John T

Thanks Jim. It looks like your I-pad or laptop got delayed and multi posted. Hopefully one day you get your edit abilities restored so you can fix the above....but hey Getting 4 compliments above is pretty cool even though there repeats:)

Thanks Mark..

Where is everybody? I don't have Facebook but I'm hearing more and more that people in the contracting field are going to Facebook more then they are the bulletin boards. Is that true? Which is the better of the two Facebook or the BBs?

Back on topic it looks like I may have to get Facebook. I can't stand the kid who started it because I believe in the story that he stole the ideas from those other 3-4 kids to make Facebook....buuuuuut. You can't cut off your nose to spite your face.. So uggg eventually I'll have to add the facebooks and the lovely name of "tweets" puke:pride:

Over the years I had a few guys work with me on some jobs to learn the ropes. I've worked with other companies to complete jobs but that's a bit different. We were also called in for many jobs that other past contractors did a shlop job with. Today I still network and throw jobs back and forth to contractors in my area. But now when your talking about very specialized work when would you draw the line on who you would allow to come and who you would't want there?

Ouch I thought I had it bad. The knee I had no choice but to have surgery where my wife's got progressively worse where she ended up getting surgery. The meniscus surgery is pretty quick. The ACL is another ballgame which mine checked out fine. 20 yrs ago I tore both Achilles tendons on one stupid softball play and one of those tendons were a complete tear. My orthopedic elected to no do surgery on the severed Achilles tendon and even though I was out of work for almost a yr on my own time both tendons healed. Sounds like you need that MRI Chris so they can see exactly what's going on instead of the docs trying to tell u to rehab yourself and then 6 months later u may feel no different. Maybe thru rehab and some glucosamine your knee heals.

Chris-- if possible instead of these docs beating around the bush try to get them to get you that MRI which pretty much tells you what the problem is. If it's the Meniscus the operation is quick. You could theoretically walk the next day and within a month your pretty much good to go. Kathy also had hers done but the doc said she could do the therapy first to see if she can strengthen her knee. It was a 6 week long therapy. Kath asked her doc(orthopedic surgeon) what is the best bet because she needs to get better. Her Doc said he would recommend the surgery because it's not evasive since its only orthoscopic. She also had to get injections because she was bone on bone... It's not as bad as it sounds. If you have other ligament damage in there which are more severe then the Meniscus that's important to know because it's a whole different ballgame dealing with the other ligaments. If you want to borrow the brace I have which are two different ones let me know. They weren't cheap. The first brace is what you see in the pic above where it kept my leg straight so I can walk around without my knee bending. The second brace I bought my self where you can put ice packs in it and then pump it tight so you can ice ur knee to keep the swelling down and you can still do things instead of laying on the couch with ice on your knee. My problem and John Orr could tell ya is I never sit still. For example yapping on the phone for 5 hrs and pacing my house is not a good way to get a knee to heal.

Hey Chris I tore my meniscus last year just walking along while my guys were cleaning a parking garage in CT. My knee just collapsed and down I went. When I got home 3 days later I had an immediate MRI because of my knee either locking up os collapsing which made it a medical emergency. End result I had a grade 3 tear of the meniscus and had Surgery on it a few days later. They gave me a special brace to wear and the very next day We went back and did another Garage in CT with a 3 day deadline which was the same as the first garage. Lesson in here is do not go right back to work, Go to therapy as instructed and then build your knee back up as to the Doctors advice. A year later my knee is still week and it still collects water(Had it drained 4 times after surgery where they said no more on that due to risk of staff infection). A meniscus tear you should be able to come back completely if there is no other more major ligaments in your knee that has problems as well. The king of the Knee's if you want to know everything about them and what to do and not to do is first don't do anything I do..lol and Contact John Orr who's dealt with anything and everything with knee's Good Luck

Lol.. Hmmmmm maybe I should go there wadda ya think Charlie?? Am I missing out on anything besides all the hate stuff??

If you were to teach a specialized subject and not a beginners subject how close to your place of employment would you draw the line on who you teach in the contracting business? This would be for advanced/specialized training.

