Paul B.
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Posts posted by Paul B.
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The need to strip would depend on the old stains condition. If it was peeling aimlessly for example and it did not have a primer.
I believe Cabot solid deck stains call for a primer to be applied for a long lasting application. Even though Solids are OK to be applied over Solids, I believe you will obtain longer lasting results with stripping, priming, then adding a top coat.
Seeing the actual condition of the deck would help make the final decision.
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I subscibe to HP's monthly "Incoming" e-mail newsletter which has some great info from time to time for all size business.
They also have an area for free on-line classes such as:
Introduction to Excel
Introduction to Microsoft Word
Advanced Word
Advanced Photoshop
Firewall basics
Running your small business with QuickBook 2002
etc., etc.
Subscribe at HP: http://h30046.www3.hp.com/subhub.php?regioncode=NA&langcode=USENG
This month there is an article on tips for tactful techniques on collecting receivables titled "Reign in Your Receivables". I thought was it was agreat article and may be useful for some of the folks here. I've copied it below and posted a link below:
Reign in Your Receivables
Even the most successful company can run into a cash-flow crunch when customers don't pay on time. So how can you cut down on payment cycles without fear of alienating or upsetting your key clients? While there are several tried and true practices for cutting down your receivables, sometimes it's best just to use your imagination. Here are some methods small business CEOs are using to get paid on time.
Plan ahead to collect on time
• Match billings to customers' payable cycles. Call each slow payer and ask how long it typically takes the company to process a bill and mail a check. Then make it clear that you expect to be paid within that period. If customers don't pay when they say they will, call them within three business days and ask when you can expect the check. If the answer is, "It's in the mail," ask for the check number and date it was mailed. While this tactic may annoy some customers, experience shows that it's unlikely to cost you the business.
• Stay consistent. "The language on the invoice should match the language on the contract the customer signed," says Tracy Wald, chief financial officer at Seattle consultancy Leonhardt:Fitch. That way there's no excuse for customers to claim confusion over what exactly they are being billed for. That is especially important if you sell an unquantifiable service like branding, as Wald does.
• Work off milestones, not months. Avoid billing monthly if you can. It's far better, says Wald, to tie your billing milestones to tangible deliverables. For example: At some point during a project, you and your team give a major presentation to a client. Don't wait until the end of the month to bill for it. Instead, use the presentation date as a milestone in your billing cycle.
• Don't let last be least. The most difficult check to collect is often the last one, since that's when the job is complete and your negotiating power is reduced. So Richard Larkin, CEO of staffing company Larkin Enterprises in Bangor, Maine, is careful about when he mails out his final invoice. He plans for it to arrive while his workers are still at a job site. If his customers take too long to pay, Larkin still has the option of pulling his workers off the job before they complete it.
• Put your faith in plastic. Ron Simkins, CEO of LexJet, says asking customers to use credit cards for their purchases has made all the difference to his company, a direct marketer of printing materials in Sarasota, Fla. He says 90% of his customers -- including Whirlpool and Kinko's -- have opted to pay with plastic for fees ranging from $100 to $100,000 annually.
Simkins for one is convinced that big companies are moving "in droves" to plastic to reduce the administrative expense of dealing with small vendors. "Corporate credit cards are not a new thing; what's new is the use of cards to mitigate the cost of purchase orders." What the trend means to LexJet is simple: the company gets its money literally overnight. What's more, there are no invoices to track down and no more frantic calls to make to customers' accounts-payable departments.
What's in it for the customer?
With no purchase orders to process, the cost of bringing on a new vendor is greatly reduced. But as is the case with invoices, the customer still has 30 days to pay. Finally, if the company isn't satisfied with the purchase, it's a simple matter for the vendor to call the credit-card company and ask that the charge be removed. At least that's the argument that Simkins makes to all his customers. "We teach them how to do it and why to do it," he says.
Simkins insists he's no shill for the credit-card companies, though. He says there's nothing in it for him personally other than better cash flow for his $10-million company. Of course, there's a cost for that convenience. The credit-card company charges a fee of 2% to 3% of the purchase, a small price to pay, he argues. "Our cash flow is worth more than that on the float." Still, to some company owners, such fees smack of factoring, but Simkins says he'd rather get 97% of his money now than wait 30, 60, or 90 days to get it all.
Employ good collection strategies
• Charge interest. Do what banks and other creditors do -- assess a service fee. Include this standard notice on all invoices: Overdue accounts will accrue a 1.5% monthly service charge.
