Hi everyone - Newbie trying to get started

[ls1cameric 14]

I'm so new to this business that I dont even own a pressure washer and never have. I've used them a few times on various things but I never really knew that you can do so many things with them until recently when I started thinking of small business ideas to get me away from corporate americas crap. I'm tired of working my butt off for big companies only to get layed off because IT jobs are all being outsourced overseas for dirt cheap labor.

I've been lurking this site with a few other forums trying to gather as much info and knowledge as possible so that I can try my best to start up a successful power washing company. I will have to start off working nights and weekends until it hopefully picks up enough to where I can actually quit my It job and doing this full-time.

My plan is to do anything and everything from residenital exteriors, commerical jobs, truck fleets, parking lots, deck and fence refinishing and whatever else I can get my hands on. I live in an area where there are not very many companies like this that i know of and only 1 other that does everything I want to do (minus the deck and fence restoration). Problem is, I have 0 experience and a full time professional job. The bright side is, I do have about 8 grand that I can spend to get started and have received a quote from a local Mi-T-M supplier for a cold water rig that would run about half of that but I'm wanting to get opinions from the pros on my decisions.

Am I thinking too big for just getting started in the biz? Should I go with a smaller portable setup until i get my feet wet and gain some experience and then upgrade? My thinking is that, I have the funds available to where I can afford a decent hot rig trailer set up with pretty much everything i might need to tackle any job. I would just hate to get the cold water portable machine and then get a offer to do a larger job where it will not be sufficiant. What are your thoughts?

can anyone reccomend a decent Mi-T-M setup for me to get started on what I'm wanting to do?

[Exterior Attack PW 14]

If I were you I would start out slow. First, you have no experience what so ever. Start off slow. Maybe buy some decent used stuff at first. Start off with a cold pressure washer, a surface cleaner, a couple of hundred feet of hose and go out and try to find some business. The guys you are talking to about about a Mi-T-M setup just want to sell you something. Just because you spend $8000.00 doesn't mean you will have a quick return on your investment. The guys that have all the nice rigs, hot and cold PW's, chems tanks, hose reels on every side of the truck etc.. have been doing this job a long time and are when established and have the business and the knowledge to do it. You have to learn to "Crawl" before you "Walk". Back to the no experience part, you can mess up someones house real bad if you use the wrong chemicals. Start lurking on these boards and reading and asking questions, thats what I did when I got into the business. You will get some great information from guys who will give you some good advice. I guarantee that everyone who reads this will agree with me. DON'T GO OUT THERE LIKE A HACK AND MAKE US ALL LOOK BAD. LEARN HOW TO DO IT AND DO IT RIGHT. DON'T BE THAT LOWBALLER THAT WE ALL LOVE TO HATE. ps. I started out with used equiptment and have only about $1000.00 invested minus the trailer which was given too me. I don't have all those fancy tanks and such. I have the right stuff to do the job. Good Luck.

[Joe Ortiz 14]

I say buy an entry level cold water PW at least 3.5 g.p.m. a small tank 65-125 gal.some hose reels,and some parts/fittings.you can install them on a truck bed or on a small 4x8 trailer.but if you want to do this right you gotta look professional. image is everything. I learned it the hard way. P.S. there is some peole doing work in you area and in lakeway good luck!

[Doug Dahlke 114]

Several things to consider.

#1 This is not a good time of year to start a PW biz. I live in Georgia and can and do wash all year round but October thru January is extremely slow in the residential market. Temps drop, people are focusing on Thanksgiving and Xmas and business is hard to come by.

#2 The economy is in the toilet. I do painting work too and the last few months I have survived on business that came from referrals and additional work from PM's I have contracts with. As far as new business goes it is tough going right now. People are holding onto their cash.

#3 If you are serious about getting commercial work you will need hot water. Many of the larger PM companies are also going to want you to carry at least one million in general libility insurance and workers comp. It won't make any difference if you have employees or not on the WC they will still want you to have a policy. The WC policy will cost at least $800 paid in full at sign up. GL will probably run over $100 per month.

If I were you I would keep researching this business but wait until after the first of the year to make any major purchases.

[Tracy Handl 108]

Doug made some good points but I think in your situation, this is a great time for you to start.

1) You have a job for income so the slow times won't hurt you. (Don't take on more than you can chew for now)

2) If you first start in spring when its go-go-go time, you will be working out the kinks when they should already be worked out.

