gutterdog

My understanding is the wax makes a surface that is harder for the mildew to stick to? Also addressing the issue of adding wax to cleaning mix. Go to pep boys or wherever and see that car wash- wax is all in the same bottle? I'm sure it would be best if wax applied second and separate from the wash mix. Have to charge extra the customer might not want to pay to do it that way? Go around the house a second time applying wax.

Get the catalog!!!

Isnt that the same power house sunbrite has?

Pat I got to learn like all of you guys did. That is from experience. A saying 5+ years ago stands true today. You never get nothing right your first time. If you did you one lucky sob!

Someone I trust said ok to add with house wash? I was thinking different. I messed around today with the house wax on 2 vehicles of mine. Got the downstreamer out. added more wax than told. Used my common sense. Even though both were done differently, I'm impressed with the wax. Outcomes were different also but both better than before. Think I'll call my dad up!!!! See if i can use his cars for more testing before next house wash friday!

Why give something extra for free. Or loose the job because of a competitor priced it just washing the house and no scrub? I been washing houses for 4 years now and didnt know the difference till this year. I dont think the customer knows either. All we can do is explain the difference and cross our fingers. Or match the price of just the wash, make some money. And dont scrub the gutters. Just xjet or downstream them. Call it a day, get paid.

I seen the half round brush. Supply co out right now. That would have to be brushed from the ground. The way the brush is shaped. What I bought, the way the brush is shaped has to be from ground? I'm assuming these are back pack pump ups. Climbing ladder with sprayer and 12 foot brush. A job I estimated today had punished gutters. Needs a brush front and back. 3 stories in the back. Couldn't you use a shureflow setup to get the chems there? I'm really thinking next thing I'm buying... ...Since I sold my first commercial roof wash today! Been doing their gutters for 4 years now. The people on the committee I've also done work for. Little thing they didn't read is I want something up front. Find out tomorrow! If I get some up front money guess what I'm buying?? Figured OK to add here because roof washing an add on too.

It still takes me longer to wash houses. I've cut time in half. I dont know square footages though, to have an idea what you are talking about in size. I found something called x-777. It takes me 2-3 times as long to rinse till I'm happy and dont see soap bubbles, as it takes to get the mix up there. The x-777 stuff is supposed to reduce that time. Does it work? Another question. Ive never scrubbed gutters. (dont laugh) I bought everything I need yesterday. The 23 ft extension etc. I opend it up all the way and wonder how do you use it? It goes all over the place!!! Alot lighter than the 24ft telescoping wand I bought years ago! Its in the shed somewhere, lol!!! There are actually 2 of them. the first one i bought the tighteners or whatever went bad quick. bought another one and lost interest in using them.

+1 to the car wash.

I lived in the carolinas for 12 years. It's where I belong. I'm too nice here. Down there id be perfect. There may be some difference to customers up here and down there. Matter of fact I know there is. being nice up here is seen as a weakness. I'm learning to belong here. You dont have an underbidder there? Or do you scrub the gutters and all for free? Can you do the house in an hour? can you do it for 219? Down there things move slower. up here things change overnight. Franchises are going down. Watch out when a yankee moves down there. Might be me! I'd love to move back! I had 12 years in selling beer when i moved up here. I worked 4+ years up here sellin beer. I swore southern hospitality would win. It only made me work harder, up here. I still do it with gutterdogs. I'm changing that. If a customer can get over on you they will. Menu plan for me as soon as I can sell it! Every angle is played up here...Against you and every angle someone has one. It's confusing but it isnt.

Wow!!! You skip the gutters all together? And they call you back for more work? I gotta move down there! (Just messin')

Everyone has a point. I really think the options are the way to go. the e-mail job may just want or afford a basic wash. The next couple of houses I do, one thurs, and one fri, are getting a free wax. Why free??? Because I want to see the difference. Told them it was free too. Got an estimate tomorow in nice neighborhood. Been there before. Just gutter cleans I think, I may have washed a house in there? I'm going to try the menu options again. see if I can sell her the upgrades. 1 job was a word of mouth! 1 was a house I washed over 2 years ago!

I'm hoping he goes with the deluxe super deluxe wash!! He may go with just the basic wash. At the price I gave him for the basic wash I am competitive with the rest around here and I get the job. If he wants add ons I make more money and the customer made the decision. Havent heard from him yet. So we seee!!! Also having the add ons makes you look more established. Have options the competition doesnt. Plus If you have shinny ladders... lol!!!

