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jbruno

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Posts posted by jbruno


  1. I know you're not bashing Part-timers, and I am a PTimer. But yes in the BEGINNING, I had noone teaching me about pricing. So I used to think "if I make $300 today on 2 small house washes, I'll be happy" At the time it worked because I had no truck payment, and my equipment only cost me 2K. But the more I read boards like this and the bigger my expenses became, the higher my price went. Not ridiculous high, but defenitely miles ahead of the lowballers. But the other thing is that the market isn't saturated by tons of guy doing powerwashing.

    Anybody that starts out around here (NY) and wants to learn the right way will get my help. I will tell them what chems to use, how to clean stuff, stain and I'll even let them know what my price ranges are, because I want them to realize that they can do a good job, with good materials, and get paid REALLY WELL, thus eliminating a lowballer. If they take the lowball route than I'll blow them out of the water with past performance, and salesmanship, as well as the fact that i won't take the shortcuts!


  2. I find that NOT wierd. He basically was doing the same thing we do hear but in person. Don't look at it as something wierd, or read into it. He may have been lining you up for some jobs he couldn't handle, or big jobs he figured you could help him with.

    I for one am trying to hook up with Tom Defrancesco from this board so I can help him start out his residential business nearby me. Sure it will be "competition" but as long as he isn't a Hack or a lowballer, It helps the industry and myself in the long run. And No Tom won't be a hack, because I'll learn him the right way! LOL


  3. find out if these people have a burn barrel. I did a job two years ago and couldn't figure out why there was so much smoke staining. I busted my ass on the back of the house and side. I brushed gutter shock on it twice and hot water rinsed it. It took about 90% off. problem was the previous owners were burning TRASH in the back yard. If it were just wood being burned, it wouldn't have been a problem, but plastics really create a mess when they are burned


  4. Ahhhh yes. A very discouraging series vs. the Yanks.

    JBruno, I hope the recent sweep helps ease the pain of the devastating 2004 ALCS. That must still burn! Sweep every series from here to eternity, you'll never take away "one of the greatest comebacks in baseball history". Go Sox! By the way, that young man in your avatar, is that a "Super Papi" tee shirt he's wearing? Wah-ha-ha.

    That is a regular Superman T-shirt, No Papi crapi in this house!


  5. Hey Len, Wanna come up to NY and make a BOAT LOAD of money? There are tons of concrete jobs waiting for a guy with your experience. But first you'll have to even out my basement floor. My limited experience with concrete and a pushy building iunspector got me a nice un-even basement floor. I couldn't get a guy to come a poor my floor (5 calls) I did ALL the prep/ 10 yards of stone, plastic and pressure treated border to level off to. All the Mason had to do was show up and work his magic. Well the inspector kep[t pressing me to do it, so me an the boys tackled it ourselves. Boy did I learn a lot that day! LOL


  6. First of all, great job Matt!!

    jbruno, this cust was a doctor with a very nice house who had a large deck with multiple nasty sealer/stain applications..............he just wanted to start fresh and it was cedar. After the full sand this deck looked unreal. These guys spent 3 days sanding it and i went back and washed the dust off, but it turned out beautiful

    If you can afford it, then I guess you get the 3 day sanding. I actually like the "clean and run" jobs. staining sometimes gets a little annoying!


  7. John,

    First of all stop with the Mets, they still have to win about 23 world series to catch the Yankess. (we'll pro-rate it because they haven't benn around in a while so we'll make it 13 WS)

    Zap,

    Your Bullpen is HORRIBLE. Schill leaves with a 2 run lead. I couldn't keep my eys open, and fell asleep before the rain delay was over. I shouldn't watch any of these games, I've seen about 4 innings this weekend and they weren't the good ones! LOL

    P.s. WOO HOO 4 outa 5, looking for the 5th today!


