OFF to Florida

[Thad 135]

OK, wife says get off the Grime Scene because it's time to leave for vacation.

We're going to Orlando and Tampa, so if any of you guys down there are spraying and a big homely-looking guy in a maroon minivan jumps out and starts helping don't be alarmed.

It's just me!

[PRESSURE PACKED 14]

But When You See The Potential You Will Move Here

[PressurePros 249]

I think I may start Snow Bird Restoration and Cleaning somewhere down there so I can keep washing all winter like you guys.

[CCPC 26]

I think I may start Snow Bird Restoration and Cleaning somewhere down there so I can keep washing all winter like you guys.

Sounds good Ken, but when you realize that most aren't willing to pay more than a couple of hundred for a clean and stain, you'll probably be on the first plane back to PA.

[PressurePros 249]

You may be right Lance, or I could spend the rest of my life turning the FL market around so the next generation will actually profit a couple hundred dollars for deck work. I do have a question about that, I know you aren't really able to answer offhand but something to think about. I know a ton of people thta have moved to FL or have vacation homes there whom are from the northeast. Aren't these people wiling to pay more? I guess it would be hard to qualify those people though.

[CCPC 26]

Funny you should mention that, out of the few wood jobs I've done, my most profitable deck was for a lady who moved down here from up north. In general though, I don't see much difference between the northerners and southerners. Actually, there's a gated community near by that I do a lot of work in that has a large population of retired folks from up north, and they tend to be some of the cheapest customers I bid jobs for. Most of them aren't wealthy by any means they simply moved down here to get more house for less money, but nothing wrong with that.

I had a pretty nasty experience with one of these folks that really burned my a**. She basically, in so many words, accused me of trying to take advantage of her because she was from up north. I gave here a quote to clean her house and driveway. The whole time we walking the property she was ranting about how the last guy had killed a whole row of shrubs while cleaning the roof, and how another guy left streak marks all over here screened Porch and had destroyed here ceiling fan on the porch. I submitted the bid, and she said she wanted to think about it and talk to here husband.

Meanwhile, I get call from her several hours later where she informed me that she called around to a few other companies and was quoted (over the phone) a price that was almost half what I quoted (low ball competition). I explained to her the possible differences in what I'm offering compared to much of my competition blah, blah, blah, but it was in one ear, out the other. All this idiot could comprehend was price.

I really wanted to bring up all the things that she said the last companies destroyed, and tell here that's what you get for half priced services, but I just didn't think about it while on the phone with her. While on the phone with her, she said something along these lines:

"That price seems too high, I seems like a lot of you contractors come in here and raise rates because you think we all have a lot of money, but most of us are just northerners who moved down here too retire. It seems like a lot of you guys are trying take advantage of us".

[CCPC 26]

I'm sure I remember hearing that up north that the yellow pages actually have a separate category listing for wood restoration? Not sure if this is true or not. Around here, most people just call a painter or any old pressure washing outfit too restore their deck, and man, I haven't seen anyones wood work around here that's worth a crap. The sad thing is that the customers don't know any better, and they think it looks great. My parents live on a small lake with townhouses surrounding it, and I just recently striped my parents neighbors small dock and compared to the others it looks like a diamond in the rough.

I did have a bit of interest from other neighbors after they saw my work, but I turned down any opportunities to bid on others. There's just no money in it here. Oh, and my parents neighbors who I did the work for were originally from up north as well.

[PressurePros 249]

I hear ya. I don't think I have a single customer over 65.

I would have had to say, "Ma'am what is going to cost you more, the professional job that will give you guaranteed superior results with no damage and is backed by a million dollars in liability insurance or paying half price now for inferior work and then having to replace landscaping, ceiling fans and porch screens? I'm in no way trying to rip anyone off, I am trying to offer quality work doing things one way and that is the right way. Thank you for calling, feel free to call me back if you would like to schedule the work"

[EnviroClean 15]

You need to be down closer to the $$$. Palm Beach County and Broward, Miami...MONEY MONEY MONEY. There is a huge market in Florida. I used to live west of where Pressure Packed lives in the Acreage. Conditions are perfect for mold and mildew. If I do not set the Island on fire down here, I will move back to Florida and I will own the Pressure wash market in South Florida!!!! Only thinkg is if you go down into Broward and especially Miami/Dade you will need to know Spanish. Hay mucha gente en Miami que no hablan Ingles pero tienen mucho dinero!!!

