractors in my area, its kinda cool when one calls me and asked for advise or help on a job and its good to know I can ask for their help as well.