Mathew Johnson

We also use the 3M defelting pads when needed. I use the osborne brushed in decks in real bad shape, nails - splinters and such. The work great. We did use them on the large redwood two-tone project. We finally finished it up last week. The homeowner tipped us $500 The first three photos are "project in progress" pics. I have to swing by and take "after" pics.

We use the makita also with the osbourne brushed / defelting pad. The other tool we use is a vairable speed grinder from harbor freight similar to the makita. It is their version of the makita.... They are 39.95 each, here is a tip. We purchase the extended warranty from Harbor freight (I think it is 3 years for 10 bucks, when we wear it out, we toss it on the shelf and make a trip to HF twice a year to get replacements. We bought 3 of them 2 years ago.

This time of year we take a $50 deposit to get them is the scheduling rotation for house washed and deck restoration projects. On decks we get about 6o percent of the labor at completion of the stripping and neutralizing component and the balance plus the cost of the stain at project completion

Here is an add that KBK Did for me. The roof in the pictures was done with apple cider. This add will come out in the clipper next week or two

I got a ridiculously high return on the April "Clipper Add". It was a 1/2 page add. We got 88 calls with a really high close rate. I wouldn't do another mailing right now, but my package is a total of four mailings over the season - 1 1/2 page add followed by 3 1/4 page adds. Some of the best marketing dollars I have spent in a while. I spend 10 percent of the gross on marketing and the return on this add is well below that Matt

we specifically use the word "detergents" in the contracts and communication. we also use the word bioremedation with communication. Our contracts also have a check box the "pretreat vegetation prior to washing" What does this mean? we water the plants before soap application

We use QB Pro as well and Use the interface for our ACT Database. It autmatically transfers client data between the two.

I have bought here just two days ago... great deals, good prices.... I have a 32 foot and a 24 foot coress, they are great

In most cases, sealer works better than round up to kill vegetation

Al, Act is cross linked with my Quickbooks and my calender in Outlook, in turn Act also is on my Palm treo 755 verizon phone, When we are out of the office, the phones are forwarded to the palm phone and I can manage my customers and scheduling with outlook calender from the road. The phone syncs with outlook's calender Call me sometime and I will share the specifics with you. Matt

Here is a sheet that I have my sales manager use for quotes. It prompts his memory to check for important stuff. We also have it as a template in our ACT customer Database... When we take the call, it prints out with all of the customer info / phone numbers and what we need to quote. It works great. Quote Worksheet.DOC

LMAO Thats funny

Agreed...... I have taken care of folks that suffered heat stroke. It isn't a pretty picture... I have written another course for Contractor Education Services that Jack Kramer and myself operate. In my first life I worked as a Paramedic for 15 years and taught EMT's and Paramedics for the Department of Health: Bureo of Emergency Medical Services. The course will is called Emergency First aid for the Power Washer; Repairing the Operator, Not the machine. It covers all of Heat and cold Emergenies, Chemical Injuries (eye, skin and ingestion), Water Jet injuries and basic immediate first aid for burns, cuts and falls, plus a little more. I have also put together a list to put a basic first aid items list together that will allow contractors to put together a first aid kit for less than 25 dollars. The final part of the class deals with PPE. I will post more as I get it polished. I am waiting to see if the American Heart Association will allow me to add CPR to the class. I am an instructor for CPR, I just need to find an Agency to issues cards.

I think Both units need pressure unloaders

I use both pressure and flow unloaders on different machines. Each have their pro's and con's Matt

thats funny.... but true

Bill Clintons aoutobiography

You have my vote... WHat is IWCA?

I see that there are contractors that are also vendors of wood restoration products. Has anyone lost a job to a homeowner because they bought these products? Also I see that one product line is cheaper than the other... Has anyone tried these. It is a great concept.... 2$ worth of Oxalic and 4$ worth of Sodium Hydroxide / percarbonate in 2 plastic containers. The down side would be getting sued when a homeowner inhales the oxalic or gets sodium hydroxide in thier eyes. http://www.deckrestorationplus.net/ is the link to one product line - Everette Abrams Line (I think) and http://www.restore-a-deck.com/index.html is a link to Ken Fenners Product line. Both sites look great, I am not sure if the first one is Everette Abrams, I am not sure if he can be a vender of this sort and hold a seat on the PWNA BOD.... Kudos to thier spirit of free enterprise.... as long as it doesn't cost me a deck Job LOL.

Congrats on a great year John. Did you sell your Box truck yet? I jusyt bought another SKID 8 GPM. You and Carlos should be commended on your support here. :wave: :wave: :wave:

Celeste, Don, Scott Tom, ***** and others. Here is a website that was started to help everyone promote thier events . It is also a resource for contractors to look to find upcoming events. You can list your event via an online form right on the website or email the information. You will also get your own web page or pages promoting your event with an online form for people to register and the data from the form wil be automatically and directly transferred to your own email address. Submit information at: www.grassrootsevents.org Email Information to: events@grassrootsevents.org Good Luck

I agree..... Get er done Scott!