Beth n Rod

Sounds good to me. Beth

....one word....YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Do it. Beth

Ron, Next time, please ADD the TGS members who respond here to your names you pull from the hat. You've done it before, I know you 're a great guy and will do it again. Big hugs! :) Happy Monday! Beth....The Iron Maiden of MD

Unless you lack any mechanical inclination, most guys like to tinker and build their rig to suit what they are going to be doing. Problem is, it's hard to figure that out until you have been out working and evaluate each set up you use. Most start out with what is necessary but the configurations will change as they learn what they need from a rig. Heres the TGS photo gallery of what others have done... http://www.thegrimescene.com/gallery/browseimages.php?c=11 Rod!~

....same here! So far so good! Beth

I sure hope everyone has their artwork files. I know we have ours. At least we can get reprints, and if we hire someone else we have art we can ask them to follow.... Beth

I hate surprise decks. And every now and then, we all get one. Rod always carries a booster to bump up the stripper just in case he has a problem deck. Even then....sometime you end up with lots of prep. Beth

Well, let's look at the lesson there. Is it harder to give it the right dwell time the first time, or to spend three times that long sanding? Each job should be bid to cover the costs associated with time, and each job should be the focus outside of any other while you are on that property. Just my thoughts on excellence. Beth

Doug, Do NOT pre-wet the deck. It only dilutes the stripper. You could apply the stripper with a brush, but a sprayer is a more even application with less waste in my opinion. Beth p.s. Bosully - please go to SETTINGS to fill in your signature. Thanks ! :)

If you are interested and have experience with Ipe, PM me or call me. Deck is a few years old, needs cleaning and sealing. Beth

Jon, Position with quality, not price. There is no reason to lose on price when your quality is better. Be the consultant not the salesman. Ask them why they didn't call the last guy back. That is the key to why they will hire you. They will tell you exactly what you need to do to be different. And then on top of that, you will tell them what you do that makes you even better, and how it reflects as quality.... Cha Ching! Beth

Depending on the age of the oil, it might be a hybrid. You may also have multiple years of things, or multiple coats. On your rails system is the best place to test. all products last longest vertically, so you should always test there. Apply the stripper first to the rails, reapply as needed keeping it wet with more product. We use HD-80, and occasionally boost it with a product we get from ACR. You will most likely be looking for one of two reactions on the finish, it either turns a milky or opaque look, or the wood turns black. The black wood is more a sign the wood was bare, the other there is a finish the bond is breaking on. Once the rails have had time to dwell, then apply to the floor and other horizontals, steps, rail caps, tops of benches, etc... Take the tip of the sprayer and scratch at the rails in the area that was MOST intact. When that is ready, THEN wash. Don't go by the floor, it will always be ready to wash before the rails are. Re-apply the stripper to keep it wet, never allow it to dry because it becomes inactive. Hope this helps. Beth

Doug, Initial thoughts....not enough dwell time, wrong stripper for finish you are removing....something like that. Not all finishes can be removed with the same stripper, and dwell time makes ALL the difference. What finish are you stripping? If you don't know ask the homeowner what is on the deck. What stripper did you use? What strength? Boosted or not? How long did it dwell? Did you test a vertical surface before you started washing? Sanding is a pain as a way to strip, it is really more of a finishing step, unless you are removing raised grain from old washes as a service, which should be paid for IMO. Beth

racquetmaster.... Please go to SETTINGS and fill in your signature. Welcome to TGS. Thanks. Beth

Woohoo! I do love a happy ending! Beth :cup:

WHACK! And about the dog, I would get an independent opinion from another vet, and be ready to use it. The area was neutralized I see no harm, but having another pro ready to back you up can't hurt. Beth

Welcome Randy, Please go to SETTINGS and fill in your signature. The Mildew and algae are typical after a wet year like last year. You would give the deck a light cleaning with a percarbonate or a very mild ( VERY) bleach solution and then wash lightly and neutralize, then rinse. Apply a fresh coat of AC when the deck is dry in the color of his choice. Beth