3) you mention you need experience - I'll bet there are things around your house that needs washing. What better place to start. (depending on where you are, make sure there are not water restrictions that only allow licensed contractors to wash) Also, a little free work for the neighbors strengthens relations, and gets you experience.

4) It's true, the economy is tough right now, but now is the time to develop your marketing strategy. Do a little testing of it. Tweak it. Then you will be ready for the fast and furious time.

5) Start with a cold water unit. About $1500 will get you a great one. You can always add hot water for under $2000.00 With todays technology, soaps allow you to do more with cold water than ever before.

I say go for it. Follow your dream, but use common sense. Start slow and use your distibutors, fellow contractors, and own experiences to build the best business you possibly can! Good luck and let me know if I can assist in any way.

[newlook 265]

Doug made some good points but I think in your situation, this is a great time for you to start.

1) You have a job for income so the slow times won't hurt you. (Don't take on more than you can chew for now)

2) If you first start in spring when its go-go-go time, you will be working out the kinks when they should already be worked out.

3) you mention you need experience - I'll bet there are things around your house that needs washing. What better place to start. (depending on where you are, make sure there are not water restrictions that only allow licensed contractors to wash) Also, a little free work for the neighbors strengthens relations, and gets you experience.

4) It's true, the economy is tough right now, but now is the time to develop your marketing strategy. Do a little testing of it. Tweak it. Then you will be ready for the fast and furious time.

5) Start with a cold water unit. About $1500 will get you a great one. You can always add hot water for under $2000.00 With todays technology, soaps allow you to do more with cold water than ever before.

I say go for it. Follow your dream, but use common sense. Start slow and use your distibutors, fellow contractors, and own experiences to build the best business you possibly can! Good luck and let me know if I can assist in any way.

Great advice all the way around!!!

[Exterior Attack PW 14]

Everyone has to start somewhere. Just don't take your time and do it right. Don't quit your day job yet. You have a paycheck coming in right now. I think if you started out with nights and weekends like you said would be your best bet. PW is my side business, so those slow times don't hurt that bad. Like Tracy said above, do some free stuff for friends and neighbors. Thats what I did and it worked out great. You can try out your techniques, get your chemicals proportioned right and see how long it takes so you can charge your customers accordingly so you can make some money. I say good luck. Thats what these boards are for, to help out others. Your not going to find out everthing because there are still trade "secrets" so to speak. If I could help out let me know.

[John Doherty 126]

First find a contractor outside your area who will let you do some labor for learning.

Try and find a one man outfit (that'll be you to begin with) and spend 3 full days with them.

Then think if this is the business you want to get into.

[ls1cameric 14]

I do plan on doing work around my own house and doing things for friends and family, maybe some nieghbors just so I CAN get some experience. There arent a whole lot of companies like this around my area so working with a one man crew for a few days might be hard to come by but I can look around to see if anyone's willing to let me.

After reading your replies, I'll definately take the advice you all gave and start off small.

Traciy from Sunbright sent me a PM with a good deal on a Black Knight model 413# cold water portable machine. I've never heard this brand so I'd like to know if anyone of you have any experience with it. It seems to be a good setup. Belt driven, 13hp Honda, general pump, 4000 psi at 4gpm and it's 1499.00 with free shipping. This is about 400.00 cheaper than machines I've found with similar specs.

If this were to be a good choice to get me started, what would be a good surface cleaner to go with it?

[Doug Dahlke 114]

There arent a whole lot of companies like this around my area so working with a one man crew for a few days might be hard to come by but I can look around to see if anyone's willing to let me.

You may be right but do a Google search for companies in your area. The results may surprise you. I just did one for power washing Cedar Park Texas and there are 10 companies listed on the map section at the top of the page. I didn't scroll through the rest to see how many were there but it looks like quite a few.

Before you wash anything for money I would recommend that you get a general liabilty policy. It will protect you and your customers.

I still say you need hot water to do any volume of work on commercial. You can't remove gum without hot water. You can buy a cold water machine now and add a hot box later but if commercial is something you want to do I recommend you get a machine with at least a 5 gpm flow rate and price out a hot box for it just so you know what it would cost when the time comes.

I'm not trying to bust your bubble. This is a business that is very easy to get into, making a living at it is another story.