Beth n Rod

Brian, Do you have a photo you can post? What you are seeing could be several things, and I'm sure we all want to steer you the proper direction. You could have: uneven cleaning- residual mildew or algae uneven neutralization, causing a splotchy, dark or dirty look in places remnant dirt/mildew in the substrate beneath remaining sealer old wood that needs sanding due to heavy traffic areas spots from spills, grease, pet stains, candle wax I have seen many things over the years that look "clean" when dry but show dirty when wet - and yes sealed. You may be right about the Behr, but if just about any box store clear is put on over dirty wood, you will see this. The problem is, you pull the microbial growth further into the substrate and put a barrier over it. Beth

It sure can be. All you have to do is start a new thread, and in the thread there will be an option to post a poll. Once you check that ans submit it, the next page brings up the place to fill in poll options. You can't add it to an existing thread. BUT...I can merge this into the poll once you create it. :) Pressure Washing and Contractor Cleaning Forums - The Grime Scene - FAQ: Reading and Posting Messages Beth

See Dirt Run! - Redwood porch masking windows See Dirt Run! - Log home partially sealed part clean dry logs See Dirt Run! - Log home - plastic protection Here are some masking samples. Beth

Well, personally I would calculate the footage for the windows, or calculate the entire wall , yes, so you can allow for masking. If you are experienced, masking can go pretty quick. If not, it can be a nasty chore. Pre-taped plastic by Easymask and blue painters tape are your friends. Keep a sharp retractable blade to cut the plastic with. Use the heavy mil plastic on areas you want to drape, so you can reuse it - the plastic on the windows expect to trash it when done. Tarp the terrain with canvas. You could have one guy doing just masking, the other sides after one side is masked, while someone else (single or plural) is sealing. You will want to create a labor rate for masking, and figure out how many sq ft per hour you can cover, allow for ladder changes etc. We factor masking costs into everything we do, decks, houses, etc. Hope this helps. Beth

See, I would rather spend the time masking off all the windows, then have minimal cleanup when you peel the masking off. I don't want to miss any spots, or have them dry, or have to scrape windows, or get a call back that something was missed, or make a bad impression when the owner is standing there seeing the windows not masked. I would rather spend the time masking. Beth

Hi! Well, since the formula changes in 2005, the ATO is not as good as it once was. Lots of oils have been effected. If you are used to working with it, and can get used to the likespan, keep with it. You might also try Sikkens SRD (NOT DEK). We use WoodTux. We get it from Deck Stains Cleaners Sealers Staining Decks Wood Decking Sealing Concrete Paver Restoration and you can get your cleaners there also. Get the EFC-38 and the Citralic to clean and neutralize with. Another good choice is TWP. They sell that also. Beth

Well, maybe. But wear your respirator, gloves and so forth! Ever had a rash from xylene? Be safe. :) Beth

Thats a sweet house but man the masking on the windows will be a pain in the rump. Beth

Well, let's just kick that high end home thing around for a minute. If other consumers in middle income housing begin to spend less, or to make choices between home improvement projects, selecting one of say 4 or 5 projects instead of 2 or 3, you are competing with other types of contractors....landscapers, driveway pavers, siding and window companies, kitchen and bath remodeling, painting, whatever. So maybe you focus on the high end neighborhoods, along with everyone else who feels the pinch. So now you have increased competition in those markets too, and hey - they are only going to spend to get the deck done one time a year, right? Look, I totally agree with with strengthening your market position. I also totally agree with the need for a very focused campaign aimed at a specific market segment. Totally get it. Been doing it for years. But I think in this economy you have to expect that your competition is not just power washing companies. It's companies that do other things. In this economy, I suggest (strongly I might add) making sure your customers are aware of all the services you offer, not just one or two. It's a great time to see if there are other good fits for what you do, and to tap into them. I have seen lots of companies doing just that! General contractors doing decks? YES! House washes? YES! Landscapers - heck they have for years, so have painters. Everyone thinks it is easy to do. Can you replace deck boards? Rail caps? Can you add a coy pond? Deck lights? How about installing under decking? Porch rescreening? Trim painting on the house? Garage organizing or cleaning? Garage floor resurfacing? There are tons of things you can do. I'll get off my soap box. But before I do, I'll say again that: discretionary income Definition The amount of an individual's income available for spending after the essentials (such as food, clothing, and shelter) have been taken care of. If fuel, food etc. continue to rise, and the pay rates do not increase at the same rate (they don't) you have less discretionary income to spend. How each company will address this, should be specific to their area and to the demographics they have. Not all areas in the country are the same and not all business owners will be able to do the same thing and have it work. Beth

Xylene also can cause cancer..... Beth

Our dealer gets it for me at a discount since I buy so much of it. You may be able to get a better price break by buying it by the case (10/cs) and I usually order 2-3 cs at a time. My last purchase cost me $10.73@ and it was on sale! Rod!~

Your welcome. Don't know, never tried it during the initial wash/strip process. Only use it as a protectant during sealant application. Rod!~

