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Beth n Rod

Deck Services Can Help Builders Clean Up

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I found this article particularly interesting, and enlightening... recurring revenues even more so.

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http://www.hgtvpro.com/hpro/do_management/article/0,2620,HPRO_20161_4759981,00.html

Deck Services Can Help Builders Clean Up

By Chuck Ross

June 8, 2006—If you're a deck builder looking for new revenue opportunities, the answer may be right at your feet. That new wood deck you're standing on needs to be finished and sealed right away to provide the best protection from damage by sun and moisture.

Of more interest to you, though, is the fact that this is a job that will need to be repeated regularly over the finished project's lifespan. Deck pros who aren't offering finishing and maintenance services along with their building business are missing out on both added income and the chance to boost client relationships.

"It's a shame; they just leave that money on the table," says Michael Beaudry, who heads up sales and marketing efforts for Oreland, Pa.-based Back To Nature Decks and serves as the executive vice president of the North American Deck and Railing Association. "They go in, they build a deck, and they leave."

Finishing and maintenance services are relatively easy to sell. Most clients already recognize that sealing their new decks against the elements is essential to protecting this significant investment. At the same time, because this is primarily recreational space, they want to begin enjoying it as soon as possible.

"People aren't fighting you on the subject that it has to be done," says Darrin Haugan, a founder and owner of St. Louis-based Deckor, which began as a deck-washing business and added building services over time. "When we walk off the job, there's nothing they have to do. They can just enjoy their deck. It's kind of our brand."

Recurring revenues

Deck-treating services also can mean ongoing business for contractors, since wood decks need re-treating every few years. Returning to a satisfied client offers other opportunities, too. "There's just tremendous opportunity for new business," says Beaudry.

Despite the possibility for new and ongoing income, adding deck-treating services can pose some challenges for those new to the field. Builders need to train themselves or make sure the workers they hire know what they're doing, or their reputations could become ... well, as stained as an untreated deck after a birthday party for a six-year-old.

"There are some risks. If you do a bad job staining, then you are dealing with that for life," Haugan says. "It also extends the amount of time you stay on the job, so there's more opportunity someone may find something wrong with what you're doing."

The biggest potential investment for deck contractors exploring this line of work is the purchase of a professional quality power washer, which can run $1,200 to $1,500, Haugan says. It's also crucial for contractors to be trained on this equipment, because incorrect use can damage the deck or cause injuries.

NADRA is addressing the issue of training by creating learning opportunities for its members. The association is developing closer ties with the Power Washers of North America professional association, which Beaudry says will be exhibiting at NADRA's 2007 national conference and expo in Las Vegas.

Once builders have made the needed investments in equipment and education, the result can be a new revenue stream, providing added income outside the traditional deck-building season. Beaudry provides his own close-to-home evidence of just how helpful deck-servicing dollars can be to a builder's overall bottom line.

"I have five kids," he says. "And my three oldest daughters have put themselves through college washing decks."

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How many of you have trades with deck builders? I know I got several calls asking if i did deck building when I started using yard signs last year. I imagine I could refer those to a deck guy and see if they could refer me the staining

How do ya'll have it worked out?

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It works great Charlie. If you are new to this, you don't know the rest of the story---PWNA has "alligned" with NADRA, and they are going to work the angle of "you builders are missing the boat here--you need to be maintaining your decks as well". Coincidentally, PWNA is run by a for-profit group that outsources education in such matters. So they've basically leeched onto NADRA, and are letting NADRA spread their message, and have a captive audience that can afford to pay to take their training courses/have employees take the courses, since they'd want to jump right in big most likely if they have the pockets. In essence, PWNA is being used as a pawn for a small group of people to try and make money with an educational program to pimp out to those that want to pay. Anyone want to step in here and correct/re-state anything I've just said, or would this be considered fairly accurate?? Thing is, the guys doing it couldn't make their franchise ideas work, so this is their next crapshoot at the easy money.

