John T

Hey I always loved good debates/Discussions with Scott(Squirtgun) and many others. The ones I never liked are the ones who bash the heck out of ya and within a year there gone from the radar. I used to get hooked line and sinker with them and those are the ones that where draining...and really a waste of time. The good debates like Beth said are fun. I like them. The bashing and slamming that can come from them are a tough pill to swallow so that should be avoided. To many people get lost in there expressions with the written word which makes some debates tricky but if all heads stay above water and the Moderators do there job it can be done and be done effectively.

Hey Jarrod, I deal with exactly that kind of people on my "Other" job on an on going bases. Here's what alot of that comes down to. The self made rich are the ones who like so spend the money. There the happiest because they made there "Own" money and they like to spread it around..which means they tend to pay well and are not paranoid. (This is most of the time of course but not all the time because some of them are also a PITA.) The other type are what we call the "Blue Bloods" who's family had money in some cases way before they even came to this country. Another words they had money as far as where/your concerned...forever. There the tight fisted ones who tend to be paranoid. There frugal because they never "Earned" there money and they hoard what they have to stay rich. Some of these people can be extremely rich and yet never really worked a day in there life. They can be the snooty snobby ones. Not all because some are just as nice as anyone else but generally there the cheapest and the ones who tip the least. The ones I relate to the best and have a couple who I call friends are the ones who never even gone to college and may have dropped out of HS and yet there worth many Millions because there "Regular Joe's"that took risks and worked very hard to get where they got and they love it...and show it:)

congrats Jarrod. I moderated this board amongst a few other over the years and some of the best Moderators have stood out...I'm thinking that you can and will fall into one of those groups. Best of luck keeping the juices flowing. Its always nice having new blood taking the lead...Juts don't bleed to much or some will just suck it right out of ya...

Hey best of luck. Just get the passion back you had before the injury and you'll do better then before... Best of luck!!!!

You aint going no where...I'll cya somewhere on the bb's which are the information highway..except my car truck is faster then yours:)

Hey Carlos, I feel like I know you well with all of our chats over the years. Out of all the years I've been involved with the bb's you stand as one of the ones at the very top of that list as a guy who always was fair and listened and gave out some of the best advice that one could give. If there was a bulletin board Hall of Fame you would be an easy first year election. Best of luck in all that you do and if your ever in NY look me up...My door is always open to guys like yourself.

Hey that'll be cool to see a powerwashing commercial if you can post it here. I don't think I ever seen one in my neck of the woods...Good luck

Yellow Pages has worked for me residentially and more so Commercially. When I advertise in the local papers I just about never recieved any commercial work. Since I have alot of repeat customers because I've been doing this going on 12 yrs now I will continually keep over advertising in the yellow pages because for me it generates enough calls to keep me busy and make me enough money where I think its worth it. It depends on how long you've been in this business and what your area calls for and what type of calls your looking to get. This is what works best for me.

We can blab about unions all nite. On a more serious note-----My Guess as to why The Walmart RFP is what it is.. They are taking no more chances to get nailed by the EPA for letting any water anywhere poor down there storm water drains even thought it seems most of there fines are wrapped into when they where being constructed. I guess they tried to fool the EPA once in 01 then along came 04. The next one is going to be a bombshell of a fine so maybe with this knowledge us contractors can charge a few bucks more so we can be happy and they can be a little less concerned in getting that $20,000,000 plus fine or what ever it may be because generally the third time your out and also the third time tends to be the sample setter!! The Epa is upping the anti I bet all across the nation just looking to lay out some serious fines... Area Development Online

I didn't read the whole thread so I might have mispoke. My Union ruled but some others do as you say suck..

Then it will always be there problem.. I have a feeling there is more to this story as to why Wal Mart put all of this up for bid.. Its a long shot but I'm betting some lowballer with the zero degree nozzle was probably pushing the dirty water right down a storm Drain...Something must have happened to Wal Mart for them to now try to step it all up a bunch of notches...unless its all smoke and Mirrors...But remember they got nailed using illegal Aliens to clean some of there stores..

Can you spell UNION!! Unions Like I said somewhere else that they don't always work in the workplace but in some instances they do such as this. Totaly Garbage that the lady had to ask 4 months in advance and still get denied and then more or less get canned with there "insubordination" end all of end alls. As we get older we do lose a step on some young up and comings and because of this should the older people be put out on the curb?? Never..This is where I would be Union thru and thru...But like I said on another bb us being business owners no matter how nice we are to our employee's we/you should never ever want a Union to latch onto your company..and one of the ways to do this if you ever get big is to treat your employees fairly and never forget that as a business owner who has just about absolute power with your own company...well you know what they say"Absolute Power Corrupts" and that is why you saw the birth of unions back in the day.

If you dont have one already I would get a dual axle trailer..I carry so much that I ran into a problem that alot don't have to deal with if they plan accordingly. My 18 ft Enclosed trailer when full I'm carrying 9000lbs(Including the weight of the trailer) when the trailer is rated at 7000lbs. So because of this tomorrow my trailer place is removing those 3500lb axles and replacing them with 5000+ axles. And now I need all new wheels and tires..not a cheap move.

Also for all to keep in mind...you have to put in your proposal and it has to be in there hand by March 1st so time is running out fast. Keep that in mind whoever is interested.

