PressurePros

I started cleaning restaurants with a company when I was in college for extra cash.

I have heard other contractors say the HD-80 has a high furring incidence (whether true or false I cannot say as I did not witness their individual stripping techniques) Using low pressure to wash, is it fair to assume that the F-18 will have less of a tendency to furr and darken cedar?

I'm missing the point.. are you saying the F-18 is just as good, not as good, not hot enough to strip the O?

Cabot's now has a "wet" application sealer. I know for us guys that do wood, it seems to good to be true to be able to clean and seal in one day. I offer warranties on my work. I'd hate to think I would be spending season 2006 redoing the work from 2005. Any input? I love Cabot's products and swear by them. Here is a link, the product is not on the market yet. http://www.cabotstain.com/pdf/tds/3600_3700_3800_tds.pdf

I'm guessing the XLS attachment is a virus since its true filename is 1569, a known macro that infects .exe files. I'm not positive but this link should probably be deleted to be safe.

Ryan, please corect me if I'm wrong but I believe the 250k cap is on "non-economic" losses. Eg: A woman takes a certain medication and it causes her child to be born with birth defects. Supposedly this child would be taken care of medically, but the mother could only collect a limited amount on her emotional suffering. One of the ramifications of this.. The pharmaceutical giants (whom have wayyyyy to much control over our government) get innoculated against class action lawsuits to an extent. Very bad... Now XYZ Pharma can slam, bam, thank you ma'am a new "wonder drug" through FDA, advertise it like crazy, and make billions. Then when the time comes that this new wonder drug is found to be liable for all kinds of suffering, they only have to give back a relatively small percentage of the profits. Sounds like a win situation in terms of profit. Every day we are hearing about relatively benign drugs that have a list of side effects that sound worse than what we are trying to cure. Then ironically when a natural sleep aid like L-Trytophan is shown to work safely and effectively, the government pulls it off the shelf for decades because some small batch in Timbuktu was contaminated. Then I turn on the TV and every tenth commercial is for Zoloft, Nexxium, Altacor, or some other chemical panacea. Why are they advertising to me????? Aren't the doctors the ones whom went to medical school to determine what medication, if any, that I may need? "Yeah Doc, from what I have seen on TV I'm pretty certain I need the 'little purple pill' " If I was a doctor and a patient said something like that to me I'd probably respond with a rectal exam from hell. Sorry Ryan, didn't mean to go off on a tangent here. The are many negative outcomes hiding under the guise of tort reform. Its a very tough and complex issue. It's going to benefit big corporate America, and as usual the individual is going to end up taking one for the team.

I just saw Russell's post on Delco's board. I must have been napping for that announcement. Was it posted on here?

I'm sort of a numbers freak so bare with me here, Tim. You say your insurance and truck are paid for. Not trying to be a smart ass, but by whom? You need to factor in the cost of these items as business expenses and amortize those costs over a fiscal period. The same goes for gas, chemicals, labor (yes, your labor should be billed) taxes, equipment, and advertising. Your friend may help you out but what if he is unable to come through? You have to be realistic and that means advertising if you want to work. Here is my breakdown: Fiscal period, one year (150 jobs) Gross profit $18,000 -Truck cost $2,400 Gas, depreciation, insurance (some of your expense is lessened because you use it for alternate business) -Insurance $1,100 -Equipment $1,500 (Figure about three thousand dollars worth of gear that will have a residual value of $1500 after a year) Advertising $1,200 Chemicals $1,500 That leaves you $10,300 profit. Don't forget Uncle Sam, if you are going through a realtor all money has to be above board. Subtract another $2,400 OK the real net profit is $7,900 Your new to this so you time will probably average out to about 1.75 hours per job(conservative) 260 hours. $30 an hour is a semi realistic profit for you. But thats working hours. The real question has to be is the expense and wear and tear you doing all the labor (no helper), bookeeping, scheduling and mareting worth $7,900 for a full year? It very well could be, I am not trying to sway you, but there are many guys that think they are making $75 to $100 an hour and it just isn't realistic. One final note, most guys don't do 150 jobs in the first year. If they do their advertising expense is probably higher.

Were you ladies drinking when you posted this? My perverted mind has already run the gamut. Share the secret already!

I'd take a natural business sense and work hard ethic over a college degree any day. BS economics Wharton Business School at UOP

Hey Cujo... I see where you're coming from, but let me ask you this. In your worst case scenario water comes pouring in through bad seals. What do you do then? Point at your contract? My point is, you will rectify any situations like that if it occurs. I just think it is better to verbally explain the possible issues that can arise then do your best to avoid them. I see no problem explaining that seepage can occur. Am I wrong to assume that an experienced washer could spot possible problem areas and adjust his method of cleaning for those areas? Commercial: If one sets up proper reclaimation, I still cannot see the validity of the waste clause. Taking the "out of the ordinary" in context, remember you are speaking with the homeowner. Me: "If chemical dries on the glass, it will cause a haze, Mr Homeowner. We take every precaution to avoid that happening but sometimes on a hot and breezy day with direct sun like we have today it happens. We carry glass compund and will rectify that problem immediately if it occurs." That was the definition I was shooting for as to out of the ordinary. My miscommunication on not making that clearer. Here is the point I am long winded-ly trying to make. If you cause interior damage to a person's property it's your responsibility to fix it. Why should a homeowner have to endure more contractors, higher insurance premiums and walk away with a very foul taste because of what we are doing? I thought we are offering service, not headache.

