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detailbarn

Proper Intro

Question

So I've been lurking here for some time so I figured it's about time I introduce myself and get invloved on the board.

My name is Doug Lucas II and I am owner of The Detail Barn located in Waterford Works , NJ.

Here's alittle history about me and how I came to be a part of the powerwashing industry.

I started working for my parents cleaning compant at the age of 15 , which I didn't like too much so at 17 I started detailing cars which I loved but was in a bad car accident at 18 so I had to call that quits. Back to the cleaing company I went , at that time my father started picking up some powerwashing jobs besides the regular house cleaning. So he bought a small 4000psi unit , (read huge unit) and loaded it in the back of my Ford Ranger and I started powerwashing as well as the regular janitorial work. I hated powerwashing at that time having to load and unload that huge machine and all the hoses it was crap. So I quit for a while and went back to detailing but couldn't get alot of my old work back so I had to stay working nights for my father. In 2000 I got married and stated working more in the detailing again but kept working nights for my father. That summer he mentioned having alot of powerwashing again and that he needed me to do the work. Well my first thought was no! but I needed the money for the house I was building for my wife and I , so I agreed but said I would need to set-up the powerwashing unit this time so it would be efficent and wouldn't hurt my back inquiry. So I bought a small 40"x48" trailer from Northern mounted the new 3500 psi BE washer my dad bought and two steel eagle hose reels. It all (just) fit. I ran that for a year and decieded it was much better but kept running into low GPM problems with the houses I was washing so i decieded I needed a small water tank , so I upgraded the trailer to a Pepboys open 4'x6' with the BE washer and a 35 gallon tank and two new Rapid Reel hose reels. This was much better and I got the work done faster.

Then I decieded to go to school to pursue a career as a Insurance adjuster but was let down by the job market quickly after being promised job after job but never recieving one. I was still washing at the time but only part time , then I got my year end earnings and boy was I suprised I had made part time washing what I was hoping to make full time in a few years as an adjuster. So right then I decieded to make this a full time gig , get my own rigs together and make a go at it.

So here I am 2006 my first year as a full time pressure washer and owner of The Detail Barn. I have now bought all my fathers old pressure washers from him and set up my first full fledged "professional" rig. A 5'x10' enclosed carmate trailer with a brand new Pressure-Pro 4000 PSI , 5.5 GPM washer with a 200 gallon tank and two summit hose reels. Well there's my story hope it wasn't too long , but thanks for reading and I look forward to learing more from this board and becoming a valued member. I will post pictures of the evolution of my rigs later this week.

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Welcome Doug and thanks for introducing yourself, you sound like you've got pretty good knowledge of the industry and some good equipment to start fulltime. How many powerwashing customers do you have already?

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thanks for all the reply guys.

As for current contracts I have all the sub work from my fathers cleaning business which is about 200 houses a year. From there I just picked up about 100 new customers from my first flyer run. And on the commercial side I working on getting 2 banks , 3 resturants , 4 store fronts and two condo complexes. So I have quite a bit to start out with but I would like to fire up a second rig before the end of the year. Oh and I also decieded to continue with deck restoration as well so I have six decks lined up in there some where.

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Welcome to the board Doug..:cool:

That's a nice wax job on your avatar wished my truck looked like that!

Thanks for the compliment , that Audi's hood has about 2 hours of polishing work into and three layers of Zaino to get it that shiney. More than just a wax job. JK:D

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