Cleveland Mobile

God I agree with pam on this.....just to get away from the corporate crap is worth it to me. Has anyone really paid attention to what they ask at interviews today? A cousin of mine told me that his company takes a potential candidate out to dinner and subtracts points if they salt their food before tasting it....what a joke...I would love to go on such an interview just to fart after dinner and see how many points they take. I couldnt see myself working for someone who lacks the intelligence that god gave a pen. I'm sure we've all had those bad years when winters are tight....but its worth it. To be in charge of your own destiny. Back in the day when I did work for a company (Ingersoll Rand) they make compressors and pumps......I never could understand fellow emplyees who would tell customers "we make compressors and pumps". We dont make them....Ingersoll Rand made them....guess I was never the "company guy". Andy

Celeste...there's a product up this way they have been pushing called One Time Wood. Its actually clear coat for cars with a cedar tint in it. Its supposed to last 7 years. I've run into decks with it on and the homeowner wasnt satisfied with the color. Oh well....too bad......I dont even want to mess with it. Its illegal to spray one time wood because its an automotive base ...you have to brush and roll it. i dont think normal strippers would have much effect. Andy

Footing a ladder only prevents the bottom from moving. Andy

Best of luck to you Beth....I'll pray you have a speedy recovery. Andy

Was what they call an application engineer for Ingersoll-Rand pumps and compressors. What that means is I could look up specs in a book...lol...after that I did siding and windows for a couple years Andy

I'm turning 51 in march...been doing this work for 26 yrs. I drink plenty of liquids (water and coffee) and I try never to get too much sleep....usually 4 to 6 hrs a night max. Not much into working out as I feel the job itself is plenty. I would say dress for the weather....and enjoy what you do. Fatigue is usually more of a state of mind from hating your job. Andy

I handled all my home improvement projects this past summer by selling the house and moving to an apartment. 3 bedrooms, den, living room, dining room, 2 baths, it actually has more room than the house. Plus a pool, hottub, billiards room, racquetball court, work out room......so far i love it. And that honey do list.....i tell lynn to give it to the maintenance guy..lol Andy

So many new products out today...and most of them are real crap. In ohio this year everyone was asking about one time wood...supposed to last 7 years. I found out it was clear coat for cars with a tint in it. And its almost a hundred bucks a gallon. I always tell people they should also think about what is involved to re-do the deck in a few years. A lot of acrylics and now clear coat will be a mess when it needs redone. I like to stick to products that make a maintenance easy. But, i'm sure if this stuff hits the market here a lot of people will try it and like you said beth...make a mess of things Andy

Spending a lot of time with the wife and kids..they range from 14 to 27 five of them. and 5 granchildren. But my favorite passtime is going to toysrus and buying toys for the grandkids. Not just any toys but those special ones that come from a grandfather.....like electric motorcycles..lol Andy

second degree burns are when they blister....thats what i had ...the blister covered the entire top of my feet. Andy

Even though I mix all my own acids and alkalines.....the worse burn I ever got was this past summer through total stupidity. I usually clean the airless out with water and once the lines are clear spray off my shoes to remove some of the stain from the job. The deck I did that day was with an oil base semi trans. stain and required cleaning with thinner. I wasnt thinking and sprayed my shoes. The thinner absorbed into my socks and caused second degree burns on the top of my feet. Moral of this....think first.lol Andy

Yes just my choice. If they want boomboxes and shirts off...get a roofing job. Andy

no boomboxes here....not allowed....earphones are ok but the volume better not be to the point where you cant hear anything else. I dont allow shirts to be taken off either. Doesnt look professional. Andy

