How did you "discover" this business?

[DanMc 14]

Maybe this is a question that has been covered before. I haven't seen the thread though..

How did your discover this business...whatever it is that you do (housewashing, roofs, flatwork, wood, etc.)? What pushed you over the edge into deciding to go into this rather than some other venture?

Myself, I had a college buddy who did this part time (PWing apartment complexes). He would often call me to help out on some larger projects. I found the work to be kinda fun and relaxing, compared to my other job (working in an attorney's office).

I didn't start this business until several years after I moved from that town, however. Until I started researching more in depth, I never considered I could support myself by doing this full time. But here I am now...fulltime, and glad I took the leap.

[RPetry 564]

Hey Dan,

I kind of fell into wood restoration. After seeing my own deck nearly black after 1 year of Behr stain, did a bit of research. A DIY stripping and some Wolman's F&P made the wood look better than new.

A neighbor saw the work and asked me to refinish his deck. At the time, I was a recent casualty of the great "tech wreck" market crash and had time on my hands.

Snowballed from there by word of mouth. Within a month, woke up and realized I had a new business.

[Curb Appeal 14]

I owned a remodeling and handyman business before PW'ing. My aunt served on the board of a HOA in a condo complex and she told me that they were looking for someone to PW their sidewalks. She put me in contact with the PM and I put in the bid. I didn't even own a pressure washer!

I did a TON of research and even lined up 2 other LARGE driveway jobs with an attorney friend of mine. I asked for down payments on all three jobs and got enough to buy all of the chemicals AND a used hot water rig and trailer (Thanks Jeff!).

I never looked back...

[John T 744]

Starting out cleaning pools. My friend who owned the pool business had a small Powerwasher that I started to use to clean my house, My sisters house etc. A year later I started my business with a Northern Powerwasher. The year was 1996. Pressure Washing in Long Island New York, for commercial buildings, residential house washing, deck cleaning and sealing and cedar home maintenance - Clean County Power Washing member PWNA

[R L S 14]

In high school I worked nights for an outfit washing nothing cept Bank of America flat work all over Southern California. Now years later here I am in my 4th fulltime year.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

John,

Just admit it! You like to shoot guns and pressure washing lets you shoot all the time! ;)

I have to admit that I really like the washing aspect of the business because it is like a toy that I have learned the nuances of its use along the way. Plus, with a 2-gun set up, the black nozzle water fights are inevitable! :lol:

Rod!~

[RSuds 24]

I ran car washes(White Gloves) and then started to do truck washing(hard job) then a detail shop and after a year of that realized it was easier and more fun to do houses and stuff. Looking back I remember thinking at 22 should I stay at the car wash thinking I was making a ton of money, buy a town house or move back with my parents, save money and start this so called business. Funny when you think of how you could have gone.

Brian Wendling

Rolling Suds