  8. They really look good the first three games. HA HA Go Yanks!! Hey Papi put on a glove and play baseball. that's why he shouldn't be MVP!! MAnny at least plays the field and actually is getting better at it. But he's still a zero!

    p.s. Nice bullpen. LOL


  9. I am looking into a wood restoration class and noticed the PWNA recommends a 2 day in Orlando. How is this class ? Not that I expect to learn everything but is it worth the $800 ?

    Tom, sorry once again the day slipped by. Started out in Warwick picking up my truck, then did an estimate in Sugarloaf, then to Roe brothers for some lumber, then to middletown to start the transfer of equipment from trailer to box truck. got home at 6 and had the kids for a few hours while the wife scrapbooked. At 8:30 I started the primary coat of Coranado floor epoxy. I'm hoping this will keep the floor of my truck from taking a beating.

    But back to wood restoration. Save your money (I know thw PWNA guys are gonna yell at me) I'm doing a deck on Monday monday or Tuesday, and hopefully I'm going to be doing an entire cedar house and lots of Pressure treated decks at anothe rhouse next week. (one in Chester, other in sugarloaf.) I als have another deck to do in sullivan county. They all would be good to tag along. I'll try and call you tomorrow.


  10. here's a few pics on how my trailer was first set -up, now it's a mess! LOL

    I put my reels out the back door for 2 reasons, 1. because I had a side door that I would be going in and out of to get chems and supplies and the sorts, so I wanted that clear. 2. I try to back into each driveway, this way I'm not losing distance in my hose stretches. and If I don stay in the street, it works just as well, No matter what side of the road you're on.

    post-2008-137772163112_thumb.jpg

    post-2008-137772163114_thumb.jpg

    post-2008-137772163116_thumb.jpg


  11. yeah, He changed his request. change your price or tell him to wait till the end of the season when he closes the pool. If the kids (or whoever) are still using the pool, you'll have a hard time getting it to dry. I have done some work around pools, and the chems I use haven't harmed any pools yet. plus there's a couple thousand gallons of water diluting the chems (some will argue not to do it) I do tell the owner that there might be a little 'debri' in the pool, but I try not to do pool work during the busy swimming season. Usually I do them in the spring right when they open and the re chems aren't adjusted anyway, or the pool is still a little cloudy or dirty, or I wait till they close them up.


  12. Thank you everyone. John, I will check him out. I want to stay somewhat in our area just for the fact that if there are any warranty problems I could bring it right back and not have to worry about shipping a 500 lb machine somewhere. A-1 Hydrotek in Westchester is an authorized Landa dealer. They are trying to sell me a 16 hp vanguard belt driven 3500/4.7 skid with a Landa pump, sched 80 coil for $6700. Adjustable thermo is xtra. Anygood ???

    That's the guys that I use, It's actually A-1 Hydro (no tek). They are pretty good about selling you a machine, but they are expensive for all the bullshit. I'll call you on Thursday, and we can talk about what you want to get. I bought from them originally because I wanted someone close in case it broke down.

    p.s. I'm running that machine at 6 gpm and it has the thermostat! we can get together and you can see my set up.


  13. I never hve to move my hand cart, or untangle hoses. Did you see the picture of the guy brushing the gutters?? HE moves my stuff for me. He's young and he does what I tell him, or he gets blasted with the x-jet and he gets to walk home! LOL.

    But seriously, I'm only 34 and he's 24, it's not very diffiucult moving it around. I guess it's just a matter of me trying something new.

    Are you suing a rollover type system, or duall lance?


  14. Sorry. Was talking to my freind Jim on thge phone. Thanks KEN.

    Tom, Call me. I have enough house wash stuff, I can give you a little "taste" this way you can see how the stuff works. And I'm convinced you'll buy it after you use it. Plus I'll show you how to do residential work. I have a house and deck I'm doing late this week, or beginning of next week.

    Take advantage, I learned a lot from the bulletin boards, but there wasn't anyone around here doing it when I started who could have showed me!!

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