Foresight, a 50-employee software company in Dublin, Ohio, sends customers invoices that include the following phrase: "If paid by September 30, your cost is x; if paid after September 30, your cost is y (invoice amount plus interest)." Nettie Morrison, Foresight's receivable specialist, found that specifying what the amount of interest would be -- as opposed to merely stating that 1.5% of the charges would be appended every month -- made a huge difference in how quickly customers paid up.
• Use phone etiquette. Morrison has also mastered the art of phone empathy. "I say to them, 'I know they're not paying you to chase around invoices,' or something to that effect," she says. Showing that you understand where people are coming from helps to mollify them and possibly even win them over as an ally.
But when you do have someone on the phone, always try to get a specific date by which you'll get paid. Answers like "soon" or "next week" aren't actionable. If the customer avoids specifying an exact date, be prepared to calmly explain to them what you plan to do if you don't get paid on time. While you shouldn't be threatening, make sure your remind customers that they signed a contract. "Use statements like 'you expect us to ship on time, so we expect you to pay on time,'" says Richard Kadet, a veteran CFO who works for the Brenner Group, a San Francisco Bay Area-based consultancy. "You must create an expectation within their A/P department that you will call and insist on payment within the contract terms."
• Keep a journal. Take detailed notes of every collection conversation that you have. Record the date of the conversation, who you spoke to, the commitment made to you, and the end result of the call.
• Don't get emotional."You have to be dispassionate about it," advises Cullen G. Williams, CFO of Larkin Enterprises. "Don't make it personal. Be very bland. Use simple, non-threatening sentences." During collection conversations, Williams tries to make it very clear that he'll do "whatever was reasonable to comply with the customer's requests," which meant, in some cases, supplying backup documentation "10 times over," he says.
• Use guilt, not anger. To achieve your aim -- getting paid -- it's important to get the names of all the people you've talked to, especially if they've made a commitment. "Once you get that commitment, whoever you talk to will feel guilty when you call back," says Wald. "They've made a promise, and I've found that they'll do what they can because they don't want to be thought of as someone with no integrity. It could be the owner, a clerk, anyone." What's the proper way to react if your contact lies to you? With disappointment, rather than anger. "It's just a sigh, mostly," says Wald. "Then I say, 'I told my boss you guys were going to pay, and now I'm going to look like an idiot.' And after saying something like that, rather than getting angry with them, I ask for their help."
• Pay attention to the marketplace. Morrison monitors the business press not only to stay alert about potential mergers (and bankruptcies) among her company's customer base, but also to have an excuse to pick up the phone and talk with a client. For example: A client might be in the news because it's introducing a new product or having a strong earnings quarter. Morrison calls to congratulate the customer and winds up shooting the breeze, and as a result she develops better relationships with her contacts.
• Collect in person. If you offer a discount -- say, 2% net 10 -- for prompt payment, how can you prevent customers from abusing it? Call them and offer the lower price, provided you can send someone over to pick up the check within 10 days. When you do visit, make sure that you bring documentation to support exactly what the customer owes you. The last thing you want on a collection call is a dispute over the amount of the bill.
• Recoup the discount. Giving up 1% to 2% of your receivables can add up. When customers take the discount but pay past the due date, charge the difference on their next invoice. Again, experience shows that most of them will just ante up.
• Don't hesitate to negotiate. Your company needs cash, but your customer does too. Is there a middle ground where you can meet? Negotiating a payment schedule is one idea. It doesn't have to be anything fancy; you can ask a late-paying customer to commit to giving half now and the rest the following week. Seeking a smaller amount may make it easier for an accounts-payable employee to cut you a check. And partial payment today is better than no payment tomorrow.
• Ask for the oldest first. If a customer owes you for more than one invoice, you should always start by looking to collect on only the oldest invoice. "Asking for them all at once can seem too insurmountable," he says. And the collecting "tends to get easier once you've gotten the oldest one." Plus, he adds, by asking for payment on only the oldest invoice, you are subtly currying goodwill with the customer, who'll appreciate your leniency in not demanding the entire debt.
• When necessary, revoke privileges. Rolf Albers of Albers Manufacturing Co. has been in business for 23 years, yet one thing still baffles him. "If I went to a department store today and wanted to buy a refrigerator, they would make me pay today, in one form or another," he says. "But a small manufacturer with no track record can call me, wanting $1,000 worth of equipment, and they think that they can wait 90 days to pay. It's a stupid system, but that's the way it is," exclaims Albers. So he does his best to prevent customers from taking advantage of "the system." If customers get too far behind on payments, Albers converts them to COD status.
