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Adrian

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Posts posted by Adrian

  6. Posted · Report reply

    A few more pics of completion.

    cleaned with zero degree tip and dual turbo nozzle at 4500 psi using muratic acid and lithium hypochlorite to strip. Applied stain with xjet wide open.

    I simply pushed all of the overspray into the lake. Hey... no one was looking. Rolled all the tarp up with bricks and sank them to he bottom of the lake as well. I kept all the fish that floated up and saved a bundle on lunch for me and my helper. Poured the left over stain out into the customers yard for fertilizer. Any comments? Just kidding guys , I did it all the eco and bio friendly way.

    post-1033-137772176852_thumb.jpg

    post-1033-137772176863_thumb.jpg

  10. Posted · Report reply

    My short term goal is to get to a point where I have enough commercial work to compliment my residential stuff that I don't have to sweat the bills month to month. That is starting to come together and hopefully will be accomplished by years end. I also continue to learn and refine my skills which is leading to more work. This board is a great resource.

    Since I also have started late, I'll be 50 this year, my longer term goal for five or six years out is to be able to hire people to do most of the work and I can run the biz. It would be great to involve my son and nephew more in this. I was a plant manager for 11 years prior to starting this business so I have some management skills. I would love to to be able to manage this thing, pay myself and employees well and be a PW force to be reckoned with in the south Atlanta area. Maybe have a business to leave my kids or still provide me some income when I reach 65.

    Doug,

    Check the Help Wanted job leads for ATL I posted yesterday and talk with Steve. Commercial and resi's.

  12. Posted · Report reply

    Most everyone on TGS knows that I have relocated my business to Texas.

    While I was in ATL I developed several sub contracting relationships with various contractors and it was very profitable for me in more ways than one.

    These contractors over the past 3 years have proven to be where most of my profits come from. Less advertising and steady work helps me stay small and profitable and managable. An obscure method most would think, but that was the plan all along. I want time for my family ( and helicopter).

    Steve's Painting needs a PW technician to fill my shoes as those who have tried since I left ATL, have failed miserably. I love my XJET and deckster.

    There is a reason I have been saying that all along. These tools of the trade are the single most important tools to have (IMHO) for Steves Painting as an account. He is a hassle free contractor if things are done the way they are discussed on this forum. I'm not talking "Blow and go "

    I'm talking "Done Right" according to most of the commandments of TGS!!!

    Steve's was responsible for over fourty sub jobs last summer alone for my firm. His firm is growing and lacks a PW Tech. that really knows resi's.

    (You know who you are if your cleaning 2.5's from the ground... nuff said)

    We had a process that worked. I knew PWing and he didn't!!! Simple as that. I cleaned the day before his crew comes in and then they paint the next day.

    Like I said, He's a painting firm and is not as knowledgable in the PW ind. as you are!!!!!

    He is also a member of this forum as well. SGRILLO is screen name.

    Resi's galore and much much deck work. He does the staining so all required on wood would be to strip and brighten or a deck wash. You work your own rates with him.

    It's a different year economically so adjust according as all understand my rates are not your rates.

    Give him a call or pm from TGS.770-231-9494.

    He always paid ontime and most cases same day along with steady work.

    I only post this because I know if someone from TGS contacts him they have some industry savvy. This account can have a very high LTV.

    Anyone who knows me from the ATL industry knows I studied hard and knew a contractor for just about everything and subbed my firm out to them. I hold my own pretty well!!! How I went down this particular avenue... I couldn't tell ya !!! It's just where the wave carried the board. But it is what it is..... As the great philosopher Doolittle once told me......So please don't make me look bad.

    This can be a good account with alot of $$ to be made.

    ILMXJ & Deckster

    I would really like to see one of you guys from Hellanta take this over and help Steve continue to grow.

    oh yeah... he gives bonus' and the tax documents are always on time.

    GOOD LUCK.

  14. Posted · Report reply

    Chaz quote :We all know PWing and Wood resto differs all through the country so I dont see how this could become some huge national business. I know you do good work for your customers, but do you feel like that contributes to the industry?

    But it is a huge national business with schools, and seminars and all kinds of industry events and education. It's a world wide industry that we are all contributing to in one way or another. Bad or good.

    Dental and medical, auto ind., mfg. construction, all also vary across the country, but that does not mean that they are not part of an industry with an "EXPECTED" reputation and skill to uphold. God bless the peace keepers for sure, but one crooked cop leaves a very bad impression for the next cop that comes around. Eggs may be cheap in the country, but does it make them any less of an egg. If you buy a dozen rotten eggs in the country or the city, it still smells awful and has no nutritional value whatsoever. Makes you never want to buy eggs from that source again and leaves a a bad lasting impression.

    I Love my Egg Jet

  15. Posted · Report reply

    Why does it urk you? He obviously not any type of competition and like I said is probably just doing his moms house and neighbors.

    Because he is leaving the customer somehow convinced that this is the image of the PW industry ( assuming by pics). I work my a$$ off to give this industry a good image, to cause the customer to rethink altogether the entire concept of this industry compared to their last PW experience. It suports my rates and sales program. It's not competition as the way I view it. The guy clearly hasn't " done his homework". This to me doesn't even qualify as lowballer grade. Or maybe that's just the way they do things in the D.C. ( example of how it makes the industry look and how it is viewed by the customer) OR I am simply just too caffinated and was assuming that this was actually a legit business. But if that's the best he has to offer in pics for his service then he should take some better ones, because I wouldn't hire him.