This was the e-mail I sent him. He has bought the house and moving from another state. I sent the pics as an attachment to the e-mail. Hey M.., Here are the prices and options you can choose from. Basic house wash - (includes siding, windows, rakes, fascia board, outside of gutters and downspouts) Deluxe house wash options (these prices only if included with basic house wash) Brick chimney wash - Gutter and downspout cleaning of debri & respike - Concentrated spraying and hand scrubbing of outside of gutters and downspouts - Vinyl siding shine - Wash side walk in front - Basic deck wash - Water seal options Clear Thompsons 1 coat - Color Ready seal 1 coat - 2nd coat - Basic concrete wash around pool - Concrete brightener - M... there are some other things I noticed while there also. The wooden fence, etc. I took some pictures while I was there. The outside of the gutters will need a scrub. In the basic house wash, that price includes just the regular wash of the gutters along with the rest of the house. That black stuff on the outside of the gutters is asphault (oil) based. Hard to get to look brand new without a scrub more often than not.

Sorry Andy. When I come to the grime scene, I come very defensive now. You wouldnt be included in "yall". The thing there saying is add your ph# and website. They did it to me too when I first came here. My focus now, isnt here. Its SEO's and this new freakin credit card machine!!! The old one was so easy and simple. Its on to do for tomorow. Came back to say this. Andy if you want to make friends in here fast... Join the spelling police. You may have a knack for it since you got me on the "yall". Go against me. Do your best to find something wrong with everything I say. I wanted to experiment with aluminum cleaning. Only thing I had was ladders. of my own. You wouldnt believe how much crap I got on that. Befriending me, you make a friend. I'll go out infront and experiment. Tell you what I find out. I'm workin on a smaller scale trailer. No heat. All cold water. 4gpm, max 8 gpm. Set up for Roof washing, decks, houses. more. The quick way to make friends in here. Go against me. Whatever you can find wrong. my spelling, anythink, knock me. I gotta come back and brag! This should be a new thread. The trailer I'm workin on! I dont have the money yet, you guys got with your hot water units and all. This will be something.

pawn shops only have what homeowners sell most times. I checked them out before Lookin for stuff I need and ... well thats a needle in the hay stack.

Wow.. And yall got on me??? 'Bout everything!!!! LOL!!! Geeze

Heck you can wash that! LOL!! I just looked at the pics! Wash it like it was wood! Came back to say this. Wood... Not the same chems but the same attention to what you are doing! Send it to me if you dont want it.

I've never been scared of aluminum siding? need a weaker mix I reckon. weaker than we doin in here. I havent done aluminum siding in a while. How I used to do aluminum siding wasnt the right way... I upstreamed purple power. Think the yellow tip was used, and the ladder. It worked! I sold it and was happy with it! If I picked up another aluminum siding house I'd do it different. Havent done one one in years? Hope this helps.

For the first time, today, I emailed a cutomer a lot of options. I call this the basic wash for this for that, then offered options. See what happens.

Just got me a new catolog today! My 3750 psi 4 gpm is going to be doing a whole lot more! Its going to be on steroids!!!

That makes alot of sense. Its been suggested before also. THIS is what I'm going to do. The customer feels empowered by making his own decisions as to what he had done to his house. I now remember talking about this before:)!!! ooops! Offer a menu of options like at the car wash, I really remember this now! I have so many questions and things going on in here right now and my coffee cup is full and overflowing with information, Ideas etc. Thanks for taking the time John!

I'm going to offer 2 prices. one with a scrub and one with out.

Pat I'm not looking for the magical splash and dash formula. I already know that formula. There is a franchise out there doing that, and I'm BETTER! And getting better!!! He is out there. I'm better. My quality rocks and getting better on top of that. I have to charge extra for the extra work. That messing me up a little. We are both quality oriented. The customer may not know the diff but we do. Came back to add, I couldnt throw in for free the scrub on the back gutters or that one elbow. Maybe I shouldve??? Got me thinkin hard and its late. I dream about this. All the time. I'm consumed with this. And I'm happy!!! I know there is success and a fat salary at the end of this, one day. Been in business over 5 years now. 2 things to think about. house wax, buying tomorow. first guinee pig for free tomorow. no up charge. I wanna see the difference. The other thing to think about. Scrubbing gutters.

It was close to perfect Beth. REAL close. I wasnt happy with it. I know it could be perfect. It would have to cost more though. I got pics! I emailed them to the customer who happens to be a real estate agent. Who knew?? Here are a couple of pics I sent him. BTW the check he said is in the mail, and he revealed he was a real estate agent and would be sending more work my way. So what did I do wrong??? If I would have charged for the scrub of gutters and downspouts I prob wouldnt have gotten the job. Too expensive. I was open and honest with him... Did more than wash the house. Her 2 pics comparing the house I washed to the neighbors and they were the same before. It just wasnt good enough by my standards.