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Adrian

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Posts posted by Adrian

  2. Posted · Report reply

    Thanks Beth- I have a shop wet dry vac that would probably handle the job and I may go that route. I use it for my auto accts. mid size 8 gallon I think......

    Thanks Scott, I have a surface cleaner as well,a 32" squeegee, and would most likely just redistribute the water outside of the house or just pour it in my tank when i'm through. I like the vac with the water outlet as well. Mine you just fill up and empty.

    Thanks for your input too, Don. But really didn't mean to imply "so much" work, abundance, meaning, more than my usual 2 or 3 jobs a week if that much.LOL! . Mule and cart.....caught with my pants down.....lol, you always crack me up !!!!

    As soon as I pay for my new kidney stones, I'll get a recovery unit and hot water.

    But until then...... the stones rule the finances. LOL !!!! (The Rolling Stones too!!!)

    I have all the gear that everyone suggested and can remove the water.

    Plus I will definately go that route if no one wants to gang up on this one with me.

    I came to the right place, great advice, ideas, and yuks.

  3. Posted · Report reply

    With much respect, I do not want to go around again about not having hot water.

    Alot of firms here in Atlanta don't have hot water units.

    I am just looking for someone to help with this project.

    Counting my blessings for the abundance of work lately. I need it. I will eventually get hot water and recovery. But for now, just looking for help on the project if I land it.

    Thanks

  4. Posted · Report reply

    Hi everyone, it's been a while & have been taking advantage of the peak season so haven't been on BBS much lately.

    I did a PW bid for a community developer in Marietta on Fri. for cleaning a 2 story and all of the flatwork.

    Brand new house, just completed. This firm could mean very steady business.

    He likes the bid I gave him for the flatwork and house and is going through the chain of command to get it approved.

    The one glich I am having is finding a sub to clean and recover the basement of this brand new home.

    I can't clean the basement! I don't have recovery system.

    PLEASE DON'T START BEATING UP ON ME ABOUT RECOVERY!!!!!!

    If anyone does recover in the Atlanta area and is interested in helping me land this one, it could mean alot more work down the road.

    I'm positive I am in the running with this firm and future business. I would just like to "go the extra mile" for this firm and cover all the bases.

    I should know around mid week if I have his business.

    The basement area covers around 3500-4000 sq.ft. approx.

    Please either email me or call or respond to this post. I will check back as often as possible.

    Thanks

    Adrian

  11. Posted · Report reply

    Man you guys are evil lol. you must think I'm an idiot after that! evil evil evil.

    But I should know better and learn the short names on the chemical table.

    But..... I do remember back in my younger days as an emt in Austin that I learned it would take approx 3 gal of DIHYDROGEN MONOXIDE for a human to drown from the inside out and it does not take place entirely in the lungs. Inadequate perfussion is the cause of death. 3 gallons everything swells on the inside due to saturation.

    good one guys!!!!!

    I don't think anyone has answered Kinnaman's question though........other than just using water.

    try some 12% sodium hypochlorite ( really strong bleach) on the bricks and flatwork Kinnaman, run it through your chem injector or downstreamer or xjet or mjet or pump spray it (whatever you normally use to make chems go airborne) on the surface and exterior. Cut it down a bit so you don't burn the foliage.

    As for pricing, forget the guy is your friend and charge by the square ft. or the job, whatever you feel comfortable with. I have been corrected in the fact that it is not very good etiquette to discuss pricing on the forum as prices vary geographically.

    This shouldn't be any different from any other flatwork or resi job that you normally do. If you are only going to be cleaning 1/2 a house price accordingly if there are multiple houses. if only 1 house each trip, bump it up a bit for the time involved.

    One advantage is that since they are new homes and have not been sold yet, at least you won't have the customers foot up your rump while you are there onsite.

  12. Posted · Report reply

    lmao flimmy about the dog. Sorry about the misfortune though. But I have learned something from you guys on this one........ to ask in advance if there are any other contractors onsite and decide if they will be in my way or not. Plus, like a (fool) nice guy I have always moved whatever is on the decks and patios as part of the inclusive price. From now on , there is a charge for moving items or the customer moves it themselves.

