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Jim Gamble

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Posts posted by Jim Gamble

  1. Posted · Report reply

    Does Networking really help at 11:00 PM on a Saturday Night?

    Last night at around 8 pm, one of our specialty Kubota diesel machines fuel filter got clogged. So I called the local auto parts store for a replacement. They did not have the correct fuel filter canister. This performance fuel filter was just over 1/2 quart. This fuel filter was bigger than the oil filter. We tried everything we could think of. I new where to get the part on Monday, but this would not help me tonight. Tonight is when I need it. I was cleaning a time sensitive garage that needed to be finished by early Monday morning before 5 am. So I called all the parts stores... Nothing. Then I started to call my business contacts and they started to call their's.

    I get a call back at 10 pm. Jim, I found one, but you need to meet him at his house. The problem is it's just over an hour away from you and he will be going to bed at 11:00, so you got to hurry. As I am speeding at 80 mph in a 65 zone in a down pour, I was just thinking of the networking that went on to get this unique part. How all of my fellow business associates who have day jobs from 8 to 5 weekdays came together, some while having dining with their love ones, others while out on the town. They were all eager to help me, not asking for anything in return. Some using their influence to get the part that I needed tonight.

    Thats what networking is about !

    Jim Gamble

    Crystal Cleaning Company LLC

    Antioch, California 94509

    www.GarageCleaning.Net

    510-612-0437

    Parking Garage Cleaning Experts going the extra mile

  2. Posted · Report reply

    Congratulations on being published in, Parking Today, Jim.

    This article would provide garage owners and parking facilities management with some technical insight into the parking garage cleaning processes and equipment.

    Parking Today see page 24 in the event this link goes dead, see attached pdf copy of page.

    Thanks Nigel.

    This was our 5th article in the national spotlight for the last 15 months. We enjoy not only writing them, but also the ones that were written about us.

    If some on the BBS would like to be on our list for Approved Garage Cleaners in other states, Please call me. We do get garages that are out of our area and I will consider all who would like to be apart of this wonderful field.

  5. Posted · Report reply

    First... Make some money...

    As some know, a few weeks ago was the time to hit those Commercial and Industrial businesses to see where they are in terms of their budget .... to approach your clients for that extra bit of cash that they may have left in their budget. You see, most corporations may still have monies in their accounts that must be spent before the years out. These managers will have those monies deducted from their accounts for the next physical year if it is not spent, so they have to get rid of this overages before the years out. In other words, they don't spend it, they lose it. If they had 200 k in the account as of Dec 31st 2010, that money will not be carried over to 2011. They also may have the 200k deducted from their total allowance for the following year budget in 2011 since it is apparent that they did not need all of that extra cash in 2010.

    I have been on these boards for a few years now and I have yet to of seen anyone who works with commercial PM or Industrial clientele ( Including me) to mention this easy approach to make some real money. This has been a well kept secret for some contractors. Am I going to hear about this or be attacked on the BBS for this... oh ya, but my goal here is to help those who need it most. To put food on their tables by giving those in need real helpful information on how to make good money for the holidays.

    You will find that most Commercial and Industrial accounts, NOT ALL, will have as much as 200+K in their accounts to spend on a legit expense to clean, repair or improve their facilities by the middle of Dec 2010. This is not a hard sale to make, though it is a HIT and MISS situation. Cities, Counties and State Gov are usually in June since their budget starts on July 1st)

    When you do find someone who has excess amount in their budget and If you can prove that they need your service, you will find them more than willing to pay you a fair price as long as you can invoice them by the middle of Dec. ( Some deadlines are Dec 10- Dec 24). The bigger the facility, the earlier the deadline.

    Now here is the beauty of this, time is in your favor and they rarely go out to bid. They simply do not have the time to go through the bidding process. If your price appears to be fair, and you do not give them reason to distrust you, you will find that client signing an agreement and speeding your payment through ASAP.

    If you need more info, just call any pressure washing company that deals with multiple large commercial accounts on the BBS and I am sure they will guide you through this process. There is a correct way to do this, and I urge some members to help others who are less fortunate to achieve this goal.

