Neil_Asheville

Run That By Me One More Time - Willie

Jon...so we can't keep picturing you as this burly log home contractor that wields chainsaws and drawknives in the backwoods of TN? ;) /neil

Michael, if you haven't already included PR and media relations into your mktg mix, you seriously need to. Find you local media folks, print media mainly. Not the anchorperson at the 6p news, but the assignment editors, business and community section editors of local papers, and PR firms. Make this weeks goal to get 30 minutes with the Assignment Editor of the paper with the largest distribution in your target market. Pitch an education piece around one of your services. A good editorial placement far far outweighs any and all paid advertising. Give it a shot! It's free. /neil

Ken we kid all the time about the Exorcist. And yes, that's where her mom got Reagan...pregnant and reading the Exorcist. That's funny ain't it! Her head can do that freakish spin thing when she gets ill at me! Jon, it is a great name. She hated it in school age, but is wearing it a bit more proudly these days. I can't imagine a Farrell fan walking out on this one. This is the stuff he does best, not the dramas or quirky roles he's been in. I'm not even a huge fan of his, never connected much with SNL skits, didn't really care for Anchorman. Was Bewitched really a movie? This one, though, probably from how well they spoofed the southern / midwest stereotype is a classic in my book. “I like to picture Jesus with angel wings. And he’s singing lead vocals for Lynyrd Skynyrd.” /neil

Stream hours of your favorite Sirius channel to your ipod overnight and you're rocking the next day. RCBill, Sirius 15 - Classic Rewind would be ALL you! Too bad XM didn't get that dirtbag Howard. What comes to mind first is he's an irritating sore bacteria filled zit that needs to be popped. :sinister: /neil

LMFAO! ClassicPW, that IS classic!

This was Thursday's project. Housewash and deck done in one day. I am so not the guy that fly's through anything for the sake of being fast and am very detail driven. I was very surprised to get that much accomplished. Thursday was SO hot this 8yo PT deck drank up WTW. By far the hottest day here in the mountains. 93 I think it was, full sun all day. Check out the middle pic. Lovely, huh! I see a spring postcard mailer with that shot. There was no existing product on the deck. HD-80 mixed 3oz/gal with 1cup bleach/gal. 20min dwell. 3 gallons WTW Warm Honey Gold. Sprayed all but rail caps. Those got a good brushing. /neil

Thanks for the kudos. The market here in the NC mountains for a wood specialist is ripe. I didn't believe it early on, and still now within the last 12 months, that I haven't come across or so much as heard about a wood care company by name. Yes there are painters and the PW companies that specialize in cleaning everything "residentialcommercialhoodsdrivewaysdecksmobilehomesgumremovalRVs&windows" and tote 300 gallons and a hot skid. The goods ones are my referral base for wood and to whom I send the work that's not my target housewash or wood job. I'm currently working on some awareness guides for mass distribution, the education angle is where it's at. This goes for homeowners, builders, paint store counter clerks, painters, etc. They all 'get it' when presented to them....they 'get' that consideration for the integrity of the surface to be cleaned is more important than simply getting it clean. That's a differentiation position. You gotta have one. Open up the dialogue and you're 3/4ths to becoming their new expert. I write this half laughing because I've got folks referring me to new business as THE wood care experts. With the years of combined experience of you all here, I'm simply humbled. I'm going to say this, too, that WRAPI will play an important role in driving the siding and log restoration market here. Huge potential. It's mission fits perfectly here. Now I notice all the old and unloved cedar homes. Seems that every new home has some faux-looking shake somewhere on it. Log could be a possibility later on. Jon and Rich....expect a visit at some point! I'm currently on the front porch with coffee watching two hummingbirds in air-to-air combat. I'm thankful this is one more day where I'm not running a Monday morning sales and marketing meeting. Gorgeous mountain day shaping up here. Gotta run. Have a super week everyone. Ken, I'll holler at you this week. Cheers, /neil

This was Monday and Tuesday's project. Cleaned and masked Monday, detailed and stained Tuesday. 18 man hours. Ladder access only to top deck. Two more incredibly hot days here. At one point I was on a 10' step ladder rubbing mineral spirits (with respirator) cleaning ceiling fan conduit up in the eve in the screened in enclosure...eyes burning like hell and a little to close to the wrong kind of buzz. The homeowners called me yesterday to tell me just how beautifully this is mellowing. They wanted their new porch/deck to match the hardwood oak floors inside. Custom tinted beautifully. The tints are incredibly simple. The T1-11 paneling got two light coats. I was concerned it would be too light to compliment the other PT woods going on on the porch. Lots of hand brushing on this one. Good pay day. I love this s**t! /neil

