way too funny today at work!!!

[gutterdog 14]

This was way too funny not to share today. On way to house wash seen a competitors outdoor sign. Before I could stop Jeff, my helper almost 4 years, jumped out the truck ran up to the sign doin a flying side kick!!! lol!!! hehehe... anyway! the sign was on a solid steel post!!! fell back on his ass!!! kodak moment!!! musta been 3 feet in the ground. the sign didnt budge!! Jeff wrestled with that sign good 5 minuites! The sign was written on an old board with paint, and lots or runs in the paint. lol!!! It had to go!! This a new thread to share funny moment like this one!!! Hey I was protecting my area from an obviously uninsured gutter cleaner!!

[gutterdog 14]

Wrong. Wrong attitude too. I wouldn't be in this business if I didn't think customers could be convinced of it's necessity.

Wrong. My prices have gone up every year. Companies are cutting dead weight and refocusing on their core...their profitable core. Increasing speed if its a product of efficiency is something you should do regardless of lowballers.

YOU are a lowballer. You live and operate with a lowballer mentality. You refuse to look past your competition, you have worked for years to develop a job not a business, and you focus all your attention on pricing. Only lowballers care about "undercutting". I don't know even know how that's defined. I WANT people to charge less than me....that means I'm running a good business and making MORE money per job than they are.

So you take longer to do the work, you make less money, and you don't have any work. And you still think you're the expert here? Heres a riddle for you...most companies on this forum can do decks and houses faster than the competition, charge more money per job, close more sales, and still maintain top of line quality.

Obviously he CAN! Sounds like a good business model, make money on the upsell. Take a lesson from that and stop giving away free gutter cleaning.

Wrong. The future is whatever you make it out to be. $219 will never be the future for the right demographics and the right company.

I need to work on the frame of mind I have. It is different than many here in TGS. You guys are making the bucks like I was before the recession. I know thats one of the reasons why I am still here.

I've lost alot of my customers to a lower priced company. He came out of nowhere with a cheaper price and got them. Call the new guy W. Another contractor I called on the phone,(call him T) said the same thing. "T" went below the new guy (W)by 5 bucks, I reduced to 4 dollars more than the new guy (W). We are the 3 main companies where I USED to advertise at. I advertised there for over 2 years.

This I dont understand. My phone stoppped ringing. When W came around.

He was beating me price wise big time. Gutter cleaning. My repeat customers were asking me to match W. W is at $75 . Just so there is no confusion.

Look I REALLY want to understand how I can charge more! Go back to my old pricing that everyone thought was fair to me and them.

The $219 house wash franchise. I've lost one to him once and beat him once. he was the 4th house on same street. Seen my work. Recon that how I was able to close the sale for 400. That included a gutter clean, light wash of the deck, just white tip and water,(not much more than a strong rinse), Included the gutters in house wash. The front of the house I hit many times! Think I washed his side walk too.

I've changed my demographics (where I show up in search engines). Trying to target higher end areas. Moving forward on that.

What else am I doing wrong?

Ps. think I'll ask a question. Do you include gutters in your house wash? If so, how much more do you add to price?

[gutterdog 14]

I think this is going to become one of those classic threads....

Beth

Beth you have a guy in your area advertising cheaper than me gutter cleans. He is half the price I am with leaf relief. Can he give the 10 year guarantee like I can? I dunno.

Learned alot here! Thanks. I'm just trying to get a hold on something real. Something I can sink my teeth into. And go with! Getting close...

I acctually have an idea for something brand new I think? I think I'ts brand new. This industry should support it! Same chemicals!

I'm still choking from earlier, lol!!! My dads house. LOL!!! Hope I didnt do anything permanent to my lungs breathing in the bleach!!!

[offduty 25]

I wissh ya teh best of luk. I wood probobly lowur my prices to beet everyon else and runned them out of busniess. Then the markut will be yours.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

You might want to see a doctor about that bleach burn in your sinuses....especially if you spike a fever and get green mucous....

Beth

p.s. I don't spend time worrying about gutter cleaners....and not much more worrying about competition. I have found my time is far better spent on improving our business that worrying too much about what others are doing.

[gutterdog 14]

I wissh ya teh best of luk. I wood probobly lowur my prices to beet everyon else and runned them out of busniess. Then the markut will be yours.

That is what my buddie doing! Should call him and see how that working out. I want the W guy gone. That how me and T became friends!!!

[gutterdog 14]

You might want to see a doctor about that bleach burn in your sinuses....especially if you spike a fever and get green mucous....

Beth

p.s. I don't spend time worrying about gutter cleaners....and not much more worrying about competition. I have found my time is far better spent on improving our business that worrying too much about what others are doing.

