I made a mixture of about 1:10 worked super fast as the temperature increased. Got it on concrete and it turned orange in less than 30 seconds and stained a few bigger areas. No idea how to get it off. Pretty upset about the whole deal.
I do not think I am going to do this again as I took a job that would normall take 1.5 hours take 4.5 with gutter cleaning and brightening. This was a serious waste of time, however the customer liked it. This just seems like a huge risk and waste of time and money. I may start charging 150 for the oxidation removal. I think people will pay it.
You have 3 pics that are clean. so ur saying the first clean pic is one that u used just sh on? If so I wanted have wasted the time with f13 bc it looks pretty Dang clean.
Gutter whitening or scrubbing is for sure a add on service, I really do not like offering it at all and dont offer it 6 months of the year because of temps. Poles and electric pump sprayers I can do most house pretty fast and easy if the gutters are in good shape.
f13 is dangerous stuff for sure experiment with others that are not so abrasive
What I have found to be quick. Soap gutters and side (regular Hw mix). I use an extendable pole with a soft bristle rv brush. Buy purple power at dollar general. Spray on bristle brush.
You’re gonna kill yourself with “add on services”. When people hear “additional services” they expect those to be cheaper than the original service they called you for.
But at 3x what you should’ve been there for you probably made less money overall. You made a post about hourly goals. You’ll never hit them if you get bogged down with services that make less per hour than the what you were there for.
Here’s a short list of things we do:
Residential:
Vinyl, stucco, or painted house washes.
Concrete
Vinyl fences
Gutter clean out (if it’s under two stories and can be done in less than an hour with the vacuum. $79-149)
(Maybe a roof wash or two if we need to fill the calendar. Haven’t washed a roof in 6+ months)
No wood (made an exception recently and wish I hadn’t)
No gutter whitening
No aluminum
No vent hoods
No fleet washing
No week long apartments
No brick patios (will make an exception if the season starts slow. Only did one this year, but I like doing them because of the wow factor and we are seen in the same neighborhood 3 days in a row.)
No staining, painting, sealing
No brick
No retaining walls unless they’re concrete
Blah blah blah
Like @Racer, or Dr. Fairbanks as I like to call him, said in another post. Get really good at less.
More is gonna kill your bottom line.
Download the Overdrive app, sign into your local library, and listen to a book called Built To Sell whether your intention is to sell or not.
Also, read Mastery by Robert Greene (one of my top 5 favorite authors) since I saw you say something about mastering deck staining after 3 decks. and because it’s a fantastic book.
Thanks for the advice. I see what you are saying. Honestly concrete right now is an add on service. I don’t feel I can do it fast enough with the equipment I have right now to make it worth while. I will need an upgrade to 8gpm.
Right now I have a 20 inch surface cleaner running out of a 3.5gpm 4000psi pressure washer. It is slow and sometimes needs multiple passes for it to be good.
The 3.5 gpm is good for house washing, but sucks for flatwork.
I think the only services I will offer going forward are gutter cleaning < 1 story until I can get the setup to reach 4 stories, House wash, concrete cleaning.
Isn’t he the guy who writes about exploiting others to further your own goals and quotes Sun Tzu and Machiavelli among others? What I’ve read of Robert Greene smacks of Satanism, use anyone and anything in pursuit of your goals carcasses along the roadside be damned. I never could get to The Art of Mastery because of the disgust I experienced reading The 43 Laws of Success, Winning Through Intimidation, etc.
No, I’m not a big proponent of Robert Greene. I have learned that my own happiness comes from service, not exploitation. Nonetheless, I may give Mastery another look. Your advice (among others) has been a valued companion for some months now. I concocted the idea to clean windows and pressure wash houses in June. I guess I’m attempting to feel my way around to find the services that work for me and my customers. I DID discover that brick pointing fails to make the cut That was a mistake that will not soon leave my memory. After this week, I may feel the same way about fences and decks, but after last Friday I felt the same about XJetting a roof. However, had I gotten to the roofline on a ladder I doubt that I would be having to do that roof a second time.
You started this in June? How many years did you research the industry before that? Most businesses fail within a year of starting. Mainly because no research or thought went into the idea.
YEP! I’m researching by the seat of my pants. Admittedly, not well planned. Because of my past and an extremely long time-out with the Feds, I found even getting an interview difficult. Because I live to serve these days, I decided to enter the service market. Dirty brick homes and roofs abound, and windows ALWAYS need cleaning. So here I am. Fortunately, I am comfortable and can afford some mistakes (like the brick steps) and setbacks while I hone my craft. I appreciate your tutelage and that of your brothers here, without which my path might be more precarious.
Never heard of these. He does have book titled 48 Laws of Power which outlines the 48 most common tactics of powerful people but I don’t think he’s necessarily recommending any of them. They’re more like beautifully written reference books. I think you missed that part, but watch a video or the Ted Talk with Robert Greene if you still think he’s a satanist let me know. Lol
You know what, I’ll go to TED and check it out. I always saw him as an advocate for using others to achieve. I wouldn’t mind being wrong. However, I’ve made reference to my 12 1/2 year vacation at the insistence of our government because of the way I supplied my addiction, and Robert Greene books were ubiquitous on the bookshelves of those people that I just knew would be recidivating.
The Ted talk about reinventing yourself by Robert Greene explains the books as more encyclopedic essays on historical and present figures. It’s in the first half of the talk. And his soft spoken nature leads me to believe he’s not the intimidating type.
and because it’s a fantastic book.
That was a mistake that will not soon leave my memory. After this week, I may feel the same way about fences and decks, but after last Friday I felt the same about XJetting a roof. However, had I gotten to the roofline on a ladder I doubt that I would be having to do that roof a second time.
