Your Story

[Jeff 232]

I was just wondering how you all got started in the PW biz and why.

What kinds of work you do, what would you say is your specialty, if any and why.

What are your goals for your biz.

A short history of you and your biz, might help me and others, think about what we want out of our business

My history in short - Started PWing part time in 2000 after work accident in 1996 took me out of my trade of Union Steelpainter/sandblaster. Moved to Myrtle Beach in 2000, worked night at a resort and PW during the days , residential. Started getting busy in 2002 and early 2003 landed a couple big condo complexes. Quit fulltime job in March 2003, Past couple years have worked mostly with Property management companies, doing small & large condo complexes and surrounding surfaces. about 10-20% of our work is residential.

My goal is to have a couple/few rigs working with a minimium of 2 fulltime workers or more, busy year round. To better manage paper work, and have my wife quit her job and work our office. Want to work this biz and within the next 3-6 years reach the above goals.

Whats your history???

[StainlessDeal 16]

Injured by a drunk driver in spring of 04, lost much use of my right arm.(my strong side) While recuperating found that I was never going to be hirable in my old industry at anything like what I used to make. The local vocrehab suggested that I go to college. I suggested something unprintable, and they suggested that I look into self-employment.

I had hired mobile washer to clean my rigs before, and thought it looked easy. I was a fool. I did some research and was astounded by what I found could be done as a pwer. I wrote (with a consultant) a business plan and applied for a grant that I recieved in March. I wish I had come across these boards earlier as they have been invaluable tools, and would probably have led me to make some small changes in how I spent my original grant.

I've been mostly part-timing this year as the industry is almost unknown here, so customer interest is low. I spend a lot of time educating people about what is possible with the tools and chems I have access to.

I enjoy the wood work quite a bit, but here in NE people at first don't even realize it is a good idea to treat cedar decks and fences, and then they think I can raise Lazarus with chems and Ready-Seal. I'd rather they believed something in between those two extremes.

I thought I'd be doing a lot of fleetwashing, but really haven't and don't mind. I'm doin some flatwork, and roof and house washes. These I really enjoy, partly from the challenge involved in explaining that roof fungus exists and can be removed safely. This is an absolutely foriegn concept to most home-owners here. They often think I'm a shyster trying to pull a fast one, until they see the pics, or small samples.

What I really have come to specialize in, is removal of lichen from just about any substrate you can name. People always think I'm going to just blast it away, when I explain how I will actually do the work, they start mystified, then they convert.

I'm loving this business, it hasn't been easy, but it is looking up. I'm happy just to be working. Sorry so long, I just get so excited.:)

[Jeff 232]

Injured by a drunk driver in spring of 04, lost much use of my right arm.(my strong side) While recuperating found that I was never going to be hirable in my old industry at anything like what I used to make. The local vocrehab suggested that I go to college. I suggested something unprintable, and they suggested that I look into self-employment.

I had hired mobile washer to clean my rigs before, and thought it looked easy. I was a fool. I did some research and was astounded by what I found could be done as a pwer. I wrote (with a consultant) a business plan and applied for a grant that I recieved in March. I wish I had come across these boards earlier as they have been invaluable tools, and would probably have led me to make some small changes in how I spent my original grant.

I've been mostly part-timing this year as the industry is almost unknown here, so customer interest is low. I spend a lot of time educating people about what is possible with the tools and chems I have access to.

I enjoy the wood work quite a bit, but here in NE people at first don't even realize it is a good idea to treat cedar decks and fences, and then they think I can raise Lazarus with chems and Ready-Seal. I'd rather they believed something in between those two extremes.

I thought I'd be doing a lot of fleetwashing, but really haven't and don't mind. I'm doin some flatwork, and roof and house washes. These I really enjoy, partly from the challenge involved in explaining that roof fungus exists and can be removed safely. This is an absolutely foriegn concept to most home-owners here. They often think I'm a shyster trying to pull a fast one, until they see the pics, or small samples.

What I really have come to specialize in, is removal of lichen from just about any substrate you can name. People always think I'm going to just blast it away, when I explain how I will actually do the work, they start mystified, then they convert.

I'm loving this business, it hasn't been easy, but it is looking up. I'm happy just to be working. Sorry so long, I just get so excited.:)

Stainless, what were you a trucker?

Since no one really knows about PWing in your area, you probably dont have much compitition either, thats a good thing, I bet in a few years or less, you'll have tons of work. Good luck

When I had my injury , they said college, I passed, I couldnt stand the thought, I wish I thought of this biz back then and went for some of the money I could have got.

Good luck to you and keep on cleaning stuff. I hate that lichen

[FullBlast 14]

I got hooked on washing when I lived in NY for a short summer. My cousin did washing and I washed all summer in 01 for him. Came back to PA and got my rig set up in feb. 02. Washed lots of trucks and logging equip. Anything and everything!!! Times were really tough but it was just me, no wife. In june 03 I bought 1/3 of a mans p/w biz out. Then in june 5 04 I got married and in july 04 I bought the rest of his biz out!! That was a big bite there!!!! So now there is 5-6 of us working with three trucks and trailers. Do anything!!!! Lots of Ag work.

[Lou Beach 14]

I have an entrapreneurial streak in me and I have always been looking for something to get into to satify that entrapranuer streak. I used to work at Camden Yards in Baltimore selling souveniers during the games and prior to the season opening I would be out at the stadium preparing the souvenier stand for the season.