    I like Mr. Fife's fee of a dollar per item. Maybe my next customer will have a couple of cords of firewood. lol

    Live and learn.

  14. Posted · Report reply

    For the bachelor that refuses to die in me.........

    Eggo waffles ...... two of them......... toast them....... spread peanut butter and honey

    on them.... chase with a glass of chocolatey Ovaltine.

    It still tastes great in my 40's. I refuse to grow up.

  17. Posted · Report reply

    Hi Dave,

    I don't know about your area, but this worked out very well for me.

    I found a used surface cleaner (20" diameter) from a rental store that was reducing it's older inventory. Paid 75.00 for it and revamped all the hardware i.e. hoses. trigger handle and tips. Replacing the tips has made all the difference in the world for me and flatwork. At first the tips were setup for a 5gpm machine. I didn't have much faith in the unit, due to striping and overall poor effectiveness. I got some help from a fellow pressure washer (Philip Doolittle, of Power House) in my area ( and on this forum) that knows the math really well on tip sizes and gpm. (look him up, he's always happy to help)

    Now my surface cleaner just rips through dirty driveways and flat work, sometimes without using any chems at all, alot quicker than a wand. I only use the wand to rinse off the dirt that the surface cleaner lifted off of the flatwork. Plus since you have a hot water unit, that's half the battle in your favor. I am very pleased with the avenue I took to acquire my surface cleaner, as my budget was very small for new equipment purchases.

    My investment to date was less than 150.00 to get up and running with a surface cleaner. Some units cost as much as 1000.00 and up. Some people have told me that my surface cleaner, when sold brand new cost' 800.00, so I feel I went in the right direction with my purchase even though I had to revamp it a little. Plus I am so cheap with my money. But that's just me.

    Shop around, be patient, look for a used one, or a rental closeout deal.

    The most you may have to do is replace the tips to accomadate your machine's gpm. That is a very small investment. About 8.00 per tip, maybe even cheaper than that in Australia. This forum has what is called "the bargain basement" section for used gear for sale. Check it out and you might find one pretty cheap.

    Turbo nozzles are very effective if used in the right application like Craig said.

    They sure can do alot of damage though if not used properly, and end up costing more than the job is worth.

    Hope this helps with spawning new ideas for flatwork for you.

    Have a GREAT weekend.

    Adrian

  18. Posted · Report reply

    Yeah, welcome Bryan.

    These people are great on this site and full of info.

    You can pretty much find out how to do anything related to running your PW business from these guys. They are from all walks of life and have great ideas and solutions.

    And they won't even send you a bill in the mail for the info.

    Have a GREAT weekend!

    ( Hi Rod, Hi Beth, Hi Celeste, i'm still afloat and not bailing as much water lately....lol)

    Adrian

  19. Posted · Report reply

    2500 sq ft with a wand is a little bit of a job anyway you look at it, be it concrete or asphalt. It is hard to get an overall eveness with a wand verses a surface cleaner. That may be why you had to redo some of your work. Asphalt has alot of oil resins in the mix and when it is washed leaves a dark brown to near black haze with the same in the run off. Rinse , rinse , rinse!!!! If it dries with debris, it will most assuradly be visible, with different color tones of black and brown. You definately have the equipment specs to handle a job like that. But I would look into renting a surface cleaner ( or buying one)that matches your machines specs and you will see that the job you did with a wand will be finished about 5 times faster and more even. (i'm sure I will be corrected on this one)!!!!!.

    Just a suggestion....( if you are not into renting or buying a surface cleaner)...... pack that turbo nozzle away when doing asphalt. Use a 40 degree tip. It will create a more even flow result. That turbo nozzle can rip chunks out of asphalt if you hit a lip or there is existing divots in the asphalt . We don't even want to go there. Insurance.... repairs.... angry customers blah blah blah!!!!

    But to answer your question... I would not say that it is a lack of experience, we all should be learning more everyday in this line of work, and never stop learning. You are at the right place to learn about the ART of pressure washing. Flatwork, asphalt or concrete, just takes some time with a wand anyway you look at it. Do some research on surface cleaners. It's a whole other world. You will be amazed at how much time you will save.

