Need advice for stepping up my power washing business!

[allstarwindow 14]

Hi ALL!

I need some advice? I have a very good window cleaning business for the past 13 years. I have been doing power washing for about 5 of those years. Im still using the cold water 3300-4000psi portable 4-5gpm with no water tanks or reels ( home depot brands ). Just unloading and loading my truck. I know its pretty bad. over the past year I'm power washing 3-5 times per week. Doing all homes, patios, decks, concrete, driveways, and yes roofs when I can. I do very well for what I'm doing but I need to step it up. My question to you guys is I'm not sure how big to buy. I don't mind spending the money but if I'm only doing residential do I really need hot water and a huge tank. I recently was looking at a 3500psi cold water portable belt drive with 55gallon water tank with 200ft garden/wand hose reels. I was going to buy a 5/8 enclosed trailer to put everything in. everything would have cost me around $5000. Is this the direction I want to go in? Also, I would like to know what enviromently friendly chemicals you guys use? How about a good roof cleaning product in which I can spray on and rinse off?

THANKS FOR YOU HELP?

[Timo 25]

Start with 5.5 gpm @ 1,500 psi or 3,500 psi. The psi doesn't matter. Get cold.

Are you serious about this gig? Then get an 8gpm/3k psi. Cold is Gold for residential.

Learn how to mix bleach with soap and downstream it.

Get a 100 gallon buffer tank. Leave your stuff on the trailer.

Spend one half of your current time on the job.

Double your prices.

Fill out your signature.

Get a bigger trailer.

Get bigger equipment.

Learn what the manufacturer says about washing roofs.

Let mom nature rinse them.

[John T 744]

All the above and use the search button here and search and search some more. Quick note water volume in the 5-8gpm range is money in your pocket when doing residential work and most definitely have a buffer tank at least 100gal to help with your water flow to your Powerwasher because alot of homes at least in my area your lucky if you get 5gpm coming from a residential home and if they have water on in there house you will get less.

Good luck

[Christopher 102]

If you decide to go with 8gpm, keep an extra section or two of supply hose on the trailer as a lot of times I need to run 2 supply hoses to the buffer tank as the 8gpm machine pulls more than what the house hose bib puts out a lot of times.

I just did a large house yesterday that had good flow until they started washing laundry and/or dishes so I had to put another supply hose onto the tank so I would not run out of water anymore. I am running 3/4" supply hoses to the tank. The tank is a 325 gallon buffer tank.

Sometimes you will get lucky and the house will have a good supply but don't count on it all the time. I have run into this type of problem on commercial sites also.

It is a big step going from 5.5gpm to 8gpm, it is so much better and faster on just about everything! Just make sure you have enough supply going to the tank so you don't have to shut down and wait for water.

Good luck.

[allstarwindow 14]

Sorry about the late response! sound like I would be good with a 5gpm machine with the 100gallon tank. I feel like the 8gpm would be great but I might run into the issue with trying to get the right amount of water in the tank. Guess I will search for what soaps work well for my needs. does anyone know anything about the Doug ********** School? Would this benefit me? I also don't know if I should get a open or closed trailer. Thoughts? Do you guys prefer xjet or down streaming?

Thanks for the help?

[AAPaint 14]

Allstarwindow, make sure you get your forum signature filled out pronto. It's an important rule here.

With rigs, more flow is always better, but do what you can. If you can get 5gpm and 100 gal tank you'll be ok to start with. Especially if window washing is still your primary business. More flow just means faster completion, period. I just built an open 5x10 trailer, but an enclosed one would be nice too. Each has advantages and disadvantages. For instance, with my open trailer, it doesn't have a rack for ladders. I may have to custom build one, but an enclosed trailer you can put regular ladder racks right on top.

Any school on the subject will help you, or you will be learning by hard knocks like a lot of us have.

If you have a successful business already, you know you need to define what you're going to do properly, and that will provide many of the other answers you are looking for.