Hey Alan, To get on there list for potential contractors we where all advised to contact them to get on there list. If you look at the RFP there is a Donna Mansell email there that you can contact her at and tell her you want to be put on the list..it may not be to late. If you have no interest then there is no point..Personally I think your a perfect candidate for this if the pay is high enough...the only problem your going to have is that you may have to quit your day job to handle a job of this magnitude..Which would be a similiar problem for me also. If you want some more info and your interested email me..I might be able to help you to get put on the list. If there is no more interest then don't bother with this because it is a huge thing that there asking.

Your a wee bit smart there Scotty...

I have a nice size($$$) box and I just found out my numbers. I need Da Bears to have 6 and the Colts to have 9. Not to shabby. Be nice to win $$$$ at this time of year... These are 3-digit boxes so there not cheap. So far the biggest boxes I heard of cost $100,000 a piece(Insanity) So who am I rooting for.....gox boxes. Do you have a box and what are your numbers???

Figures. The Final Score was Colts 29 and the Bears 17 If the Bears would have had one less point I would have won $5000. Oh well I'll do what I do best..Make money the old fashion way...by earning it.. Anyone know what the lottery is up to:)

I generally don't like to do this dragging a link from another bb but there is a good one I think on the Cleaner network---here's the link The Cleaner Network I posted a link to the GRE in that thread to show where the roundtables are being held at (Your welcome MR. Mystery man)

Shhhh get paid when your on the bb's...Did I say that.....

Diamond Jim--I hope you have a speedy recovery. The wood restoration work In Connecticut will be calling you when the summer breeze sets in from the LI sound saying "Jim Jim" Ok that'll be me yelling across the sound since I live near it and your a few miles North of it on the other side:)

Here's two jobs that I got from two guys that I met for the first time at Tom Vogel's roundtable. They are from Michael Ahr and Tom DeFrancesco who both have posted on this site. Thanks guys. http://forums.thegrimescene.com/flatwork-buildings/9469-another-building-job.html http://forums.thegrimescene.com/flatwork-buildings/8557-building-cleaning-acid-pricing.html

With Celeste's/Roger's and Everett's Roundtable coming up you never know what connections you can make..unless you get there!!

There are plenty of Industry related Organizations out there such as the PWNA,*****,WRAPI,IWCA,BOMA,IKECA etc, etc, etc. None of them is the topic here and please don't use any of the above as to what you see what some of the problems are. This is a true Virgin post that uses no other org's as examples. Answer as if this was the pontential to be the very first org. on record. Here are a couple of questions that I'm just wondering how others feel. 1-Do you believe in organizations in this industry or do you think Bulletin boards are enough? If your answer is no about orgs then stop here. 2-If you believe in Organizations what would you supposed would be a fair price to be a member? 3- Should there be different price structures for its members such as a distributer compared to a contractor? 4-Should the Org. be a non profit or profit org? 5-Should the org. allow all types of members such as contractors,Manufacturers and Distributers to have a chance to be the president? 6-Should the org. look to do certification classes that are tied into the org.? 7-Should the org. be an internet driven org. on top of the basic way org's are ran thru advertising, phone calls etc.? 8-Should the org. only be a state size org., Nation wide org. or shoot for the moon a world wide org. 9-Should the org. promote all other orgs that relate to this industry and NOT be selective as to who they want. Anotherwords be fair to all. 10-Should this Org. have a yearly convention or maybe a few smaller conventions during the year such as Roundtables be classified as mini conventions? 11-Should this org. be a super creative org on top of being just business, business and more business. Example maybe every other year or every third year the org. can put together a trip for its members to lets say Cancun where if they can get enough people involved there would be a tremendous group rate discount? (I like this idea...and I never heard this expressed anywhere). 12- Should the org. look to set aside funds to help some powerwashers in need or maybe build up a kitty to support some relief causes such as donating money to some charities that we all vote on. 13-Should this org. look to be a non profit org. where the BOD's can be paid for there services(plenty of non profit orgs have this) so this way we can shoot for grants and also make the Board of Director positions very competitive where many many members will want to run for these positions(Face it volunteering is a noble thing to do but to get an org. to move along at a lightning pace you want hungy people to be put in place to make this happen). 14-Do you want this org. to be the org. that wishes all other org.s to do well and to never point fingers as to whats wrong with some other orgs. Another words be the voice of the industry in always a positive manner(Ethics) and let other org's deal with there own problems but we can except them to be members of our org. which would be a non bias org. 15- Since there are so many other org's do we need anymore??

I use to down stream for years and had numerous injectors from different companies. Since I use a ton of chlorine/bleach I use to go thru quick connects hoses etc. even the injectors went bad with the little ball in it getting corroded out. Then of course I went to a ceramic set-up but I never got the mixes I was looking for. Maybe I cleaned alot more then most here because My hoses would corrode also with so much sodium hypochorite running thru them. Oh yea my wand quick connects to would wear down from downstreaming. What I probably do is use chemcals at a much stronger rate then alot do here. I put them on fast and rinse them off fast. I also do alot of Cedar houses where I need a strong mix of stripper to go on them and once again if I dont need my deckster to put on the stripper the next best thing is my x-jet because of the strength I can shoot the stripper up at 30 feet. So downstreaming doesn't work for me anymore because I go with stronger mixes to go faster. More dangerous doing it my way but its much faster and to me Time is a major factor. Except for the way I clean I guess you could say as Ken does its so 2004.