    Just rent until you can afford to buy one, because some of the surface cleaners are pretty pricey.

    I hope this helps some. Good luck!!!

    Adrian

  20. Posted · Report reply

    I believe it has taken all day. He is holding the wand pretty far away to begin with.

    A surface cleaner would make short work of that driveway.

    Nothing like a swipe of the wand across the top of a foot...... oh the pain of exposed subdermal flesh.

    He probably didn't use any chems either or else the bottoms of his feet would be history!

  21. Posted · Report reply

    Hi Tropical Wave,

    What did you mean by defelted? Does that mean lifting off the fuzzies?

    How do you get rid of those fuzzies, by sanding?

    just curious as I had a deck this week that the landlord wanted cleaned only.

    It was 12 ft off of the ground and shifted when you walked on it and the wood was so weak that I had to be careful where I walked or my 180lbs would crack the wood slats.

    I tried to lean away from cleaning it all together because it seriously needed to be replaced (the entire deck), but the landlord insisted on cleaning it. The wood was so old it developed fuzzies after cleaning it. I could poke my finger through it if I tried.

    I feel sorry for the new tenants, and I hope the landlord at least does some repairs.

    The landlord was just looking for a good visual selling tool, which I gave them.

    The deck looked somewhat newer and definately brighter and more natural, but , talk about a weak structure. It really had me worried while I was up on it.

    Your restore job looks GREAT!!!!!

  22. Posted · Report reply

    I called John Just Now. The location is "Atlantic Station".

    800k asphalt. Brand new const. site cleanup.

    He wants it started TODAY.

    Location is at the new 17th st bridge.and I75S

    Atlantic Station is the new "city within a city" development project.

    Supposedly all parking area.

    VC Management is the firm's name I believe (very hard to understand John's accent).

    It's still up for grabs. He does not have a main contractor on board yet.

    Too big of a project for me to take the lead. lololol. But I am in as a sub if anyone lands it. Black asphalt, hmmmmmm, which might mean alot of oil residue and alot of recovery!

  24. Posted · Report reply

    I am printing out some of these responses and putting together a guideline of sorts for field maketing. Thanks for the good pointers from all and thanks for chiming in Scott.

    3 rules definately hit home and they will be on page uno!

    This should help alot and keep me from "getting Bucked off " so often.

    It's all starting to come together. A little refining here and there. A tweek here and there. There are tidbits from everyone's advice that has started to help and revamp the business plan and marketing plans.

    Closed on few deals today and leads were poping up around every corner.

    I won't say were I am at with the K-mart gig yet, I don't want to jinx the positive direction it is going (hint hint).

    Stephan Speilberg is not an explosives expert, alot of people think he is though.

    He just has the right group of people behind him!!!!

    Thanks for the help.

  25. Posted · Report reply

    Lance,

    I understand your point and am leaning towards those directions mentioned.

    I don't really consider myself a hack either. I am just doing what I can afford to do at this point in time.

    I do have one advantage in the yellow pages concerning a saturated market whatever the ad size is. Alot of people may not want to browse through the umpteen million P.W. firms in my area and ABC Pressure washing is the very first ad under that category. So at least I have that working for me. Plus I know the company name sounds very generic ( kinda like a road runner cartoon and ACME explosives) but the reason I chose that name is because it is my initials and as far as marketing goes it does put me in the top listing.

    I am willing to try anything I can afford at this point in time, and am doing whatever I can. Unfortunatley to some , I look like the hack or low baller that many speak of.

    But really i'm not. I'm just a guy trying to keep his biz afloat.

    I am starting to agree with what someone said on another post about the terminology tossing. We are who we are and that's all I am. But I will leave that one alone.

    I am just trying to do whatever it takes to survive in this industry and gain a reputable name.

    Thanks for the help, I will investigate the rates on mailers.

    Also am reading some marketing strategies as well.

    But as most would agree, it's the initial purchase that has to show some results before we sink more money into that plan and I can only afford to try one plan at a time.

    Have a great weekend

    Adrian

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