I spoke to a friend yesterday here in Md, her daughter has a home on a small street in a neighborhood of single family homes. On that street, 3 houses have been to foreclosure, 4 are for sale, and besides hers, ONE is inhabited. It's a nice neighborhood. It's a sign of the times. Beth

Mineral spirits or denatured alcohol (however it is packaged) works well w/o the lingering effects of xylene which can break down the composition of the stain and shorten it's life. Rod!~

My responses are in blue: I find that a reckless statement and here is why; There aren't as many affluent homeowners today as there were in the 80's and late 90's. Foreclosures are at an all time high with 'no downs' and credit abuse being to blame, and now many banks rescinding or not offering equity lines of credit and the trend is spreading. This is a BIG indicator. Just because one does not feel the impact right away doesn't mean it isn't real. We are so used to instant gratification that we equate it with everything and unless it is slapping us in the face, it must not exist or be worth our time to acknowledge. People are looking to maintain their properties but have less to do it with and with ole 'W' buying our votes for the elephant party with his little economic stimulus rebates which by the way we are going to have smaller returns in the next year as well because of, but are dealing with an integral factor gouging into their wallet even further... gas prices are a pre-indicator because of the domino effect it can have on an economy. How much are any of you paying for a gallon of milk? 4.39 here. How much did you pay a year ago? 3.49 here. Bread here went from .69 to 1.29 in the last year. All these increases add up and cut into disposable income. I could go on, but I think it is clear, prices are going up and with wages not following suit, we are heading for a recession. I don't even think that raising wages is the answer either because of the hardship that will place on businesses that are already reactive to the economic inflation and throw into that pot failing trade and imports that are directly linked to the price of fuel. This April things have really picked up for a lot of people and the main reason is that most are using their tax refunds to do it with. Ok, let's look at that scenario. What will this mean in the coming summer months when the tax return spenders are finished and what are left will be those people who are trying to decide on whether to fix up the house, go on a vacation or start nest egging? We saw it last year when August came and the phones stopped ringing and people were on TGS complaining about how slow it was. This was the first year it happened and was so widespread. This is an economic indicator based upon trends of the past where it may have slowed down during this period but it stayed busy for the most part. The fall was weak for most and we saw a number of people lose their businesses to the drought in the south. Indicators are quite prominent and I would not be as quick to dismiss them as my business depends on how well I interpret them and make decisions based upon the outcome to stay healthy. We are not a board only comprised of contractors fortunate enough to live in wealthy, growing neighborhoods next to golf courses with mercedes, bmw's and lincoln navigators parked in the 3 car garages. Many of us live in areas that don't have neighbors for blocks or even miles and have to travel into areas where the populations are to get work. I take that into account. This is marketing with an open eye beyond the horizon and at 60,000 feet. It is quite diverse. Rod!~

I used to think that way but in doing so, it is as another person said that they were pricing themselves out of business.By raising prices across the board, you are in actuality specifically making those people who do accept your business to pay for the gas that was spent going to other prospects. Now, there is a better way to deal with it other than charging for estimates which we all know is not going to be accepted in an industry filled with fly-by-niters. The stigma is too great. Plus, the majority of various service contractors in the market do not charge at all for estimates. It has become a lure to get the phone to ring brought on by the low-ballers who in the effort of trying to get business removed the charge causing others to follow suit. In tough times, smart business people learn to streamline and furthermore, they learn to qualify callers to make sure they are going to take the time to be at the appointment. As I mentioned, life has obligations and circumstances that come into play and don't always allow them to be there. Unfortunately, these are usually the ones that fall through the cracks and don't call you back. It is the risk we take in business.Defining a service area is a start, this way one can calculate the fuel costs better within the parameters. Outside them, there will be extended costs that can be figured into the estimate itself and not everyone else's which is basically inflating. Target the pricing towards the customer in specific this way one can get an accurate figure without punishing everyone else in the hopes of regaining the initial expenditures from non-committing prospects. Advertising your service area and that the estimates conducted in that area are free will be an incentive for those within it to call. for those outside the area, having a nominal fee will keep people from calling... but ... if the ad states that the fee will be deducted from the estimate if they accept your proposal, it increases the likely hood that if you do get a call from them, they are serious. Here is another revelation, it also lets you know how well accepted the competition is in that area as well. We get calls from a neighboring state because they do not care for the service providers in their own state or cannot find anyone qualified to do the work. There are other variables that come into play but these are a good enough example. We may charge for the estimate but it actually raises the close rate for long distance service. All of this may be relevant to the cost of fuel a business expends but the main point I was trying to make is the impact prices can have on businesses due to the customers losing their expendable income as a result. Streamlining is the next step in a slow (poor) economy. Major corporations call it downsizing in some aspects where they cut their labor force in order to increase capital buffers. In our industry, it means examining our processes and the way we do things and looking for a more economical way to do it...cross training employees to increase their abilities to conduct the services...teaching them how to take measurements and pictures to supply you with the information that makes the trip a productive one and allowing you to make the estimate by snail or email. This is a fine example of streamlining. Making the most use of the resources you already have. This is my point to all and I hope it is received well as it is only meant to help. Rod!~