Charlie, I'm sure he will make you proud! :) Beth

Phil, Soon you will learn there are those who haggle in different ways. That could be the 'poor pitiful me' haggle which is a lame attempt to get you to drop your price. Although there are other companies who will do it for that price range you can see what that does to the market. It becomes no money. When I get those types of responses, I will ask them why they thought that they could get that price. The amount of insight provided by the answer(s) can help you to understand what you are dealing with. Sometimes it is a haggle, other times it was a wayward contractor or friend of a friend...you get the idea. I like one experience where long story short, the customer told me "if you do it for this price, I'll give you the job". My response was "Actually, this is my price, agree to it and we move forward" with that, I closed my portfolio and excused myself from the property. People don't often understand that we as consumers don't have the luxury of getting a better price on what we buy for the purposes of doing business anymore than we can haggle the price of groceries at your local store. Often, we (businesses) get the least amount of insurance(s) to cover our projected needs and find out later it doesn't cover certain aspects of our business. Take being on ladders for an example. Do you know how much that raises your liability insurance rates? Yet, if you don't have that coverage and someone damages the property by using one, you are out of pocket for it. Workman's compensation insurance is another that can go up if an employee has a claim. If it is a big claim, bet your bottom dollar they will hike your rates to recoup it in the form of your experience calculator which determines how much you pay based upon eligible employee wages. Haggling for price is becoming an extinct habit among our customers as we have educated them to understand that with a legitimate business, comes legitimate costs and those costs must be accounted for and covered in the pricing structure in order for our business to be around when it comes time to take care of their property again. If your price covers your costs and provides a small percentage of profit, hold your ground. If it doesn't, raise it to do so. Rod!~

Anyone ever barter in exchange for their services? We have done some commercial accounts that were mostly labor and the inherent job pricing was high enough that we could strike a deal with the client to pay us partly in certificates good at any of the locations and the rest in money enough to pay for the labor and minimal supplies and travel expenses. This worked out to be a great deal because we had certificates to use as a promotional incentive towards customer rewards or if we wanted to patronize the place, it would help defer some of the cost. Rod!~

I don't worry so much about the ones looking for a bargain, I look for the ones who appreciate our quality. I won't touch a 300 sq ft deck for $400, much less with a house wash attached. Stick to your guns. Beth

Yeah, don't listen to him! Do you wash your clothes without detergent? How do you get the stains out? Do you wash your dishes without soap? How well does that bacon grease come off the plate with out it? finally, do you take shower without soap or shampoo for that matter? Seems like some pretty stupid questions but then again, I am not the one who told you not to use chems to clean a house or deck. Water alone will not do. I know the area you live in and the house wash price is low. Townhouses in that area get that price and that is dirt cheap even then. I could care less what company your friend had before cause if he was worth his salt,, he would still have it. Rod!~

Phil, We are in MD too. I don't think you prices are out of whack. We have been around since 1999. Here's the thing, you need to be profitable. Is this a two sided or three sided town house or a single family home? How many stories from ground level? How many square feet is the deck and rails and steps? Beth

A good price for either is one that covers your costs to do it PLUS the costs of doing business. All joking and ribbing from the veteran business owners aside, this is a good thread for those who have not learned how to price their services. http://www.thegrimescene.com/forums/business-topics-tips/18253-building-your-own-price.html This link answers some of those questions. I have heard that people set their prices similar to others in order to stay in business and remain competitive. Problem is, how many of those business fail because they do not produce the revenue to sustain them beyond their individual cost structures!?!? Learn any thing if nothing else...your cost is YOUR cost, not your competitors. You should factor in for all your expenses because by trying to stay in line with a competitor, you are not being true to your businesses needs. Those who price low and take the jobs so often will price with labor and materials only. This is the biggest mistake. This pricing model is amateur and does not factor in for: -fuel -insurances for: vehicles, business liability, employee (mandatory workman's comp), health [can't do without this one. What happens if you become ill or injured to the point of not being able to work and you are a one man show?]. -phone bills (cell phone and/or office), internet access which may include fees for site hosting. -advertisement (phone book, web site, mailers (reminders and new client), publications ads etc) -office expenditures (paper, staples, computers, software, pens, stamps, envelopes, printers or printing fees, ink, toner, etc) -business growth (profit) and business longevity in the form of savings or investment in upgrades -maintenance in the form of parts/replacements or repair of existing equipment. Did you just say "I don't worry about those"? or did you just say "I didn't think about that"? If your response was the first one, well, join the long list of failed companies who crashed and died. If yours was more to the second one, then there is still hope for you In business, ignorance is not bliss. You are building your life around something that is supposed to sustain you and your financial obligations beyond the businesses. For those who 'had' a business, don't listen to that, listen to one who still 'has' one and is successful. Good for you to check that information. Rod!~

Again - You need a signature. Please add it. Beth p.s.. f-18...might not be the best thing for that building. Safe restore or similar might be better.