Just now getting a chance to post. Job took longer than expected, mainly because I doubled back many times to make sure it was perfect. Even got an extra $100 to tip from the very happy owner. So $1,154 for my first job. I sure am sore. Those 50’ peaks were kinda hard to reach with the jrod but I had my 5’ extension and a six foot ladder that made it happen. Thanks everyone for your help, comments, and suggestions. Used 35 gallons of 8.25 sh though.
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Congrats on a good first job
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Nicely done. You’ll get better and more efficient the more you do.
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Looks good. Congratulations.
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Congrats, dude. Looks good. They’ll make good before and after shots for your website.
As an aside, my businesses insurance policy is currently through Hiscox. Like @Innocentbystander said above they cover pressure washing businesses BUT only residential (not commercial) - If you plan on doing commercial jobs you’ll need to get a separate plan from another carrier who covers it.
Another avenue to think about - If you own a home and have homeowners insurance, contact your rep that handles your policy and tell them to put you into contact with someone internally (within the same carrier) that might be able to discuss liability insurance for your business.
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Just an FYI, those peaks are only about 25’. 50’ is approaching 5 stories.
And good Lord, 35 gallons?? I would only use about 5 with my xjet on that house…maybe 10. Why so much?
Definitely more than 25’ …I was there in person. Probably not 50’ high but the position I had to be in to get them, I was at least shooting from 50’ away. It was a lot dirtier and larger than it looks in the pics. No way in hell I could have done it with 5 gallons. I used like 24 on the house. The insides of those large porches took a lot. I used about 11 gal on the 200’x21’ driveway pre and post treating. It was nasty. Didn’t get a before picture.
I doubled back a lot to make sure I was doing a perfect job but I still see myself using 12 gallons minimum on that house even if I had a ton of experience. I tried the xjet for a min. It sucked. Did not like it. I liked the jrod downstreamed better. It didn’t shoot far enough.
I think my chemical injector is pulling mad chemicals though. That’s the only explanation I can think of for how much bleach I went through. It’s a pressure tek 2.3 5-8 gpm.
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Your first one… don’t overthink it. Great job!
Only more learning from here on out.
Glad that trailers already making you $$
Did Ted ever get back with you?
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He called back once to say he would get back with me today with the quote, but he never did. I tried to call today and it went to the answering service. They are out of the office until next Monday for Thanksgiving. I’m sure I’ll hear back. So far I’ve got a $1,100 And $1,200 quote. Waiting on his.
On a side note, got my tag today and my business license from the state of Alabama.
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You’re a better man than I. I would have easily used 12-15 gals on just the house and the angle he would had to shoot the gable ends, with the way porch is located, of the main house a lot more than 25’. Plus remember he was using 8% bleach on a very dirty house. Also, porches front and back eat up chemicals too and a large drive.
Plus newer guys tend to use a little more when they’re starting out due to being a little impatient or tending to over soap. His total cost on chemicals was still no more than 10% of job, which may be a little high, but not terribly so.
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Oh you used SH on the driveway, makes sense.
And I’m going on vertical height, being a window cleaner I judge height by which ladder I use. My 24’ would easily get thise peaks.
Looks good!! Great Job👍
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10% chemical cost was right on the money @Racer. I admit I purposely over soaped in areas. I’ll get better with that. But some areas needed it. I didn’t get enough before photos to do it justice as to how dirty it was. Driveway was nasty too. Had a few streaks in some areas so I just post treated the whole thing. Better safe than sorry. I am going to do a bucket test as soon as possible to see what I’m drawing because I’m sure it’s high. 8% worked but I had to use more. Still came out at about $3.09 a gallon on sh. The bulk 55 gallon drum would have cost $3.64 a gallon… But probably wouldn’t have had to use as much.
There was no way to set up a ladder like that to get the highest peaks the way the house was built/designed.
Take that $100 tip you got and buy you a m5ds nozzle and a Guy Blackmon shooter tip like @Barry1 suggested and you’ll thank us later. Put jrod and xjet someplace you’ll remember where and that way, the once every year or so you need or want, you’ll know where they are
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Now to just get my marketing going better. Haven’t had any other solid leads on new jobs. Just random people asking how much, but weren’t really committed in the first place. Time wasters basically. Been handing out business cards and leaving them at business and posting on Facebook groups and on Craiglist. No luck so far though. I don’t think I’m overpriced for the area. Had someone want a similar home quoted 2 story, 3900 square feet… Quote was like $526.50. They said they’d get back with me.
Had someone in basically a 1000 square foot single wide mobile home want a quote. Quoted $90 they said they’d get back with me when they get paid.
I have the xjet with the M5DS nozzle. That’s the one I tried. It didn’t shoot as far as my jrod. I’ll try the shooter tip.
I loved having the jrod and being able to switch from soap to no soap and being able to quickly switch around. Maybe my M5DS is shot?
That’s not the same nozzle. the m5ds is completely separate animal form the xjet with adjustable nozzle.
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I recently modded my M5, wish I could try it out but no calls for soft washing this time of year.
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Well, the nozzle only portion is the same, correct?
