One Rig, 2-Man Crew... What's your avg. gross?

[Craig 111]

Operating a one-rig, 2-Man crew, what are most of you averaging per month?

What was your all-time best?

[PressurePros 248]

April was a very nice month for PP's residential. May has been phenomenal, this is the first week I have had a single rain out day. The deck business is tough to calculate monthly because I only collect 50% at the end of the strip portion and the seal job may well go into the next month. Adding April and May together should bring me close to 26k, but the calls have slowed down, seems like the frenetic spring rush is almost over, which is fine cuz I am about sick of six and seven day work weeks.

[PressurePros 248]

Sorry, just GOTTA call B.S. on this one....In Feb you were posting "I'm a newbie please help", and now you're making between $360,000 and $480,000.00/year, with $24k in expenses????

Riiigggghhhhht...

IF that's the case, hire someone to fix your website...it's pretty, but non-functional...

This was posted on Delco's board and cracked me up. A guy wants $60k for his PW biz and this was the reply as to why it was maybe worth it. Maybe this is how someone can make that kind of money in four months?

"Yea, but what he forgot to mention was that he lives on an island where he is the only person with a pressure washer the island has 2000 homes 50 commercial buildings, and a freighter passes by the island once a month opens its cargo doos and realease's 5 tons of of a phosphate fertilizer into the air just when the wind is blowing towards the island, and then just like clock work it rains the next day to help promote growth, and all of the lawn sprinklers on the island are tapped into a high iron content well and the spray everybodys home with that delicious "red mess", as well everyones car leaks oil on thier driveways and there is an ordinance prohibiting dirty driveyways. And not to mention that his brother is the mayor of the island and he made a law that no new occupational liscenes will be issued for pressure whashers. So keep this in mind"

[John T 744]

I'm reading this post and I'm surprised to see that so far the majority says that they average between $1000-$5000/month gross for a one rig 2-man crew. That sounds real low. What am I missing there?? Unless of course its just a few hours a week partime. If it isn't then for arguements sake if you pay lets say each guy on average $10/hr x 40hrs/week then the total hours paid for 4 weeks is 320hrs x $10hr = $3200. Now the gross after taxes and paying the bills the owner will be losing Money.

[Mike Williamson 198]

I'm reading this post and I'm surprised to see that so far the majority says that they average between $1000-$5000/month gross for a one rig 2-man crew. That sounds real low. What am I missing there?? Unless of course its just a few hours a week partime. If it isn't then for arguements sake if you pay lets say each guy on average $10/hr x 40hrs/week then the total hours paid for 4 weeks is 320hrs x $10hr = $3200. Now the gross after taxes and paying the bills the owner will be losing Money.

Actually, the majority say they make between $5k on up past $15k...27 people voted for either $5-$10k, $10-$15k, or $15k+...Only 14 voted for between $1-$5k. 14 isn't the majority of 41.

Then you have to figure the guys who are single operators who voted for the poll anyway.

Or the 2 man rigs where the owner is the 2nd man. Still not a lot of money, but doeable.

It'd be pretty dang hard to keep your income below $5k while working two people 8 hours/day 5 days/ week. That's a couple of cheap housewashes/day, so what do you do with the other 4 or 5 hours each day? Maybe these are the guys doing $75.00 housewashes or $89.00 roofwashes?

[John T 744]

LOL. Your right about the majority and I phrased that wrong. I meant to say that out of the 4 possible choices the most voted on choice the numbers are depressing. I understand that people make different amounts of $$$$ that there area calls for but to see most so far vote for the first choice there must be some type of misunderstanding.

[JFife 14]

John T,

Perhaps people understood it to mean, as the owner, the "gross" they take home before taxes. Still, in a seasonal business that would still be low, unless the guys voting are mostly part-time. Matter of fact, if you have two employees working and you are not grossing 15K in receipts, you aren't making money. 5K for employees, 1K advertise, 1K biz expenses, 1K truck and rig lease.......then you've got fuel, job expenses, maintenance........etc. At 15K gross receipts, you'd probably only make a moderate living, but you'd get by fine and stay afloat.

[James 624]

Between 15 and 25k. May thur sept.--- -March , April end of OCT into Nov are crap shoots

[Advanced P and GC Inc. 14]

I dont run 2 man rigs, as I do mostly residential work, and i find the second person / machine / equipt not efficient enough, as many residential locations do not have the water supply necessary for 2 machines, or it is not easily accessible (200 + feet from truck for the 2nd water spickot), I do not carry a water tank around, because for me, That also seems inefficient, to haul an additional 2,400lbs of water everywhere I go at current gas and vehicle maintance prices (brakes) not to mention the additional liability of a crew pulling a trailer daily.

