Celeste

I actually had someone solicit me last year to join an organization similar to the BBB, but for customers. It was for contractors to be able to go and check on their potential job prospects to see if they were nightmares or deadbeats. Wonder if it ever took off - hmmm, must look back at Ooold emails. It's a good concept really - I mean, if they can report companies to services, why shouldn't we be able to do the same thing. Maybe it would make clients think twice about being a PITA. Celeste

I'd kick in as well :) Celeste PS - I hope you find his owner soon - I'm just enough of a dog sucker to drive down and bring him home with me!

This is an article on efflorescence on the EacoChem website. It shows pictures and explanations of the various forms and causes. A must read! http://www.eacochem.com/efflorescencebrochure.shtml

Phil - I know we are speaking of about $100 here, but, could you not board him at a nearby vet (or yours) for a few days while the flyers/calls got a chance to work? I'll bet if you explain the situation, they would understand...around here boarding fees are less than $20/night for large dogs (mine is 120#) I know I'd rather pay the greenies than to know he could be killed! You'd probably end up with just less than that feeding him while he was staying with you:) Celeste

We were on our way BACK to a job - taken a lunch break to go check on the kids. Guy calls us demanding to know where we are and where we'd been (not that we didn't knock on the door before leaving to tell him we would be back). He continued on and on - those of you who know my husband know he has the customer patience of a saint (I'm the one with the short fuse :0) By the end of the phone call Roger was YELLING over this man and ended his sentence with one question - DO YOU WANT TO FINISH THIS YOURSELF!!!! That seemed to stop the guy in his tracks. We finished the job but will NOT be the company doing maintenance for him in the future. Can't stand people like that. Celeste

I think you did an unbelievable job considering the level of work that you chose to start on! I think I'm glad there are not that many very determined homeowners out there or WE'd all starve! Keep the pics coming - we can live vicariously through you! Celeste

You may not want to limit yourself to just a hour from home - we're traveling from "Myrtle Beach to Murphy" right now but you have to go where the money is! Believe me, it's much easier for me (as the wife/mother) to adjust to Roger being on the road making money than having him here at home doing NOTHIN! Keep your faith - it will all be the way he wants it to be before it's over. Celeste

Ditto :) Celeste

Euuwww - that looked kinda hairy! Cleaned up real nice though. Given the age, guessing that those awnings were painted aluminum? What was your recipe and did you have to brush on them at all? Celeste

On large new construction brick, you're wielding that things for lengthy periods of time so maneuverability and less flex is really important. The Coress is light enough at I (5'4", 135 lbs) can handle it for a respectable time frame. I watched Roger (5'10", 230 lbs) with the noodle kind and he looked like a cat wrestling a grizzly bear. The rigidity is remarkable. Steve's Magnum wand is lighter weight, slightly smaller diameter, has a removable gun, has different type screw tighter thingies, and if this is important to you - Made In America. Celeste

We have two Coress wands and wouldn't be caught without at least one on the truck. The cost was a choker up front but the particular job we needed it on paid for it and frankly we couldn't have done that one without it. Steve's is less than $500 and is built to last - between the savings on chiropractor visits and how long it's gonna be with you, it's not a bad investment.

COOL - so he won the big bucks! That's so great :) Celeste

Joel, You are right in Steve Rowlett's area - he can help you with any maintenance questions you may have - also has a top notch chem line that lucky you won't have to pay shipping on! He's having a Round Table in February and often does a series on maintaining your equipment - you should check it out :) Celeste

Thank you Shane for posting specific ways to use available tools for a job! Very helpful:) Celeste

We're beginning to go underwater! As usual, one should be careful what we wish for :) Celeste

Could you post some additional information on this company as well as maybe let us know what's in this stuff - we've had to leave "burnout" marks before (and were NOT pleased with having to do that!) Celeste

Scott - that roof section in one of the photos looks familiar - If it's the same church with the nasty slate, could it be they don't want the "roof cleaners" to do the rest of the building? Back to the subject at hand though, you're likely right on the limestone. Check out Eacochem or Diedrich's websites - they will have specialized cleaners that I would be willing to bet will be for limestone but be as effective if it turns out to be something else. Celeste

Well somebody send some of it to NC - we have drought conditions here that are already putting restrictions on water useage in some areas (not business related fields yet thank goodness!) Celeste

Good luck! Maybe we'll see your mug on tv - if they put a mike in your face, tell everyone at the grime scene HI! Celeste

Anytime :) Celeste

It's likely efflorescense - it's salts and minerals left behind when moisture behind the brick comes out. A percarb is probably not what you're looking for. check www.eacochem.com They have chems for it as well as articles about this stuff :) Celeste

Ken, since you already have the "level" pricing, wouldn't that just work into say your "platinum" service? When we were offering the Flood Spa n Deck finish, we simply told the homeowner that we could offer two choices (a) the penetrating product or the (b) two product process. Both were fine products, just different and b had a higher cost, blah blah blah. Celeste

Hey Welcome Back Ev :) Congratulations!

Hey Jeff - is that Southern High School? We got one like that for that particular school. It's right here in Graham :) Danged if I could find ANYTHING that looked like a PWing need though. Celeste

We went with the ad w/ 2 year commitment - we've had some contact but no jobs yet, however, we also signed on with them AFTER this year's book was out - our ad will run in the next book. We do have an ad on the website and get leads that way but so far, nothing we've tried to mess with yet. It's not a bad investment I don't think since one commercial job in 2 years will pay for the cost 10 times easily - around $1400 sounds about right. Celeste