Example of my housewashing

[plainpainter 217]

Here is a house I just pressure washed yesterday - some pics of the mold I had to remove -

-Dan

[plainpainter 217]

here are some more pics along with my really cool pressure washing setup - actually thanks to Bob from pressuretek - I have come a long way in terms of downstreaming.

[plainpainter 217]

Here are some pics of the finished product.

[plainpainter 217]

More finished product photos. I used a 1.4 gallon of clorox bleach added TSP and tergitol NP-9 along with about a quart of Olympic's Mildew check, because I wanted some compound that would remain on the house to continue fighting the spores. So with 10-1 downstreamer that's about 15 gallons of solution that made it onto the house, garage, and shed. The driveway side of the house for some reason had that artillery fungus, so I had to brush and reapply chemicals and dwell - but it finally came off - had to brush some spots here and there especially the dormers in the back - took altogether by myself about 5 hours and I made $550.

-Dan

[Paul Kassander 26]

Now you got to sell them on doing the roof to match their clean house.

[plainpainter 217]

I'm scared about going onto a slate roof - don't exactly know what equipment to use that will not damage the slate. And I imagine it's slippery as heck when it's wet.

-Dan

[RyanH 14]

Couple of points....

Looks like the bleach runoff lightened up about half of the roof just above the front door....I would have put more effort on that location to make it clean and uniform.

Perhaps the customer didn't want to pay for it, but the green stuff remaining on the brick patio out back detracts from the good work you did on the house (unless you hit it after you took the pictures).

How did the TSP do in the windows? I've etched glass in the past because I got careless with this stuff.

[plainpainter 217]

I don't think the front roof is not uniform - perhaps it was the photo. All I know is that in the two valleys there was about 10 years of leaf pile up turned to mud that I got off the roof. Yes the bricks out back remained green - but she's having me come back to do more work like strip that deck and restain it - she did want her front bricks cleaned, and that I did. About the etching, I find with lots of rinsing it isn't a problem especialy since I put nonylphenol into the mix. I will however check the little roof again - but this is slate, it doesn't get discolored like ordinary asphalt roofing. The back roof doesn't look non-uniform, does it?

-Dan

[plainpainter 217]

Anyone have any thoughts about how much they may have charged, and how much chemical they think would have done the job vs. what it took me, just really curious.

[Barry M 73]

Looks like a $300-$350 house to me. I wouldn't of used but a couple gallons of 12% and a 1/4 gallon of citracleen. With no gutters I'm guessing about 1.5 hours of work from pull up to collecting check. I just did a brick/wood house like that this morning. The mildew on the painted wood looked exactly the same, it melted right off. Nice work, looks good.

[Mike Sullivan 15]

I agree with Barry. If that house is about 3000 square feet, at 10 cents per sq.ft would be $300. $50 for the garage and shed makes about $350. Hand brushing the gutters just about doubles the time to clean a house. Like Barry said, no more than 1.5 hours without brushing gutters would be the same time for me too.

Mike Sullivan

PRESSURE WASHING PRO, INC.

Mobile (336) 362-7659

www.pressurewashingpro.com

[plainpainter 217]

I was there like 5 or 6 hours - honestly I don't know how you guys get the work done so fast. But then again a couple of gallons of 12% is like 4 gallons of 6% and I used 1.5 gallons of 6% - so maybe that's why it required more brushing - I'll try bringing more of my bleach mix and see if a more 'liberal' application will speed up the job. But the artillery fungus is different, unlike other mildew which you see melt right off - this stuff doesn't melt off - you have to brush it, re-apply, dwell, brush some more - and then poof it's gone, the regular mildew just comes off no problem. And I will have to investigate getting a gun extension - the tops of those dormers is as high that I can downstream from the ground - So I had to use a 20 footer around the house

[Richard 17]

I'd use a lot more chems than that.Time is money. I use a shurflo, have very little experiance with the down sreaming method, and don't clame to be a master at house washes, in my humble opinion, you were lite on the house wash mixture.

[PressurePros 249]

Dan, your price was right on the numbers.

[Mike Sullivan 15]

Dan, how big is your machine?

Do you have hose reels? How much hose?

A water tank? What kind of injector?

I have a 5.5gpm 4000psi 20Hp Honda running off a 335 gallon water tank. I rarely use a ladder. I can shoot chemical up to 40 feet in the air with a four foot aluminum wand with a 0030 nozzle with one hand.

You may be killing yourself with the artillery fungus. I haven't had any complaints about not removing them. Did the customer ask you to get those little tiny black spots off? Now I see why you charged them $550.

[FCPWLLC 233]

Price is good. The biggest reason that it probably took you longer than the rest of us is your machine. Higher GPM will always clean/rinse faster.

[mas3372 14]

I would have gotten $500 or so but then upsell the brick and decks for about $150 more. About 2 1/2 hours to 3 hours and just as clean. I would have used about 4 gallons of 12% and 1 gallon h20, 2 scoops simple cherry and 1/2 cup cascade for the windahs. The decks would have been washed the same, brick as 3well but with 150 degrees.