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LOL, unreal. An entire org. changes where it is holding a convention, etc. in order to TRY and line the pockets of three members. While it holds no merit for me, I truly cannot understand how any reasonable, logical, person would look at this and say, "cool! Glad to be a part of it! Here is my $350! Train the builders to do what I do! Can I help you guys make money any other way, and you guys turn around and sell me out again?? 'Cause I'll do it."

I think what is happening is that they see the UAMCCCwhatever is going to take over the pwashing side of things, i.e. commercial, washing, etc. The only angle PWNA has left is to go after decks, so they are trying to allign with a big brother, nadra. I think they will be ONLY focusing on wood in the future....thus the nadra route. It's not a bad play on the part of the PWNA---it's sinking and so it has grasped onto nadra for help...and members.

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How many of you have trades with deck builders? I know I got several calls asking if i did deck building when I started using yard signs last year. I imagine I could refer those to a deck guy and see if they could refer me the staining

How do ya'll have it worked out?

We've been working with deck builders for years and the closing rate is close to 100%.You can offer a refferal $$% to the deck Co.on the total amount of the job.Who doesn't want free $$ and it will also preserve their nice deck work!

Most of the time I don't have to haggle on price with these customers that just spent $1000's to have a deck built! :cool:

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Jon is right on. Double for Shane

I have bitten my lip long enough on this Deckexpo/PWNA stuff long enough, since wood restoration and maintenance is my living. We are trying to knock out at least 5 decks this week. I will respond in the next day or so and explain how deck builders ARE NOT missing an OPPORTUNITY and the absurdity of what the PWNA is doing. My viewpoint will be from the side of the contractor. It will be my longest post to date.

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Jon is right on. Double for Shane

I have bitten my lip long enough on this Deckexpo/PWNA stuff long enough, since wood restoration and maintenance is my living. We are trying to knock out at least 5 decks this week. I will respond in the next day or so and explain how deck builders ARE NOT missing an OPPORTUNITY and the absurdity of what the PWNA is doing. My viewpoint will be from the side of the contractor. It will be my longest post to date.

Hi Paul,

I'm looking forward to reading what you have to say about all of this. What the PWNA is doing is pretty absurd for sure.

Mike

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I own a frame nailer, compressor, square, level, stringline, chalkbox, laser level, chopsaw, and a sliding compond miter saw. Maybe I'll add deck building on to my pressure washing business. Sir, I noticed while washing your house, you had a nice spot for a deck. can I build one for you? Oh, you already have a quote from a deckbuilder. Well what is it and I'll do it cheaper. Yes I'm qualified. You see the PWNA is partnered with NADRA because both orgs believe these two business go hand in hand. They know that if you can do one, you can do both.

Watch the deck pro's come a running then, all crying unfair.

IMHO

SCott

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The disco song goes "Ooooooh 'd love to love ya, baaabyyy. When it comes the the PWNA anymore its "love to hate ya baaabyyy". On this one I stopped and thought about it without emotion.

The article is 100% correct. They are leaving money on the table. If deck builders are taught the right way to do deck cleaning and sealing, why is it a bad thing? Look we all know whats gonna happen.. The builder will pad his price a bit and throw in the sealing for free or at a reduced rate. If he is a smart guy he will sell maintenance contracts. Whom better to maintain than he who builds? He already has the credibility.

Reality check. Many guys that can build, still can't run a business. Most of the trades are specialized. What builder out there hasn't already thought about adding in sealing? Its too much of a hassle. When they have to add crews, increase payroll, sit with a customer while they go through ten color choices and then have to do maintenance cleanings for $200 how many of them do you think will say "screw this" and stick with their core competency? I'd say the majority of them.

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The disco song goes "Ooooooh 'd love to love ya, baaabyyy. When it comes the the PWNA anymore its "love to hate ya baaabyyy". On this one I stopped and thought about it without emotion.

The article is 100% correct. They are leaving money on the table. If deck builders are taught the right way to do deck cleaning and sealing, why is it a bad thing? Look we all know whats gonna happen.. The builder will pad his price a bit and throw in the sealing for free or at a reduced rate. If he is a smart guy he will sell maintenance contracts. Whom better to maintain than he who builds? He already has the credibility.