Link to article: www.hp.com/sbso/advice/articles_inc9.html
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H2O Joe,
ICI offered me the WoodPride, but am already offering more choices than probably should be. ICI in my area offers TWP for the same price as the WoodPride ($79.95 per 5 gallon pail - contractor rate). I would recommend TWP over WoodPride since it has Consumer Report appeal and good reputation for quality and colors.
Let us know what you think if you try it.
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By the way,
What has worked best for you folks to remove oxidized paint runs from brick surface?
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I suppose some of those chemicals can also be in the first aid kit.
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For lack of finding a better place, I'll post this one right here:
One thing that I have noticed frequently is the level of communication between contractors and the customer. This starts at the estimate and goes all the way til the follow-up call (or lack of it) after the job completion.
But just to focus on one portion of it (a key section for your business and profitability) is the initial contact and the actual review of the work for the estimate.
When a customer calls do you ask enough details?
Who, What, When, Where, Why and How?
Is it a one story or 2 story house?
When was the last time it was cleaned?
Was the surface sealed with anything and when?
Do you have mold and mildew or other stains?
Are there any special areas that are of concern to you (customer)?
Do you have water spigot available outside?
Where did you hear about our company?
Can I schedule the job for next week? (ask for the job.)
...and of course the list goes on and on.
If the questioning does not come naturally, you should have a list until the questions come naturally. I always keep a checklist with me and take notes. A recorder is often handy to make notes while driving.
The lack of probative question reminds me of the favorite line in a Pink Panther movie and it goes like this:
Inspector Clusoe after seeing the dog next to the man he's expression tells you he's unsure of the dogs intentions and proceeds to ask the man: "Does your dog bite?"
"No!" answers the man.
A quick nip at Clusoe and growl by the dog is followed by a puzzled look and he states in pain: "I thought you said your dog did not bite!"
The man answers: "This is NOT my dog!"
The moral to this is: without asking enough probative questions, you may not get the answer you were seeking. Listen carefully, observe, take notes and adjust methodology by applying the learnings.
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What kinds of chemicals do you keep in your vehicle for testing stains for an estimate.
My truck is a chemical warehouse and contains the following:
Sodium Hypochlorite
Simple Green
Crete Clean Plus
Krud Kutter
White Scum Remover
Goof Off
(2) Sodium Metasillicate based cleaners
(2) Potassium Hydroxide based cleaners
(2) Sodium Hydroxide based cleaners
The Works
TSP
Gutter Zap
Ferrous Stain Remover
White Ox
Oxalic Acid
Citric Acid
Citralic Acid
Detergent 600
Vana-Trol
Glass De-Etch
Muriatic Acid
SuperKlean
D'limonene
Bacardi 151
Pain thinner
Xylene
Denatured Alcohol
Lacquer thinner
Jack Daniels
Mineral Spirits
Paint thinner
SafeStrip
MEK
HD-80
EFC-38
Bix Tuff-Job
Dad's
DeckStrip A&L
SuperStrip
I do need a bigger truck and I do carry a decoder ring (data base) to help me remember what works well on what (my short term memory has always been a problem, but I never forget a face).
I visit stores reqularly and get specials from time to time.
At Home Depot I purchased 10 gallons of MEK for $1 per gallon along with 10 quarts of Xylene for $0.10 per quart (dented cans).
At Sears last week I just purchased about 20 cans of Wolman's Deck and Fence Cleaner/Brightener for $1.97 per 2.25# container (normally priced at $14.95 each).
I have all my neighbors, friends, workers and relatives calling me when they discover a deal. Nice to have spotters out there.
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As with other items, I offer a variety. Probably too many choices, so I will most likely reduce by one this year.
Up to now the selection has been Cabots, Wolman F&P and Cuprinol. Used Penofin from time to time at customer's request. It's not readily available in my market at this time, otherwise I would push it more even at the premium prices. This year I picked up TWP - got a good price from the only distributor in town. He's giving it to me for $79.95 per 5 gallon pail.
I was ready to try ReadySeal this year, in fact I have a sample kit from Tracy sitting in the shop, but the coverage rate and shipping has made me shy away for the time being. At 75-100 sq ft per gallon the only way it will compete with TWP is if I need damp application one-day type sealer. So far that has not been an issue since deckwork is not the majority of our work. TWP will be the main sealer and I will use it to also leverage a price on Cuprinol.
