Competition

How many of you guys just powerwash? The more I’m looking into equipment the more I’m also looking at my competition. Not only have I noticed that there seems to be a rash of powerwash guys popping up everywhere around me, but they are almost exclusively Jack’s of all trades. Wich is fine, I guess, but i come from fairly high end carpentry mostly focused on kitchen and bath and have seen the jack of all trade guys there too. Since then, those guys that do anything for a buck rub me the wrong way.

I’m glad these guys can get out and make some money and support their families but as a start up, it seems nearly impossible to compete. I know these guys have multiple avenues of income so I suspect they can, and will, powerwash for much cheaper.
Is this a new thing or is there a constant revolving door of PW guys?
Paint and powerwash seem sonnonimous with one another but deck building (some really, really shouldnt) facia soffits, gutters and flashing.
How do you complete with all of that with one medium machine and no customer base to pull from?

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Competition?

I will respond with this pic i just saw on FB

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I don’t see kitchen carpentry and power washing going together.

Unless you create a separate company your no different then they are in the eyes of the customer

I may have misread your comment…if I did I apologize

The customer that goes with those guys are typically not the customer you want anyway. For the 99 $ guy it’s a revolving door, most don’t last more then 2 years

I’m out of it now but it’s what I have done the most of. I have since worked for a pressure wash and “deck builder” wich didn’t work… but I liked the pressure washing and cleaning bit alot so some time later I’m trying to go that route.

Here what I’m up against, I had a few ppl ask for a quote on a post on fb, Ill send them one in a private message, then he pops up and post this in the comments and the ppl tell me they are going to with a cheaper guy. This has happened to me quite few times but my trailer doesn’t get hooked up for no less than $150

How can he even be in business like that? You know he’s gotta be running with no insurance and out of a honda civic. Thats unreal.

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They seem to get real thick this time of year. They do a small unrelated job and ask the customer if they need anything else done. Cust says house wash. Jack (of all trades) says sure and buys used garbage equipment. Charges $100 for any house (because in his world operating costs dont exist). By October his machine is broke or he is and he sells it. Stays on stamps and beer all winter (thanks to the hard working, honest tax paying legit businesses :wave:) and finally saves for new used one by late June. Goes back on craigslist or letgo to advertise and is back in biz. His customers arent your customers, or atleast shouldnt be. Hes not insured. Damages property. He does no research (just pops in here and asks for some hand holding, freebies and usually rudely). If you want to do this, go about it correctly and be rewarded accordingly.

There is nothing wrong with being a handyman. Nothing wrong with doing it all. Just try to do all the right way. Be a professional. My .02

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I see a lot of that in my area. You have the painter guy or lawn guy that will do it for much cheaper; however, I don’t compete with anyone but myself.

My work speaks for itself and my customers are happy and eager to recommend me.

When I sell my services, I don’t emphasize the cost of the job but the value of my work. I have a legitimate registered and insured business, uniform, top of the line equipment and I conduct myself professionally. This speaks volume about your business.

Also, be personable, courteous and polite. Maintain good communication with your customers and honor customer service. Always strive to do a better job than your last. Competition weeds itself out by the quality of your work.

Not everyone is looking for a bargain, most are looking for quality and value for their money.

Hope this helps…just my .02. Good luck with your business!

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Joseph, You set yourself apart. Have insurance, tape up their outlets, electrical, doorbells, etc. Explain to customer why you do it.
You throw in their front stoop and sidewalk. Clean their doormats and trashcan. Just do a few little things and set yourself apart. Word gets around.

I recently won a pretty large townhouse project even though I was a little higher mainly because when I met with HOA president I explained that I taped up the electrical and why. He told me that when he told the board that they unanimously decided to go with me.

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Wise words to live by.

I agree with @Racer. I had a customer post recommending me on social media app that has treated me very well… 3 or 4 of my past customer chimed in and spoke on my behalf… as soon as i thanked them for the kind words, 3 more people threw their opinions in and dropped 3 other companies names that operate around me.

It was kind of frustrating, they are larger companies than myself for the most part, but at end of the day you have to something they wont… a little extra on the job, take a few extra minutes to talk to them, or with most of my customers i find a connections with them since i was born and raised in area i operate in. From that one post i landed 2 jobs and gave 1 more estimate… i know i will not be the cheapest and dont get any jobs from ppl that are price shopping, but thats fine with me.

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I’m a electrician by trade and work for Lowe’s now. I do some side jobs for my local HOA’s and the first thing I tell them is I don’t do cheap. If they want cheap, go to the home Depot parking lot and hire the guys with the out of town license plates. The guys who have no liability insurance and or no professional training.
And when they damage your house and try to get them to come back they won’t answer the phone and your home owners insurance won’t pay a claim because you hired a bootlegger.
I’ll give a free verbal quote but a written one will cost 35. I know they want the written one to use to shop for a lower bid and that will pay me for my time and gas etc. If they hire me I’ll deduct the 35 off the cost of the job so they’ll get that back.

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There’s a huge difference between a guy doing a job and a company doing a job. You don’t compete with the Jack-of-all-trades. You are completely out of his league. He is nibbling up the scraps that you drop on the floor.

A guy with a pressure washer can make $20/hr. A guy who is amazingly talented and works his butt off with a pressure washer can make $30/hr. A kind of mediocre pressure washing company can make $100/hr and nobody blinks.

http://www.domesticdynamics.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/docs/mrhandyman.25195005.jpg

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On reddit, on a thread about making side income. Felt like it was relevant to this one. :roll_eyes:

censored the profanity just for you @Innocentbystander

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Lol guys iv seen it all, just seen a guy about 30 mins ago had a bed frame, yes I said BED frame screwed to the top of his minivan for a ladder rack. On trailer was a 300 gal tank on side had business name and said hot washing with a pw look like Walmart pw.

This is a growing trend around me . Pressure washing companies taking payments. One of my customers was quoted $60 a month for two cleanings a year and it included ROOF HOUSE SCREEN ROOM AND DRIVEWAY . Not sure If it was this guy . And I don’t know have many are actually do this but I’ve definitely been hearing about it more and more This was just the first time I’ve seen it in person.

You know, people are so use to having monthly contracts on everything these days, that’s really not a bad idea. So much per month and you take care of all their exterior cleaning. What do you think @squidskc? I bet you could sell something like this.

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I agree, not a bad idea at all… with flordia weather though, it would be super easy to do something March/April and then again August/September.

From Oct. to Feb, maybe March, the weather makes it pretty miserable though in many places though… i know im not full time like yall, but i shut it down from Oct (hunting season) to April when weather is starting to trend upwards.

$60 a month is certainly a deal for all that twice a year. Dont do roofs, but i imagine after that first one its gets easy and quick.