? 4 Shurflo Users

[h2owizards 14]

Hey guys/gals,

It's been awhile since I last came in here. I see most of y'all are using a pump setup now. I was wondering if y'all are still xjetting the rest of the house or are y'all using your pump to apply your housewash too?

If I'm not mistaken, the guy who started this whole pump thing, said he had his chem line tywrapped to his washer hose and would switch back to xjet.....or something along those lines. Made it sound like he was using xjet with pump but that can't be right...can it? Can someone please clarify and explain your own setup.

BTW, my PC is down and I am having to use a webtv...PITA! I sometimes can't see the last couple of posts at the end of a page so if I miss a reply or question, I might not answer it. Not being rude just didn't see it. Thanks

[h2owizards 14]

I finally found what I was looking for. As I said, this webtv is a pain when it comes to navigating this board. Thanks anyway.

[Mike Williamson 198]

Hey guys/gals,

It's been awhile since I last came in here. I see most of y'all are using a pump setup now. I was wondering if y'all are still xjetting the rest of the house or are y'all using your pump to apply your housewash too?

If I'm not mistaken, the guy who started this whole pump thing, said he had his chem line tywrapped to his washer hose and would switch back to xjet.....or something along those lines. Made it sound like he was using xjet with pump but that can't be right...can it? Can someone please clarify and explain your own setup.

BTW, my PC is down and I am having to use a webtv...PITA! I sometimes can't see the last couple of posts at the end of a page so if I miss a reply or question, I might not answer it. Not being rude just didn't see it. Thanks

Shurflo and 200' of 3/8" polybraided hose to apply chlorine for roofs (or any other large area...did a 10k square foot asphalt driveway that had algae and moss all over it.)

I use a SS downstreamer for housewashing, and get results that are just as good as the Xjet in both cleaning quality and speed. No need to drag buckets, and no need to worry about a 2nd hose from the pump to the Xjet. Just swap tips, soap, swap tips, rinse.

[racechaser 64]

Shurflo and 200' of 3/8" polybraided hose to apply chlorine for roofs (or any other large area...did a 10k square foot asphalt driveway that had algae and moss all over it.)

Mike,

Are you using a 3.0 GPM or 1.6 GPM pump?My 3.0 GPM I bought has 1/2" fittings and the 1.6 has 3/8".I was wondering if anybody used 1/2" hose on their 3.0 GPM or if everybody reduced down?

Scott

[Mike Williamson 198]

Mike,

Are you using a 3.0 GPM or 1.6 GPM pump?My 3.0 GPM I bought has 1/2" fittings and the 1.6 has 3/8".I was wondering if anybody used 1/2" hose on their 3.0 GPM or if everybody reduced down?

Scott

I'm using a 1.8gpm 100psi shurflo with 3/8" fittings/hose.

My first pump was a POS 4.5gpm 60psi flojet that didn't deliver as much flow through 200' of hose as the 1.8 does.

The 1.8 gives me as much flow as I need for a roof...more than I'm getting now and I get too much runoff. I can coat a 2500sf roof in 30 minutes or so, depending on how heavy the algae is.

[CLASSICPW 14]

I'm using a x-jet setup for washing houses. I just had a fight with myself between a shurflo setup vs a adjustable psi airless for spraying semi-trans stains and the adjustable airless won with me, only because of the phenominal results of the airless that I currently use for solids, but I will be building a shurflo setup for applying chems.

[staudend 14]

How do you calculate pricing for roofs? What is an average sq foot rate or how do you bid? I have the equipment, just not the know how. Thanks, Nick

[Mike Williamson 198]

How do you calculate pricing for roofs? What is an average sq foot rate or how do you bid? I have the equipment, just not the know how. Thanks, Nick

I just eyeball it, figure the amount I want for the time I figure it will take, and that's the price. Most houses I do are between 2000 and 3500 square feet, and prices range from $150.00 up to $300.00 for those houses. Most common roof cleaning price is $175.00.

[h2owizards 14]

Hey Mike,

Didn't you used to be a die hard x-jet fan?

What turned you back to the SS Downstreamer setup?

[Mike Williamson 198]

Hey Mike,

Didn't you used to be a die hard x-jet fan?

What turned you back to the SS Downstreamer setup?

The right downstreamer!

