good setup??

[TalcottPressureWashing 14]

Ok after looking everywhere on the web and talking to 3 local pressure washers John W with Superior, Philip Doolittle with Powerhouse and Cujo Cooley of Pams pressure and clean this is what i'm looking at starting with.

a 3500 psi 4 gpm belt driven unit from a local supplier for 1400, a 6x10 open trailer best price on a new trailer so far is about 650-750

M5-xjet

I was looking at some plastic 55 gallon drums that we use at work and i believe that i can build a rack and stack 2 of them for a water supply of about a 100 gallons .I know that i can buy a tank but these have a good price Free.

is there any other recomendations that you might have on equipment for a beginer to get ? Probably going to use a turbo nozzle for driveways and sidewalks until finaces allow for a upgrade to a surface cleaner.

thanks in advance for your help

[CCPC 26]

Why do you need 100g of water? With a 4gpm machine, you will very rarely need a back up supply of water to support your gpm, but even to play it safe, the most you would need is small float tank. carrying water serves two purposes; one, to back up a high gpm machine, or two, to allow for cleaning when a water supply isn't available. 100g is right in the middle, not enough to use as a water supply, yet much more than needed as a water supply back up.

I can think of a lot of other things you could consider in your equipment search:

step ladders, extesion ladders

downstream injector

as many assorted tips you can get your hands on

rags, bags, buckets, lids,

pump up sprayers

shurflo

garden hoses

back up high pressure hoses

ball valves (high pressure and low pressure)

surface cleaner

hose reels

extension lances

gas cans

o-rings, spare couplings, plugs, and other assorted fittings

tefflon tape, duck tape, electric tape (you can never have to much tape)

tool set

extension pole, gutters brushes, deck brushs, toliet brush

maybe a few siphon pumps for drums

I'm getting bored now, but there's much more

[PRESSURE PACKED 14]

Ok after looking everywhere on the web and talking to 3 local pressure washers John W with Superior, Philip Doolittle with Powerhouse and Cujo Cooley of Pams pressure and clean this is what i'm looking at starting with.

a 3500 psi 4 gpm belt driven unit from a local supplier for 1400, a 6x10 open trailer best price on a new trailer so far is about 650-750

M5-xjet

I was looking at some plastic 55 gallon drums that we use at work and i believe that i can build a rack and stack 2 of them for a water supply of about a 100 gallons .I know that i can buy a tank but these have a good price Free.

is there any other recomendations that you might have on equipment for a beginer to get ? Probably going to use a turbo nozzle for driveways and sidewalks until finaces allow for a upgrade to a surface cleaner.

thanks in advance for your help

DUDE CALL A TRUCKING COMPANY OR A CEMENT TRUCK COMPANY. THEY BUY CHEMICALS IN BULK..ASK THEM IF YOU CAN HAVE A 250 GALLON TANK. THEY ARE MOST LIKELY GOING TO THROW IT OUT ANYWAY..I LIVE IN FLORIDA AND THE PLACE AROUND HERE IS RINKER MATERIALS

[PRESSURE PACKED 14]

Why do you need 100g of water? With a 4gpm machine, you will very rarely need a back up supply of water to support your gpm, but even to play it safe, the most you would need is small float tank. carrying water serves two purposes; one, to back up a high gpm machine, or two, to allow for cleaning when a water supply isn't available. 100g is right in the middle, not enough to use as a water supply, yet much more than needed as a water supply back uP

I ALSO HAVE WATER SO I DO NOT HAVE TO HOOK UP TO THE SPICKET FOR A "DRIVEWAY".. I DO PAVER SEALING ALSO SO SOMETIMES I DO A DRIVEWAY AND LEAVE

[PLD 14]

a 3500 psi 4 gpm belt driven unit from a local supplier for 1400, a 6x10 open trailer best price on a new trailer so far is about 650-750

M5-xjet

I was looking at some plastic 55 gallon drums that we use at work and i believe that i can build a rack and stack 2 of them for a water supply of about a 100 gallons .I know that i can buy a tank but these have a good price Free.

is there any other recomendations that you might have on equipment for a beginer to get ? Probably going to use a turbo nozzle for driveways and sidewalks until finaces allow for a upgrade to a surface cleaner.

thanks in advance for your help

Lance is right about the water. Either go bigger, or skip it. Jordan's Salvage (about 100yds from the train depot) always has chem totes in stock for $70. Or, I'll sell you a 525 gal for $200. Be careful with the turbo, it can damage concrete.

As for other things needed: Insurance & license. You will be competing with Cujo and I directly. We will talk negatively about you to every one who asks if you operate w/o license and insurance. Get those, and we can all compete on the basis of merit, skill, etc.

One more thing, *PLEASE* compete on skill, quality, workmanship and not on price. All we need here on the southside is another cut rate washer. Start offering super-cheap house washes and all you will accomplish is to set an unreal expectation of price/value and then you will go bankrupt. Sure, you may get a few of our customers, but they'll be back next year when they can't get you anymore.

[JohnW 14]

Ok after looking everywhere on the web and talking to 3 local pressure washers John W with Superior, Philip Doolittle with Powerhouse and Cujo Cooley of Pams pressure and clean this is what i'm looking at starting with.

a 3500 psi 4 gpm belt driven unit from a local supplier for 1400, a 6x10 open trailer best price on a new trailer so far is about 650-750

M5-xjet

I was looking at some plastic 55 gallon drums that we use at work and i believe that i can build a rack and stack 2 of them for a water supply of about a 100 gallons .I know that i can buy a tank but these have a good price Free.

is there any other recomendations that you might have on equipment for a beginer to get ? Probably going to use a turbo nozzle for driveways and sidewalks until finaces allow for a upgrade to a surface cleaner.

thanks in advance for your help

Hey Lynn,

I got your message on my machine the other day, but I just haven't had a free second since Thursday. I'll do my best to give you a call tonight. I apologize for the delay.