Lol.. I tell most what I get per sq' bit there's a different factor in here is how fast you can do it. We just lost an opportunity for a garage thats managed by "Standard Parking". It's in Atlantic city. We charge 5 cents a sq' with the guarantee that we can complete it in 3 nights. The garage was just over 200,000 square feet. We lost the bid to a company that charge 2 cents a square including sweeping in there. To me that's a waste of time and I know this company couldn't compete with mine but there happy clearing $400 or so a day for themselves then they forget uncle Sam see's this and then there taxed on the income... Those guys are out there and then they disappear themselves swallows up by there mistakes. So hello Jim Gamble. How do you work around Standard parking and companies like that? I'm slowly figuring that out but I'll still ask for info from the ones I consider the experts in the field such as Jim with parking garages. I learn my wood restoration from the experts there as well such as Beth/Rod,Jim foley,Everett Abrams, Rick Petry etc. There is no specific order in there but those guys on the east coast were gold in my pocket. Keep your mind open and don't ever think you know it all because there is people out there that are truly experts. Gotta love this industry when we connect... I know I do:wink:

I hear ya Marko. I don't go to that extreme because I have worked with other contractors(I may be doing that again soon) and we share many idea's. Some of us took the same classes together. I believe in people networking and teaching others to help raise the standards but like you I wouldn't give up my operation. The thing today is so many people network so the lone guy out there is fighting an uphill battle no matter how you slice it. It's just the way the times are. Darn by me there going to start video taping areas 24-7. I don't like half the stuff going on but the other half is essential in today's society and networking and teaching is the way of the future. Also with all the info thats out now the bar has been raised already... Example to that is when I first started in 96. Actually I power washed a little a few yrs earlier before I started my business in 96. I use to blast everything with PSI and never any chemicals cause I didn't know about them. A couple of yrs later I learned a little about chems from the net. Then I went to Roundtables, Conventions etc and learned some more and then networked and also went to classes. Just another way to look at things.

Your a better man then I Jason. I would run from that project if I was the one doing the work. Elaborate swing sets are one thing but the whole darn playground---cya. Good luck.

That is so tragic my heart goes out to Mark and his family. My deepest condolences. Nothing can replace a child lost. If there's something you think we can do Carlos let us know.

There's always someone who's to smart for there own good:cool: Answer is I'm not teaching squat but I'm OK giving out info on the net and also helping out some local guys with things but I'm getting request to bring guys to a parking garage when we do them.. Thats where I draw the line. I might video a garage and show it on the net because I don't worry about competition but these r good paying jobs and I really would not want to teach a guy how we do it while he is at my customers garage. Also bigger then that is every time we do them there are time constraints and it wouldn't be fair to the guy or myself to not give him the time needed because we go non stop in them and everything has to work or be fixed ASAP so on those type jobs it's in and out with very little interruptions.

I have this problem going on and once again I think it will heal on it's own. I told my Dad about it at his B-day we celebrated this past weekend along with my Mom's b-day. There B-days are a day apart which makes my Dad 364 days older then my Mother. I told my Dad this little problem I've been having for almost a month and he told me to stop acting like my mother and go to the Docs. So I went today and this is the same Doc that I dealt with when I ripped my Knee last year on a parking garage and I didn't see him until we completed--that one became a medical emergency. Then a month before x-mas this past year I blew off this head pain which became an Eye Rash and this Doc wasn't happy when he told me I had the Shingles and I waited to long for meds to help that.. I got lucky with that one. I hate to make Doc appts because I'm always doing something and I can't make them so I go to walk in Centers which is what I did today. I get the same Doc and we go thru the same routine again. He wants me to promise him I'll stop waiting for the last second with this type stuff.. He was pissed at me. He made an appt for me tomorrow with a specialist. He does treat me well by getting me fast appts but then again I wait to the very end so I guess they have to get me a fast appt then.. I have to try to change my thinking with medical issues. I never really get sick, I always feel like I can conquer whatever it is I deal with everyday. Another words I pretty much feel pretty good almost everyday. But maybe I don't feel as good as I think. My doc told me that the high tolerance of pain I have is going to cost me one of these days and what I'm dealing with now there is no infection so it most likely is something else. Tomorrow hopefully won't be to bad.. and I made a promise to my wife who was also pissed and my kids today I will no longer do this again. So listen to what your body says and don't take things for granted because you just never know. Keep your fingers crossed and hopefully I get good news tomorrow. Oh yea listen to your body,your love ones and the Doctors and don't be a fool and blow things off like I have done again.

Hey Adam thats the mindset I always had. I have excellent health insurance from my last job but unlike my wife and girls I don't have my own doctor except for the sleep disorder I had for yrs working night shift mostly for 29yrs. That Doc I had to have but everything else my attitude is if it ain't broke then don't fix it.. my mother has a similar attitude and she still smokes, refuses to quit and hardly ever gets sick. She's just turned 75 and never had a colonoscopy. Buuuuuuttt... I'm running into things that could have possibly been less severe if I went to a "walk in center" quicker. I have to start changing my thinking a bit when it comes to my health. This one here shouldn't be as severe as the last 2 things I had but it's still yet to be determined. I never knew it was much of anything because there is no pain here but it could be something if I don't take care of it which is what I'm doing now. Still I won't take pills I don't need, I won't go on diets when nothing says I have to(such as cholesterol problems because I don't have any) and I'll keep enjoying life and not "stressing" over any of it but I will get checked more often when something just doesn't feel right and it refuses to go away. Some things you can't will away and if I could and you knew me... I would.

