I feel like a "cheap lowballer!"

[CBhaydare 14]

I normally clean hoods, but have been getting in to the drive ways, and house washing.

I bid this house for a neighbor down from where I live, and I feel that I under bid it for the amount of time, fuel, and chemicals I have invested.

I started the job yesterday and was there for 9hrs and only halfway done, the paint is so old and bad on this entire house that I can't do much with it.

My M5- X-jet didn't come in when it was supposed to, so I have been using a pump up sprayer and a 24' extension ladder for my chemicals, and then I'm using a 15* nozzle and around 300-400psi @ 130* water.

The mold/mildew is on the house better than the paint, the paint is old, chalky, and very thin....

This house is huge! I am doing all the porches 4 of them, ceilings, hand rails and spindles, steps.

My fuel cost on the machine is eating me up also, I wish I had bid double what I did.

Live and learn.... I guess:(

This is after, the streaks are a reflection of a silver bullet travel trailer, and the dark looking area's are where the paint is thin, this house needs a painting....

Edited March 30, 2011 by CBhaydare

[RGilliam 46]

why are you applying with a pump up sprayer? I understand you said you didnt have an x-jet but you dont even have a downstream injector? You could downstream and get 30ft with the right nozzles. If you didn't have the right nozzles, you could have stuck a 1/4 hose barb on that sucka!

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

That M5 saves LOTS of time. You'll get better at them. :groovy3:

Beth

[CBhaydare 14]

Thanks Beth! I hope so....

No, Ron I don't have a DS either, I was debating the DS or X-jet and went with the X-jet. For hood cleaning never needed the DS, just the pump sprayer, or my home made foam'er...

[Tim McCulla 14]

hey Brian, You should have a DS and a back up (injector, QC and tube w/ strainer) ready to go. I would not have one or the other, I can understand not having two (2) x jets but an injector is less than $20 bucks- you should have one and a spare especially since it looks like you should be spraying bleach. Well, you live and learn - I think you have learned at the old 'school of hard knocks' on this one. Hang in there - maybe another customer is lurking watching you be so diligent with this job that you will get more work from this - look at it as 'exposure'.

best of luck, Tim

[Doug Rucker 31]

Hey Brian, I am here in Houston, if I can help you in anyway let me know. CAll me or email if you need too.

[CBhaydare 14]

Tim, thanks for the advice, I'm thinking the same thing about a DS on hand for sure!

Doug, I maybe taking you up, on giving you a call!

Thanks to everyone for giving me some inspirational support!

I needed it, have to go finish the other half of the house tomorrow.

I will say the home owner is a very nice guy and he was asking me if I got in to more than I thought I bid, I told him the situation and he was sympathetic, even asked me if I wanted to be paid that day, and I'm not done with the job. He said he was very happy with the results and his wife was also, he knows a lot of people so maybe I can get more work from this one!

[Cajun Cleanin 64]

You learned a very valuable lesson I hope.Get you 2 downstreamers in case 1 goes out.You can downstream that job all day every day.I use my m5 xjet to rinse with almost exclusively.

[John T 744]

Brian another idea here and its just that an idea. Tell this guy that you have a special spray piece coming in that is a Godsend for a job like this. If you ordered the M5 X-Jet u should have it any day now. When you get it go back to the house and tell the neighbor to make sure all the windows are closed tight. Water the surrounding areas real well. Then wet the House. Try to do all this away from where the Sun is. Now start at the bottom and work your way up with your X-Jet and Flood this house with your Sodium Hypochlorite mixture and give it a really good bath. Let it sit there for a few moments but DO NOT let it dry on the house and especially not the windows. Maybe even give the windows a little rinse. Rinse again the surrounding areas real well such as the Gardens foalige etc. Now let the magic begin. Start your water rinse from the top of the house and give it a real splash of water all the way down. Then Rinse it again. Rinse the gardens and foolage again and rinse those windows real good. Then do that Rinse again. This way the house comes out much more even with the cleaning and your time factor to do this would be like superman doing the job. ITs all in the Cleaning Chemicals you use and how you apply them and an x-jet for a job like this is the way to go and the rinse rinse and rinse again.....Done. You will love the results and this guy will be stoked.

I've been doing jobs like this for 16 yrs and with the right tools, soaps and frame of mind you will be the King for that day.

Good luck and enjoy the compliments....and the greens in your wallet for a job well done.

[CBhaydare 14]

Finished the job today, another 5 hrs. So total time was 14hrs.

Called Watercannon today, to see where my X-jet was and why it didn't come in with my other stuff, oh guess what, it is scheduled to be delivered today. I wish they had told me when I placed the order and asked if it was shipping out same day, that the X-jet ships separately from the manufacture.

I need to give Pressuretek a call and see what they have for DS setup.

Edited March 30, 2011 by CBhaydare

[Celeste 341]

Chalk this one up to a learning curve - it was a hard one but you probably rolled several "experiences" into one :) It gets better!

[Doug Rucker 31]

Brian as Celeste said, Chalk it up to the price of education. At the Same time give yourself a huge pat on the back. You did not give up and you FINISHED well. That is very admirable. Obviously you have a strong work ethic and, again, like Celeste said, things will and can only get better as you get the proper equipment and training. Don;t get down on yourself, keep pluggin away, your gonna be fine.

[810F250 14]

Nice work Brian, the second photo reveals the true size of the property.

Wonder what others think the estimated time this job would have took to complete with their resources ? (list the following time,... with what size machine/tools/manpower/detergent mix/method etc)