Curb Appeal

In my proposals for PMs, I always ask for 25% up front to cover "materials and a small amount of initial labor". On really large jobs, I also ask for another 25% halfway through the job. The remaining balance is due "after satisfied inspection but no later than 14 days after job completion". All of this is in writing, signed by the PM. I've not had any problems collecting this way...

I'm in...

Hey all, I tried to clean off some gutters today with my F-13. It didn't work. I even tried it full strength. I think it froze sometime over the last couple of weeks. Bob at Pressuretek said that freezing will kill F-13. I'm in a bind and I need to finish these condos tomorrow. I can run down to Autozone and get some Purple Power but I read somewhere on here that it doesn't work well in the cold either. Anyone have any experience using Purple Power in low-to-mid-40 degree temps? Any other alternatives I should check out? Thanks as always...

Hi all, I'm doing some new plumbing work on my rig and I'm looking for some PVC 3 way ball valves. I guess brass would work too. HD & Lowes don't carry any 3 ways and I thought I'd look online. Anyone have a good online source for these valves and/or other tank plumbing stuff? Thanks,

Should have mentioned, that's the first place I went. they had some 3ways but all 1/2" and under. I'd like to find a couple of 3/4" if I could... Oops. did find some 3/4" PVC - PVC Three-Way Plastic Ball Valves - 350 Series - US Plastic Corporation But they're MPT. I'm looking for FPT to screw in some 3/4" hose barbs... I'll be looking around town today, but still would like to find something online (more convenient & cheaper).

I'm having this trouble with F-13 too. I wash down to 35 degrees but the gutters don't seem to want to come clean. Is it that the gutters are cold or that the chemical is cold? Will an increase in chem strength help? I haven't tried yet...

First let me preface this post by saying that I have read all of the posts on chlorine vs. everything else to clean fences. However, most of those threads are geared with the staining of the fence after cleaning in mind. This a CLEANING ONLY job. No stain on it now, nor will I be putting one on. Went to give a bid on this fence today. I have a couple of days to get the bid in but I need some help first. First, I had a hard time determining if this fence was cedar or PT. Can anyone tell from the pics? I'm thinking cedar. does it even matter if I'm not staining it? Second, as this will be a cleaning only job, I want the color of the wood to be as natural as possible after I wash it. With that said, (here it goes...) chlorine or SH w/brightner or something else? This job is for a PM that is always looking at the bottom line. I want this to be a spray on wash off deal. It's about 4400 sq. ft. and I'm thinking $.36/sq. ft. to clean only. Please help me out guys. There is much more work where this came from. I'm moving my business toward PM companies and this is a foot in the door with this one. Thanks as always....

Yes, I do have a tank. 2 300 gal tanks in fact. I use 200 ft of hose so I'll have to move a couple of times. I'll be using my 5GPM Delevan to apply chems. I will have a helper that day too... My lovely assistant (and fiancee)...

No, Chem is not included in that cost. I talked to Bob last night too and chems will cost me about $30 for 6lbs of F-18 plus some Ox that I already have on hand. At $.36/sq. ft., that comes to about $1584. I figure 1 day's worth of work. I got my pricing from reading all of the posts on cleaning fences and from here: http://forums.thegrimescene.com/wood-cleaning-restoration-decks-fences-etc/1686-fence-restoration-prices.html?highlight=fence As for my market, I really don't know what it will bear. This is a 15 year old subdivision on the border between 2 of the wealthiest cities in the mid-state, Brentwood and Franklin. But, the houses are smallish and packed in here like sardines. And judging by the condition of the houses, the homeowners don't spend a lot on the maintenance of their homes. There really aren't too many PWers in my area and even less who will do wood. I'll see if I can get the PM to tell me what the other bids were...

I tried to get them to stain it but their budget would not allow it. There are 76 homes in the subdivision. EVERY ONE of the roofs look like that. Most of the houses need attention too. Rest assured, my proposal includes a special offer to the homeowners to clean the roofs, houses, gutters, driveways and sidewalks as well...

Just spent an hour on the phone with Shane (thanks Shane!). I'm still on the fence :) about what to use. F-18+Ox or Chlorine. I guess the best way to make up my mind is to use both and see which one I like best... But I'm always open to suggestions...

I'm only doing the outside. 750 Lft x 5.75 ft +- high. You think that's low?

Even more pics...

More pics...