Beth. Ive never shopped any one yet still. I think that is bad practice. Its a wealth of knowledge too. I'm getting... no I'm not. For 5 years I've never shopped. Not shoppin now. Heck I know enough by what I see advertised! I am better than the ones that shopped me.

Its funny! I've had people come up to my truck and shop me! Try to anyway! Say they aint competition. after talkin less than 2 min...LOL!!! BUSTED!!!!

[gutterdog 14]

Beth thanks for carin bout me. green mucous and fever. I'll be lookin for that. Other day I poked my eye in a hury, tryin to keep up wit jeff doin a gutter clean. had to reatach a new downspout that wasnt screwed in? Recon the other co ran out of screws!!! lol!!! Well I finnished their whole gutter job for free. Its included with the gutter clean. damn!!! My eye watered and hurt all day long. later I blinked my eye and i recon i broke the scab. OWWW!!! Pain all brand new again. after sleepin no probs!!!

[offduty 25]

:banghead:

That is what my buddie doing! Should call him and see how that working out. I want the W guy gone. That how me and T became friends!!!

[bigchaz 157]

:banghead:

HAHAA!! Wow seriously.....

[Adrian 155]

I'm learning more from the old threads than the questions I ask.

I'll take that as a "Thank You".

7 pages with 329 self induced hi-jackings, again.

If nothing else, hopefully you have learned that our time is valuable, just like yours is.

Hydrocloroxitehypoacidmetsilicateoxidaneliothiumhydroxichlorite ??????

Plenty of info on chems as well in the search function.

[Adrian 155]

Other day I poked my eye in a hury, tryin to keep up wit jeff doin a gutter clean. had to reatach a new downspout that wasnt screwed in? Recon the other co ran out of screws!!! lol!!! Well I finnished their whole gutter job for free. Its included with the gutter clean. damn!!!

Wow, your spelling.

P.P.E. = personal protection equipment.

Examples are in the search function.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Beth thanks for carin bout me. green mucous and fever. I'll be lookin for that. Other day I poked my eye in a hury, tryin to keep up wit jeff doin a gutter clean. had to reatach a new downspout that wasnt screwed in? Recon the other co ran out of screws!!! lol!!! Well I finnished their whole gutter job for free. Its included with the gutter clean. damn!!! My eye watered and hurt all day long. later I blinked my eye and i recon i broke the scab. OWWW!!! Pain all brand new again. after sleepin no probs!!!

You poked your eye....in a hurry....

I would never be in a hurry to poke my eye, in fact I don't think it is at all on my list of priorities.

You have only two eyes. You might consider seeking a doctor's advice about that eye.

Beth :cup:

[Celeste 341]

Here's a new can of worms for you Michael - MHIC license?

[gutterdog 14]

You poked your eye....in a hurry....

I would never be in a hurry to poke my eye, in fact I don't think it is at all on my list of priorities.

You have only two eyes. You might consider seeking a doctor's advice about that eye.

Beth :cup:

Its ok now. Thanks!

[Rick2 42]

A friend of mine, Patrick, is an electrician. One day his employee was taking a ladder off the van. When he undid one of the bungee cords holding the ladder on the rack the cord whipped around hitting him in the eye and pulled his eye right out of his head. Totally disgusting. That was a long time ago but I always think of it when I’m pulling my ladders off the rack.

[gutterdog 14]

A friend of mine, Patrick, is an electrician. One day his employee was taking a ladder off the van. When he undid one of the bungee cords holding the ladder on the rack the cord whipped around hitting him in the eye and pulled his eye right out of his head. Totally disgusting. That was a long time ago but I always think of it when I’m pulling my ladders off the rack.

Hey Rick! Stuff happens! Cant be walkin around with kneepads, elbow pads, rain gear, Helmet, eye protection, Wearing a mask all the time. Looking like an alien fron another planet!

Here a lil funny thing too back in the beginning when I only had one ladder and no ladder rack.

Back when I was just doing this on weekends. All I had was a 24 ft ladder back then. Bungie corded it to the front bumper. Very long bungie cord. If bungie cords are color coded for length it was black. Cant remember how I secured the back. Kept a rag where the ladder rubbed up against the paint. Any way Jake (my first helper and mentor, 30 years exp.) was in the truck smokin a cig while I was securing the ladder. It came loose and got me in my forehead. Geeze!! I bled and laughed my a## off for 10 -15 min? There was a puddle of blood in front of the truck! I didnt get back into the truck till it stopped bleeding. We both laughed out butts off!

When you get hurt. Laugh!!! It doesnt hurt as much. Think about how stupid you were to get hurt! And how funny that is!!! Dont do it again!