Hey, the Xjet works, and works well. It's just that a good downstreamer does just as well in most residential applications...So why worry about mixing 5 gallon buckets of soap and chlorine and hassle with extra buckets and hoses when I can simply leave it all on the trailer and downstream? I'm very pleased with the results I'm getting. I still have my Xjet, and I'm sure I'll run into a situation now and then when I need a little extra kick in chem strength.

[PLD 14]

Three questions:

How do you soap very tall locations with a downstreamer?

Which downstreamer are you using?

What ratios does it deliver?

[PressurePros 248]

Excerpt from an unrelated conversation on another board between some guy KleenFreak or something and Mike W

Do you even have one?? Have you ever even used one? It is not a ball valve. Like I said in my prior post (which you either didn't read or think I'm full of it), the Xjet is superior to a downstreamer in several ways, the most important of which is draw rate.

I could never clean roofs in the time I do with a downstreamer...I'd be putting down at BEST 1.5% sodium hypchlorite, half the strength that I currently get with the Xjet. I've tried roofs with that strength...it just doesn't work well. Much more time re-applying, and much more time rinsing as a higher pressure than I am comfortable with.

Tell you what. You put together a downstreamer completely made out of SS (and NO ball to corrode and stop working) that will give me a 2.2:1 ratio with a 5.5gpm machine and that will shoot chems 30' in the air, and that can be quickly adjusted to a fan spray with one twist of the valve, and I'll buy it from you for $159.00.

Bottom line, you don't know what the hell you're talking about here. LMAO LMAO LMAO LMAO

__________________

Mike Williamson

North Florida Pressure Washing

352-213-7765

mike@northfloridapressurewashing.com

www.gainesvillepressurewash.com

Mike, I take it you have found the holy grail of downstreamers you sought?

[Mike Williamson 198]

Three questions:

How do you soap very tall locations with a downstreamer?

Which downstreamer are you using?

What ratios does it deliver?

A fairly large zero degree tip (size 30 or 40 works well, still gets the same distance as the Xjet)

Not sure the brand. Got it from Mel at Vero Under Pressure

Not sure the ratio, haven't tested it. Sufficient to clean as well as the Xjet.

[Mike Williamson 198]

Excerpt from an unrelated conversation on another board between some guy KleenFreak or something and Mike W

Do you even have one?? Have you ever even used one? It is not a ball valve. Like I said in my prior post (which you either didn't read or think I'm full of it), the Xjet is superior to a downstreamer in several ways, the most important of which is draw rate.

I could never clean roofs in the time I do with a downstreamer...I'd be putting down at BEST 1.5% sodium hypchlorite, half the strength that I currently get with the Xjet. I've tried roofs with that strength...it just doesn't work well. Much more time re-applying, and much more time rinsing as a higher pressure than I am comfortable with.

Tell you what. You put together a downstreamer completely made out of SS (and NO ball to corrode and stop working) that will give me a 2.2:1 ratio with a 5.5gpm machine and that will shoot chems 30' in the air, and that can be quickly adjusted to a fan spray with one twist of the valve, and I'll buy it from you for $159.00.

Bottom line, you don't know what the hell you're talking about here. LMAO LMAO LMAO LMAO

__________________

Mike Williamson

North Florida Pressure Washing

352-213-7765

mike@northfloridapressurewashing.com

www.gainesvillepressurewash.com

Mike, I take it you have found the holy grail of downstreamers you sought?

YES!!!!! Though the statment is correct, I couldn't downstream roofs and get the same results as with the Xjet...but I don't Xjet roofs either anymore.

If I remember correctly, he DIDN'T know what the hell he was talking about. :)

It's all about having an open mind to trying new (or old) things. Someone whose opinion I trusted talked me into trying downstreaming, and I listened. Glad I did.

I'm sure there are comments like the one you posted from me in more than one thread on all the boards.

[JamesHayhurst 14]

never mind what I said.

[CCPC 26]

Just like to say that I'm glad I dont live in Florida!

Then again, it's true that I literally have no competition and that I charge what I want (and get the jobs), NOBODY knows that they need roof cleaning or that it's even available!

I'm a newbie so I'm patiently waiting for the new phone books to come out in August so that at least when people realize that thier roof looks terrible they can find me!