[PressurePros 249]

Does that translate to "leave a message at the beep"?

[EnviroClean 15]

LOL..Sorry Ken Somehow I ended up on some telemarketer list so I switched the voicemail box to spanish...it only takes a couple of times and clears the whole thing up for about 6 months

[Kory 14]

Translation in miami if you speak english and spanish you make more money. Rich folks will pay what you ask and spanish folks will hire you because your there peeps( People ).

[Chappy 138]

Ditto Lance with the yankees(#). All the deck Ive done have been for northerners that know the value and apreciate the professional work. The floridians just dont take care of the decks. One lady that I gave a house wash estimate had a wraparound deck. Very nice. about 2000 sf of floor. I asked about cleaning and finishing it for her. " Nah, my husband is just gonna tear it out and put in a new one." I guess with PT wood and Florida labor costs, people think thats the way to go. just wait till it rots and replace it.

(#) As a born and raised southerner, (by the grace of God thank you,) I always sayd Damnyankee was one word. But Ive had to shorten it because they are the only ones that will spend on deck refinishing.

[Thad 135]

But When You See The Potential You Will Move Here

Lots of potential- and I'm sick of Katrinaville- but I think I'm allergic to Central Florida. I had one of the worst sinus headaches of my life until I got back to the Panhandle on my way back to Louisiana.

The water is unbelievably terrible, too. I can't believe that you even need chlorine in that stuff to destroy any organic matter that it comes into contact with. ;)

The weather was nice, though. Beautiful, dry heat. It reminded me of the desert. Soooo much more comfortable than trying to breathe the humid gunk we have in LA.

[JohnW 14]

Lots of potential- and I'm sick of Katrinaville- but I think I'm allergic to Central Florida. I had one of the worst sinus headaches of my life until I got back to the Panhandle on my way back to Louisiana.

The water is unbelievably terrible, too. I can't believe that you even need chlorine in that stuff to destroy any organic matter that it comes into contact with. ;)

The weather was nice, though. Beautiful, dry heat. It reminded me of the desert. Soooo much more comfortable than trying to breathe the humid gunk we have in LA.

Hey Speck,

Speaking of Katrinaville, did New Orleans East ever get back up and running do you know? I've stayed over in Covington a couple times, and now I guess every time I go back to see my relatives, I will be staying there, since none of them live in N.O. East anymore. I like it over there in Mandeville/Covington area, seemed like a nice place. Didn't seem like they got much flooding, just a ton of trees knocked down.

John W.

Superior Pressure Washing

Fayetteville, GA

[Thad 135]

Speaking of Katrinaville, did New Orleans East ever get back up and running do you know? I've stayed over in Covington a couple times, and now I guess every time I go back to see my relatives, I will be staying there, since none of them live in N.O. East anymore. I like it over there in Mandeville/Covington area, seemed like a nice place. Didn't seem like they got much flooding, just a ton of trees knocked down.

No, East NOLA is still pretty much deserted. It's like driving through a ghost town.

Slidell got hit very hard by a 20 foot storm surge. Almost everything between Old Town and the Lake is still in bad shape. Whole neighborhoods and shopping centers off of Ponchartrain were slammed and are still deserted. A lot of people that I have talked to are moving out. There are a lot of houses that people came back and started rebuilding and then just abandoned.

Mandeville/ Covington didn't get any flooding, just wind damage, but it is waaaaay overcrowded now. A lot of people from south of the Lake (including about 13 billion St. Bernarders) moved over here. We went from around 200,000 to over 300,000 almost overnight. The infrastructure is screaming.

Florida is looking better and better. :)

I just need to figure out which part I would like the best and could do the most business in.