Housewash Pricing..No matter where you live

[PressurePros 248]

This is not to brag about how much I can charge so please read on..My normal lowest priced soap on/soap off wash runs $350 for a two story house with 3000 sq ft interior space. That same house with gutter brushing, gutter cleanout, sidewalk, patio and driveway cleaning, concrete rust removal and paver sealing can go up over $1000. Florida guys please read on with an open mind.

Are people shocked when I tell them the price? Often they are, but only because they don't know the level of quality work and effort that can go into doing a house. You have to sell them the value. I don't bash other contractors or try to scare the homeowner into believing another contractor will cause damage because I don't know that to be true. What I do is point out the potential hazards (pressure damage, etched glass, effloresence, destroyed landscaping, weep hole runout, streaking, paint removal, water getting under the siding causing mold and substrate damage etc) and every precaution we take to prevent those things from occurring.

I also point out the value of their home and the relatively small percentage it costs to keep it clean. Even in an area where houses are lower priced you need to point out the right things to a homeowner. Ask them if they have their car washed and then ask them why. You already know what their answer is going to be..some form of ownership pride and preventitive maintenace. Ask them how often they get it done. An average carwash around here is $20. Multiply that by 12 and you get $240. Most people wash their car more than once a month but it's a fair starting number.

Most people will spend 1% of the value of their new car keeping it clean. Do the math and equate that to your average customer's house value. Housewash done once a year on a cheap house (100k) leaves a budget of $1000. If the customer answers they wash their car because they like to keep it clean and new looking, then you are three quarters of the way towards your sale. Tell them you understand why they keep their car clean. Relate it to how more people should take pride in cleanliness. Tell them how a pressure washer that is going to do their house for one third of what you are charging has to cut corners somewhere. You are worried that an inferior wash may leave a ton of mold spores to quickly regrow on the house. Hand them your brochure that explains the dangers of mold and mildew.

I am so tired of hearing "People in my area only care about price". There are a ton of people that care about quality over price. If everything was about price, everyone would live in a shack, in the inner city, drive a beater, buy everything generic from some dollar store, never go out to eat or see a movie. Look at what things cost. People pay $40 to take their family out for the privilige of sitting in a dark room, eat popcorn and watch some hour and half piece of crap movie. Why do they do that? Because they know the price going in. They understand the value of what they are paying for even if the return is low. We LET the customers percieve us as hacks every time we bend to their pricing demands. Of course a person is going to want the best deal. Why does this mean we have to sacrifice our souls to give it to them?

You are offering outstanding value and very cheaply. People pay a painter $500 to paint a single room and never blink an eye. Why do you think that is? To me, any fool can grab a brush and a roller and paint a room..no expensive equipment or extensive training required. Yet here we come day after day complaining about rates and lowballers driving us out of business. We drive ourselves out of business with defeatist attitudes. I feel bad for guys that thought buying an expensive rig with all the bells and whistles would make them successful.

I've said this before and I stand by it.. You have to sell value. You aren't selling a housewash. You are selling value. You are selling pride, cleanliness, health and freedom from worry about achieving those things. You're telling me someone can't part with $350 for a housewash? They can't part with 96 cents a day to have their property look the finest on the block? Ninety six cents to keep their children and pets free from inhaling harmful mold spores?

[Mike Williamson 198]

I just want to clear what I meant. It was to sit down with a few pw'ers in the area and discuss how to do a better job, have better techniques, and to stop cutting your own throat. I didn’t mean that everyone sits down and makes a charging scale. NO one would follow that kind of structuring anyway unless you decide to buy all your competitions business and make them territorial managers.

I understood what you meant. I try to do the same thing here, though not so formally. I'm all for trying to help the competition improve their pricing, methods, and quality. It helps all of us. The ones who won't listen will wind up running themselves out of business. Of course, a new crop will be there next Spring.