So, I use a truck, with everything mounted in the back, reels for pressure and garden hose, one trained technician. This one person crew, no trailer, should easily pull 13+k month, working 9-4 M-F only. on an average basis, more in the good season, less in the winter months.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Our dual gun machine with a 225gal tank helps us to pull in excess of 15k/mo.

For those who dont know, we have it installed in a sprinter van. Plenty of room and cargo capacity.

I have rarely had any problems with reaching the majority of sites.

2-200' hp lines

1-150' lp supply hose

Once in a while I may need to hook up a 2nd supply hose to keep up with the demand or extend the length to reach around a townhouse complex.

Rod!~

[Mike Williamson 198]

Our dual gun machine with a 225gal tank helps us to pull in excess of 15k/mo.

For those who dont know, we have it installed in a sprinter van. Plenty of room and cargo capacity.

I have rarely had any problems with reaching the majority of sites.

2-200' hp lines

1-150' lp supply hose

Once in a while I may need to hook up a 2nd supply hose to keep up with the demand or extend the length to reach around a townhouse complex.

Rod!~

How about some pics! I'd love to see how you have it set up with the tank and all.

[Rfitz 14]

It has been my experience that if you are running a serious PW Biz, you cant bill less than $150 - $200 K a year and still live in a decent manner, most of us work in a 7-8 month work zone, meaning we are not billing much for 4 or 5 months a year, so that leaves an average of approx. $15 to $20K per month which is not an easy task to achieve, and takes alot of work, we averaged just over $18K a month last year, but that is with expenses well exceeding the 50-60% range, which I think is high and next year I will try and cut that closer to the 40-50% overhead range and grow the biz to excess of $25K per month which is not that difficult with 2 guys and 2 rigs, you just need the work to keep them running...

[Mike Williamson 198]

It has been my experience that if you are running a serious PW Biz, you cant bill less than $150 - $200 K a year and still live in a decent manner, most of us work in a 7-8 month work zone, meaning we are not billing much for 4 or 5 months a year, so that leaves an average of approx. $15 to $20K per month which is not an easy task to achieve, and takes alot of work, we averaged just over $18K a month last year, but that is with expenses well exceeding the 50-60% range, which I think is high and next year I will try and cut that closer to the 40-50% overhead range and grow the biz to excess of $25K per month which is not that difficult with 2 guys and 2 rigs, you just need the work to keep them running...

What exactly IS your experience, Rob? How many years have you been in business?

So a guy billing 100k, or even 75k per year isn't running a SERIOUS pressurewashing business, and/or isn't living in a decent manner? I know several who'd disagree with you. $75k with a 40% overhead leaves you with $45k in profit. Not great, but certainly more than many of us made working for someone else. $100k with a 40% overhead leaves you with $60k, nothing to sneeze at.

[Rfitz 14]

Mike it doesnt matter what biz your in, these numbers and ratios apply to any biz, service related, now hen I gave overhead prices, that did not include start-up cost, that eventually has to be figured in, I know people that spent in excess of $100K to get started in this biz, Vehicles, equipment, etc.. that too has to be paid back from your take home, of say 50%..? not alot left over, and NO I do not think $50K a year is doing that great, not that great at all.. I have kids college to save for, my retirement, a nice home, nice vehicles,

I was making over $50K a year 20 years ago in the printing industry, and it didnt go that far then, and even less today, I guess we all interpret differently what a nice living is..

[JFife 14]

....and if you are the sole provider, or not.....if the wife also makes 50K, no kids, 100K a year for a couple ain't bad.

Rob, when you say "50-60%", out of around 200K gross, that is labor as well, correct?? Basically what you are saying is that out of 200K, you "took home" 100K??

[Mike Williamson 198]

Mike it doesnt matter what biz your in, these numbers and ratios apply to any biz, service related, now hen I gave overhead prices, that did not include start-up cost, that eventually has to be figured in, I know people that spent in excess of $100K to get started in this biz, Vehicles, equipment, etc.. that too has to be paid back from your take home, of say 50%..? not alot left over, and NO I do not think $50K a year is doing that great, not that great at all.. I have kids college to save for, my retirement, a nice home, nice vehicles,

I was making over $50K a year 20 years ago in the printing industry, and it didnt go that far then, and even less today, I guess we all interpret differently what a nice living is..

I didn't say $50k was great, it said it was more than many of us made working for someone else.

