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acidburn

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Posts posted by acidburn

  1. Posted · Report reply

    Although some ofyou guys may feel like the licensing is a pain, I WISH we had some kind of requirements here besides a $25 privilege license. New Home Depot with all of the sales has given birth to a rash of PW wannabees - they're making me crazy! I can't wait for the day when licensing is something to have in this industry.

    Celeste

    My sentiments exactly. Then it will be, at least, a LITTLE more difficult for the "wash today, disappear tomorrow" guys. They hurt business every summer, for about 2 or 3 months. I love to watch them though. We got a local supplier here who builds PW trailers, from simple to bells&whistles, and they will lease to just about anybody. So, most of the new guys we see popup have a brand new setup, along with a $400 pymt!, and by July/August they are gone, and used equipment back at the supplier for sale....LOL! But, it's a shame, because in their little time around, they do pricing damage that takes MONTHS to fix. And because of them every summer, we professionals can't standardize a decent huosewash price for upscale homes.

    I had a call just last week, in a very high end country club. I went out, looked at the house. IT was half flagstone with VERY heavy mold/mildew....i'm talking SHEETS of growth...on all the flagstone. The other half was a painted clapboard siding. Two story about 7000sqft, with lots of dormers and a VERY steep roof, lots of angles.....you get the pic, one of those "designer" homes. I walked around the house with the homeowner, talk to them in detail about what I will do and what they can expect, etc,etc. then gave my price. I could have knocked her over with a feather!!! She said my price was 3 TIMES what she paid last year. I was astonished, so I asked her to repeat that....she said 3 TIMES....i said no, repeat what you said AFTER that...."the guy who washed it last year". I pointed to the flagstone, asked her how long since the house was built (8 years), then I told her that it looks like that is how long it lokos like that mold/mildew has been growing there. WHY wasn't it cleaned off last year?? SHe said the guy told her that it couldn't be cleaned off after it had gotten that bad cause it had "stained" the flagstone.

    I explained that I didn't think it would be a problem to clean it. She looked appalled (obviously about the other guy....lol). Then she began asking me about scheduling. I told her we were pretty busy, and could probably get to it in about a week. She said that she had company coming the weekend and wanted it cleaned before then. I took a look at my schedule, and worked it out for her. She told me she had some errands to run around the time I told her we'd be there, and couldn't be there to pay me when we finished. (her errands were only going to take 2 hours)....I explained that we would be there AT LEAST half the day. Again she looked appalled! She said "the last guy" was in & out in less than 2 hours. Well, I don't usually talk about other contractors....no matter what kind of flukes they are.....to the homeowner, but at this point, I told her that it sounded like the last guy was one of those fly-by-night flukes, and I left it at that.

    We ended up spending over 8 hours there. She had onlookers who were neighbors, and she even invited her mom and cousin to watch (they both live in the same neighborhood). Needless to say, she was astounded and more than satisfied. We have a contract to clean it every six months, and have her mom's and cousins homes to do next week.

    Sorry for the long post, but I needed to share. Lately it has been rare that we get a job where our price is so much higher than the whack jobs that "cleaned" the house last year.

  2. Posted · Report reply

    Acidburn

    Could I get the contact info for the hats and shirts? I use Dickeys white tee's and go thru at least 20 a season. Course most are because the wife seems to think that they are disposable just because they won't come completely clean. So back down to the store I go for more shirts. WOMEN.....go figure.....:lol:

    Champion Embroidery & Screenprint

    1016 S. Cashua Dr.

    Florence, SC 29501

    843-667-9410

    Ask for Emory. Tell him Timmie @ Galloway's Pressure Washing recommended his shop.

  3. Posted · Report reply

    Projecting a professional image is priceless. I always tell potential customers that our crew will show up in company uniforms, which makes it easy for customers and neighbors to know exactly who it is walking around in the backyard. Especially nice when working in apartment or condo complexes, so their is no mistaking who is walking around.

    I pay $8 per shirt, and buy at least 50 per season, along with sweatshirts, hoodies, and hats. It's just a cost of doing business.

    My sentiments exactly. Not to mention, it's good advertising.

