One Tough Pressure 580 Report post Posted September 3, 2003 This pertains to all areas of washing, not just residential. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 Babyjon 14 Report post Posted September 11, 2007 Im not making it!! I went to see about a job today. I will winter and pick up what I can. Then, Hit it hard in the spring. Never Quit, never Give up Retreat reorganize then attack again Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 Apple Roof Cleaning 202 Report post Posted September 11, 2007 Im not making it!! I went to see about a job today. I will winter and pick up what I can. Then, Hit it hard in the spring. Never Quit, never Give up Retreat reorganize then attack again Thanks for the Honesty. One must remember, there are people reading these forums about ready to invest their entire savings in a Pressure Washing business. Let's not overly Sugar Coat it for them ? I went to an out of town pressure washing supply house up in Georgia once when i was on a mini vacation. I Heard the owner rattling off to a prospective customer that he would make 50 Grand a year EASY. ALL he had to do was buy a "turn key" trailer unit, and the world would beat a path to his door! Sorry to spoil the party, but that is BS, even an outright LIE. We Must IMHO be careful we do not mislead desperate people with our Ego's. And, there are many desperate people who have lost long held good jobs because of this Economy. They are easy prey for lying pressure cleaning supply houses who over romanticize this business. This is a HARD business to make it in, and that is the truth. Many, if not most, will not make it. We JUST lost two here in Tampa this past month, and it wasn't because they did not try either! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 Doug Dahlke 114 Report post Posted September 11, 2007 This is a HARD business to make it in, and that is the truth. Many, if not most, will not make it. We JUST lost two here in Tampa this past month, and it wasn't because they did not try either! I began full time in Feb of 06. Jumped right in and went for it after losing my job. No other income other than my wife's which is not enough on it's own to support us. We did have some savings and other financial resources but they are pretty much gone now so we rely on power washing for the majority of our income. We are making it but Chris is right, it is not easy. If you think you can put an ad in the Yellow Pages or the service directory of the paper and your phone will be ringing, you need to think again. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 Apple Roof Cleaning 202 Report post Posted September 11, 2007 I began full time in Feb of 06. Jumped right in and went for it after losing my job. No other income other than my wife's which is not enough on it's own to support us. We did have some savings and other financial resources but they are pretty much gone now so we rely on power washing for the majority of our income. We are making it but Chris is right, it is not easy. If you think you can put an ad in the Yellow Pages or the service directory of the paper and your phone will be ringing, you need to think again. The Brutal Truth about this business ? If you can't sell, stay the heck out of it. Just because one can't sell does not mean he or she is a lesser person at all. But you must be honest with yourself. YOU are the last person you want to BS. Until you build a repeat customer base, you must work like a Dog to eat. Now that everyone and their brother is in this business, with more coming every day, that is not gonna be easy as it once was. And it was never "easy" to begin with. Supply and Demand says it all. Supply now greatly exceeds demand here in Florida, meaning less work for everyone to go around. I am not preaching "doom and gloom", just being real. All one has to do is look at the Yellow Pages back 5 years. Call the old phone numbers, see for yourself. Most are gone, long gone. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 PPC 37 Report post Posted September 16, 2007 I'm very thankfull to do this full time and be able to support my family Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 tinsley 14 Report post Posted November 3, 2007 been doing this is not easy by no means i started on the side then 6 months later i had to chose between full time job or business i had to chose business but i has been very tough sometimes. I try to do more commercial then residental for the repeat work but you still have to keep your prices down and quality up to stay around. I have had people quit working for me and go try to do it on their own call me 3 months later trying to sell me the equipment they bought. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 steve choate 14 Report post Posted January 10, 2008 Hi this is my first post, been reading alot. I have been planning for my buisness for 6 months and getting the jitter's. My situation that i would like feed back on is this. I have beeen working for a drilling company for 7 years and do a lot of clean up work with the pressure washer daily 2 hours most days and love it. The feeling of something so dirty like drilling mud comes so clean. cant explain the feeling of satasfaction. I have been wanting to start my own buisness for ever I am a very motivated person working 10 to 12 yours 5 days a week for 7 years so that wont be a problem.. So what i have done is sell my house making 150,000 on it and moving to my target area. This area has only 1 company in this buisness and has no advertising no web site seems small..the area on the