I don't know anyone who spent in excess of $100k starting a PW business...So MOST serious PW companies aren't going to have to pay back $100k in start up money.

Those numbers don't apply to ANY industry that I'm aware of in the blanket fashion you've used them. Many factors will vary from company to company and region to region. Start up costs, whether there's franchise fees/buy-ins, cost and quality of equipment and vehicles, cost of labor, number of working days/year, advertising, etc. One company may bill $100,000.00/year and have $50k in expenses. Another company in the same field may bill $100k and have $25k in expenses. One guy's wife may work, another guy's wife may not...One guy may have to pay for health insurance, another guy may not. You can't just throw out a number and say "if you're not billing $X, you're not a serious PW company, and you can't live decently." That insulting to those guys who bill well under your $150k limit for what makes a serious and decent-living business owner. I'd say most single-man operations here in the south don't bill anywhere close to that, and we do just fine.

When you used to frequent this board, you'd make very similar statements. They didn't fly then, they don't fly now.

[JFife 14]

I'd say if someone was working fulltime pwashing, as in working full weeks, all year, and they are making less than 50k, they should fix something to increase the amount of money they make. That is not very much if you are self-employeed......paying your own retirement, health, etc. If you aren't working hard, that is another story. Some may only work 15-20hrs a week, and that is their only job, and make 50k. To me, that sounds reasonable. And I wouldn't blame someone for wanting that kind of life.

I think Rob's numbers of 50%-60% would be close as an owner-op. But in his example, with him having two crews, I'd say more like 35% profit would be expected (assuming he doesn't do any physical work).

[Rfitz 14]

Jon, I can see your point however I am one of the other crews, so yes I am doing half the work if not usually more, maybe like 60-70% but then again I also use some part time college kids on big commercial jobs, my goal is 50-60% if not better but that doesnt seem to be happening lately, especially with the drastic increase in oil / gas prices, I know I can probably get it there, it just means increasing my prices and working more efficiently, especially when it comes to my employees, but they will never work as fast or as good as the owner, but I guess that is life.. anyway I can see doing well over $200K this year and I will hopefully net 40-50% of that, I have hired a consulting firm. and they have pointed out some very easy ways to increase the bottm line, and most of them are through more creative ways of tax filing.. For example becoming a sub chapter s corp, but we shall see...

Have Great Day

[steve r 14]

From march to nov i use 3 guys and it pays off .doing the work faster and more of them.i plan on buying a new enclosed trailer with new equpiment after my taxes are done .ended up paying a pile for 2005.I also plan on adding my old setup for another guy to run .just have to figure out how im gonna do it and make money at the same time.just a thought for 2006 taxes spend for tax write offs more so .my idea may work or not .dont know till i try any input would be good.

[JFife 14]

steve r,

.....start a post in "blabbering" about your hunting trip, pics included.

[Mike Williamson 198]

From march to nov i use 3 guys and it pays off .doing the work faster and more of them.i plan on buying a new enclosed trailer with new equpiment after my taxes are done .ended up paying a pile for 2005.I also plan on adding my old setup for another guy to run .just have to figure out how im gonna do it and make money at the same time.just a thought for 2006 taxes spend for tax write offs more so .my idea may work or not .dont know till i try any input would be good.

Check with your accountant about how equipment purchases are written off. I know with many asset items, you have to depreciate the value over time, and can only deduct for the depreciation amount. I know with my first trailer, I am taking depreciation over 5 years, I believe.

[John Orr 206]

Without getting into specifics on how much money I make, working with my new two-man rig allows me, with one employee, to work twice as fast. Most of my work is residential, so while I am washing the house, he is washing the driveway and maybe starting on the deck. An average 2300 sq ft house takes about 1 1/2 hours to clean and an average driveway take about 45 minutes. When not washing, my employee is pulling hose, spraying for rust, putting away equipment. If we are only washing the house, I wash, he rinses.

When working alone, I would wash one, maybe two houses per day. With two men and a two-man machine, we can easily was two, maybe three houses per day.

My trailer is self-contained. 300 gal tank (which I usually keep about 100 gallons as a buffer against low-flow spigots) two hp reels with 200' each and, of course, heat.

[Ron Musgraves 240]

John,it will work as long as your around. dont try it with strangers

[John Orr 206]

John,it will work as long as your around. dont try it with strangers

No one cares as much about a business as the owner.

[Ernie Greese 14]

Hi, I'm with the IRS and I'm here to help!

[A and J POWERWASHING 64]

I do about 1,500 to 2000 a month ads cost about 180.00 a moth for yellow book .