Reality check. Many guys that can build, still can't run a business. Most of the trades are specialized. What builder out there hasn't already thought about adding in sealing? Its too much of a hassle. When they have to add crews, increase payroll, sit with a customer while they go through ten color choices and then have to do maintenance cleanings for $200 how many of them do you think will say "screw this" and stick with their core competency? I'd say the majority of them.

Good points Ken,

There are way too many decks already out there for this to make a major impact on those who are already established. That said, it may affect the newer construction jobs contractors usually get if they don't already have contacts or relationships set up with the builders locally to begin with.

Another point I would like to make is this: It would take a great deal of effort on the builders part to retrain and educate themselves in the knowledge of wood restoration. We are way ahead of them in this field. They know the basics of wood including load bearing sizes to use and codes that dictate which to use under specific circumstances or designs. Hot tubs, screened porches, gazebo's, etc are the arena of add-ons. They are familiar with woods strength, it's treatments and suitability for the purposes of the consumers plans.

They do not necessarily need to know about it's structure in terms of what we concentrate on when we are doing our forte'. Cell structures, pores or vessels, density, tannins, extractives, heartwood, latewood, earlywood, pitch, resin or the suitability of different products to protect it. Not to mention that we know which products to avoid...they (the builders) don't. We have the advantage here. Their advantage is as has been mentioned, the first contact with the customer.

But we do not know what the customer already knows. In our area for example, the consumer is becoming savvy by doing research before buying and that makes them formidable to the builders who cannot address the questions in the same knowledgeable manner as we can. Most builders at present do not provide this service to begin with and so the research the consumer would do would be along the lines of maintenance...get my point?

When composites came out, I was told by a number of people including composite deck owners that it would put me out of business. I told them the were mistaken. I have 20 years at least of solid income to look forward to as the number of wood structures far exceeded composites and even then, composites will need to be cleaned eventually. Now, people are turning to exotic woods which extends that demand for our services.

I have carpentry experience and can use that for building decks in order to engage the competition. This puts us in another league that makes us a complete service. Construction and maintenance.

For those who do not posses the necessary skills, hire a carpenter to help take on these opportunities. I will probably need to in order to keep up with the demand. Last year was really busy in construction for us, mostly in re-skinning. But the reputation is out there and there are people who live in proximity who don't have decks or could use the re-skinning...and there we are...we have an example in their view.

Sorry for the novel, but I try to be the optimist.

Rod!~

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Good points Ken,

There are way too many decks already out there for this to make a major impact on those who are already established. That said, it may affect the newer construction jobs contractors usually get if they don't already have contacts or relationships set up with the builders locally to begin with.

Another point I would like to make is this: It would take a great deal of effort on the builders part to retrain and educate themselves in the knowledge of wood restoration. We are way ahead of them in this field. They know the basics of wood including load bearing sizes to use and codes that dictate which to use under specific circumstances or designs. Hot tubs, screened porches, gazebo's, etc are the arena of add-ons. They are familiar with woods strength, it's treatments and suitability for the purposes of the consumers plans.

They do not necessarily need to know about it's structure in terms of what we concentrate on when we are doing our forte'. Cell structures, pores or vessels, density, tannins, extractives, heartwood, latewood, earlywood, pitch, resin or the suitability of different products to protect it. Not to mention that we know which products to avoid...they (the builders) don't. We have the advantage here. Their advantage is as has been mentioned, the first contact with the customer.

But we do not know what the customer already knows. In our area for example, the consumer is becoming savvy by doing research before buying and that makes them formidable to the builders who cannot address the questions in the same knowledgeable manner as we can. Most builders at present do not provide this service to begin with and so the research the consumer would do would be along the lines of maintenance...get my point?

When composites came out, I was told by a number of people including composite deck owners that it would put me out of business. I told them the were mistaken. I have 20 years at least of solid income to look forward to as the number of wood structures far exceeded composites and even then, composites will need to be cleaned eventually. Now, people are turning to exotic woods which extends that demand for our services.