As far as cutting prices to compete, I get what you're saying. On the other hand, you have to be realistic. Say there are 40 bakeries in town who all sell the best bread for between $3.00 and $4.00/loaf, I won't do very well trying to sell the same bread for $10.00/loaf. Sure, I might get a few customers who just have to have the best bread and feel that they have to pay three times the price to get it...but those are few and far between. Most customers will buy the 3-4 dollar bread and get a great bargain. There will also be some who will go to the stale bread store and get it for 25 cents/loaf. As CCPC pointed out, advertising isn't cheap, and most of us can't afford the expense of reaching enough customers to find enough high dollar customers to keep us busy. If a person is a good enough salesman to sell for $10.00 what others are selling for $3.00 and sell enough to stay in business, then more power to them. Most of us aren't that good.

A 3000sf house takes 8 hours? Maybe if you're washing it by hand...

$35.00 for wash mix and "other cleaners"? I'd use around 10 gallons of wash mix for this house, at $1.00/gallon.

$10.00 for rinse aid????? I use a good quality rinse aid, and use maybe 12 ounces per house...at $10.00/gallon, that's $1.00 in rinse aid.

Here's a more realistic picture (at least for this area). 3 3000sf houses at $225.00each makes it $675.00 for 8 hours, or just under $85.00/hour gross. Figuring your costs, but increasing the employee pay to $120.00/day and my salary to $300.00/day, that leaves $171.00 for the company. That's $855.00/week the company puts in the bank

The real point here is that everyone's costs are different. Some pay their employees low rates, some pay them high rates. Some buy top dollar chemicals, some use dawn. Some guys drive a paid-for truck and an economy rig, and some have a 2006 1 ton dually with a $15k trailer. Some guys pay $2.00/gallon for fuel, and some guys are paying $3.00/gallon.

It's just unrealistic to say that a particular job should cost a particular amount in any given area. I'm all for getting top dollar, within reason, but you have to be realistic also. The market determines price to a certain degree, there's just no getting away from it.

I'm not pointing fingers at anyone involved in this thread, so chill...but how many of the guys who think they're worth $200.00/hour for a housewash want their plumber, carpet cleaner, mechanic, or painter to charge $200.00/hour?

[Mike Williamson 198]

Let us also not forget that the Boston Tea Party was over a (IIRC) 5% tax. Also, the original opponents to the income tax cited as their main point of opposition that they believed that proposd 3% tax rate may one day rise to as high as 5%.

Taxation levels in this country are obscene, immoral, and wrong. And before someone posts it: I don't really give a damn what other developed countries pay. It's thievery Robin Hood style. Take from the haves and give to the have nots because it makes everyone feel good.

Agreed, taxes are too high and the tax structure is skewed against achievers, but to expect that we're ever going to get back to a no-tax, or 3% tax system is just dreaming...

The Boston Tea Party was due to a tax, yes, but a tax without representation. That's not the case with our current tax system.

[Mike Williamson 198]

I do. And I wouldn't feel like a cheat either. As long as no deception is involved, if they agree to X and I will work for X, it's fair for both.

That said, could I get that for a housewash? No way! I sell $165-185 all day long and upsell gutter exteriors for 50% of the house price. About 33% of my customers take the gutters for ~$240 house.

FWIW, I'm doing a house today. All exterior surfaces (house, concrete, walks, decks, fencing, etc) for $620 and it'll take about 9 hours labor. I consider that a top dollar (total, not per hour) sale.

You say you think your time is worth $250.00/hour, but would you pay your plumber that? A painter? Your mechanic? How about the guy who cleans your carpet or upholstery? If not, why not? Isn't their time worth $250.00 too?

Your prices are about in line with what I'm dealing with here, and I'm fine with that. If I can do $500.00/day by myself, or $800/day with a helper, I'm more than happy.

[Mike Williamson 198]

I apologize if any of my passion for this topic comes acrossed as biting or condescending. There is only one person whom I let get under my skin and as I have been reading these boards more, I see other people react the same way to him. He is not trying to be mean, it's just his method. In person he is probably a great guy. I don't want anyone to percieve what I type as an indictment, I would help anyone on this board that asked and I truly wish all reading this happiness and success under God.

