Celeste

See Post #163, 161, 158....or just go to post #126 :) Celeste

Kool Deck is actually a sprayed, hoppered or brush splattered cementious type coating I believe. It should NOT come off with careful cleaning. Celeste

Not certain, Hugh. He mentioned on another bbs that he has had multiple health issues and that he was facing surgery today. I just know he has a family (and a bird I guess :)) I also know that lots of prayers can't hurt and he has been a treasure to all of us on all of the forums :) Celeste

OMG - your bid was for a bunch of whacked up stuff......not all one nice neat line. We'd never have gotten it :( Celeste

This post has brought an interesting question to mind where GL comes in. It is somewhat difficult to get a good General Liability policy that covers what we do......I wonder if a HOA's insurances cover if their in-house guys maintenance guys mess something up? I mean, our policy won't pay if we screw something up because we were stupid (accidents, yes, stupidity, no) If the maintenance guys went out and tried to PW this fence and damaged it.....would the HOA insurance cover it? This might seem to be a really good thing to be able to put into your proposal Rob, if it's the case. If you make a general equation sheet showing their cost of inhouse work (taking into consideration the man-hours, increase in WC premiums due to higher payroll, etc...) AND you can show them that their insurance may be lacking in the "what if they mess it up" department.....might open some doors a little wider for you? Celeste

http://forums.thegrimescene.com/club-house/8299-message-president-power-washers-north-america-3.html Does writing articles qualify someone to be a good instructor?

Welcome Daniel! Is NC any more doable for you? RT here 2/10/2006 :) Celeste

I know that I can save any/all of my estimates or invoices as a PDF - which I usually do and keep in my customer's computer file - don't see why just scanning the receipt in the computer and filing it with it wouldn't work..... although, Ryan, I'm sure you have something much more "technical" in mind? Celeste

I have the ultimate respect for anyone who is hosting a R.T. It is a lot of work. We must remember that respect is a 2 way street though. I think that the host and speakers should have enough respect for the attendees to provide whatever credentials are necessary. Remember, I hate Big Brother. I don't think that there should be an industry standard for R.T. speakers. Too many opinions and red tape. Once again, in a nutshell. Post or P.M. credentials so that the individuals can decide wether or not to come to a R.T. Win - win. Fair. Point absolutely well take Jarrod :) I do agree.....it is faiir to all involved. So how about the NWO with the PWM as enforcement! LOL

OH Customer Manager - I am having soooo much fun with that! It interfaces with QuickBooks Pro - moves over all contact information, their financial history, there's places to put projects that relate to each job. You can separate the customers into multiple groups - customers > wood > deck or customers>wood>house It lets you do mass mailings or mailings to just certain customers. Anyone you do an estimate for gets plopped over there (I put the ones we DON'T get in a group called Lost Bids. They'll get a mailing in the spring asking how that deck looks after a year :) It works with Microsoft Outlook so your calendar / appointments, etc... all sync. It's just a very cool program :) Celeste

Seriously - if you don't have a program, at least make CERTAIN to file your receipts with each bank statement and keep a ledger of what you spent what on and for why. I'm having to do some heavy duty re-doing of stuff because I didn't do it right the first time!!!!!!!!! Celeste

I really would defer any questions of longevity in your climate to the guys at Pure Texture ( either Wesley or Dominic) We don't get the same conditions that you do so I can't say and I wouldn't want to tell you wrong. Down here, I personally guarantee my stuff indefinitely as long as they have the recommended maintenance done every two years. Talk about a great client retention :) High traffic - yes - look at the floors in the bars, restaurants and dealerships :)

:lgkick: Woo hoo to the NWO :lgkick:

Hey Mike, I feel confident that the market is here - I haven't pushed into it yet because my application comfort zone hasn't topped out :) It will be something I start a campaign on in the spring when we are more involved with our builders! Training is 3 days (2 courses), very reasonably priced. It's not difficult - artistic genes don't hurt but this stuff is hard to mess up and if you do, it can be fixed. Absolutely on the exterior use - look at the concrete overlay pictures - it's the same stuff just a different coloring technique and an epoxy coating instead of a matte sealer. It's cool & awesome stuff.....check out the galleries on their site Decorative Concrete - Training Seminars - Synthetic Rock and Concrete Overlay - Puretexture.com Celeste

Quick Books Pro and Customer Manager - lifesavers! Don't fall into the cardboard box hole!!!!!!!! Celeste

http://forums.thegrimescene.com/industry-news-events/9187-power-washers-north-america-domain-name-dispute.html Let's take a look at the "industry leaders" credentials.

