which machine

[bsblltj 14]

guys need some help. i just started my pressure washing business. Precision Pressure Washing. I live in upstate NY and i decided to purchase a 5'10" carry on cargo trailer, because i want my equipment to be out of the weather. I dont have that many jobs but im looking into purchasing a new pressure washer from pressuretek. I was wondering if i should go with the 4.0 gpm skid unit, or the 4.0 gpm portable. They are both belt driven machines. I dont fell that i have a need for a 5.5 gpm machince. Please any input will help im all ears. I used my trailer for other things besides pressure washing.

thanks TJ

[FullBlast 14]

Hey tj I think I would go with the portable one if you use the trailer for other things. Just make it nicer to load and unload.

What part of NY are you?

I did p/w in the Lowville area for a few months when I first started.

Hey good luck!!!!!

[Jeff 232]

guys need some help. i just started my pressure washing business. Precision Pressure Washing. I live in upstate NY and i decided to purchase a 5'10" carry on cargo trailer, because i want my equipment to be out of the weather. I dont have that many jobs but im looking into purchasing a new pressure washer from pressuretek. I was wondering if i should go with the 4.0 gpm skid unit, or the 4.0 gpm portable. They are both belt driven machines. I dont fell that i have a need for a 5.5 gpm machince. Please any input will help im all ears. I used my trailer for other things besides pressure washing.

thanks TJ

If you can afford a 5.5 hot or cold you'd be much better off it just cleans quicker saving time and time is money. If all you can afford now is 4 gpm get a portable just in case. I used and did a ton of work with 4gpm for 3-4 years. I was amazed how much faster 5.6 was thou

Good luck. Get hose reels too if you can will also save time

Good luck

Jeff

[taselton2 14]

Try your best to get the 5.5gpm washer, you will be amazed at what a little more water will do for your "working time". Portable may be best till you figure everything out, you can always mount it directly to the trailer if you want to later.

[PLD 14]

How do you delete a post?

[PLD 14]

I concur. If you can afford the 5.5, get it. If you get the 4.0, you will later wish you had gotten the 5.5 I ran a 4.0 for 2 years. The extra $ for the 5.5 will pay itself back in a few jobs. Only get the 4.0 if you cannot otherwise afford a machine.

[plainpainter 217]

Why not get the 8.0 gallon one from pressuretek, if more is better?

[John T 744]

guys need some help. i just started my pressure washing business. Precision Pressure Washing. I live in upstate NY and i decided to purchase a 5'10" carry on cargo trailer, because i want my equipment to be out of the weather. I dont have that many jobs but im looking into purchasing a new pressure washer from pressuretek. I was wondering if i should go with the 4.0 gpm skid unit, or the 4.0 gpm portable. They are both belt driven machines. I dont fell that i have a need for a 5.5 gpm machince. Please any input will help im all ears. I used my trailer for other things besides pressure washing.

thanks TJ

Hello fellow New Yorker...where about in NY are u located. I'm on the Island not far from the ocean.

I would recommend the 4.0gpm portable. Its a great start up machine and you can pull it right out of the trailer and up to the job site. Out by me sometimes you need to get these portables into the backyard of the house and its not always convenient to have it bolted down in the trailer because of this. If your business grows then down the road the larger machines should be an option and the 4.0 machine could be your back-up. Also if you plan on going into the Commercial sector then you will need a hot water machine which will cost you around 4-6 times what a 4.0 gpm cold water machine cost. At this time I would invest in that 5.5-8.0gpm hot water machine. You could use this hot water machine as a cold water machine also. Spend your money wisely...and alot of what you spend is whats at your disposal and how much time and effort you can devote to this business.

Bob from Pressuretek is a great place to purchase the equipment you need!!

Good Luck

[Jarrod 22]

IMHP, a 4.0 is a squirt gun. Get at least a 5.5. If you got $5,500 laying around, ger an 8 gpm.

[bsblltj 14]

im from saratoga springs. I would love to go with the 5.5 gpm from pressuretek but i dont want to get over my head. If you have any more replies i would love to hear them. THanks TJ

[taselton2 14]

Why not get the 8.0 gallon one from pressuretek, if more is better?

I OWN 2 (4.5 @ 3500), 1 (5 @ 3000), 1 (3 @ 2000), & A 8.5 @ 3600. THE 8GPM MAKES THE OTHERS FEEL "WEAK". WE WASH SO MUCH FASTER WITH THE 8GPM IT'S ALMOST LIKE STEALING. I HAD NO IDEA I WAS WASTING MY TIME WITH 4 & 5 GALLON MACHINES FOR 10 YEARS. I'M GETTING A 10GPM AS SOON AS I CAN.

[Jarrod 22]

Amen Bro!!

[plainpainter 217]

Aren't there drawbacks to these super machines, like not being able to easily find hose that can put up with the pressure? Re-enacting some scene from a John Belushi movie - holding on to dear life while the hose does it's snake dance? Is there any drawback at all, when say doing wood decks, siding, perhaps they just eat up fuel like the dickens - I was thinking of getting the 4.0 gallon too - but if bigger is truly better, then I should save and go for the 8.0 gallon, right?

[RCBill 14]

Cash-flow from now to the end of next year.