I get where you're coming from, and I agree with CCPC, after seeing what all your $1000.00 job involved, I'd be relatively close to your cost, though likely a bit lower simply due to competition. The other thing you have to consider is that not every area has a large number of homes like this. Most of the homes here are relatively modest in size. I think most guys here try to upsell many of the things you mentioned...sometimes it works, other times it doesn't. Either way, our hourly prices are similar, especially when you consider the higher cost of the materials you're using.

[MeiersEnterprises 14]

Agreed, taxes are too high and the tax structure is skewed against achievers, but to expect that we're ever going to get back to a no-tax, or 3% tax system is just dreaming...

The Boston Tea Party was due to a tax, yes, but a tax without representation. That's not the case with our current tax system.

I respectfully disagree whole heartedly. I believe that our tax structure is setup completely without representation. That's why it's out of control... Knowone could possibly figure out where our money is going. It's too complicated and the govt (through our worthless congress) has included social programs which have nothing to do with my freedom to live and work as an American.

This worthless congressman slid in some pork. YOUR TAXES went to pay $1.5 Million for a friggin bus stop in Alaska!!!

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,157053,00.html

People think this is acceptable and THANK him for bringing revenue to their town! This IS taxation without representation!!!

Read this:

http://www.fairtax.org/

When people start paying directly out of their pockets with a flat tax, they will realize how much the govt is taking and this will inspire people to demand lower taxes. Currently, the govt is "taking" my money. With a flat tax, I decide when I want to contribute by what I purchase.

Additionally, this will increase natural resources because there will not be a tax on used goods. The poor will be more likely to buy used items and pay no taxes at all. More markets for used products = less natural resource consumption.

Stepping off Soapbox...

[MeiersEnterprises 14]

I don't think this is too far off topic because it goes directly to the reason we have lowballers who get paid in cash and undercut us as legit businesses.

Ok - 1 more link

Porker of the month - unbelievable...

http://www.cagw.org/site/PageServer?pagename=news_porkerofthemonth_hallofshame

[Mike Williamson 198]

I respectfully disagree whole heartedly. I believe that our tax structure is setup completely without representation. That's why it's out of control... Knowone could possibly figure out where our money is going. It's too complicated and the govt (through our worthless congress) has included social programs which have nothing to do with my freedom to live and work as an American.

I'm all in favor of the fair tax...and I'm sure you're aware of Neal Boortz's book coming out the first of July...I plan to buy a copy, as I'm sure you will also. However, we DO have representation...it just doesn't always go the way you want it to. Is our system perfect? Far from it. It needs some MAJOR overhaul...but we each have representation. Does that mean that nothing will happen unless we want it to? That tax money won't get spent in ways we disagree with? Of course not..there's no system that will work that way, since we all want differing things.

As far as things being spent that have nothing to do with us being free to live and work as Americans, there is a LOT of money spent that has nothing to do with those things. Who authorized that spending? Our representatives.

A flat tax, though a good thing, won't change that. It won't change government spending, it will simply even out the playing field for all of us footing the bill. The ONLY way to change the spending is to elect leaders who will spend differently...enough of us have to desire to do that, and do something about it, or nothing will change.

[PLD 14]

However, we DO have representation...it just doesn't always go the way you want it to.

I disagree. Our represenatives no longer make decisions based on what's good for the country, they make decisions based on which groups they can pander to in order to maintain their office. And now that the net tax payers are outnumbered by the net tax consumers (and losing ground), the tax payers are in fact unrepresented in spite of the fact that they actually do get a vote.

That is precisely why it is so difficult to distinguish republicans from democrats anymore. They are both pandering to the same crowd. And both spending far more than we take in each year.

[Pams Pressure & Clean 64]

Good points all....

It is refreshing to see that there are so many here that I share similar political belifs with.

Go Boortz ! :)

Republicans are impotent, spineless, wussies afraid to stand up for what they say they belive in. Ready to cave in at a moments notice, they stand guard like straw men at the helm of our freedoms.

