gutterdog

Wow.... Ken and Ron, you guys are looked up to by many. Ive taken much advice from Ken, and have it in play as the season is dying. Ive learned alot here, Lost my temper, Made some great friends, thrown jobs to other friends, the latest a cedar house wood restoration. Even if I felt comfortable doing the job,(I DONT). Too time consuming for me... Anyway... I dont understand what is going on? a friend called me up in Tennesee. First word out his mouth is about the negative stuff going on? And now big shots like you guys??? I know I'm putting my nose where it dont belong. I'm still a newbie kinda. Never been to a get together yet. Cant wait to meet n shake the hands of the ones that have helped my lil company. My friends at envirospec and soap warehouse also. Lets all try to stay positive!

for one I wouldnt use caulk. Its water base. Silicone is better. Its oil base. Clear silicone is best. You can get it at lowes or home depot. Make sure you get silicone that is for gutters and flashing. What do you mean by joints? Seams? That is where you seamed in a section of gutter or mitre? You are prob going to have to remove all of the caulk youve applied. Push the silicone into the seam. If you get clear silicone you can also apply it to the outside of the seam. I dont really see in my head what your question is but I hope I helped.

I'd do a spot or section to show the realtor the difference. Then ask your price! My experience with realtors is they always go with the lowest price, not so much the quality. That is sad.

I'm still answering the phone. Tell the customer I'll get to them asap. The temperatures arent that good right now to do anything.

Some good information in this thread! This is a pic of a deck I soft washed with a mild stripper then oxalic acid. Then a seal. The teak furniture is next. Noone lived in this house for a few years. You shouldve seen it. Washed the house concrete pool brick chimney scrubbed the gutters n downspouts. everything!

Whats the big deal??? Put it here???

ask ask ask for referals!!!

Question Dan? How big was the home? It was obviously all done by hand. I charge extra for that. Do you set a ladder and see what is in the gutter before you give a price?

Lets be nice now Dan... I'm getting my regular prices for gutter cleaning, AND doing the low ball stuff too. 80% of the time I charge a lil more than 60, 'cause of this, 'cause of that. You shoulld go back and read what I said again. I dont know how your competition is, That is how it is 'round here. How big is the house you get 180 for cleaning the gutters? Round here that, if done off the ladder, and roof too steep to walk, and 40 foot ladder, price. I'm thinking I may have worded something wrong... I'd love to get your prices round here. That aint happening. What all do you include at that price? You keep "representing" whatever it is you are. I'll be out cleaning some gutters my friend.

I put an ad out. Gutter cleaning as low as 60 bucks. Trying something new. Havent had an ad in many months. Today, lol! A guy had gutter on all 4 sides of house and a garage the size of a house. Well that one I didnt do for 60 bucks (not much more). That just wouldnt be fair to me. Well that lowballing. WTF. This thread was how to generate leads. (I'm really doing the lowballing, cause I can... and to mess with a new company (lowballer) that been around a year. I lost customers to this guy last year till I matched him. Generate leads: One is quality. My neighborhood.... Tough customers! VERY tough!!! Always looking for something to get you to reduce the price or ask to do somethng extra for free. Get the most for your hard earn money. I dont blame them! ASK ASK ASK them to refer you, tell a friend! When you go to a house look for another quality job you can do for them! .... I'm stepping this up another notch. Let you know how that goes! REFERALS-WORD OF MOUTH, MAKE THEM LOYAL TO YOU.

Sold the teak furniture wash. They just want it washed and no seal. after wash there going to put it all in the garage for next year

I'm washing some teak wood shortly. All I know is ready seal, and thompsons. if the customer wants a seal or color seal. What is messmer? Whats better about it?