Besides the normal "rules" for ladder safety ....there are 2 more that I believe in... 1. Since the only thing between my ass and the ground is the ladder...I only buy the best with stabilizers. 2. I always secure the ladder when doing a 2nd story deck. Those nylon ties you can get at the hardware store at various sizes up to 3 feet long and very thick. I buy ones that are long enough to tie a rung to the rail. When done a pair of side cutters cuts right through the tie. I've even attached a 2x2 to the ladder with the same type of c-bolts used on the stabalizer and used long deck screws to secure the ladder. I've only had one accident (which is one to many) with an employee who had the ladder too vertical on the house. I had warned him and made him move the ladder a few times but it seemed he would always put it the same way when I wasnt right there. Needless to say...I came around the side of the house just to see him falling backwards with the ladder. He hit the ground but thank god wasnt injured. Its amazing when you find that your employee lacks the intelligence that god gave a paint can. Later that day I found out he was swatting bees while on the ladder and caused it to fall backwards. Jim now owns his own sign business and recently I washed an area of a building he was going to install a sign. Watching him on a ladder now is quite different. He is totally into ladder safety. He told me that day he fell that everything I ever told him about ladders went through his mind on the way down. Hell of a way to learn I guess. Andy

I was once taught something that I have always felt hits the nail on the head. 1. want - you know they want it....they called you 2. need - point out the need for the service and how important it is to their home or business that they use the product or service you are offering. 3. value - explain the value in their service....we've all heard it "mr and mrs home owner it will pay for itself in a few years" Although our services dont usually fall into that category, there is plenty of value in protecting their investment in their decks, homes, or whatever. Explaining all the steps you are going to take .."and for all that mr and mrs homeowner the price is only ...." I have found most people say no because they dont realize the size and scope of the job. If they get other prices we havent gotten the value of our services across....if they try to do it themselves......we failed miserably. Andy

Very interesting points....If I may add to that, leadership is also knowledge gained. Knowing where your limitations are and how to eliminate them....being able to work out problems..... Also sharing knowledge.....which makes us all leaders since everyone is so quick to share a method, price, or technique that may have taken quite a while to work out. Everyone on this board I feel is more than a business associate. Your candid views and quick responses to help have shown me that you are also friends willing to take the time to be concerned. Does my surrounding community consider me a leader? Don't know and don't care.........if you judge a person by his friends then I would say I am very fortunate to be a part of an industry with so many great people. Andy

I know from work i have done for Ryder that the Isuzu's are very very expensive to fix. Thats why I didnt get one. Ryder told me that even brakes are very costly and said they didnt recomend one. I Bought the dodge with a box and am planning on downsizing to a 1 ton van. With careful planning everything you have will fit. As far as the sprinters....nice...but i plan on waiting a while. The mercedes engine i guarantee will be expensive to fix. Yes the diesel will last a half million miles....question is will the rest of the truck last that long. Andy

My god I wish I lived where 50 degrees is considered cold..lol. I've had to wash trucks when it was as cold as 18.........believe me....you question your sanity the whold time when its that cold. It is amazing how the wind chill works....sometimes it can be 25 and you can wash without a problem. Other times its 32 with a good wind and things freeze up right away. They say the wind chill is only measued on skin but I disagree. They may call it ambient temperature on the surface but cold is cold. Andy

Thompsans has always worked better on shoes for me than mink oil.....didnt know using thompsans made me a redneck...hot damn..lol Andy

Thompsans Water Seal....doesnt work for crap on decks but works great on shoes...give it one coat let them sit overnight and another coat in the morning. Works better than anything else i've tried. Andy

I started in 1981 simply because I hated working for big business. I've kept it small over the years, have my 2 sons work with me and yes sometimes I regret the move, after all you are taking all the risks. But in the long run I'd say it was one of the better moves I've made. I'm trying to work my way out of fleet washing and more towards flat work or whatever will help me get through the winters. Deck and house washing is my preference. More money and less hastle. I'm still not sure if it was ambition or just stupidity that made me start.....just kidding. Lot of good people in the business. I would love to meet all the people who post here. Seem like a good group .....even the misinformed ones..lol... Andy

I've seen a sureflow pump hooked to the inlet of an injector. The pump goes on when there is a draw and pumps directly in the injector. This increases the soap flow dramatically. If you dont need the increase just switch the pump off and you can draw soap normally with the pump off. The injector sucks right through the pump. andy

They sell a piece that drops in the gutter....held with gutter seal......after you cut a hole...the downspout is then zip screwed to the flange that you dropped through andy

Seems most in mobile homes dont have any money. I've never had luck getting a great nbr of mobile homes in one park Andy

watch a lot of cartoons....lol andy