Democrats are liars bent on the destruction of the individual, the advancement of the Republik, and the implementation Communist Manifesto. And they fight like hell to achieve their goals.

Guess who's winning?

Ok.. it's off topic, but I feel better anyway :)

[mikew 14]

Good points all....

It is refreshing to see that there are so many here that I share similar political belifs with.

Go Boortz ! :)

Republicans are impotent, spineless, wussies afraid to stand up for what they say they belive in. Ready to cave in at a moments notice, they stand guard like straw men at the helm of our freedoms.

Democrats are liars bent on the destruction of the individual, the advancement of the Republik, and the implementation Communist Manifesto. And they fight like hell to achieve their goals.

Guess who's winning?

Ok.. it's off topic, but I feel better anyway :)

I second that... Go Boortz & the fair tax plan!

Mike

[PLD 14]

Republicans ...they stand guard like straw men at the helm of our freedoms.

I'd rather have straw men. At least they would provide a shred of defense w/o trampling all over the constitution. There is no freedom the republicans would not gladly bury in exchange for "homeland security". And if you disagree with the complete desecration of the constitution you are quickly branded un-American, unpatriotic, etc. and villified. I'm certainly not implying that the republicans set up the 09/11 attacks, but is is enlightening to take a moment and compare their responses to the 9/11 attacks and those taken by the nazi's immediately after the reichstag was burned.

BinLaden may be a viscous SOB, but he's not a fool. He was quite confident that our response the the attacks would be exactly as they have been. He's forced us to become trade freedom for security and entrust obscene amounts of control over our personal liberty in the state. That provides a fertile breeding ground for corruption, abuse of power, etc. All of which weaken America and work to his advantage. And that doesn't even begin to address the economic burden imposed on the engine of capitalism to comply with new post-9/11 security regulations.

You may not like him, but I personally thing UBL is a tactical genius. We are busy fighting the war on terror sumo-style while UBL employs ju-jitsu style and forces us to use our own weight to his advantage.

The dems on the other hand just want to resurrect the soviet state here and then have us crumble under the weight of socialism...

Liberty and capitalism. It's the only socio-economic system that can maintain an empire as large at the USofA. And our politicians on both sides of the isle are out to destroy them. They just disagree which one to tackle first.

[PLD 14]

I second that... Go Boortz & the fair tax plan!

If I am wrong you may call me at home at gloat be it a week or a century from now.

The fair tax/flat tax plan and social security reform will not happen. EVER. That would remove far too much power from the state and return it to the people.

If I could make either them happen tomorrow with a snap of my fingers, I would gladly give away every possession I have and start again on Saturday homeless and broke.

[mikew 14]

If I am wrong you may call me at home at gloat be it a week or a century from now.

The fair tax/flat tax plan and social security reform will not happen. EVER. That would remove far too much power from the state and return it to the people.

If I could make either them happen tomorrow with a snap of my fingers, I would gladly give away every possession I have and start again on Saturday homeless and broke.

Philip,

I agree as well. The 2 things that would greatly benefit this country will probably never happen. The odds are stacked against both the fair tax and SS reform.

I wouldn't call to gloat... just to celebrate!

Mike

[RyanH 14]

The fair tax/flat tax plan and social security reform will not happen. EVER. That would remove far too much power from the state and return it to the people.

People with this line of thought (myself included) should realize that they do have some power in this battle. I've read some people here and many people all over the country crying about doing things because it's the law. People tout the "it's the law" banner like it's an absolute.

Listen, people. Just because a group of men (and a handful of women) get together and in the name of personal satisfaction decide to put a preposterous rule into law doesn't mean that it's right. Giving other men guns and the charge that they should defend this new law doesn't make it right. It only makes it words on paper that some group of people thought should be a standard. Some of those words on paper are necessary and useful, most others are not. If a law were passed tomorrow requiring me work at a specific task or to hand all of my income, I can say that I would not follow that law. I also will not pay for things with which I do not agree. I don't voluntarily give my money to evangelists who drive super-luxurious vehicles. I don't voluntarily open my wallet to every person who decides to not be productive in life and instead asks me with pity for money in exchange for nothing. So why, then, would I voluntarily hand over money to a government that will pass it on to the same people I wouldn't voluntarily assist in the first place? Because they have guns? Because those I refused to help vote people into power who will take it from me and remove my personal choice from the equation?