Survey; High Gas Prices Affect Summer Spending; May Bleed Over To Fall Entrepreneur Blog - Gas Prices Affect Consumer Spending - Entrepreneur.com Signup - Knowledge@W.P. Carey Prepare for a Multi-Year Decline in Consumer Spending - Seeking Alpha Enjoy. Beth

I wasn't trying to sound insulting. I'm pretty sure Ken didn't mean to sound condescending either, or to imply I was stupid. ;) Not saying either that I totally disagree, just don't fully agree. And it really is okay. At least, it is for me.... :lol: Beth

Ken, Yes, I do. I understand the terms mentioned quite well. As for duh, it simply illustrates what I believe to be obvious. Nothing unprofessional about it. In fact.... duh - Definition from the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary Main Entry:duh Pronunciation: \ˈdə, usually with prolonged ə\ Function:interjection Date:1966 1 —used to express actual or feigned ignorance or stupidity 2 —used derisively to indicate that something just stated is all too obvious or self-evident So now that we have that cleared up...I don't have to agree with your opinion. And of course there is a difference between fact, and opinion. One is absolute and the other isn't. Beth

:lol: ...well, we'll just have to agree to disagree... :lol: As for target marketing, well that should be something you do anyway, from day one. DUH. Beth :seeya:

Ask your customers what they think about the cost of gas. Raising your prices is elementary. Duh... But how are consumers reacting? Well, I think it depends on the consumer. There are some who will take a chance on a lowballer, who would not have before, or they will just skip service this year. Worse, they will do it themselves.... This is not the year to ignore economic indicators. Beth

I have a cedar house lead, Pineville LA 71360 wash and seal the exterior, interior painting, and smoothing out the "popcorn" ceilings. This is a NICE sized job. Contact me for details. Beth

Given the fact that we provide free estimates, yes, we do care about the price of gas because not all of those estimates will result in a sale. Now, don't give me any guff about closing rates and salesmanship because they don't apply if the prospect is not home to talk to you and never picks up the phone to ask questions. They look at the bottom line and decide from that alone the majority of the time. Those trips become wasted money and while we do our best to schedule time to be with the client, their obligations don't always provide that flexibility. The price of gas is but one of the many economic indicators that tell us whether people have much disposable income as they did in the past. Gas prices not only affect our businesses but the clients as they need to budget for their needs in getting to and from work, day care, school etc... A $1.00 raise in prices reflects into the number of gallons they use and goes up accordingly. $2.65/gal last winter compared to $3.60 now 16 gallon tank @ 2.65 = 42.40 X 15 fill-ups in 6 months = 636.00 16 gallon tank @ 3.60 = 57.60 X 15 fill-ups in 6 months = 864.00 That's 228.00 less spending money than they had before if the prices had remained in the same range as winter prices. Now, this is based upon a small car, most own suv's and trucks which have bigger tanks and lower mpg requiring more frequent fueling. Add to the fact that many may have 2 cars and you can see where their money is going and how it can affect your business because they can't afford as much now. The price of gas reflects also into the end price of what we pay for retail products due to the transportation costs involved which are largely fuel, warehousing and labor. When those prices go up, the amount of disposable income drops. As we all know, our wages don't rise with the price of gas and remains pretty much constant unless you are a contractor subject to the economic impacts that result from less expendable income. This doesn't even account for the manufacturing costs that are also impacted by transportation costs from having the raw materials transported in. btw, gas is projected to go up by another $1.50 - $2.00 a gallon. Get your calculators out people and start figuring out how to stream line your business and keep your costs low while providing the best service possible and still be profitable. I will leave it at this point for the readers to decide the validity of my post and to think seriously about the implications because if you are not aware of the potentials of a poorer economy just because of a $1.00 rise in gas prices, you will be a victim of it. Rod!~

Hydrogen Peroxide, CAS # 7722-84-1 Incompatibilities and Reactivities: Oxidizable materials, iron, copper, brass, bronze, chromium, zinc, lead, silver, manganese [Note: Contact with combustible material may result in SPONTANEOUS combustion] That was an excerpt from the N.I.O.S.H. pocket guide to chemical hazards. Now, from what I understand, Hydrogen Peroxide can basically destroy fasteners because it reacts with the metals in them. Given the potential that one may be transporting not only hydrogen peroxide but bleach and percarbonates as well, in the event of an accident and the possibility of them getting mixed together equals a serious situation. I understand not liking mixing, but really, is it worth it to explore something that the industry at large has decidedly left alone? Use warm water to get better mixing but be glad you have the luxury of powders available to keep them inactive till you are ready to activate them. food for thought... Rod!~

Not to be the nay sayer here but I have seen the results of jobs where mineral spirits were sprayed onto siding to remove the overspray, never removed and a year later the siding turned black in the same areas. The homeowners were none to pleased. As far as working on ladders and sloped terrain; I would suggest investing in auto-levelers and stabilizers. They help tremendously and allow us the ability to work safely. Mind you, our guys also have a roofing harness with fall arrest equipment on as well. Rod!~