other hand is not with unlimited company's hotels ex..big enough to have 62 plumber..53 electritions and so on..point made. I have loted $40,000 for start up Money ( equipment only) I am paying cash for a house and a large shop for a year ( so no rent ) Wich is not from my start up money. and have $10,000 for marketing ex..insurance so on. my wife is a pro in marketing and accounting. I am paying only salary for my self and my brother un determaned right now.. So i am woundering is with all this in mind Am i in a good position to be sucsesful? It scary to me that im moving 3500 miles from home for max potental Selling my dream house on a very nice fishing river in washington state quiting my job that im a senior driller in making 70,000 a year ( 900 hours of over time a year ) All in pursute of my dream The area im moving to is 80 all year around , and is paradise...sorry for not saying the place but took well over 2 months to narrow down and over 100 hours on line doing research.. It is costly to live and to ship too.. Please any advice ( besides spelling errors.. thats my wifes department) postive or negative comants would be helpfull.. Thanx steve Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 ksa44133 14 Report post Posted January 10, 2008 I am going at it this year as a part timer. Luckily for me my current job is working from my home and on the road all day so I can canvas for new business while I'm working my other job. I plan on doing most of my work on weekends and later afternoons but if need be I could set aside a full day each week to focus only on my business. I hope everyone has a great 08! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 Beth n Rod 1,279 Report post Posted March 23, 2008 Another classic... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 John T 744 Report post Posted June 26, 2010 I still don't know how I would answer this...But I will say its great to have Employees:) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 Guy B 70 Report post Posted June 26, 2010 6-28-10 Fulltime, after 4 years of working a job and building a Business, I'm Ready!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 southernprowash 14 Report post Posted July 8, 2010 Part time just starting out. Purchased a nice trailer and rig. Now i have to line up some more work so I can eventually go fulltime. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 Guy B 70 Report post Posted December 14, 2010 12-13-10 Still Full-Time and in Winter mode. Won't "Strike A Lick" till March, not because I can't, because I don't have to. Truly Cool! Very Blessed! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 extremeclean 14 Report post Posted December 14, 2010 (edited) We have been in the pressure washing business since 2002 part time until this year I decided to go Full Time since I was working my self to death and not able to spend much time with my 16month son. This year has been good, except for the past month, its been snowing and my commercial are having trouble with busted water lines. Edited December 14, 2010 by extremeclean Signature replacement Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 go green pressure washing 14 Report post Posted January 13, 2011 Ive been in business for two years like most starting part time trying to build enough business to go full time aside of the fact that I'm working 1 full time job and part time and the schedule work accordingly weekends and evenings trying to live the american dream.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 diamondbar 14 Report post Posted January 15, 2011 Full time. I like being my own boss. http://www.carpet-cleaning-diamond-bar.com/ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 Washed Up 14 Report post Posted January 23, 2011 This is gonna b my first season in business. I am a part timer. I am lookin foward to the srping & doin the work. I hope & pray I get the work. I have sent out mailers, givin out bussiness cards & word of mouth about my business also gonna put up signs wherever I can. If anyone can offer me some words of wisdom on advertising please do not hesitate. Oh I am also in the phonebook & have a one page website. Fear of no work is constantly in the back of my mind. I plan on not getting discouraged & also giving it time. I'm licensed, insured & just plan on doing the best job I can possibly can do. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 Phil Rogers 14 Report post Posted March 1, 2011 Part Time for me, right now. I love exterior cleaning and I love chasing down the work, but I went full time last year (lost my job) and almost wrecked my family due to having 2 bad months in a row. If you are not established and do not have money set aside for rough times, I wouldn't recommend going Full Time until a foundation has been established. I am working a full time day job again and managed to get Friday's off during the summer, so it's steady money and more time to work on the business, too. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
0 randy miller 14 Report post Posted June 14, 2012 just went full timeim dead in the water. rain is killing me. lowballer's are killing me im going to go to school to get retrainned in a new line of work. either HVAC or electrician. going to the union hall on friday. why is the rain killing u? rain is the best wether to wash let nature rinse for U! and on hot days it makes it nice and cool! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
This pertains to all areas of washing, not just residential.
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