The fact is many politicians are there for special interests and not all of those interests are things with which I agree. At that point I'm not being represented. I'm being targeted if a law is passed which affects my personal freedoms in a negative manner. A politican should act to protect personal liberties and freedom and not be biased towards one segment of the population or the other. Taxes should be consumption-based, not ability-based. Simply because I *can* pay more doesn't mean I *should*. I'm not about being forced into doing things in the name of helping society. If I want to help society, I'll do it on my own time and dollar. And if I feel that only 70% of the taxes the government collects goes into things that are good for ALL Americans, then I might be obliged to pay only 70% of the taxes they say I owe. If the government isn't making enough to sustain itself, then it needs to trim expenses like every American or business out there. Start with social programs. Stop sending taxes collected in the south to provide heating oil for the poor in the north. Stop using taxes collected in the north to provide for public transportation for the south. The distribution is not proportional and THAT is what's wrong.

I'll freely break laws if I know that my disobedience will not cause anyone else loss of life, liberty, nor property. And out of a moral commitment to the Golden Rule, I will not do unto others as I would have done to myself. If you own property, I won't steal, vandalize, or tresspass upon it. If you want have purple grass in your yard, I won't protest against it unless it decreases my own property value. And if you look at me the wrong way, I won't hit, kick, nor kill you. I may, however, fart just to get a reaction from you :)

[Mike Williamson 198]

Speaking of Boortz, for you Atlanta guys, here's what was on his email newsletter I got today...

Wonder what that cost?

[RyanH 14]

They've been advertising on his show for as long as I can remember (10 years?). I'm sure advertising aint cheap...whatever they're doing it must be working.

[Mike Williamson 198]

They've been advertising on his show for as long as I can remember (10 years?). I'm sure advertising aint cheap...whatever they're doing it must be working.

I don't get the local advertising, so I've never heard it. I haven't seen any ads on his website, newletter, etc, until now, but I very well could have missed it!

Every once in a while, the local station here will screw up and play the WSB ads during the break, but that hasn't happened in a while.

[Paul B. 523]

Minor detail - taxes in most countries are higher than in the US. Look at England at around 50% and Canada close to it. Spain with 15% unemployment and high taxes along with France at 10% unemployment and high taxes. OK, so Kuwait has no taxes at all - so what's the point.

Minor point - your property taxes can be deducted if you itemize - so you're not double taxed.

Minor point - fuel taxes vary from state to state and are used to fund roads (South Carolina is 33% tax). Should we go back to dirt roads? Well, maybe - more work for pressure washers.

I think there are some very good points throughout this discussion:

- Always look for the opportunity to up-sell. The less time you drive from job to job, the more time you spend working.

- It's easier to keep existing customers (so take good care of them) than it is to acquire new ones. The ones you have worked for know the quality they are getting and are more likely to pay the higher prices. I have a repeat customer that has his plastic deck washed every year - we charge $150 because that's our minimum. The work is done in less than 1.5 hours (1 person) with 15 minutes of hand detailing. Every year he tips an extra $30. WE WILL DO A LOT TO KEEP THIS CUSTOMER.

- Regions vary greatly and even within regions the localities will have major differences based on demographics.

- If you have 20 businesses that charge $200 for the some job (and do it well) anyone else will have a hard tiome charging $300 doing the same work.

- Owner operators (1 person businesses) have a hard time competing with businesses that have low cost laborers. If I have 4 employees that I pay $12 an hour I can charge them out at $40 each and make good money. The single operator can't bill him/herself out and be profitable. In our area the accepted labor rate (billing out) is about $30 per hour in the construction and restoration trades. Pressure washing is grouped in with this bunch. I don't care for it so I need to change the strategy and convince people that we can do things that others can't.