If you only have a few jobs, and expect to be shut down until things thaw out up there, rent a machine. Not at all sexy, but you'll learn a ton, enabling you to make informed decisions. And hold on to your money as long as you can, you are going to need it.

Bill, lovin' the Cape Fear, Lightner

[Jarrod 22]

Aren't there drawbacks to these super machines, like not being able to easily find hose that can put up with the pressure? Re-enacting some scene from a John Belushi movie - holding on to dear life while the hose does it's snake dance? Is there any drawback at all, when say doing wood decks, siding, perhaps they just eat up fuel like the dickens - I was thinking of getting the 4.0 gallon too - but if bigger is truly better, then I should save and go for the 8.0 gallon, right?

That will never happen. We are talking FLOW not pressure. There is absolutely no drawback at all. Here are the pressures that we use

Decks - 8 gpm @ 800 psi

House washes - 8 gpm @ 100 psi

Fleets - 8 gpm @ 1500 psi

[taselton2 14]

PLAINPANTER- I Think The Only Drawback Is Water Supply On Some Homes. 4-5 Gpm Washers Don't Always Need A Tank Suppliment, 8+ Washers Do. Fuel Probably Equals Out Since You Work Much Faster. Jarrod Is Right It's "flow" Not "pressure", Except Flatwork, We Run About 2800 Or So To Our 36" Surface Cleaner Depending On The Surface We Are Cleaning.

[Tom DeFrancesco 23]

If you are just starting out, I would not necessarily jump to an 8 gpm. It is quite the investment. I would start with a 5 gpm hot though. I started with a lousy 2800/3gm portable then to a 4000/4gpm portable both cold and finally got a 5.5 gpm hot skid from Tom Vogel @ ACR. Tremendous difference. Build yourself up. No need to spend thousands and thousands right off the bat.

[PatrickM 14]

TJ

I think the portable you are looking at is the same one I have. At 300 lbs. it is not as "portable" as you would think. Certainly getting it up a trailer ramp can be a challenge (or am I just getting old?). Mine stays on the trailer all the time now. Nice to know I can take it off if I need to though.

Patrick

[bsblltj 14]

guys, thanks for the help. Im going to buy the 5.5 from Bob at pressuretek. With a 50 gal water tank to run a line to. Im going to work on maketing over the winter. Any tips will be helpful. Thanks agian. Oh is the PWNA school worth attending or should i find out all of my information on the GS.

thank TJ

[taselton2 14]

guys, thanks for the help. Im going to buy the 5.5 from Bob at pressuretek. With a 50 gal water tank to run a line to. Im going to work on maketing over the winter. Any tips will be helpful. Thanks agian. Oh is the PWNA school worth attending or should i find out all of my information on the GS.

thank TJ

Good news, you will be much happier with the higher flow. YELLOW PAGES!

[Jarrod 22]

guys, thanks for the help. Im going to buy the 5.5 from Bob at pressuretek. With a 50 gal water tank to run a line to. Im going to work on maketing over the winter. Any tips will be helpful. Thanks agian. Oh is the PWNA school worth attending or should i find out all of my information on the GS.

thank TJ

Good choice!!

[Jarrod 22]

Good news, you will be much happier with the higher flow. YELLOW PAGES!

IMHO, Smellow pages SUCKS!!!!

[Tom DeFrancesco 23]

Tim, you definately made the right choice. The YELLOW PAGES BLOW !!!!!! DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY. I got more calls and jobs from lettering my truck in 2 months than a year being in the yellow book.

[taselton2 14]

Tim, you definately made the right choice. The YELLOW PAGES BLOW !!!!!! DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY. I got more calls and jobs from lettering my truck in 2 months than a year being in the yellow book.

I HEAR THIS FROM A LOT OF GUYS IN OTHER AREAS. I ALSO GET CALLS FROM MY TRUCKS, WORD OF MOUTH, WEBSITE, ETC. I PAY A GRAND A MONTH TO ADVERTISE IN 3 DIFFERENT BOOKS IN MY TOWN. I ADMIT THAT THEY ARE TOO EXPENSIVE, BUT MY PHONE RINGS ALL WEEK LONG. I RUN THE TOP FULL COLOR ADS, LISTING MY WEB ADDRESS, SO WHEN PEOPLE LOOK IN THE YELLOW PAGES THEY SEE MY AD FIRST. PEOPLE AROUND HERE REALLY RELY ON THE YELLOW PAGES FOR INFORMATION.

[Tom DeFrancesco 23]

That is great to hear Tim but 1K a month !?!?!? Are you actually getting jobs from those calls. The calls I get are all window shoppers. It is common up here. I am just glad to see it is working for someone.

[John T 744]

I used to advertise in a few of those local papers and I also had a one line add in the yellow pages..That was 11 years ago when I first started out.

Today I don't advertise in the local papers anymore and I only advertise in the Yellow Pages..Reason being that I have enough repeat customers that I don't need to get much more there and there all RESIDENTIAL. What I'm looking for is more Commercial and I get that thru the Yellow pages. I guess its a matter of how long you've been in business and what Market your targeting and what works best in your area. I just know in my neck of the woods commercial work most likely will not come from the local pennysavers(Papers) but residential work thats probably the best place here to advertise.