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GymRat

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Posts posted by GymRat

  1. Posted · Report reply

    John, I don't think anyone would feel pressured to use your service just based upon a promotional item, but they will remember getting a gift from your company. You may shoot yourself in the foot with your philosophy. Think about this statistic and you'll know why I love 'fridge magnets.

    The average American household opens their refrigerator 22 times per day.

    As far as bartering services.. Its not for everyone. If you know your work scope and negotiate up front both parties can come out winners. If a company wants $600 to letter your rig and their building, sidewalk and windows need to be cleaned, you can complete the job with $30 worth of chemicals and 3 hours of your time. I'd say that is totally win/win.

    I hear you Ken,but I would rather collect the $600 and hire someone else to do the lettering. I have found from past practice, if you are not completely satisfied with the work performed, and you voice your concern on the quatlity of the work you recieved, they will find something wrong with the work you performed for them and you can get into a P****** match with the company you barterd with. This could become a Lose Lose for both companys.

    I agree with you Ken, that bartering can be a win win for both parties, but its just not for me, same as giving gift more than a ink pen or a magnet as you spoke of.

  2. Posted · Report reply

    Bartering services is something I normally don't like to do, even if it is a close friend. Someone always seems to get the short end of the stick, or there is miscommunication on when or how much the pay back is. I'm also not very much on giving promotional items to potential customers. I want to get business because of my track record and word of mouth referrals, not because I make a potential customer feel they need to use my services because I gave them something for free.

    Just my .02 worth.

  3. Posted · Report reply

    Ken you got the job! I agree, sometimes I do stop back by the customers house I completed earlier in the week, but only if I happen to be in the neighborhood. We should contact the customer for feedback, good or bad so we can keep improving and give the customer a chance to grade us on our service. A good follow up shows the customer you care, and today that is a step above most contractors.

  5. Posted · Report reply

    Have had a lot more requests lately to clean the gray from pressure treated decks. I don't have the time to stain these decks, and one of the reasons I don't have time, is the homeowners in this area are not willing to pay very well for staining services. I like the way percarbonate cleaners leave the wood a natural color vs the white color bleach leaves these decks. It wouldn't matter as much if I was doing a complete job, but I'm just cleaning and neutralizing .

    I was by my chemical distributer last week and asked about sodium percarbonate availability, and they sold me a 50# bag for $55.00. My question is will straight sodium percarbonate do as good of a job cleaning decks as the mystery mixes venders are selling, or should I add anything to my mix? I am very fortunate to have a chemical supplier within 10 minutes from my house and they can get me most anything I need in bulk, where I don't have to pay for the fancy packaging. Thanks for your help in advance.icon14.gif

  9. Posted · Report reply

    I normally mix 1 gallon of citracleen to 4 gallons of 12% and some foamer for downstreaming. Will TSP juice up this mix for better cleaning on real bad houses, and if so, what is the reccomended amount to add to my mix without possible harm to windows or siding?

    Just wanted to repost my question from an earlier. Any answers would be greatly appreciated, I'm always trying to improve my methods.

  11. Posted · Report reply

    Yep, but mine is different. soap/rinse nozzles in the left pocket, shooter tips in the right, if I need them.

    I recently made a nozzle holder, made out of a 5 inch round piece of plastic I cut from the bottom of a bucket and then drilled 6 holes around the perimiter and installed 1/2 inch rubber grommets. Drilled a hole in the middle and popped it over the plug on the bottom of my gun. It works great with all the nozzles at your finger tip. I do miss playing pocket pool!!

  14. Posted · Report reply

    My M-5 is what I have settled for all rinsing needs. It may be a little heavier in my pocket than other nozzles. but the M-5 is perfect for pre-wetting shrubs, and high and low rinsing with its adjustable fan capabilites.

    With a 0040 for high soaping, a 2540 for low soaping, and the m-5, I can tackle most any house wash. I will carry the turbo nozzle if the house has a real nasty foundation.

  22. Posted · Report reply

    I also have a helper most of the time, but when I don't, there is only one hose to pull, and one less cart in my trailer. It is also difficult in some yards to move a cart and keep it from rolling down a steep grade.

    I do not use a rollover type system, or a dual lance. I do have quick connects on the exit side of my guns and on all of my lances. A lot of times on one story houses and shorter 2 story houses, I just run straight from my gun with no lance attached. I have been using the m-5 for the last 2 years, but I love the ease and convenience of downstreaming with an injector. When you go to the grocery store just to pick up a loaf of bread, do you need a shopping cart? Get the point. It took me a while, but give her a try and see for yourself.

  24. Posted · Report reply

    With the right tip, I can shoot just as high, or higher, as you can with the Xjet. I don't worry about running out of mix, I keep mine in a 65 gallon tank on the trailer, and I know roughly what I'll use for each job, so it's a simple matter of making sure there's enough in the tank to get the job done!

    I can promise you that once you do away with the hand cart/drum/xjet setup and can just pull your hose off the reel and start spraying, you'll NEVER want to go back!

    I just did a house today that was VERY wooded...on one side, I had about 5' of clearance between heavy woods and the house...no way I would have been able to drag a handcart back there, and the house was quite long (about 60') on that side...very soft ground covered with decomposing leaves, limbs, bushes, etc. It was a pain in a neck as it was, just having to drag the pressure hose back there.

    Ditto, listen to Mike. I was also using the hand cart with 50' of hose and a 15 gallon drum with the m-5. Downstreaming with an injector is a ton less taxing on your body and saves time and uses less chemicals with the same results.

    Call Bob at Pressure Tek http://www.pressuretek.com/, and he will hook you up and have you on your way. Give it a try, it will cost you less than 50 bucks for an educated opinion, and another attack weapon for those nasty houses.icon10.gif

  25. Posted · Report reply

    I did my first downstreaming this past weekend, and have to agree, it is much easier and less taxing on the body not having to pull a cart around tangling the soap hose with the high pressure hose. The knot monster always seems to tie my two hoses up when I'm xjetting.

    I love only having to pull one hose and it only takes about 10 seconds for my line to clear (200').

    I was running a 4000psi/5.5 gpm machine and using the adams injector and it worked great. It does take a little longer to kill the real bad green stuff, but that is not a big deal. It only took me one bucket of detergent for a 2300 sq foot house with a detached garage and a shed, and of course that bucket stayed at the trailer.

    I want to work on trying some different nozzle sizes. I am using a 6540 for close range soaping, 0040 for long range soaping and my m-5 for all rinsing. So the m-5 still has its place, because it is great for adusting for short or long range rinsing and still has the power to get the green moss off of the foundation of houses. I need some advice on a good mid range soaping nozzle, I guess I will call Bob at Pressure Tek.

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