- Success (in any business) comes from sales and being able to differentiate yourself from others that may do what you do.

- To improve your selling capabilities, you need to learn to deal with price objections. The car washing vs. house washing comparison is excellent example of one approach. Breaking it down into monthly and weekly numbers is a method that is taught to most sales people.

- You have to be comfortable with the product and/or service you are providing - confidence will show thru.

- Sometimes we oversell - we don't listen to what the customer wants - we want to sell them what we want not what they need. Educating the customer is one thing but trying to sell them a Cadillac when they want or need an economy car is another. While you may make the Cadillac sale, chances are eventually the customer will resent the sales person for life. You lost a lifetime customer and everyone else that he badmouths to.

- Remember, you need to try and keep the customer for life (be it theirs or yours).

[MeiersEnterprises 14]

Originally Posted by MeiersEnterprises

We should go back (read the original constitution) to an all cash based system with a flat tax on personal goods and NO taxes on business expenditures.

The original? As opposed to what?

Article One is the longest of the seven Articles forming the original United States Constitution. Amendments to Article One, unlike amendments to other articles, have been restricted by the Constitution. No amendment made prior to 1808 could affect the first and fourth clauses of Section Nine. The first clause prevented Congress from prohibiting the slave trade until 1808; the fourth (which was superseded by the Sixteenth Amendment) barred any direct taxes that were not apportioned among the States according to population. Furthermore, the Constitution precludes Congress from depriving a state of equal representation in the Senate without the state's consent.

Some Background: All taxes are either direct or indirect. A tax on property is direct. A tax on the happening of an event is indirect. Direct taxes are FORBIDDEN by Article I of the Constitution unless apportioned by population. Such apportioned direct taxes were imposed for the years 1861 and 1862 (to pay for the Civil War). Indirect taxes must be geographically uniform (like a sales tax).

Amendments XVI - Ratified 2/3/1913

The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration.

Sixteenth Amendment - History and Purpose of the Amendment

The Income Tax Act of 1894 attempted to impose a federal tax of 2% on incomes over $4,000. Derided by its opponents as "communistic", it was challenged in federal court. (Robinhood Scenario)...

The ratification of this Amendment was the direct consequence of the Court's decision in 1895 in Pollock v. Farmers' Loan & Trust Co., whereby the attempt of Congress the previous year to tax incomes uniformly throughout the United States was held by a divided court to be UNCONSTITUTIONAL.

A tax on incomes derived from property, the Court declared, was a ''direct tax'' which Congress under the terms of Article I, Sec. 2, and Sec. 9, could impose only by the rule of apportionment according to population, although scarcely fifteen years prior the Justices had unanimously sustained the collection of a similar tax during the Civil War, the only other occasion preceding the Sixteenth Amendment in which Congress had ventured to utilize this method of raising revenue.

In response to this development, and a growing concern among many elements of society that the wealthiest Americans had consolidated too much economic power, this amendment was passed by Congress and sent to the states.

In 1913, Secretary of State Philander Knox proclaimed that the amendment had been ratified by the necessary three-quarters of the states in 1913 (a few additional states ratified the amendment later), making federal income taxes constitutional.

The federal tax rate has climbed from 3% of income in 1948 to 34% in 2005. Not including the additional 10-15% that most of us pay in untrackable state and miscellaneous federal taxes like those imposed on fuel, communications, vehicles, property, etc.

It won't be long before we're working half a year just to pay taxes. At some point taxpayers have to draw a line in the sand and tell the government, "you can't have more than this." The only way to reverse this trend is to impose the FairTax and eliminate the 16th Amendment and follow that with a constitutional Amendment establishing a maximum Taxable Rate (%).

Right now - 16 hours of every 50 hour work week goes to pay taxes so every Thursday afternoon and ALL DAY Friday, you are working for the US Govt. and that's a FACT! Work 250 days per year = 84 Days of taxes. sigh...

Sorry so long but I knew you guys wouldn't mind a little history. Most people don't know this...

