Tom DeFrancesco

The reason Rockland "MANDATES" you have a license is because back in 2003 a Painter/Pressure Washer was doing a deck job and left his day laborer there to finish. After he left the "Day Laborer" raped and killed the homeowner. I kind of understand why they mandate it now but there fee is outrageous. I do occasional work in Rockland but only for family and friends. HEAVY fines if caught without license.

Searched to see if this topic has already been discussed and could not find it. Anyway, I thought I have heard that you can artificially age wood. Have a customer who added onto the deck last September and would like to make it uniform when I am done with it. Any suggestions?

Good point!

Sorry, was looking at your avitar name. Meant "Thanks Charlie"

Thanks Chaz, I planned on stripping and brightening the whole deck and already explained to the customer what to expect. I just remembered hearing about accelerated aging. I would like to try a non conspicuous area with baking soda. What would the concentration be and what is the dwell? Also do I just leave it or do I have to rinse? Just want to experiment a little to see if I could get a closer blend. Thanks.

You are absolutely right Brian!!!!!!! Neither have I and i took the pictures. I am on a mission!!!

Scott, I don't see anything about neutralizing the stripper before staining. Very crucial step.

You are right Scott. He was selling his business last year but would not tell anyone the name. I pm'd him and we only spoke via email. Would not give me his phone #. Personally I think it sounds a little fugazy. Constantly brags about how much he makes. What he made in January is not hard to do as long as you have some nice steady fleet accounts. They carry us throughout the winter. I just dont get it why the need to brag.

You know Brian, I was thinking the same exact thing as I was reading the posts. LOL. How have you been anyway???

Really??? Extension wands, ladders ??? What happened to just plain old x jet or 65 deg tip?

Who are you bidding against????? Glad to see your alive too.

Any input on doing driveways with the thick black sealer??? At the end of last season I had received quite a few calls to do them. Not quite sure it is very profitable unless you have a spray system set up on a trailer. Not sure how it is priced in my market area.

If he openly advertised this, how is it not professional to post his own advertisement with contact information???

What I do not understand is he is showing pics from the 90's. Where and why is "The Mallard System" not around anymore if it was so great??? The pics posted are definately impressive.

Recieved a call from a gentleman about power washing canopies and buildings at approximately 700 Sunoco gas stations throughout NY,NJ,PA. Met with a gentleman by the name of Patrick at a station by me and discussed the particulars. Does not need a perfect job just needs it to be paint ready. Wants loose paint removed along with any grease. No guarantee of water access at each location. If you are a painter also he will sub the entire job to you. Canopy belly, island curbs and building to be painted. The downside and why I am not taking this job is because they will only pay 5 1/2 cents per/sqft for the washing part. They pre-measured every station and provide you with the sq/ft. Example- One particular station they will only pay you $84.32. Not to sound like a pompous a$$ but I usually do not even start my machine for less than $150.00. That price includes your chems, travel and all safety precautions. If there is more than one island you are only allowed to close one island at a time and must cover the pumps and utilize specified size cones and tarps. I am willing to pass on Patricks phone number to anyone interested as long as they are a legitamately insured company. Although it sounds nice and there are that many stations gas is over $3.00 a/gal and my truck barely gets 11 mpg. It may work for someone else.

How did you make out with all the Sunoco stations anyway ????

I have had a tremendous amount of success with NMD-80, GSR and Safe Restore. ( I have actually made it into their June 2008 news letter with a project involving NMD-80) I have also been using there Truck Wash Supreme and love it. They claim it to be brushless but it is not. A couple of my accounts are weekly and it has worked fairly well. It has been brushless for a while but now we are brushing them once a month and they come out great. Another issue I have with it is that they do not take off the oxydation (water marks). I have contemplated adding a few ounces of gutter shock to the mix to see if that helps. I am open to suggestions from anyone on doing that.

I had a feeling that was going to be the answer. Thanks.

Question Jim, When something like that happens, due you charge the customer for another coat ?? Or due we just eat it ???

Its funny. I posted a very similiar thread a while back and had gotten pounced on by some regulars on here for doing it. Where are they now.http://www.thegrimescene.com/forums/flatwork-buildings/10972-i-could-not-believe-my-eyes.html

How about you just sub it out !!!!!!! lol

Here is my two cents. Everyone on this post has the right idea but the problem I have run into a couple of times is alot of people do not want to face reality in accepting the fact that they have screwed up by putting solids on there 20K decks. They only want to hear that it could be scraped a little and repainted for about $500- $1000 no matter what kind of proper wood restoration education you try to give them. In my only 3.5 years of experience people hear an outrageous number such as the ones above, (I do aggree with the price) they immediately think you are trying to take advantage of them all because the clerk at the local HD or paint store tells them all they have to do is scrape the loose paint and go over it with some primer and new color. It all comes down to the contractors comfort level of tackling such a difficult job in a reasonable amount of time AND the HO willingness to get the job done correctly.

That is somewhat true Lance, my problem is it kills me to walk away from a job knowing "I COULD NOT DO IT" I work so hard to let people know that we are not amateurs that we are professionals. I don't know.....it is an Italian thing I guess. Ken, I had my guys test a spot with safe-restore and they said it did nothing. I will admit, I might question how long they let it dwell. Would GSR work better you think ???

Only the front of the building faces the street.

Hey Ron, no I have never tried two stepping on a house. It definately sounds interesting. I totally understand about the passing traffic but it is completely around the entire structure. I tried a strong concentration of my house wash mix and then tried a strong mix of F-18 along with 225 deg rinse. Not a dent. I am willing to try anything because I know this will be a profitable job. Eacho-chem swears on safe-restore. I have some so I will give it a shot.