Nick,

Go to Lowes and buy a measuring wheel for $50. You'll be using this to find the floor sf of every house that you estimate. I tried the cheap tape measure before and trust me, the wheel is well worth the money!

Never, I mean NEVER take the customers word for it! I know it gives them a sense of trust or whatever but people lie! Not only that, even if they do give you the true sf of thier house it never is the sf of eve to eve and may not include porches, hallways, closets and believe it or not garages!

You can easily screw yourself out of alot of profit by not taking the time to measure from eve to eve.

Next, get on a computer and print you out a quote sheet for your customers. Make sure to include a fairly large grid on your sheet and you'll use this also to help determine the sf of the house.

Use the grid to draw the perimeter of the house as best to scale as possible. Then use your wheel to measure each length. Once you have all the info then divide the house into squares and rectangles. You will also have to do alot of geometry and or simple algebra in order to get it accurate.

Once you have the true sf then determine the pitch of the roof. Some one posted a really cool way to accuratley determine the pitch as well as the formula for finding the sf of the ROOF.

Once you get the sf of the roof you can either price the job by the sf or by the 'squre' (10ftX10ft which is used by roofers and which most customers are familiar with). Which ever way you price will be the same. Any way, find out what the local roofers in your area charge.

Between chemicals, a helper, and gas always try to make no less than 60% profit.

Base your prices at 5%-10% of thiers. So, if they charge $150/square for a certain pitch you then you charge accordingly. Always inform the customer of house how much they'll save by cleaning thier roof as opposed to prematurely buying a new one.

No offense, but your newbie'ness is showing. I'm not going to say that measuring is a bad thing, but when you do enough roofs and have ample business coming in, you will practically be able to price roofs from the street while driving by.

[Mike Williamson 198]

Just like to say that I'm glad I dont live in Florida!

Florida is great! Year-round busy, prices aren't that bad, you can't beat the weather, even when it's 98 outside.

Go to Lowes and buy a measuring wheel for $50. You'll be using this to find the floor sf of every house that you estimate. I tried the cheap tape measure before and trust me, the wheel is well worth the money!

Never, I mean NEVER take the customers word for it! I know it gives them a sense of trust or whatever but people lie! Not only that, even if they do give you the true sf of thier house it never is the sf of eve to eve and may not include porches, hallways, closets and believe it or not garages!

Better yet, save the $50.00 and learn to eyeball a housewash and save all that time. There are only two things I take the time to measure. Decks, and very large areas of concrete. For residential, there's really no need to waste the time measuring, calculating, learning geometry or algebra, drawing grids, etc.

Measuring the footprint of the house isn't an accurate way to calculate square footage for washing purposes. You want to measure the square footage of the surfaces you're washing (linear feet X height). That's if you're going to waste time measuring every house you wash.

Base your prices at 5%-10% of thiers. So, if they charge $150/square for a certain pitch you then you charge accordingly. Always inform the customer of house how much they'll save by cleaning thier roof as opposed to prematurely buying a new one.

Why base your prices on the pricing of someone else? Once you learn how much time and materials a job should take, and once you know what you need per hour to make the money you need to make, estimating is easy.

BTW, most homeowners haven't a clue about their roof, and really don't know what a "square" of shingles is.

[Mike Williamson 198]

No offense, but your newbie'ness is showing. I'm not going to say that measuring is a bad thing, but when you do enough roofs and have ample business coming in, you will practically be able to price roofs from the street while driving by.

Amen to that...except you just gotta look at the back side...The front may look easy, but the back may be heavy with mold and covered in pine straw with plants growing out of the gutters! You're right though, I can price a house, roof, or driveway in the time it takes to walk quickly around the entire house. 10 minutes tops, including talking to the homeowner and either closing the sale or getting the "let me talk to the wife" speech. :)

[JamesHayhurst 14]

If what Grant posted is accurate then I don't see what the problem is by measuring.

It takes no more than 10 min to find the sf of the roof of most large houses and also makes you look more professional. Even if I wanted to "eyeball" (and I could) what to say when the customer asks how you price it?

Call it newbie'ness but I'm just willing to take the time to be accurate and my method will always look and be more proffessional than the "eyeball" method.