  6. Posted · Report reply

    Larry,

    It is sad to see you go. You gave so much to the industry. I enjoyed our talks over the years. You may not remember, but I picked your brain about our first design of our Pressure Washing rig back in 2000. In 1988/89 I had a Delco D6300. GREAT machine. We have talked about that machine over the years. You are very knowledgeable and a great resource to the industry.

    The industry as a whole will miss you.

    Jim Gamble

    510-612-0437

  7. Posted · Report reply

    <object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvH3xY9m--c?fs=1&hl=en_US&hd=1&color1=0x5d1719&color2=0xcd311b"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvH3xY9m--c?fs=1&hl=en_US&hd=1&color1=0x5d1719&color2=0xcd311b" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>

    Testing to see if this will work

  10. Posted · Report reply

    So many times we have issues about a wire shorting out, or a battery going dead on the job.

    Clutter of wires, hoses on the deck of the trailer all getting weatherized.

    Here is one mans effort to make those problems a thing of the past....

    <object width="1280" height="745"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvH3xY9m--c?fs=1&hl=en_US&hd=1&color1=0x5d1719&color2=0xcd311b"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvH3xY9m--c?fs=1&hl=en_US&hd=1&color1=0x5d1719&color2=0xcd311b" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="1280" height="745"></embed></object>

  11. Posted · Report reply

    We have to bonded within the counties we work in to be able to get a contractors license for the towns and cities we work in. Sadly each city requires you to be licensed which amounts to about a $100 a pop (about $4K a year in licensing). By the time I pay my GL/Biz Auto policy, Workers comp and licensing fees I swear its July before I start to turn a profit....

    and they wonder why 9 out of 10 businesses fail each year

    Seems like more and more states are following California !

    Welcome to my world..... Welcome to California !!!

  12. Posted · Report reply

    Here in California, if you are applying product for example paint, stain and the work and materials is over $800...up from $500 a few years ago, then you need a permit. Been that way since I started back in 1989.

    Pressure washing, cleaning, is exempt because you are not washing the surface for the purpose of applying a product. You are cleaning.

    However in a residential market, I am not sure if this applies since we only do Industrial Pressure Washing.

  13. Posted · Report reply

    It did not happen in my back yard. It is at my yard, which is about 5 miles from home, where I store most of my equipment and my trailers. Not much, 5 trailers and four trucks are there. It just sickens me to know that someone took some of my stuff, but, we will suck it up and move on.

    As for fingerprints? Unless there is a loss of life, or assault, the police do not even darken the door to take finger prints. A phone report, and that is all they do around here.

    Sorry to hear that. I did misunderstood you about the yard.

    Maybe you should look into the cameras I talked about with the night vision. I have ours tide into the network so that we can see both of our warehouse's, one in N. Sacramento and the other we share in Vernalis 24/7.

    One thing about California, when I had a winch stolen, I requested finger prints and they did them because it was over $500. I guess there is allot that people say about California, however at least I got them to finger print the trailer and they caught the guy 2 months later.

    Again, Sorry to hear that this happened to you Scott.

    I know you and I have had our differences, but I do not like to hear about this happening to anyone.

    Hope they catch the guy before you do !

  14. Posted · Report reply

    Have the Police check for finger prints. Maybe you will get lucky and get a hit in their data base.

    Was the unit bolted down in anyway?

    You may have multiple claims for your insurance's.

    If you have Business Auto Insurance, and a clause for equipment, you should get all of your money back. If not, then depending if your insurance on you home covers product, you can get some there as well. If you take out a separate insurance on the equipment, it's not that expensive on a $4,000 dollar unit. Depending on which insurance you have, you should be fine. it is just a pain to go through it.

    Again,

    Check you Home (Since it happened in you back yard. Most Home owners insurance covers up to $1,000 to $5,000 of property), Business Auto should cover most of it, and if you got the optional equipment insurance, then you should be alright with 80% coverage or more.

    I would also suggest to get cameras. We have night vision cameras all throughout our outside of the home. Even though we live in a well to do neighborhood, we still have them. They are wireless and all my neighbors can tune into the cameras if we are away. They also record off site to a network. In our warehouse, we also have motion senors, heat sensors as well.

    The point here is you can never be to cautious when it comes to protecting your property and you livelihood.

  16. Posted · Report reply

    Though the Cat pump listed is designed to handle 3400 RPM's, which is what most engines run at, ( 3450 RPMS for the bigger ones ) there is one point that Russ makes in his thread, though maybe unclear.