Isn't that somewhat insulting to the contractor who is sponsoring/coordinating/funding the event? These Round Tables are not sanctioned by any big brother. I certainly didn't ask for a resume for folks that voluteered to partipate in my last round table......won't do it for my next one. These events are promoted on these bbs by our fellow contractors. If people don't have enough respect for what these individuals are doing on their own, maybe they should stay home and make up their own event and rules. Celeste

That can be done over formica, plywood......any sound and solid surface :) In other words.....straight over the counters you already have! AND, you don't have any seams. Celeste

Oh I love that one Jon :)

Jim, if you ever decide to hold a class, sign me up as the first attendee. We've had our "go-rounds" on the boards, however, once in person, well, all I can say is WOW and I would love to learn from you. Celeste

Hey Jeff, try this.......they HAVE to be next door to someone - go to those people and get their properties. The banks will eventually not look so pretty sitting next to your other clean properties :) Celeste

Jeff, at some point, a customer of theirs will point it out. You'd be amazed at how some things come back around and then you probably will get them all! Celeste PS - You know they'll call you in the spring when you're already booked up to your eyeballs, right? LOL

Which was what started this whole topic anyway.....someone was not nice about a contractor who was participating in a ROUND TABLE, compained about him not being qualified to teach. I believe my early post was that most Round Tables aren't for lectures/certification courses unless it was a mfg rep or something. MY round table and others that I have attended are for contractors to network, share experience, brainstorm as a group. As to a certification, well here's a good example: Matthew, (sorry for using your name in vain) is a PWNA wood certified person. Does he use that certification....doubt it. He also uses the Wolman certification....do his customers recognize it - you bet. And these big companies, ie commercial builders - John, really, how many are asking for your PWNA brick cleaning certification....hope none do, since the PWNA wants to lump brick cleaning in with regular washing - which is isn't. Trex, Walmart, the Post Office & Kohls.....everybody got those invitations to bid for jobs and NONE of them asked for your org's certificates. And let's not forget who was asking what cleaner to use on a big job not too long ago....didn't you take the building course? Frankly John, if I washed stadiums, then you better believe that someone who washes lots of stadiums regularly would be the contractor I chose to learn from. And account size has NOTHING to do with it. Don't put words in my mouth or written posts please. Personally I was thinking more along the lines of flatwork, wood or new construction brick or roof cleaning (not dissing you housewasher guys at all) Areas that you can count and that aren't all the same for pete's sake. I'm starting to feel sorry for the people that have been in business for sooo long and appear threatened again by the new breed of power washers - we have NEVER had our longevity in business questioned by any commercial job we've bid or by any homeowner. Our work speaks for itself. Our business practices (outside of my bookkeeping) are above reproach. If we can give back to an industry in a positive way, we're going to do it without expecting anything in return. Of all people, you as a cop should understand doing what is right just because it's right, not because you're gonna make a buck. Since we want to oversimplify things, maybe we need to start with some definitions like network, SHARE, lead a group discussion - all activities that will serve this industry well. Celeste

Thus separating lots of us from the lemmings :) Excellent post Barry! You sure are more tactful than me. Celeste

MMM.....no not exactly. I think people's work and action speak for themselves. Perfect example if I can dig up the documents. Roger has been cleaning brick for right at 3 years now. At far less than 2 years in business, we had the opportunity to write a standard of cleaning new construction brick that the PWNA BoD approved as their method. Where was the time in business then? Somehow, the fact that he had cleaned hundreds of thousands of square footage of brick and at the time, no one at PWNA had either the time, interest or same experience and were perfectly willing to accept a newbies document. I need to find that. I believe you were on the BoD at that time so you should either remember the submission or we got lied to. Point is, if we can provide a document that was endorsed by the "AHJ" on how to do something at less than 2 years in business, by what standards are things being done by, period? Jon Fife was correct......if someone can teach someone to do something properly and effectively, who's to say they can't teach? Besides, I'm sure there's more than one Doogie Howser of pressure washing out there. None of it is rocket science. Celeste