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Commercially, to tie electrical to high pressure water line would not be inexpensive to manufacture or sell. Even with low voltage, the longer the distance, the bigger the wire has to be. If you are running hot water thru the hose, the low voltage wire will pick up the heat and overheat and trip/burn the fuse, etc.
Think along the lines of the RF (radio frequency) transmitters and receivers. Garage door opener types.
Allied Automation 4 channel transmitter w/2 plus mile range ($500); their 1500ft plus range 4 channel unit runs $100; 4 channel receiver runs $130.
Dimango has 4-channel 150 ft range unit for $40
Remote Control Technology sells the "Bandit" 1 or 8 channel wireless transmitter/receiver - www.RemoteControlTech.com
www.Abacom-Tech.com has 300ft range units.
The electric switch or relay for the Burner ON/Off is real simple but you have to decide if its 12VDC or 110VAC. (You want a relay that is Normally Open). You would most likely want a manual back-up in case your switch, transmitter or receiver fails or keep spare relay.
The soap (if you are switching between soap and water) needs to be fluid over electric solenoid valve - position "A" is water; position "B" is soap (or vise versa). A 3-way multi-porpose solenoid valve by Skinner or Parker (AC or DC); Select seal type based on chemical resistance needs. You can find at www.ValveStore.com You could also do this with a 2-way On/OFF Solenoid Valve (turn soap line ON/OFF).
Again, I would add a by-pass for manual mode in case your transmitter, receiver or solenoid valve failed.
Probably can be made simpler and less expensive, but I'm not familiar with the controls/system you are targeting to incorporate this into.
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There was dog crossing the railroad tracks one day. He didn't pay much attention to what he was doing and was slow in his crossing. A train came by and and ran over his tail. He yelped as he lost his tail and turned his head around to see what happened. As he did this, he lost his head to the train.
The moral to this story: Don't lose your head over a piece of tail!
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There are several brands and types available 3M, North and AOSafety are 3 that come to mind. My recommendation would be a half-face mask and the appropriate cartridges for the materials you are applying. Most vendors are helpful in selecting filter cartridges. You can order thru the internet or your local paint store (like Sherwin Williams) can take care of your needs. www.DirectSafety.com or www.SafetyPlus.com are a couple among the host of vendors that can supply these masks.
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I don't need the wood stretcher, (Thanks!) I have an elastic tape measure.
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I would think that any time that one sprays chemicals (especially contractors that do it on a regular basis) a respirator would be the wisest investment for your health. Chemical mist will get into your lungs. Wind can stir the mist also. Some chemicals have short-term and others have long-term effects. Every person reacts differently to chemical exposure. Just because you are not seeing short term effects does not mean that your internal organs are not being damaged (kidneys, liver, heart, and brain, etc.).
The disadvantage I would see with down-streaming is the use of high(er) pressure then a pump-up or Shur-flo system which has an impact on the way some chemicals react with certain substrates. Example: acid should be applied with no more than 60 psi pressure to keep it from penetrating too deep into the surface.
Remamber: "Safety First and Make It Last!"
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Tim,
I'm also in the market for a "vanishing point" (mostly used in perspective drawings). I'm looking to get my hands on one to convert for other uses.
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EnviroSpec has a very nice write-up about the two types of Unloaders (Pressure & Flow type) and their advantages and disadvantages (It's in their catalog - I have not checked for the same info on-line). I think this will explain why a Pressure type unloader would benefit from an Accummulator.
In a nutshell, the Pressure type unloader has a check-valve that keeps the water between the gun and the unloader under pressure. The Flow type unloader relieves most of this pressure in the bypass mode. They also state that the Flow type unloader (K-7 & K-5) do not allow the operator to down-size the high pressure nozzles because it senses flow - reducing flow at the nozzle causes the unloader to cycle repeatedly (this would also account for a possible shorter life of the Flow type unloader).
Also the Flow type unloaders should not be used with a weep gun, as leaks will cause it to cycle.
I believe a bladder/dampener installed between the the Actuator type unloader check-valve and nozzle will reduce the shock load sensed by the operator. The check-valve should protect the pump (depending on its restriction of back-flow).
Hose length will effect pressure - longer the hose the less pressure at the nozzle (mostly due to friction while water is running). However, in my opinion, depending on how quickly the unloader goes into actual by-pass mode will determine how much pressure will be in the hose between the check-valve and the gun-valve in the by-pass mode. (I'm not familiar with the components of a weep type gun, but assume that it's a valve that weeps off pressure in the valve closed mode. I know it's key advertised feature is for use in cold weather situations to keep water flowing to protect the gun from freeze-up.)