I have carpentry experience and can use that for building decks in order to engage the competition. This puts us in another league that makes us a complete service. Construction and maintenance.

For those who do not posses the necessary skills, hire a carpenter to help take on these opportunities. I will probably need to in order to keep up with the demand. Last year was really busy in construction for us, mostly in re-skinning. But the reputation is out there and there are people who live in proximity who don't have decks or could use the re-skinning...and there we are...we have an example in their view.

Sorry for the novel, but I try to be the optimist.

Rod!~

I agree with the PR news release facts, and I agree with Ken and Rod.

I guess my beef is they haven't done a whole lot to bring our industry into the mainstream or gone out of their way to make us more profitable with add ons and the like. I know it's up to me and we can't all be spoonfed, yada yada yada yada, so don't start on that.

With me it's merely the principle, they haven't done much for the pressure washers that operate in North America, so why run out and be concerned about deck and rail builders if not for self serving interests of a few that are trying to pad their pockets. I just wish the members would see the conflict of interest.

just venting

Scott

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They do not necessarily need to know about it's structure in terms of what we concentrate on when we are doing our forte'. Cell structures, pores or vessels, density, tannins, extractives, heartwood, latewood, earlywood, pitch, resin or the suitability of different products to protect it. Not to mention that we know which products to avoid...they (the builders) don't. We have the advantage here. Their advantage is as has been mentioned, the first contact with the customer.

But we do not know what the customer already knows. In our area for example, the consumer is becoming savvy by doing research before buying and that makes them formidable to the builders who cannot address the questions in the same knowledgeable manner as we can. Most builders at present do not provide this service to begin with and so the research the consumer would do would be along the lines of maintenance...get my point?

Absolutely, Rod. But if we are focusing merely on the content of the article, Michael addressed these points. We cannot make unfair judgements because we do not know his/their plan of attack. In considering the parties involved (wood resto contractors and suppliers of wood resto products) one has to give the benefit of the doubt and assume that the business plan of this endeavor involves the schooling of deck builders and supplying them with the tricks and tools of the trade.

I can count on both hands how many decks I did for builders this season. Its not important to me. They want lowball rates. "Why do you have to clean it? Its new wood. Just stain it.."

One can complain about changes or read the writing on the wall and adapt. The way I see it, its better to have these builders educated on what we do. Maybe they will see the value in contractor grade cleaners and sealers. A builder's mentality is set in a different pricing tier. Their jobs are $6000-$40,000. To perform deck maintenance they would have to purchase a vehicle/trailer/rig, hire a separate crew (and we all know the quality of today's non-skilled labor pool) and give estimates and run around and sell work that might gross them $200-$1000. I just don't see it happening.

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I just want to add in to this that as a supplier I have had 3 contractors that started out powerwashing and building . They are now mainly builders and do very little powerwashing . I will try to get them to the next round table so we can get there view point since none of them go on the net .

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Interesting read. I was looking up re-skinning and came across this thread. I have been involved recently with a few blunders of epic proportion by builders that seal and do not understand that the first finish is so important. It's better in our industry not to do anything if you don't know. But, the opinion to get something on the new wood to protect it still prevails . This notion is directly related to all first finish failures and decks being done multiple times in the first few years without success and having to go back to bare wood.

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Was doing some reading and came across this thread .I also know because building is down deck builders are trying again to add sealing .There are more water based products that can coat a deck.

Has anyone gone into a paint store and asked what should I put on my deck?

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Sherwin is pushing all water base even though they have had a lot of complaints about the product durability. I've become pretty friendly with the store and reps around here and catch all of the referrals when they fail. Most within 12 months as usual. Sadly they know the issues but they still push the product heavily as you would expect.

With regard to builders we do a ton of business networking with them. The tough part is getting them to actually put your name out in front of their customer. It took years for one of our builders to finally start referring us but he sent probably 80k in work my way last year. I still send mailers and make phone calls coming into Spring each year on the hopes we can pick up more each year. I just wish we had more requests for construction that we could refer back.

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