John Werling

Superior Pressure Washing

Fayetteville, GA

[TalcottPressureWashing 14]

Lance is right about the water. Either go bigger, or skip it. Jordan's Salvage (about 100yds from the train depot) always has chem totes in stock for $70. Or, I'll sell you a 525 gal for $200. Be careful with the turbo, it can damage concrete.

As for other things needed: Insurance & license. You will be competing with Cujo and I directly. We will talk negatively about you to every one who asks if you operate w/o license and insurance. Get those, and we can all compete on the basis of merit, skill, etc.

One more thing, *PLEASE* compete on skill, quality, workmanship and not on price. All we need here on the southside is another cut rate washer. Start offering super-cheap house washes and all you will accomplish is to set an unreal expectation of price/value and then you will go bankrupt. Sure, you may get a few of our customers, but they'll be back next year when they can't get you anymore.

Philip that is exactly what i plain to do . the insurance and license that is.

As far as pricing goes I have no intention on being a lowballer .What i want to do is offer a good service at a good price .

Personally i hope to get to the skill level where if the situation occured you or Cugo would feel comfortable reffering a customer to me.

But please remeber that I am going to be very new to this so please don't bash me to bad if I screw up on my first few quotes.

as far as the turbo nozzle's go I can't seem to get anyone to really give me any information on these.

I used one at work on a concrete floor and It was like wow this is a heck of a lot faster than just a reg tip. I say this because i ran out of hose on the hook up that had the turbo nozzle. and some Genuis in our mainatance shop had differnt size QC on the next station and going with that gun that had a green tip (not sure of orfice size was a Huge diff. can u please go into a little more detail as to how a turbo nozzle could damage concrete?

Also seemed as if the turbo nozzle used less water.

I say this because i had to squegee a lot more water on the area that i used the reg tip as opposed to the turbo area

[TalcottPressureWashing 14]

Hey Lynn,

I got your message on my machine the other day, but I just haven't had a free second since Thursday. I'll do my best to give you a call tonight. I apologize for the delay.

John Werling

Superior Pressure Washing

Fayetteville, GA

Not a problem John, I was wanting to ask you some questions about willis pressure washing supply in fayetville as that is where i'm probably going to get my machine 3500 4 gpm belt driven 13 horse honda.

also was wanting to ask about the chems they sell there seems like a lot of people like the rpc citraclean but for my first few jobs thought i might stay local with the chems. I believe there house mix was Doobrite or somethin like that

[Mike Williamson 198]

One more thing, *PLEASE* compete on skill, quality, workmanship and not on price. All we need here on the southside is another cut rate washer. Start offering super-cheap house washes and all you will accomplish is to set an unreal expectation of price/value and then you will go bankrupt. Sure, you may get a few of our customers, but they'll be back next year when they can't get you anymore.

You forgot to mention that he'll tick off everyone who's been helping him get started, and he'll lose that resource when he needs it the most.

[Mike Williamson 198]

Also seemed as if the turbo nozzle used less water.

I say this because i had to squegee a lot more water on the area that i used the reg tip as opposed to the turbo area

The turbo is basically a zero degree tip that spins in a circle. It can damage the concrete because you're concentrating all that water and pressure in one tiny area, rather than spreading it out in a fan pattern.

It uses the same amount of water as any othe tip. The tips don't regulate the water, they regulate pressure. You may have used less water because you were able to clean faster.

I've tried turbos for cleaning curbing, and wanding it with a 25 degree tip works just as fast or faster. Better to take the profits from your first few jobs and get a surface cleaner, even if you have to resort to a cheaper knock-off brand. They still work, and are much faster and more efficient than a wand or turbo. You'll never get the same results with a wand or a turbo. I've seen many driveways a few months after they were wanded, and the algae is already growing back and is showing the wand marks.

[djcs0302 14]

John with Talcott pressure washing, I know you posted this about a month ago, but I have a couple of water totes I will let go cheap. I have a 275 gallon for $50 and a 325 gal for $70. If you still need one and are interested give me a call. 706-975-0608

[Adrian 155]

Hey John, that's a good deal up above this post, esp. if the tote has the "shark cage" around it. They offer good road protection.

Turbo nozzles are great for "post construction" motar chunks or something like that. But not for someone's driveway. You will not be able to get an "even clean", I promise you. Get the surface cleaner and you will be able to substantiate your rates on a more professional platform. Trust me, go clean a mall with a turbo nozzle, then clean another mall with a surface cleaner. 10X faster than a turbo nozzle or a fan. Turbo nozzles have their place ( i even have a dual turb nozzle for curbs) but for the "Flat" part of the flatwork you will definately need a surface cleaner that is honed to your machine.

Trust the vets on this forum. They have helped me to grow into someone to be reckoned with in this business. I am grateful for that.

[PressurePros 249]

Realize that the "extras" you need are probably going to cost you more than your machine. Then add the cost of that machine in again for insurance. Add it again for a marketing campaign that will get you started. I understand a budget but it sounds like you are on the razor's edge.

Be careful. You can have all the good intentions and every tool you need and not land a single job. Then the desparation kicks in and you start dropping your pants on price. This all comes together nicely to put you out of business.

The first surface cleaner I ever owned was a 20" whirlaway I bought from ebay for $125. It still works perfectly and sits in my shed as a back up. You don't need to spend a fortune until you are in a better position to upgrade.