Hi all, I had a great weekend. Temps were near 60 on Sat. I was volunteering for a local Chamber of Commerce to help clean up graffiti that has gotten out of control in some parts of the city when I had to turn around in a secluded neighborhood. I noticed the mold on some of the houses and took the opportunity to put out some flyers and business cards. Almost all of the houses were in dire need of some attention. I was headed back out of the neighborhood when one homeowner came out and flagged me down. I ended up washing his whole house, cleaning the gutters inside and out, and washing his driveway, walkway and back patio. Check it out... Sky Album--Biswas Now I have 1 neighbor's house clean as a whistle, a sign in the yard and flyers at every other house. We'll see what happens... It's a good day when you start out to do some good for the community and end up being rewarded with a job that was totally unexpected... This year is really looking to be a defining one. I can't wait...

Thanks Stephen, There are about 20 other houses in the neighborhood and they all need some sort of attention. Hopefully, they will notice my handiwork... I'll send all of them a postcard in the mail the first of March & see how that effects things...

Thanks Ken. I hope to see you at the St. Louis Roundtable on the 24th. I'm looking forward to getting more ideas on marketing and learning to improve my sales technique...

Here's a couple of houses I did this weekend. The first one is my girlfriend's house. The second is her neighbor's house. I think this method of showing before and after pictures can be very powerful. I'm trying to figure out a way to incorporate it into my advertising somehow... Anyone have any other ideas for background music? just click on the link... Sky Album--Nevada Ave

I owned a remodeling and handyman business before PW'ing. My aunt served on the board of a HOA in a condo complex and she told me that they were looking for someone to PW their sidewalks. She put me in contact with the PM and I put in the bid. I didn't even own a pressure washer! I did a TON of research and even lined up 2 other LARGE driveway jobs with an attorney friend of mine. I asked for down payments on all three jobs and got enough to buy all of the chemicals AND a used hot water rig and trailer (Thanks Jeff!). I never looked back...

Thanks Jeff. I was just stuffing envelopes when I ran across this thread. You gave me some ideas and I rewrote my introduction letter. I have 75 of these going out and I have my fingers crossed. 2007 will be my best year ever!!

Hi all, I've had something new come up. I washed a 3 building condo complex over a month ago for a property management company, $2100. After an initial invoice and a few emails, still no payment. I finally got hold of the rep Friday and she said that the association only had $500 in their account. She cut me a check for the $500 and said that the rest would be forthcoming soon. She said that the dues were due at the first of the month but I don't see how just 1 month's dues would cover the balance. There are only 14 homeowners. She said that she may have to pay out in increments. How should I handle this? Should I charge some kind of non-payment fee? This is the largest Prop. Mgt. company in the state and I know they have tons of properties. I was thinking of waiving any fees in exchange for her throwing my name around to other reps in the company. I'm not too familiar as to how the Prop. Mgt. companies work and pick contractors so all you gurus chime in and school me... Thanks...

Sorry I'm so long in getting back to you guys on this topic. Been busy with the warm weather... The problem was resolved. I settled on 25% payments over the course of 4 weeks. Everything worked out great. I really do believe her story about the mix-up. Or, at least she seemed very believable. Anyway, the good news is that I'm now working with another manager in the same company to clean 140,000 sq.ft of cedar fencing first thing this spring. BIG $$$. And, yes, this time I do have a contract! With a payment schedule! I haven't given up on PMs yet. I'll be heavily targeting all of the PM companies in my area this year. I hope to have at least 75% of my business coming from PMs by year's end. Thanks for all of the advice...

Rob, I used simple cherry from Pressuretek which has some kind of wax in it, I believe. Or, at least, a rinse aid. The slideshow was created with a program called Flash Slide Show Maker. Tutorials---ANVSOFT Flash Slide Show Maker is a Flash album creator to make animated photo slide shows with SWF file as the output format. The program is free and the site that you upload to is also free. That program also allows you to email the slideshow or burn it to a cd or dvd to be played in a dvd player. I'l be playing with it more and see where this goes...

Yea, their roof needed cleaning but they didn't want to have it done. I was thinking that I could put some of these slideshows on a laptop, or better yet, a tablet PC and let the customer (residential or business) watch them while I was taking measurements for an estimate. Then I would come back in with my digital pictures of their house or building that look like the befores and tell them how I can transform it into the after.

I vote for gutter grenade too. Brush on, rinse off. I usually charge $.75 to $1 per linear foot depending on how dirty...