My Brother in-law is helping some real pro's with another Charity event where this one is for Breast Cancer Foundation on Nov. 9th. So Far I'm one up on him in the last few months where I helped with Children with Autism Charity and of course My brother In law's Lou Gehrig Fundraiser. But he's really the one that makes these things work. I'm asking some people I know to see if they want to go. These range from Celebs for different type reasons all the way to some politicians. Linda Ruth Tosetti and her Husband Andy were already given free Guest passes and are attending. I'm reviewing the file my brother in-law sent me and when I can make this public I will which should be soon. There's a bunch of people signed on already but there are some very well known Celebs that are saying they may go and in that list is Susan Sarandon, Robert DeNiro, Alec Baldwin amongst others.. Either way This is fun stuff because we all have a good time and most importantly a large chunck of the money goes to the Charity of choice such as this Breast Cancer Foundation. Check out the club. Its like that song in the Jeffersons show back in the 70's "Moving on up"(Sadly Sherman Hemsley the star of that show just passed away). If I can get some Industry shots for some org's I'll give it my best shot. The PWNA matched my donation to the Lou Gehrig Fundraiser back in April. Lets see what Industry group I can get next to donate while seeing if the PWNA want's to do it again. 404NYC : Event Space

Just found out the Venue has changed because there's a larger response of people now coming and this place as nice as it is cannot hold the amount of people coming. I'll post the new place and all the charity info as soon as it's complete which should be in about a week. This Charity is going to bring in a ton for Breast Cancer research.

Sorry I Didn't read your wife's dissertation but your talking about a guy who went to a 2 yr college and 4 yrs later I was nearly unbeatable in Pool,Fooseball,space invaders and never lost a game in table hockey(Debating on joining a table hockey league) oh yea and I still need 6 credits for my associates. I did vote for your wife though of course. I'll vote again now because I am on my laptop instead of my I-pad which I voted on earlier. If I remember I'll vote from my droid phone tomorrow. Norfolk was a wild town when I was there but the best fun for us Navy Guys was VA beach and I heard that's changed a ton as well. Glad I served and got that out of my system back then:excitement:

Done. Real cool your wife goes to ODU. Great school that also had some good frat parties in the early 80's when I was right down the road from there stationed in Norfolk VA Navy base. Nancy Lieberman was a legendary female basketball player in my area and she just graduated ODU a couple of yrs earlier when I was in Norfolk in 82. She was still then the talk of the town in that area...Good memories

My wife Kathy who is the new majority owner of Clean County Powerwashing - Serving Long Island - NY - NJ - PA - CT is once again coming to the PWNA convention with me. She enjoys these as much as I do and we both learn alot and meet many friends there to network with. Has anyone else here decided if there going to bring there spouse or significant other to the PWNA 20th anniversary convention? If so look me up. It's always a pleasure to meet likewise individuals and companies who share in the belief that industry organizations are good for them and their businesses. Go to The PWNA - The Power Washers of North America for any info needed for the Convention in October.

I just signed up to go to the PWNA 20th anniversary Convention. I signed up August 9th the day before there early bird savings of $75 was set to expire. They also have a $50 early bird special that expires I believe at the end of August. On top of there very reasonable convention price there including $99 towards any of the certification classwork. So for example I'm going to the environmental certification class which will be paid for with the generous gift of $99 towards it from the PWNA and all I have to pay is $50 if I want to take the certification class. The PWNA has seasoned veterans teaching these courses and there true, tried and tested in the field which makes them a benefit to your business by marketing your certification and more importantly by giving you some more knowledge in your selected field. Go to The PWNA - The Power Washers of North America for more details. I hope to see some of you guys and gals there:)

This was one of the most thought out and generous give backs I seen in this industry. I want to say thankyou David for serving our country all those years and any questions always feel free to hit me up with them. To John & Shelley Allison, thankyou for your service during one of our most dangerous times in our lifetimes which was the Vietnam war. To go from there and end up where you guys are today and to really do something as generous as your "Washin for Warriors" campaign it was exciting being a part of that and to also hear how excited David is on how this whole thing worked out. It was an honorable thing you two have done with this and as I grow older and hopefully wiser the more I really enjoy projects that give back to people who might have been burden with things beyond there control. It could be anyone of us at any given time. For letting me share in this experience I am forever thankful.

Tell us who you are first. Fill out your signature. I can recommend a true expert in your area that can do anything to that Deck or advise you on what to do. His customers are very high end. So who are you? As for Jake Clark his family is from the Flood line but Jake created his own stain product. You can contact him direct but if you want anymore info from us fill out your signature and what it is you do. Where here to help.