And noone ever has any problems with numbers four and five being in writing? Pretending I am Joe Homeowner here is how I read those stipulations 1) If you guys spray water and it gets into my house ruining my carpet, thats my problem. 2) I am responsible for getting rid of any toxic byproducts you may use to get rid of the mold on my house. No way would I sign that. Contractual clauses and stipulations that support negligence are rarely enforceable. You'd still be liable, so why even give the customer a thought that you are going to possibly be careless or cut corners? I think it is up to the contractor to walk the perimeter of the property with the homeowner and point out any problematic areas and to verify that all windows are sealed tightly. Explain the process again and put him or her at ease that if any thing out of the ordinary occurs you will rectify it right there and then. I understand there are often times that the property owner isn't going to be home when work is performed so arange to meet with them the night before. I'm sure many consider this completely overboard, but I believe in above and beyond customer service. You're about to spray chemicals and potentially damaging pressure on the largest investment in this person's life. They have to live there after you're gone. Again, playing the role of advocate for Joe H.O it's up to you to make me feel confident before I hand over a signature.

From what I understand, Florida is a very tough competitive market. A few factors come into play here. One is your advertising budget. Since you are doing residential work and the guys out there are a dime a dozen doing $99 housewashes, you need to get your name out there often. It takes people seeing your company name in print seven times before they lend their credibility to you. One less expensive way to start is with doorhangers. Take three kids with you and blanket your target neighborhoods. (Be wary of soilicitation laws in the particular townships) Follow this with a mailer. You can use one of the ValPak coupon mailers. I would do this for the next few distibutions. Support for these initial advertising mediums would be an ad in the local newspaper, direct mail to target demographics utilizing magnets or pens and a decent phone book listing. As a new guy it is going to be very important for you to capitalize on all leads. If someone calls you, I don't have to tell you how crucial it is to make sure you land the sale. Do your research on your competitors. Find out the high and low end pricing and fall in between. Put together a sales presentation that is informative and overcomes all possible objections. Never be afraid to ask for the sale. Do a demo if you have to. If someone calls you, they are interested in the work being done. It's up to you to make sure they feel confident in your ability and to leave them feeling they chose the right company for their job. I am not sure of your level of experience in exterior cleaning, but it is vital to make sure you are well equipped in terms of machinery and tools, professionalism of appearance, insurance and reliability. Once you land a few leads and do the jobs, word of mouth will do the rest for you. You will find as you go along that you can scale back on your advertising budget and work off your reputation alone. Best of luck to you, my friend. Anything I can do, my numbers and email are below.

Applied, what type of work are you doing? (residential,commercial,exhaust cleaning, etc)

I am thinking of hosting one for PA this fall. I'll make it a poll, so any guys in the Delaware Valley can respond anonymously with no commitment. Feel free to PM or email me.

OK, John, let me know. I have been working 6.5 days a week (weekends are a must for what I am doing) but I can arrange a daay with enough notice.

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaa

A marine battery will discharge at a given amperage over a longer period of time. For something with a low steady draw like a pump, I would think that would be the way to go. A quicker discharging capacitor (which is what a battery is) is good when you need high bursts of power such as to turn a starter, or to power a car stereo with a ton of wattage.

I love the look, ease of navigation, and the way this board seems to cater more towards the business innovation end. I also love how Beth is going to announce today that the sale on Hd-80 is being extended for another two weeks! Just teasing Beth, Thanks for a great site. I enjoy coming here and you guys are a driving force in this business. Your efforts are very appreciated.

Cabot's is going to be putting on a dealer demonstration for this stuff. I am waiting to hear from MAB as to whether I can attend because I have many questions. James, I too have my doubts about water borne acrylics especially when it comes to stripping. This definitely a case of "wait and see" if this stuff will truly be a better mouse trap or just another gimmick. Thanks very much for your input.

Remember this ..... http://www.ebaumsworld.com/dogs.shtml Warning: This video will not be found humorous by females, the politically correct, or anyone without a warped sense of humor. You may feel the need to write a dissertation on inner beauty, the wrongness of the world, organize a march for women's civil rights or just suppress an urge to vomit. In any event, ITS A JOKE, NOT MEANT TO OFFEND. View at your own discretion.

C'mon, Jon, you're kidding, right? Someone took pictures from uglypeople.com (a truly tasteless sight, I agree) and cleverly timed it to music. If you don't find it amusing, no big deal. Is this what the world has come to? Everyone vying for political correctness not to offend? I'm me, I make no apologies. I'm a good person, I hurt noone in my daily activities, I am active in my church, and I help people whenever they are in need. Everyone is so afraid to go against the system these days. Jon, I truly apologize if I hit a nerve somehow by posting that link. It's very easy to get misrepresented on these forums. I am a hard working, god loving businessperson just like many on here. But I am also male and prone to alpha behavior from time to time. If any of us were perfect we sure wouldn't be trying to make a living down here on earth would we?

No, Joe, but I know tons of contractors, including myself swear by Cabot's..especially their Aussie Oil for hardwoods. The fact that WoodTux, a contractor's product, is also developing this type of resin system gives it even more credibility. You could be right, and these products won't have the advertised durability, but I think we are seeing the next generation of products. Beth, what are your thoughts as you definitely know more about the chemistry behind the sealers.

Carlos, I count fans, filters, and linear feet of duct and canopy. Factors that can change the estimate are installing access panels or fan hinge kits, excessive grease buildup, leaky ductwork, and updrafts mounted on a steep roof. For a two man crew, single account, it works out to about $130 the first hour, and $100/hr after that. A first time cleaning is where you usually take a bath on profit. I try to upcharge on first cleanings but it rarely works out. Sometimes the company will dictate its price. A certain fast food chain won't go over $250 but the volume makes up the difference. There is huge money to be made in KEC, but I am not a big fan of the work.

This would be a perfect soultion for kitchen exhaust cleaning. If I could charge two grand per account I would buy a setup like this tommorrow.