Checklist for the season's first job (strip a deck).

[Rick2 42]

1) Broken battery charger for chemical sprayer deep cell... Check!

2) Be sure the starter rope snaps on the powerwasher... Check!

3) After charging deepcell with new charger be sure the pump make a loud noise and stops... Check!

4) Buy a pump sprayer at Home Depot and pray the homeowner doesn't see you using it... Check!

5) Attach trailer to truck and notice the trailer light adapter is missing... Check!

6) Get a flat tire on your car while going to Auto Zone to get a new adapter... Check!

7) Return home and find to toilet won't flush after reading a few pages of Car and Driver... Check!

8) Blow out a high pressure line while rinsing HD80 from a deck... Check!

9) Get HD80 on your hands while changing hoses... Check!

10) Swear and scream "God *&$! this HD80 burns like a mother!"... Check.

11) Come home and find your wife is home early. Hope she hasn't looked in the toilet... Check!

Gotta love the first day back to work.

[NateF 14]

Wow I hope you just joking because that would be a damn miserable day.

[bigchaz 157]

Lol sounds like my first day....pull trailer out night before....don't see the weather all the lines freeze.

Break both starter coords (main and backup machine) while attempting to start machines in customers driveway.

Stripper sitting on deck with no way to pressure wash off.

Explain to homeowner reason for having to drive home (1 hour away) to repair machines.

Find out realtor is coming in 2 hours to photograph house for website. Deck is night black at this point from stripper sitting on it.

That was 2 months ago...first day suck...it'll get better though!

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

That's just too funny....was it real?

Beth :cup:

[WashMe 16]

I just washed off the gutter paint on sunny side of house after trying a new house wash mix. I can't. Wait to try that again....

[Rick2 42]

That's just too funny....was it real?

Beth :cup:

Yes, 100 percent real. That's exactly how my day went yesterday.

[Rick2 42]

I just washed off the gutter paint on sunny side of house after trying a new house wash mix. I can't. Wait to try that again....

That gave me a good laugh!

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Far from being a novice, Rick2 had seen his share of mishaps and even though his experience had taught him much and his confidence was high, he never suspected he could have re-entered....The Newbie Zone...

Rod!~

[810F250 14]

Crazy day for you guys, this is the crap i did.

I ran my both TSF 2021's pumps without prime, full rpm and stood there wondering why I was not getting water. Dont know how long the seals will last now.

[Rick2 42]

Far from being a novice, Rick2 had seen his share of mishaps and even though his experience had taught him much and his confidence was high, he never suspected he could have re-entered....The Newbie Zone...

Rod!~

Not the Newbie Zone! Anything but the Newbie Zone! It's been many years since I was there. The deck came out beautiful and the customer was very happy with it. Before I left I asked if they had any other estimates on the work before they chose me. She said she did indeed have other estimates and I was the most costly. She also said nobody spent the time describing the problems with the deck or the two step cleaning process involved. She also pointed out that the others who looked at the deck had no idea what using a base and acid had to do with powerwashing a deck, they just wanted to hit it with water and be done with it. It's nice to know where my competition stands.

There was a discussion going on recently in one of the fourms about educating the customer about chemicals used on their property and the cleaning process involved. Here's proof for those that still want to keep it a secret. You don't have to go into the smallest details but at least let the customers know what your plan is and how it may differ from your competion's plan. As a bonus the homeowner is good friends with her neighbors on the street. Beautiful homes but nasty nasty roofs. Keeping before/after pictures in the truck of roof jobs is sure to land a few jobs.

Well, gotta go fix that flat tire on the car (still haven't changed it). Driving this truck all over the place is just killing me on the cost of gas.

Edited April 14, 2011 by Rick2