Bottom Line (my opinion):
The safety concern would be mostly to the operator from the built up pressure in the hose (especially if the operator is on a ladder).
Remember: "Safety First and Make It Last!"
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Ron P. was asking where he could find one like A-Plus.
I think your question "...If they are truly needed wouldn't they be installed by the manufacturer." ...deserves some pondering.
- Four disk brakes on a car are better than two - why don't all cars have them?
- The cab of my truck keeps rusting out behind the door (it's a typical problem and fairly easy to eliminate) - why has that problem not disappeared?
Shortened equipment life is not necessarily a question of liability - only if it's a safety issue. It's sort of like a direct drive vs. a belt drive.
A dampener should extend the life of a pump.
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This is a political editorial.
It burns me up to hear peace protesters ask "What has Sadaam done to us?"
I'd have to say - GET YOUR HEAD OUT OF THE SAND!
Sadaam and his regime killed over 180,000 Kurds during a 5 year period in the late 80's and early 90's. (Ethnic purging - because he didn't like the color of their skin.)
They have continued to kill and torture anyone that disagrees and is even slightly suspected of being a threat to them.
They have killed hundreds of thousands of Iranians and thousands of Kuwaitees, and harbor terrorists who kill anyone that supports Israel.
People disapper in the middle of the night, never to be seen again (same as the communists had done in their days).
Look around in that area, how many true democracies you see - not many, as most of these countries are dictatorships of one form or another. That's why they stick together - they don't want an uprising created to lose their control.
Would we not want someone to come and help us if someone was treating us that way? I would!
Thanks for letting me express my opinions in this free country!
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Xterior shows dampener in their catolog
CAT has some in their on-line catolog
Dultmeier has some in their catolog
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Ron,
What is the cylinder (piston) for? Small electric solenoid would work.
The Clapper would work if you added frequency scrambling/coding.
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I'm looking for a "SKY HOOK" - something that will hover in mid-air that I can hang 500 pounds onto and move around when I rearrange things for the 300th time. (Tired of cross-braces, cantilevered arms, head-bangers, stiffeners, etc.)
Willing to pay big bucks!
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The polls are a good idea, especially if focus is on what works vs. what does not (this reinforces OTP's thoughts). I think with enough votes, the rest will automatically fall out (well...sort of).
Chemicals can be like employees - The one you let go is not a bad employee, they just didn't fit the job (I'm sure everyone / thing has something they excel on.)
Seems like every time I stop at one of my distributors, they throw another catolog at me (each with 30-40 products in it). I have to tell them to circle the top 5 quality products on the index pages and put prices on them otherwise I don't want the info.
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A camelback is what you get on when you want to get from Baghdad to Syria.
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I wouldn't necessarily call it a stumbling block, a challange definitely, to streamline the following (these are not in any specific order):
- The sales packages / presentation packages
- Organizing and keeping things organized - from files to equipment and supplies.
- Upgrading equipment and procedures.
- The estimating / bidding process (finding ways to reduce effort hours and getting a higher percentage of bids).
- Finding ways to reduce the Overhead costs.
- Sorting thru ALL the different chemicals, solutions & sealers to find the best quality for a reasonable cost.
- Finding enough time in a day.
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I was editing my post while you were reading so you may not have seen this: Double check for minimum dry times - V-Seal (800) 738-7325.
Inflation.
in The Club House
Posted · Report reply
For those of you that have never seen inflation / currency devaluation this is the best chance to observe it on television (hopefully non of us will experience it first hand).
They have shown videos of the streets and markets in Iraq, as business and trading starts picking up steam after the war. If you look closely, when they show transactions, you will see people with wads of paper money, wrapped in bundles. Paying close attention, you will see that the stacks are not counted, but are weighed by a scale (that's what I call money by the pound / kilo).
I assume they will change currency in the near future when a government is established, but for now, whomever has the heaviest stack of Dinar's will be the winner. I would also suspect that prices are going up on a daily basis, the same as in lot of countries around WWII time frame. It was so bad in some countries that every person would get paid at the end of the day and they would have to spend all of the money the same day.
A loaf of bread would cost $1 dollar one day, the next day it was $2 dollars then the 3rd day it would cost maybe $5 dollars and so on. If you held the money too long the money you were paid with one day, would buy you absolutely nothing the next day. Eventually, new currency had to be issued and a new system established.
Satellite TV is so interesting as you can live history while it's being made vs. having to read about it 5 years afterwards.
Any other interesting observations?