[jgoral76 14]

Your price reflects what type of area and city you live in and I agree with Barry 2 gal 12% and some cascade and dawn and 2hrs later payday. Although the fungus does require some brushing.

[PressurePros 249]

Fungus requires brushing because you are not using a synergistic, higher quality housewash detergent. Take it for what its worth. I have tested both methods and a sodium metasilicate based housewash will outperform dish liquid or other singular surfactants hands down

[PLD 14]

Price is good. The biggest reason that it probably took you longer than the rest of us is your machine. Higher GPM will always clean/rinse faster.

And weak chems. 3/4 gallons of 12% for a house that should have used 3 gallons.

[PLD 14]

Fungus requires brushing because you are not using a synergistic, higher quality housewash detergent. Take it for what its worth. I have tested both methods and a sodium metasilicate based housewash will outperform dish liquid or other singular surfactants hands down

Amen. I started with my career with laundry soap (Ok), moved to brown truck wash (better), and now use CitraClean (excellent). Good soap is well worth the extra $$$. Ignorning, artillery fungus I you worked about 4 extra hours to save $12 in chems.

[Mike Sullivan 15]

And weak chems. 3/4 gallons of 12% for a house that should have used 3 gallons.

same here. :banana: :banana:

[plainpainter 217]

I love all the advice, but I do use good detergents, I am using TSP and nonylphenol non-ionic surfactants, just have to work out the ratios. I think I will try upping the nonylphenol. Steve Rowlet's citracleen uses sodium metasilicate and nonylphenol. I just have a ton of 6% bleach I don't feel like throwing away. And I do love the fact I haven't harmed any plants. So I will be looking into a better downstream injector, better wands, etc. My machine is small - but for someone like me that doesn't have a bunch of work scheduled, making $550 in 6 hrs time ain't half bad, even if I had to do some ladder work and scrubbing to get rid of some bad spots. If I had tons work scheduled then I could afford the better higher output machines - then I'd definitely make my operation leaner and meaner, get in and out in an hour and half, no ladders, bigger machine, buy pre-maid chems in bulk. I'll just have to wait. At least I am not applying chems with a pump up sprayer and scrubbing the whole house like I use to.

[PLD 14]

I am using TSP and nonylphenol non-ionic surfactants, just have to work out the ratios. I think I will try upping the nonylphenol. Steve Rowlet's citracleen uses sodium metasilicate and nonylphenol.

By the time you factor out the cost of the chems you are using, CC costs about $1.00 per house extra. By my standards, one hour of labor caused by tinkering would take me 100 houses to pay it back. 30 if I'm being really liberal with the numbers. You can tinker for months, or you can just spend $1/house and be done. No offense intended by the phraseology, but it sounds like you are being penny wise and pound foolish...

As for citraclean, I think you will find that almost almost all citraclean users are using an old Rowlett recipe that contains more than just CC and bleach. So while you are upping the nonphenyl, you also need to think about the rinse aids, waxes, foamers, etc that need tweaking.

I just have a ton of 6% bleach I don't feel like throwing away. And I do love the fact I haven't harmed any plants. So I will be looking into a better downstream injector, better wands, etc. My machine is small - but for someone like me that doesn't have a bunch of work scheduled, making $550 in 6 hrs time ain't half bad

I don't think there is anything wrong with your machine. It's just that 6% and downstreaming don't go well together. If you're gonna use 6%, xjet it. If you're gonna use a downstreamer, use 12%.

No, $550/6hrs isn't terrible. But scrubbing for an extra 3 hours when you could have been at home having a cold one is not fun.

Bottom line: No one is knocking your way, particulary if you are getting good results. what we are saying is that we have been there, done that, and you could get home a lot quicker for very little increase in cost.

[jbruno 14]

Sure your rpice was on the numbers if you figure 5 hours of work for $550. It looks like you've got a 'small' machine, maybe 2 to 4 gpm? If I were doing this job, I wouldn't take me more than 2 hours set up to pulling away. That's because I have an x jet, great chems, a helper, good equipment set up, and a big machine (6gpm).

You could probably spend a couple more $$ get a commercial machine (belt driven) with more GPM and make the same money in half the time. especially with no gutters. let me rethink that time frame... 1 1/2 hours for me and my helper.

Also, the amount og hose you have (high pressure and filler hose) will help speed up or slow down the process. for example: I have the capability of putting 250 ft. of high pressure line off my machine. and 125 ft. of filler hose. So instaed of moving my machine 2 or three times, I just make sure I have enough hose to reach the spigot w/ filler hose, and the farthest point of the house w/ high pressure. (150ft. usually does it)

And if you didn't want to splurge on the machine, at least get an x -jet and use the housewash mix that most guys are using (Rowlett's mix) there will be NO scrubbing in the future for you!! and hire a kid for $10/hr. to move your stuff around.

[Don M. 14]

If you guys have to brush the gutters, then what would you have charged?

The ol "1.00 a foot if its one story" does that include brushing the gutters for most of you guys? If not then what do you charge if you have to use a different chem and brush the gutters?

Thanks

Don