A helper I had for a lil bit while he was laid off. This guy a knuckle head bad ass man.Forgot his name... Dan? Forgot the name of what he does. Pile driver was one. very dangerous. makes us look like P.... What we do. The going thing in his trade. No kidding around. Very dangerous job. If you get hurt... It means a certain part of your anatomy just got bigger. Thats what he told me. that how they talk in his field of work.

Isnt this why the customer calls us? Instead of them doing it them selves?

Another time... Had 7 gutter cleans at the price I used to charge, one day! ( miss them prices!!!). I set the little giant ladder I keep on the truck. got more in the shed. Anyway! The ladder slipped. I was 10 -15 feet in the air on the ladder handing leaf blower to Jeff. The ladder slipped. I fell backwards onto the ladder. OUCH!!! Hitting the deck wouldve been better. Hitting dirt wouldve been better than that! I fell on the ladder, LOL!!! I was outa breath seeing stars. Couldnt walk. Home owner heard me fall. Came running out. I was so embarrased! She wanted to call 911. I said NO! gonna finish this job and get the rest of them! And I did!

I miss the prices I used to get.100, 120, 140, 160. Like to get them again. Stole another from franchise today. Only because missed cleaning the downspout 2 times. Even after the call back.

BUTTT... My truck caught on fire down the bottom of ST. Marys today. The transmission fluid leaking was on fire because I pushed it to hard. It was take pics of something I never seen before or save my truck! I never seen anything like this before. I only go down there for repeat customers any more. Me and Jeff kept the fire under control with the pump up sprayer and water that was in it. Till the fire dept showed up. Guess it was too much for my '96.

This I'm not laughing at. Cause I wont have a truck for a week prob. And the bill... Another expensive learning lesson this year.

lesson learned is with a ladder rack full of ladders and 2 heavy toolboxes. That is too much weight to be driving in overdrive. The 25 gallons of hydroxite I still got on the back of the truck for roof tomorow aint doin now. well not tomorow. Too much weight to drive in overdrive to save gas.

This year of learning to grow... made alot of mistakes.Trying to Push forward in a messed up economy. ... chances I've taken. This year! I went up there spending with the big boys in sponsored links! Aint doin that no more.

What I've learned today and all the time I share here. None of it is BS. 'cause I gotta give back, for what I've learned here.

Seems like you 2 girls wanna run me outa here. Why? I'm no threat to any one? And there I'm going to stop.

No I'm not. Real quick then I'm going to sleep. MHIC? What do you know bout MHIC down in sc or nc wherever you at? Beth been talkin to ya? yea she has. Beth... whatever. ARE yall scared of me? Dont be. because I'm not out to hurt a friend. What I do is legal and not in MHIC.

Ive spent about 2 hours on this thread. And rod I'm not sending the bill to any one.

[Clean Image 14]

A friend of mine, Patrick, is an electrician. One day his employee was taking a ladder off the van. When he undid one of the bungee cords holding the ladder on the rack the cord whipped around hitting him in the eye and pulled his eye right out of his head. Totally disgusting. That was a long time ago but I always think of it when I’m pulling my ladders off the rack.

WOW!! I found myself holding my eyes and jaw dropped after reading this. How many times have we all been whipped by the D*%& bungee cord. That would be devastating.

I could not resist the icon!!

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Hey Rick! Stuff happens! Cant be walkin around with kneepads, elbow pads, rain gear, Helmet, eye protection, Wearing a mask all the time. Looking like an alien fron another planet!

Here a lil funny thing too back in the beginning when I only had one ladder and no ladder rack.

Back when I was just doing this on weekends. All I had was a 24 ft ladder back then. Bungie corded it to the front bumper. Very long bungie cord. If bungie cords are color coded for length it was black. Cant remember how I secured the back. Kept a rag where the ladder rubbed up against the paint. Any way Jake (my first helper and mentor, 30 years exp.) was in the truck smokin a cig while I was securing the ladder. It came loose and got me in my forehead. Geeze!! I bled and laughed my a## off for 10 -15 min? There was a puddle of blood in front of the truck! I didnt get back into the truck till it stopped bleeding. We both laughed out butts off!

When you get hurt. Laugh!!! It doesnt hurt as much. Think about how stupid you were to get hurt! And how funny that is!!! Dont do it again!

A helper I had for a lil bit while he was laid off. This guy a knuckle head bad ass man.Forgot his name... Dan? Forgot the name of what he does. Pile driver was one. very dangerous. makes us look like P.... What we do. The going thing in his trade. No kidding around. Very dangerous job. If you get hurt... It means a certain part of your anatomy just got bigger. Thats what he told me. that how they talk in his field of work.

