Advanced P and GC Inc.

DeGraffreed, If you move, what will you do with all your customers?? I am in ATL, where are you located? Matt

Here in GA. I have found that buy joining ($500 / yr) my local building organization (Georgia Home Builders Association), I can get my WC through them. It is a large group of builders who more or less self insures the whole group ( as would a large corporation). It is not cheap, it is still expensive, and still based on payroll, but I have shopped it around 2 times in the last 4 years, and the Home builders assoc alwayse has lower rates. I have also heard some accountants say bonuses could be considered a perk. Pay your empl. a modest salary (for WC purposes) then a monthly or whatever bonus based on gross totals, WC is only figured on the payroll / salary, not bonuses. But many accountants and lawyers also belong in jail, and you have to be carefull whose advice you follow. I am sure if you ask your insurance co, they would say no. In the unlikly event of a large claim, they would probably audit you heavily, end may legally refuse to pay, if they found fraud, like unreported payroll (or something they could convince a judge is payroll, like a majority of an employees compensation coming from a bonus) leaving you stuck with a large debt 1/2 million - 2 mil$??? Matt

PLDOOLITTLE, I am for OPTION # 4, mount it all in a truck, or better yet a service body truck, yes there is a little cost in having a pro looking truck, but I find it well compensated by the reduced operating costs, gas, brakes, etc of pulling trailers, especially is crews will be driving the rig, it is safer = less liability. Buy a new truck, the payment is not that much considering an operating business, the only downside is if you cant keep the truck buzy most of the time, this design would not work well for a part timer as the truck is somewhat useless for anything but PWing. Of course consider your market, do you need to cary your own supply of water alot? 3%, 20, 40, 60, or 95% of the time?? You could alwayse put a tank on the trailer if needed, especially if you really dont need it much. I use this setup all the time, on a few trucks, love it, but do 98% residential. Matt

As a word of encouragement to anyone trying to make it hapen I've been washing seriously since about 1995, overall since 1991, We work every month of the year on residential jobs mostly, some comercial, whever the money is, we are even picky with the jobs, we dont run estimates... But the busier it gets the more work to do, office work that is, I can do all aspects of PWing well (that my buz services) but I havent done a job in months, The only jobs I do are for employee training purposes, new equipt testing, or very special jobs. And maybe for fun sometimes, to show my crews I still have it, but they could kick my a** nowadays. Summer, Winter, rain, whatever, its no issue Good Luck Matt

I have bought it from several distributors (chemical supply companies in your phone book), now they even deliver it to me and pump it into my own tank. 12-15% Sodium Hypochlorite

We see a bunch of that around ATL plants as tall as 6 feet, with roots in the downspouts

We do a good bit of Gutter Cleaning here in Atlanta, mostly residential homes, but also HOA and Apartments, around here everyone has to clean there gutters, there is a good bit of competition, so the prices arent as lucrative as you talk about, but they are still proffitable. What other cities are you guys doing alot of gutter cleaning and pressure washing at??? Matt

I dont run 2 man rigs, as I do mostly residential work, and i find the second person / machine / equipt not efficient enough, as many residential locations do not have the water supply necessary for 2 machines, or it is not easily accessible (200 + feet from truck for the 2nd water spickot), I do not carry a water tank around, because for me, That also seems inefficient, to haul an additional 2,400lbs of water everywhere I go at current gas and vehicle maintance prices (brakes) not to mention the additional liability of a crew pulling a trailer daily. So, I use a truck, with everything mounted in the back, reels for pressure and garden hose, one trained technician. This one person crew, no trailer, should easily pull 13+k month, working 9-4 M-F only. on an average basis, more in the good season, less in the winter months.