    ILMXJ

  16. Posted · Report reply

    He needs to research on this site and see the 1000 reasons listed as to why not to do it this way. Maybe he should drop all of his other services and simply offer trash clean up service. all of his pics tell such a sad story.

    Someone tell me when the PW industry went back to using the wand on driveways, because I didn't get the memo. This guy is definately not acheiving 100.00 per hour like this. This type of service urks me to death.

    I LOVE MY SURFACE CLEANERS!!!

    ILMXJ

  17. Posted · Report reply

    Last week was pretty incredible. I closed on everything I touched. Excellent week!!! Deckwork fencework, Resi's , driveways, walk ups galore. Code enforcement leads. It was awesome. Doing jobs by slippingin between thunder cells that would float a canoe.Yesterday was a pretty great day as well. 2 closers and a last minute resi side and drive, but I could feel the tables turning.

    TODAY THE GODS MUST HAVE GAS!!!!!!

    cause I got PPPHHHTTT

    closed only 1 so far and got dropped like a hot coal on a nice one on golf course alley. I even promised him I wouldn't take any breaks to practice my putting.

    I hate my xjet

    I hate my Deckster

    I hate my rig

    .............. unless of course I am using them.

    .... someone hit me in the face with some sales positivity one liners.

    ......other uses for high pressure hose.......

    .........noose over tree limb.......

    other uses for xjet..........

    .........to clean the area between your ears......brain surgery

    oh well the day is still young

  18. Posted · Report reply

    I did that with 18 inches of my hair about 10 years ago for the kids with cancer program in Austin. It felt great to help out. Yes I had that much hair and looked like Tommy Chong. But the reward of it was immeasurable.

    I actually looked human afterwards. I know some lucky little kid got a head full of hair that had so much mileage and history to it, it should have been framed in any other case.

    you have an awesome child Celeste.

    ILMXJ

  19. Posted · Report reply

    geo and demographics are going to cause the rates to vary.

    there are different stages of the process that some charge individually for and some blanket the entire service with one charge. The more deck and fence work you have under your belt with different wood will be easier to rate in the future. Start with your own or a friends and practice. Sq. Ft. and linear ft. rates can be applied at the same time ...... or not........ your call. Main thing is to get all of your dimensions. Measure twice if needed. Be accurate. Be firm with your rates. the lower end customers will try to bring your rate down, the higher end customers will actually wonder why your rates are low and won't go with your services..... they actually expect to pay more. If it is too low, they will question your quality. Shane and Ken F are the kings in this area of topic, but feel free to contact me if you want to discuss in greater detail.

  20. Posted · Report reply

    Jamie, I have used that setup before as well. 15 gal bungeed to a two wheeler with a very small hose reel attached to the top of the two wheeler.

    The 15 is very cumbersome and heavy to roll around. Only used this setup to kill a 60 town home project. It worked great. My mix would cover 3 of the townhomes in one sitting. For resi's I use a 6 gal container and adjust he mix. It works great. Curious now though..... Does it really take a 15 gal drum to do 1 house wash. If so, that seems like too much mix for a resi unless you are weakening the mix. I have found a happy medium with my cart setup. I love it. It is the best setup so far. I don't use a wand for resi's, just the xjet attached to a gun with trigger. Roll the cart and shoot from the hip. NEVER had a problem reaching the heights either.

    yes folks.......

    ILMXJ

  22. Posted · Report reply

    Nice job. No one loves their xjet more than me. I have only one concern about any spillage. It would be in direct contact with your skin, (seaping through your clothes of course). Is this a " surefire" setup that will not pose concern that would cause a person to lose focus on the job at hand by running to rinse the backside of the body? The fact that you are using proportioners says that the chem in the tank would be at a higher strength.

    I have heard of people trying this method and getting seriously burned from chem spillage.

    I like it though. Have always loved the idea. Just haven't seen one that has had great success without injury. Even some on this site have mentioned this style of xjet application and regreted it.

    Have you had any issues with chems on your skin yet.

    Again, I love the setup, just hate,hypochlorite, hydroxide, oxalic, burns.

    I bet this turns into a great thread. If this works out for you, manufacturing the product might be in your future as an extention of your business.

    Good luck and keep us posted on it's reliability.

    ILMXJ

  24. Posted · Report reply

    I did a job last year that was referred to me from Jim Crossley for a millionaire rancher. He had a (literally) 5 million dollar home at 15 thousand sq. ft. At the end of the project the owner came up to me after I loaded up the the lil 4cylynder for the 90 mile ride home and asked me to share a sit down with him on his tailgate. This guy had watched me work thoughout the course of the project and stayed way out of my work zone. Never talked to me or interferred with the progress. Made me a little nervous considering this place looked like a 5 star resort. But nonetheless waited until i was through. We shared a drink and talked a few moments about self employment. The ins and outs, yadda. The whole time this guy is commanding my respect because you could just tell he was self made.

    All and all some advice he told me was that it is all just math big or small.

    As it was approaching dusk he just pointed across his 400 plus acres to the sunset and said " this is what it's all about anyways". It truely was a great day for both of us. I knew this guy was genuine. Not "old $$$".

    There is a BIG difference between the 2 types of $$$.

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