    When a choice of a pump or any mechanical item has a higher RPM VS a Lower RPM....The lower one is preferred. Reason is less revolutions means less wear.

    Another thought when buying a pump is to see about the shaft. Some pumps are 24 mil. thick, while others are 30 mil and I thought I have seen them as thick as 35 mil. This is a good indication on the manufactures design for longevity. Our pumps are 30 mil thick. We have had our pumps last for over 15 years without a rebuild, however my sub has to rebuild his every couple of years until he replaces it. His pumps very from manufactures, but the one thing that is constant is the 24 mil shaft.

    http://www.pressurewashersdirect.com/manuals/catpump66dxmanual.pdf

  17. Posted · Report reply

    As far as the tank, the bigger trailer would be just over 65 minutes of reserve water. This would be an issue if you need to go to multiple small jobs without any issues about filling up and or if the water supply is of low volume and pressure. If water is ALWAYS going to be available for your line of pressure washing, then it does not make any difference.

    The one thing you should always consider is the axles.

    If you have to small of GVW of axles, then you can bow them and cause serious tire wear issues on your trailer.

    Another issue is if you come close to the max weight of the trailer, you hit a good size pot hole at 50+ mph, you could snap the wheel off, that is, crack / sever the axle right behind the wheel. I have seen it more than once. The trailer was at 92% capacity and the guy hit the pot hole and the wheel, still bolted to the hub with brake drum, broke away from the trailer, brake and all.

    The reason is a trailer is rated in a gentle downward motion, not a side impack. Also hitting something at 50+ mph has allot of impact force behind it.

    ALWAY check you GVW and the max weight to be installed on the trailer at any giving time. Weigh the water at just over 8.25 lbs for ever gallon of water. Get how much diesel, gasoline will be on the trailer. Find out the weight of the trailer from the manufacture.

    Add those things up.....

    Take 80% of the rated gross vehicle rate, take that number, subtract the weight of the trailer, equipment and the max capacity of all of the liquids. As long as you are under the GVW by 20%, you will have a trailer that will be good to you and will last a life time.

  18. Posted · Report reply

    Jim, this is why you have so many problems on the boards.

    From this perspective the poll appears to be an attempt to cast doubt on the abilities and validity of some of the people you have had problems with in the past.

    Is it me Jim? Are you pointing out the fact that I owned a dry cleaners, a documentation business, a car lot and a computer store before and maybe that means I don't have any business sense in this field?

    Or is it Scott? Do you want the date he first cleaned a garage so you can publish it to make him look like he has less of an ability to complete job than you do?

    Or maybe it's Russ. Maybe you want him to account for the missing years in his business AGAIN that he's already accounted for. How many times does he have to account for it before it is sufficient for you?

    Don't play innocent this time Jim. The mere fact that you made it a public poll so that everyone who answers the poll is listed as a permanent record bears witness to the intentions behind the poll.

    Time and experience are things you bring up to people on the phone to try to bring down anyone you've had problems with. How do I know? Because I have been on the other end of the phone conversation PERSONALLY.

    It's time to quit playing one-up games and either get with the program and offer information that your experience has taught you and quit spending your time thinking of ways to GET BACK at people who you think have wronged you. You won't listen on the phone. Will you listen on the open board? Please don't insult my intelligence by pleading innocent. You may fool plenty of guys who don't know you outside a phone conversation, but I'm not fooled.

    Have you been wronged in the past. I would say yes. But your actions after that almost justify what happened to you in the first place.

    It's time to start over. You can do that be committing to meet these guys face to fact this year and quit talking about how much money you have and use it to go to roundtables and meet guys.

    It was a simple poll. I thought it would be good to see who was in the Pressure Washing field from 2001 to 2010 working continuously. Once again the same few have read into something that is not there. If I wanted to pick on Scott, I would of made the poll from 1994 ish to present. If I wanted to pick on Russ, I would of made the poll from 2004 to present. Actually I was going to post up to the last fifteen years. But I did not want to exclude so many good people. It was a simple poll. Read into it whatever you feel, but it was just a general poll to see who was working contiguously from those years. I just did not think that making the poll every 4 years or so was such a big deal. We are going on 22 years, but I only made it to 20. I will take the sensitivity here under advisement and try to do better.