Here's part of what Grant posted:

Multiply the sqft area of the building by

3" 1.031

3-1/2" 1.042

4" 1.054

4-1/2" 1.068

5" 1.083

5-1/2" 1.10

6" 1.118

6-1/2" 1.137

7" 1.158

7-1/2" 1.179

8" 1.202

8-1/2" 1.225

9" 1.250

9-1/2" 1.275

10" 1.302

10-1/2" 1.329

11" 1.357

11-1/2" 1.385

12" 1.414

[CCPC 26]

If what Grant posted is accurate then I don't see what the problem is by measuring.

It takes no more than 10 min to find the sf of the roof of most large houses and also makes you look more professional. Even if I wanted to "eyeball" (and I could) what to say when the customer asks how you price it?

Also, knowing the sf of the roof helps me to estimate the right amount of chemicals for the job. Yall might be able to afford to undershoot a roof but I can't. It costs about $3/gallon here and I need to know exactly how much I need or lose profit.

Call it newbie'ness but I'm just willing to take the time to be accurate and my method will always look and be more proffessional than the "eyeball" method.

Here's part of what Grant posted:

Multiply the sqft area of the building by

3" 1.031

3-1/2" 1.042

4" 1.054

4-1/2" 1.068

5" 1.083

5-1/2" 1.10

6" 1.118

6-1/2" 1.137

7" 1.158

7-1/2" 1.179

8" 1.202

8-1/2" 1.225

9" 1.250

9-1/2" 1.275

10" 1.302

10-1/2" 1.329

11" 1.357

11-1/2" 1.385

12" 1.414

Whatever works for you. It's probably not a bad idea in the begining, but I bet in another year or so you wont be measuring every roof. You will become so used to doing similar houses that you will realize that its not always neccesary. As far as buying to much or to little chlorine, I always buy a little more than I think I will need, not just because I'm worried that I didn't do a good job of "eye balling" it, but because some roofs can be a bit more stuborn than others. Better to have to much than to little. Proffesionalism because you measure? Not really. I used to measure every driveway, and most people got the impression that I lacked the experience to be able to quote by

"eye balling". Staining, sealing, cleaning a roof of a large house or building, these senerios definitely merit measurements.

[PWkid 79]

The way I do it, if its a 2500 sq ft house I charge $ 250.00 I can do in about an hour and an half.That includes rinsing.Doctors and lawyers don't make that kind of money.

[Mike Williamson 198]

If what Grant posted is accurate then I don't see what the problem is by measuring.

It takes no more than 10 min to find the sf of the roof of most large houses and also makes you look more professional. Even if I wanted to "eyeball" (and I could) what to say when the customer asks how you price it?

No problem at all, if that's how you want to do it. I just don't see the need to take the time, and I don't think I've ever had a customer question how I arrived at a price. They don't care...what they do care about is whether I know what I'm doing, whether I'm going to kill their plants, and whether their shingles will be damaged. A fancy estimate sheet doesn't answer any of those, but a quick 5 minute conversation after eyeballing it and giving them the price does.

Also, knowing the sf of the roof helps me to estimate the right amount of chemicals for the job. Yall might be able to afford to undershoot a roof but I can't. It costs about $3/gallon here and I need to know exactly how much I need or lose profit.

Exactly how much chlorine do you need for a 2453 square foot shingle roof?

[JamesHayhurst 14]

never mind what I said

[Mike Williamson 198]

What is the pitch and age of the roof? Is it an even layer of mold or can you see variation?

10 year old roof, 4:12 pitch, fairly evenly black with algae except below 3 36" ridge vents and 1 12" flue pipe.

[JamesHayhurst 14]

never mind what I said

[Mike Williamson 198]

With 25 gallons (before dillution) I could do the roof, eves, and facial boards/gutters.

Like Lance said, "Better to have to much than to little."

You're sure it isn't 24.5 gallons, or 26.75?

Do you buy your chlorine as needed? I mean, do you schedule a job, and then go buy the chlorine you'll need (and no more) that day or the evening before? I don't get the not being able to afford to overestimate your chlorine needs. If I use less than I expected, I simply use less. If I use more, I use more. I typically buy chlorine 50-75 gallons at a time, usually twice a week, sometimes three (depending on how much of my work that week is roofs.). I just use what's needed for the job, and resupply when I get low. Measuring the roof so I can guess at the precise amount of chlorine I will need won't save me any money...I'm still going to use what I need to use to get the job done.