I push as an add on, wax. I only charge 30 bucks extra for it. From same company I mentioned before. Told to do a cap full in 5er. I do 2 cap fulls. Got a super punished roof I did today. Dwelling the chems on this one couple days. I'm still using the pump up sprayers n walkin the roofs. Takes forever compared to the guys in florida. 3 hours me and Jeff on the roof applying it. It was a big house tooo! Before 'n after pics be up here in couple days! In the roof washing section. Tom, 100 dollar house washings??? I don't know the market there. Competition must be fierce. Going through that right now with gutter cleanings this fall. work on customer LOYALTY. I got that and increasing it. Price isnt the only factor in gaining work. Treat each customer like they were your grandmother! Get it? Now what is the white chalky stuff????????

I started reading this thread, read some, then scrolled down to post a reply. I use sunbrite stuff. never a prob yet. the combination of butyl, sodium hydroxide, and sodium hypochlorite. Can you figure out what the white chalky stuff is? Its there before and after? Or just after? Or what? What is it? I don't understand, and I apologize. The homes are between 3-5 years old? Needing a washing already?

Yea us guys up north... Sucks for us for a few months. 2010 gonna be even better! survive another winter, survive another winter.

Today is a day To think about what you are thankfull for! Thank you Rob Huffman for steering me in the direction you did, Thank you Henry, Beth n Rod, Rick 2, Ryan in PA., Bobby in SC, My parents for raising me the way they did, The list goes on and on! Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

I bought one of those mini lap tops, or netbooks, Yesterday. Ive been doing everything by hand and feel, for the last 5 years. I bought it knowing I'll find a place for it, in the company. Out in the field. I thought this might make a good thread. I worded the title that way. What are other Ideas? Other uses of the internet on the road? GPS is one I understand, but I like the Tom Tom. Share your Ideas 'n thoughts. What you are doing, and plan to do with the internet on the road! Don't eat too much turkey!! Get all the work you can get(days shorter now). Happy Thanksgiving!

That sounds pretty cool! You really got it figured out! Got any pics??? I got the asus Eee pc. 6 cell batery, Microsoft xp. wireless mouse, 2 yr protection and virus stuff. came to round 500. Got the wireless radio thing from sprint, and up to 5 hrs a day for 60 a month.

I guess Im making a big mistake! Ive put a few thousand into company in past 2 months I couldve saved. Going with my gut on this one! Hope I'm right! I think its about momentum. Keep it going!

Yea It's me Gutterdog. Back again in the grime scene. Low pressure wood washin.I do it now too. I'll offer 2 prices from now on... Ohh buyin a trailer tomorow. The low pressure method tok longer.

Hey thanks Rick. I mixed the oxalic acid as per the side of can. I dwelled it almost 15 min. I thought it shouldve been brighter too. It was my first one washed this way. I still have the deck to do also. running around like a chicken with my head cut off right now. Working till dark. Raining today. So I'm going to get some more supplies in a lil bit. Can I dwell the oxalic acid longer than 20 min?

I cant believe I'm still washing houses this time of year either! I have more work than I can handle right now! I'm still adding more. I guess we are comming out of the recession!! I'lll have my trailer finished up and functional by spring!

Hey Rick. I dwelled with oxalic acid for just under 15 min, them 2 or 3 more min. might have made a diff??? It was getting dark. these new hours gettin dark at 5 suck. Still have the deck and some teak furniture to do. The concrete pool is half way done at this time. I'm runnin round trying to get other smaller jobs done and the customer is getting a lil I dunno. He not as happy as he was. He likes the house wash, gutter scrub, the brick work, etc. The premium quality is there. I gave him a 25 dolllar gift card to applebees cause of that. Gonna get the deck done tomorow. and hope I can finish the concrete around pool too. 4 hours on deck and 2 hours left on pool. I think?

You have to admit I WAS NOT welcomed all that much from you guys. Why I dont know, lol!!! Anyway I'm here to stay. Thanks for the congrats! I dont use spell check either!!!

Morehead city!!! Have I talked to you already??? I lived there 6 years!!! Wood is wood I think? I still cant believe I only used the white tip to clean the wood! I dwelled it longer, than suggested by one, because running back n mixing more for the pump up sprayers. The finger nail test was important too! I used it and it worked thanx!!!