About 3 years ago I was out there before opening day and I happened upon a guy power washing the walkways in the stadiums. I was curious about what he was doing so I went up and talked to him and found out that he had his own business power washing on a part time basis. He explained that he enjoyed it and he was making good money doing it on a part time basis.

That conversation planted the seed in me and from that day on I started investigating and researching the power wash industry.

What I found out during my research I liked. It seemed to be a profitable business that did not require a huge initital investment and almost immediately I sensed that I could put a professional image on a power wash company, the same as other contractors in other industries do, and market myself and this business to upper income property holders and other businesses. I worked on the theory that a certain percentage of residential property owners and businesses want a professional looking and acting company to clean and restore the exteriors of their expensive residences and businesses. In addition to that I discovered that virtually anything that is exposed to the elements needs to be and can be cleaned using power washing equipment.

I thought that this was a great market with an unlimited supply of work and the key to getting that work was marketing and presenting a professional image to those you were marketing too.

It has taken some time, but I finally am to the point where I am starting to get some work, but not nearly enough to pay the bills, so I am struggling right now, but I recognize the potential with the couple of jobs that I have done.

Right now I am trying to get my name out there and build up some work, so that I can get referals going. I am doing guerilla marketing, meaning I wear my company Polo shirt and T-Shirts everywhere and hand out business cards to everyone within site. I also give a brief speech as I hand out my business card. I have gotten a couple of jobs just from doing that.

I am looking into joining some local chamber of commerces as networking tools and I have a website in its infant stages. I was given some advice early on that this business is all about the marketing of your service and agree with that 100%. In addition you have to do a bang up job on the jobs you get because that, ultimately is your best advertising.

This whole thing is exciting because if it turns out to be successful, it will be trememdously gratifying as this business feels like my own child, whom I am nurturing and bringing along one step at a time. The learning curve associated with starting this business has been made much easier with the help and support of many people who post on these boards. I would not be where I am right now without some solid advice and help from many people who have selflessly helped me out. Too those people, I say thank you and hopefully one day I will be able to return the favor in kind.

[StainlessDeal 16]

Jason, I hear you about getting married and buying out your partner in one bite: This year I started in this field, bought a house in June, got married in August. I could choke if I'm not careful!

Jeff, yeah I was a trucker, I drove moving and storage rigs mostly, but hauled the mail for a while as well. Mail route was from Rock Springs, WY. to Bloomfield, IA. and back. I was an organiser for the Teamstsers (and a shop steward), and later the same for APWU (American Postal Workers), and did volunteer work for AFofLCIO.

I went to management in the moving business for quite a while and then was a concrete pump operator (32 meter Schwing) and was just out of training when I was t-boned by an F-250 while riding in passenger seat of a jeep Liberty.

I don't have much competition, most people around here have never thought of PWing as anything but truck and car lot washers. There are some real wood guys around, but I rarely see them. I don't know what their methods might be around here. I'm doing OK, like I said before, "I'm happy to be working." I'm lucky to be alive and walking and not mourning.

What I think a lot of people don't realize is that we are ALL lucky to be alive.

I've been blessed with events that could pound that home for good.:)

[Jeff 232]

Some great stories so far and I wish best of luck to all off you guys. Im no oldtimer as in experience, but I'll tell you from my experiences and all I see on this board, this is a great business to be in. I never would of thought there would be enough work in areas up north, just because the climate. But I see so many doing so much quality work and have plenty of it, You northern guys just keep educating everyone up there. Us damn yankees down south have it a little easier, because everything gets moldy quick.

Once again I wish everyone best of luck, If I can do well , Im sure most of you can also. Its a great biz and a great life ENJOY IT!!

[bulletproof 14]

I too have always had the entrepreneural spirit. I'm a Police Officer by occupation, and love it, but always yearned to be my own boss. I found out early on that the force promises you a job but forward mobility is not guaranteed,so I decided to start a business. I've done it all, mobile electronics, carpentry, tents and party supplies,personal fitness training, landscaping. I just never liked doing any of those things. Then I remembered that while I was a foot patrol officer I used to see a guy cleaning shop windows. I figured that it would be a good thing to do residentially. I did jobs for family, friends and co-workers during the christmas season from Nov-Dec they were all pleased. Most of the time while on site I would be asked if I clean boxing (soffits and fascia to you guys) Not being one to pass up on money I said yes. Believe it or not I didn't even know at the time that I could clean them with a pressure washer. I used to do them all by hand. The tools of my trade were a bucket, ladders, cloths, joy and water and lots of newspapers. I fell in love with the fact that I could go to a house with my brother in the morning and be finished by mid afternoon. I did this for the two months and knew that this is what I had been looking for. No one else was doing it and I made good money. A friend of mine had started a car wash and bought a small pw. I saw him on a job one day and thats when I figured I could use one for what I was doing. I went out and bought my monster 1500 psi 2.5 gpm washer. The guy that sold it to me upselled a gallon of no name house wash. That Christmas I was the man. Less time on jobs and more of them I still used to go over the fascia's by hand because they weren't coming as clean with the pw. The following year I researched on the internet found this and Steve Rowlette's board used the search feature and asked lots of questions. I learned alot. October of 2003 I had a 4 gpm unit, real chems and equipment, new knowledge, uniforms the whole nine. I now do this part time year round and want to expand to commercial clients next year. Thanks to you guys and these boards.