Isnt this why the customer calls us? Instead of them doing it them selves?

Another time... Had 7 gutter cleans at the price I used to charge, one day! ( miss them prices!!!). I set the little giant ladder I keep on the truck. got more in the shed. Anyway! The ladder slipped. I was 10 -15 feet in the air on the ladder handing leaf blower to Jeff. The ladder slipped. I fell backwards onto the ladder. OUCH!!! Hitting the deck wouldve been better. Hitting dirt wouldve been better than that! I fell on the ladder, LOL!!! I was outa breath seeing stars. Couldnt walk. Home owner heard me fall. Came running out. I was so embarrased! She wanted to call 911. I said NO! gonna finish this job and get the rest of them! And I did!

I miss the prices I used to get.100, 120, 140, 160. Like to get them again. Stole another from franchise today. Only because missed cleaning the downspout 2 times. Even after the call back.

BUTTT... My truck caught on fire down the bottom of ST. Marys today. The transmission fluid leaking was on fire because I pushed it to hard. It was take pics of something I never seen before or save my truck! I never seen anything like this before. I only go down there for repeat customers any more. Me and Jeff kept the fire under control with the pump up sprayer and water that was in it. Till the fire dept showed up. Guess it was too much for my '96.

This I'm not laughing at. Cause I wont have a truck for a week prob. And the bill... Another expensive learning lesson this year.

lesson learned is with a ladder rack full of ladders and 2 heavy toolboxes. That is too much weight to be driving in overdrive. The 25 gallons of hydroxite I still got on the back of the truck for roof tomorow aint doin now. well not tomorow. Too much weight to drive in overdrive to save gas.

This year of learning to grow... made alot of mistakes.Trying to Push forward in a messed up economy. ... chances I've taken. This year! I went up there spending with the big boys in sponsored links! Aint doin that no more.

What I've learned today and all the time I share here. None of it is BS. 'cause I gotta give back, for what I've learned here.

Seems like you 2 girls wanna run me outa here. Why? I'm no threat to any one? And there I'm going to stop.

No I'm not. Real quick then I'm going to sleep. MHIC? What do you know bout MHIC down in sc or nc wherever you at? Beth been talkin to ya? yea she has. Beth... whatever. ARE yall scared of me? Dont be. because I'm not out to hurt a friend. What I do is legal and not in MHIC. BULL****

Ive spent about 2 hours on this thread. And rod I'm not sending the bill to any one.

I'm not sure which part of this mess to address, so I'll address what I believe is directed at me. There are MANY threads on this site regarding licensing. It has been discussed for years. Our MHIC number is in our signature. Those who know us and have spoken to us over the years know that there are requirements here in Maryland, just as there are in other states as well. Laws may vary, but most states have some form of home improvement license requirement. Michael, please do not flatter yourself. I am not the least bit concerned with you, what you do is so far removed from what we do it's not even funny. But one thing you are mistaken about is your need for an MHIC license. To install a gutter guard, you need one, to tighten a nail, you need one. It is considered an improvement.

As for your blatant disregard for working safely and using the proper PPE, we can't make you do it, but your own stubborn streak and lack of willingness to actually listen to others is going to get you into trouble one day.

Good luck.

Beth :cup:

[Celeste 341]

Oh Michael - we have NO reason to be afraid of you except what damage you can/have done to this INDUSTRY.

We mentored with Beth & Rod so I do know about MHIC - we have multiple PROFESSIONAL colleagues across Maryland and VA and you are potentially damaging THEIR area perspectives.

So far in this thread you have mutilated the english language, bragged about committing criminal acts AND now state that you aren't licensed to do your services. I'm quaking in my NORTH Carolina boots.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

I have nothing more to contribute to this thread which has segway-ed into being a nuisance to read and pointless as well.

Rod!~

[Rick2 42]

WOW!! I found myself holding my eyes and jaw dropped after reading this. How many times have we all been whipped by the D*%& bungee cord. That would be devastating.

I could not resist the icon!!

There's nothing at all funny about that accident but that icon cracks me up. Thanks for the laugh this morning!

[PressurePros 249]

Nearly 1600 views.. what a train wreck!

[gutterdog 14]

Good Morning! I learned alot in here. Thanks for the knowledge. This does seem to be a popular thread?

[Douglas Hicks 128]

Good Morning! I learned alot in here. Thanks for the knowledge. This does seem to be a popular thread?

To date you have learned nothing. And you are contributing nothing to the trade, except dishoner.

Beth, there have been others who contributed more and have been banned. If I had a vote, which I do not, I would vote to send him to ***.

[Celeste 341]

LOL Doug - snack time!