Between babying the ipe and walking around telling us how to do our jobs :lgwave: Celeste also had my camera. Gotta have a little fun, right. See no evil and smell no evil! /neil

There is so much satisfaction in working with wood. The transformation is what it's all about. /neil

I've come up for air (GULP!) and look forward to posting some of this past weeks projects. It's been a fantastic first week for my company, both on what we were able to get done and in new work scheduled. Monday's now take on an entirely new meaning. Life is good. I could really get used to grossing what we did this past 7 days. Here's yesterdays project. ~50ft to the upper deck, composite decking to be installed both levels. We were called to stain joists. ~1,200sf of wood, 5 gallons WTW Brown Sugar, applied with HVLP. I have to say this project was fun because it was different than your standard deck resto. It took me quite a while to get comfortable working from moving sheets of OSB! /neil

two more finished shots.

This deck should have been cordoned off with police barrier tape as a definite Grime Scene. This shot was before brightening the clean ends. I was 'experimenting' a bit with this deck. I was interested to see just how much color lifted after brightening. Once the rest of the deck was cleaned and before neutralizing these brightened board ends were noticeable lighter and more appropriate for the species. /neil

a box of disposable booties at the top and bottom. the residents will think it's fun and want to help you out. /neil

Sitting here at my now cleaned out desk, on my cleaned up computer, with all transition duties behind me, I'm about to log out of TGS for the last time working for someone else. My Curb Appeal, Inc. gets me full time starting tomorrow. I guess hanging out with y'all from now on will be on my dime! Now's the time and I can't wait to get in it. More to come... /neil

Excellent points Ken and Rick. Local is the life blood of any service business. Just like in town, you will find online shops that are great and ones that are awful. I've been happy with biz card printing from overnightprints.com. iprint.com I wasn't happy with. I have all my design work done by good friends locally. On the other hand there are awful online shops that I don't see how they stay in business. Dealing with the group used for the WRAPI logo was just a joke. Keith from KBK has dome some kick ass work for WRAPI. I took my creative guy out to lunch last Thursday and come to find out he was having dinner that night with his builder who's the incoming Home Builder's Association Prez. My designer used to work for an agency in Manhattan and I knew him from a former position, he's since relocated his family down here and built a house. Another cool thing is that his closest and oldest school buddy is an exec now at InfoUSA. It all ties back to I'll scratch yours if you scratch mine philosophy. I encourage all to shop local first, then set out online if you can't get what you're after. Local shops will often meet an online price to get you as a new client. /neil

Congratulations, Paul! ProClean's success and reputation is what alot of us are working towards. I STILL need to get down and hang with you for a day or so. Rock on.... /neil

Good morning to ya, John. You got support vibes a comin' from up here in the mountains! Believe in your abilities, find you a morning mantra or affirmation and get after it. You'll do great. Let me know if I can do anything for you, really. Cheers! /neil

Can anyone recommend their favorite trailer hitch back'em up aide? I've seen the mirrors, tennis balls, etc. How can I make this (soon to be daily) task, well, less of a task? I've seen the metal 'wedges' that if you get close guides hitch to ball and this seems best of the bunch. Lil' help...:) /neil

Atta'boy, Jimmy!

HD-80 EFC-38 Citralic ESI's the shizzy....:irritated

Hey Paul. I don't see an arbor and the top cedar fascia you mention is that the bandboard for the upper deck? I see a simple 2x6 or 2x8 joisted shed roof on the upper deck. Ain't an arbor that thing that sits out in tha yard and have to weedeat around? :) /neil

Good morning. Last time I used my Makita 7" sander I wasn't paying attention and wrapped the cord around the spindle which completely stopped the disc. Shredded the power cord. Last night I replaced the power cord. Squeeze trigger and I get just a faint power load and can hear disc trying to turn but won't. Hand turning the head/spindle now seems to be harder than before. Wondering if I've messed something up in the head gearing when i wrapped the cord. Maybe this is something under warranty. Purchased at Northern less than a year ago. /neil

I was able to fix the problem today. $219.34. Having backups are good, right! /neil