The only answer:

http://www.fairtax.org

[Pams Pressure & Clean 64]

Paul,

Your sales tips are absolutely true.

If more guys focused on listening they would undoubtedly close more deals.

Mike W.,

GPS is a large company here that uses subcontractors to complete a portion of work they sell. In 3 years I have only seen one van with their lettering on it, so I know they do exist, just not sure how many are actually on the road.

I have spoken to at least one of their sub-contractors and according to him, they pay a whopping 40% to the sub and the sub pays all expenses.

For the math challenged, this particular gentleman is paying for gas, bleach (that's what he uses for house wash...occasionally a bit of sodium hydroxide if the dirt is real bad :rolleyes: ), and equipment with the $40.00 he just made off the $100.00 house wash.

He also told me that he's riding thier insurance because he has none of his own.

As for ad rates, I cannot even begin to guess what it costs for air time with the Talkmaster.. :eek: :eek:

[mikew 14]

They've been advertising on his show for as long as I can remember (10 years?). I'm sure advertising aint cheap...whatever they're doing it must be working.

Ryan's right here. They have been advertising on WSB radio here for many years. They even have Boortz record their radio spots which I would think is an additional cost above the air time. $$$$$

Mike

[mikew 14]

GPS is a large company here that uses subcontractors to complete a portion of work they sell. In 3 years I have only seen one van with their lettering on it, so I know they do exist, just not sure how many are actually on the road.

I have spoken to at least one of their sub-contractors and according to him, they pay a whopping 40% to the sub and the sub pays all expenses.

For the math challenged, this particular gentleman is paying for gas, bleach (that's what he uses for house wash...occasionally a bit of sodium hydroxide if the dirt is real bad :rolleyes: ), and equipment with the $40.00 he just made off the $100.00 house wash.

He also told me that he's riding thier insurance because he has none of his own.

As for ad rates, I cannot even begin to guess what it costs for air time with the Talkmaster.. :eek: :eek:

Hi Cujo,

Wow. I wondered how GPS was operating. I have never seen one of their vehicles!

Mike

[dgold42 14]

Quality is what sells. I actually find people to be more quality minded than price minded. I honestly don't remember the last time someone bargained price with me.

I've been in a great position for about 6 years where I haven't had to advertise. Central Jersey has lots of condo assoc., mothers groups etc. Once your in and they like/trust you and see that you really care about how the job turns out everyone they know will call.

From what I've seen in this area there's a lot of contractors that treat the customer as almost the enemy. And approach customers with an arrogant attitude. I've been in business since I was 20 so for about 17 years now and %99 of the people I deal with just want a contractor to be honest with them.

I agree with your price range. Your right on the mark!

[MeiersEnterprises 14]

Quality is what sells. I actually find people to be more quality minded than price From what I've seen in this area there's a lot of contractors that treat the customer as almost the enemy. And approach customers with an arrogant attitude. I've been in business since I was 20 so for about 17 years now and %99 of the people I deal with just want a contractor to be honest with them.

I agree with this wholeheartedly. Reminds me of a customer last week. We have such a good repoure (repore?) lol - she had to go out of town halfway through the job and I trusted her to pay me the $1300 when she returned and the job was completed. I called her, knowing she was back and the job was done, told her on voicemail that i was just checking to see if she was home and if she had a great time in Vegas. That was my message... I care about her and her life - not just about the money... She trusts me and I trust her.

She asked that I do a couple extra things and I'm going to get the check tomorrow evening but I don't have to do those things first because of MY schedule. Last time I saw her, I fixed her garage door opener for free (just a blown fuse). I try to see the good side in people because everyone has that side - even if it's hard to see.

If you do what you say you're going to do and justify your difficulties which may not be apparent to the homeowner with honest answers, you can earn trust with anyone. My closing line is that I don't want to be paid unless YOU are happy. I've never been taken advantage of by this statement... Customers always pay me!

[Mike Williamson 198]

We have such a good repoure (repore?) lol -

Rapport

:)