    I think those who did work during that time should be recognized and congratulated for their hard work. If you worked longer than that, they should be noted as well. But these times was the hardest for most. For Example:Your bus is a few years old. You are most likely investing in new equipment by then,maybe buying a home, having a family thinking you've made it and pow a full recession. Your accounts going bankrupt year after year, but you still have a business today and paying your bills the best way you can.

    Frankly, this sounds to me, as those who do not meet this poll statements, is having the most issues. Life is to short. No one is saying if you only worked 5 years or even 1 year that you have no experience or smarts. I respect you Tony. Shoot, I do not even know how long you have been in the pressure washing field. I think you told me but I forgot.

    Everybody relax. There is no attack here. No insults. Just wanting to recognize who are the ones that have started in 2001. I actually am curious who started in 1992 or earlier. About the time when I had to buy our filtration unit to meet Cal EPA requirements for discharge in the Parking Garage Cleaning Field. I would love to swap stories of that period in the pressure washing field.

    If these guys/ gals whom I have seen on these old past threads are still around on the boards, where are they now? If they are not retired or in another industry, then "What field are they in now", This was going to be my next question.

    Just Breathe.

  21. Posted · Report reply

    I thought there would be more people with multiple years of continuous full time experience. If I knew that was not the case, I would of changed the post to include others. My mistake.

    Thats why I only went to 2001. I figured those that are new to our industry would qualify in this time frame from the recent 9 years. Those who are old timers such as Ron, would also be included because they also was full time in those recent years as well.

  22. Posted · Report reply

    Jim, piece of advice.....when you start a poll make sure the ranges you allow for users to vote cover all the possible time gaps. Most likely you will find that with your poll constructed the way it is, many folks will not vote since there is no category for them to vote in.

    Beth

    I thought there would be more people with multiple years of continuous full time experience. If I knew that was not the case, I would of changed the post to include others. My mistake.

  24. Posted · Report reply

    Great post Jim. Jim is a role model for the industry, and I have learned more from this man alone that a dozen others. Those that take Jim up on his free offer for advice and leadership will agree. The naysayers and lowballers will never grasp the concepts of how a truly professional pressure washing company can enjoy 80% + booked schedules with a profit margin any business owner can appreciate.

    Quality sells, and justifies the prices I charge, which is exactly what has made Jim's business so successful and makes him an industry leader.

    I just landed 12 new shopping centers. Meeting with the owner today who is flying in from California. 1 center, just over 50,000 square foot of flatwork and about a dozen dumpster pads, will go 4 times a year, with 3 heavy traffic areas being done once every 30 days (approximately 10,000 square foot). $0.12 a square foot, plus $85.00 for each dumpster pad area.

    His current "contractor" is charging him 1/2 that, but does crap work, if he's even cleaning them at all. I did a demonstration in front of one of the stores (a bakery). The concrete was black, his current "contractor" claimed he used everything, including acid and couldn't get the concrete restored. I spent less than a half hour and the concrete looks like brand new.

    Thanks Jim.

    Sorry I was not able to get down there this week. Glad to hear you are doing well.

    Jim Gamble

    www.GarageCleaning.net

  25. Posted · Report reply

    How many professional pressure washers out there, on these boards, have at least 9+ years of continuous pressure washing service. That is, professional companies that serve residential or commercial pressure washing FULL TIME out in the field.

    Part timers, those who closed to try something else, then came back, I am sorry, but those stories is not for this thread. This is for those few who stuck it out, went out there to make it work full time. Struggled through thick and thin. Made those hard tuff choices. Made the right marketing choices to succeed in this recession. Who are you? Tell us your story.

    Here's ours....

    We are celebrating our 21st year full time in the field of Parking Garage Cleaning. We started in 1989 with 15k and broke even the first year and was living in a 525sq ft apartment. Back then, we got just under 2 cents a sq ft with no reclamation. Now we are at .24 cents with full reclamation and are booked 80% for the next several years.

    Note: To the guys who call for help in the Parking Garage Cleaning field, please call between 11am - 1pm or after 10 pm. Pacific Time 510-612-0437...Thanks

    Crystal Cleaning Company LLC

    www.GarageCleaning.Net

    Professional Parking Garage Cleaning Service

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