  5. Posted · Report reply

    I thought I would just throw my opinion out there. I think it would be great to have company printed work t-*****, but I can't believe the I'm the only one out there that goes through at least 20-25 t-shirts a year. Its just not practical in this business to pay the extra cost to have company logo'd work shirts. Now, to have some nice polos logo'd for giving estimates and proposals that sounds like a good investment.

    We get logo printed (screenprinted entire back and small front patch) T-Shirts for very reasonable prices. 12 @ $7.70 for bothsides, 12 @ $6.05 for 1-side only. A one-time setup fee of $18.00 per side (this is for first order only, addt'l orders do not incur this fee if design is the same). Now, at 36 pcs, the price drops dramatically.

    I have not priced embroidered t-shirts.

    Embroidered polos for just under $20, no setup for company name only,extra charge for logo setup.

    Embroidered hats: (price includes company name, no logos....same as polos above)

    1-5 pcs $12.90 ea

    6-11 pcs $9.90 ea

    12-23 pcs $7.75 ea

    and so on and so on, the more you oder, the cheaper they are.

    If anyone wants the company info, let me know.

  8. Posted · Report reply

    Phillip,

    EXACTLY!

    People,

    Freedom isn't easy, it is going to put up a fight. America, Land of the Free, but you got to fight for it. Freedom is such that a person may advocate at the top of his lungs that which you would spend a lifetime opposing at the top of yours. It is the right to not only fly your flag where you choose, but the right of your neighbor to burn that flag in protest if he desires. (FYI: I do not burn American Flags.) Freedom is the right to own property without a neighbor telling one how to use the property (kinda been snuffed out by HOA's though).

    You get the idea.....think about it people. Where do YOU put your foot down against gov't violating/removing your freedoms? Which freedoms do you enjoy, and would not want the gov't to infringe upon?

    READ the supreme court decision. It is VERY broad bearing. It will have severe negative consequences for years to come. THe biggest problem is leaving the decisions up to the local politicians. Has history taught us nothing? Politicians cannot be trusted to make good decisions, that is what the judicial system is for. The high court has, in effect, removed the checks and balances put into place by the constitution (the 3 branches of gov't) with this decision. They have made a broad and abscure ruling, and essentially thrown it back to the locals to deal with.

    Ok, got to go, I'll rant more later.

  13. Posted · Report reply

    Well, while everyone is pounding our legal system and our country's questionable morality, let me thump the Bible for a minute. If people practiced living the way God had intended, none of us would be having this conversation.....but we can't teach this in school? Go figure.

    Back off the pulpit :)

    Celeste

    AMEN!! Sister.

  20. Posted · Report reply

    Also, after looking, neither of those sites sell merchant services themselves, they have extensive advertising on there though (and I wouldn't doubt if they get "kickbacks"). But, it is very expensive to operate a website that gets millions of hits, therefore using loads of bandwidth.

    Also, if you will look, www.nopaypal.com doesn't even have the advertising for the merchant services (which is all over the other site), though they DO have an "alternatives" page linking to several different payment options.

  21. Posted · Report reply

    At one time, about a year ago, those 2 sites did not push the merchant services, but I don't know what their agenda is today. I, myself, had problems with Paypal awhile back.

    Here is the biggest problem, Paypal is performing banking services, is NOT a bank, and therefore is NOT subject to federal banking rules. True, millions of people use them with no problems, but what about the hundreds of thousands of people who have had their accounts "locked" by Paypal, many times without explanation.

    I did get my money back from them, but it took MANY months and a LAWYER.

    I'm not here to argue, but do the research, and you will find that Paypal has complaints against them in most major jurisdictions in this country, and is being investigated by several States' Attorney Generals.

    Again, just stating the facts and providing warning.

  24. Posted · Report reply

    I was thinking that price but with insh, workcomp, lic. fees if leaves no room for profit starting off.

    I have to look up the biz in orlando but it was based in ocoee, she had saturated metrowest and all back there on the lakes. I once did tyra banks vacation home a couple b-ball players. I think it was...... something clean or care. We did the p/w side but there was inside cleaning as well. I'll look into it for you "eads"

    What do you mean by "track" ron?

    You don't know the name of the company you worked for? NOW I am intrigued.....please continue.

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