Commercial accounts

[jgotterb 14]

I was wondering what was the best way to start getting commercial jobs, like fast food, banks, gas stations, etc. Is personally approaching the manager/owner effective, mailers, or some sort of specific advertising like business journals best? And if/when I do get some comm. jobs, how often and what kind of repeat bus. discount should I offer?

[demjernikki 14]

My best way is personally. Show him/her who you are and bring along any insurance/bonding, plus business plan-like a resume. When you do commericial you will eventually will need to raise your insurance/bonding in order to get most of these types of jobs. I am not as of yet in the Powerwashing business but I do expect this when I hire outside contractors. This will show me your serious and in it for the long haul, plus this helps beat out your possible competition. Look into other business and how they measure who gets the bids. Lastly, learn to provide accurate quotes, so your first job isn't your last. Crawl before you walk. -Go tiger! From NY...

[Beth n Rod 1,278]

demjernikki,

Please go to SETTINGS and fill in your signature. House rules.

Beth

[Oxfordlawn 14]

I would like to revive this thread...as I came to ask the same question and saw this. I have my residential lawn and yard work under control and on auto pilot. I have started house washing about a year ago and its going steady as well but continually growing, but not at where i want it yet. I have been looking at and pricing larger rigs with larger capabilities some with reclaim units, some without.

So my question is, how to make the contacts for commercial properties. Are property managing companies the ones to contact?? or at gas stations and fast food places do you go for the general manager type person? Home Depots, Lowes, Publix...so on. Just looking on getting the ball rolling on trying to make some contacts and find out the availability of work--so any suggestions on where to start? I understand this is going to be varied for different situations but, how have you all started finding the right contact people??

Thanks--TOM

[Ron Musgraves 240]

TGS is a Great Site, perhaps the best for residential you can find. If you really want to learn about landing commercial cleaning Jobs try www.pressurewashinginstitute.com

Commercial work is all I do, perhaps you should start by telling us about about yourself. Then hold on to your seat because I will tell you how to get all the commercial jobs you want.

Pricelist are great....we can even share some secrets about vendorlist and training locations.

So what do you have to do Commercial jobs? Lets hear...........

[Oxfordlawn 14]

Thanks Ron, I am a member of that forum as well and will repost this question there--but will also answer it here. I do see many of the same faces/names on the 2 sites as I am always watching and reading the forums and trying to learn from others. All the Pressure washing sites and forums I feel have been a great source of knowledge and info..and have reduced my learning curve and potential mistakes--but not eliminated them LOL..

perhaps you should start by telling us about about yourself.

By trade I had been an auto mechanic for 25 years, owned my own gas station/repair shop in bergen county NJ for the last 12 of those 25, then decided I didnt like the way the auto repair business was heading so we decided to sell everything and move to Florida.

In Florida I started a lawn care business and have been doing that for about 3 years now, and there is as much work for that as you want in my area so thats an easy self running business. Last year at this time when lawns slow down and I had some free time, I decided to get into house washing as an add on to my lawn care business. This too has grown as I am fortunate to live in an area of major growth and belief in that your house has to be washed twice a year. Although the price per house is very low, the quantitiy is high, the working area is all within a 10 square mile radius of house after house after house. GReat area to work!

Now to the present. Again its slowing a bit so I have some time to devote to another business aspect I have been thinking about and looking into. I am interested in possibly purchasing a larger trailer rig with hot water, seperate water and chem tanks, possibly reclaim unit..just stepping it up in size and quality for commercial properties. I live inbetween 2 fairly large city areas of central Florida, Ocala and Leesburg. My hometown area is growing like wildfire with mall after mall and lots of individual commercial buildings and big lot stores as well...so the clientel is here.

My question is how to get in touch with the people who make the decisions on who gets hired to clean all these properties. Property management companies--how do you know who runs which shopping center. Big box stores, is it site by site or...? gas stations and fast food do you go in and ask for the manager?

All along my business owner career, I have found most people will talk with you if approached in the right manner. I want to talk with these people to find things out like how often and how much. I am trying to figure if stepping up in price and size of equipment can be offset by the price and quantity of work I could get. I am keeping in mind that this is Florida I am working in and it does not nearly pull in the same price per job as most of you are getting so I really want to get some numbers before making any purchases. And to get these numbers I need to talk with the people who sign the checks.

whew---hope that helps :)

Edited October 31, 2010 by Oxfordlawn

[attsux 14]

@ron..when sending information of your company to get on vendorlists...what do you send...should I send my insurance declaration page and my license? Or just send them a flyer? Is there like a cookie cutter form I should be using...I hate giving pricelists thou..but most commercial gets the same rate as long as they have over a certain sqft

[Ron Musgraves 240]

@ron..when sending information of your company to get on vendorlists...what do you send...should I send my insurance declaration page and my license? Or just send them a flyer? Is there like a cookie cutter form I should be using...I hate giving pricelists thou..but most commercial gets the same rate as long as they have over a certain sqft

They have applications, request and invite. They may ask you what location wants to hire you. be ready with and answer...

[attsux 14]

There is an extremely large commercial property leasing company..I called to talk to somebody that handles there facilities and she said "most if our properties we just lease" I told her for the other I would like to be considered for the cleaning..and asked if the had a request for proposal database...she then said send me your info and ill pit you in our vendorlist for upcoming projects...thanks for the help Ron your input is always appreciated...any tips for parking garages...who do you approach? Should ask the teller who manages the lot?

[Gene 14]

My name is Gene Beck and I am the co-owner of TnT Pressure Services. We are as new as you can get. We offer "soft washing" on residential, light commercial, fences, roofs etc. I have been in the concrete pumping business for over 15 years as an operator, manager and salesman. We use Hydro-Tek equipment and reclaimers in a enclosed trailer. My partner and I are currently running 1 rig but have made a couple of friends locally and have a good relationship with a local equipment company so we can lease what ever we need. I am wondering how to look for jobs coming up for bid. In the concrete industry there are several established lead generating entities such as McGraw Hill, Reed Report, etc that announces upcoming jobs for bid. Is there similiar trade resources in the commercial pressure washing industry? Feel free to call me or email me. I am always available.