Here’s a pic of his spread
I’m just curious, what would the procedure be for cleaning a roof like this?
Norman
I’m guessing your do more landscape / lawn-care work and PW is a side line thing? If that’s the case I would suggest the following. Find a local guy and build a mutual working relationship. Get him to bid the job to you with a discount built in, then you present it to your client at the un-discounted rate. Let the other guy do the job, you be his helper and protect the landscape, drag hoses, whatever, and learn. He in-turn will help you get business down the road.
I had a landscape guy turn me onto a job for one of his clients. I bid it like normal and cut him a 20% break since he would be doing the billing and processing. A week later I was on a job that had beucoup hi-end landscaping and I called the guy to see if he would come be my ground guy. So while I’m doing the roof he’s keeping the plants watered and protected and being a good landscape guy he pulls a couple of weeds, just a few big ones ones. The homeowner pulls up and is talking to him and she finds out he’s a landscaper and they work out a deal to redo her beds and a sorta spruce up kind of thing.
So when we are done she’s all “like I didn’t know you were going to hire a landscaper to protect my stuff, Like that is so professional.” He gets a job out of it, doesn’t charge me for the couple of hours he helped me in thanks for hooking him up. Of course I took credit for it, it was all part of my plan.
Moral of the story, it’s not wise to ask a Dentist to take your tonsils out just because he works in that area anyhow. And before anyone goes on a rant about not helping others to learn, take a close look at this house. It’s a steep pitch multi slope metal roof with some unique complexities. Shooting this roof is going to take serious experience and / or some 3 story ladder work. The yard appears to have some slope in places making ladder work tricky, no gutters, decent landscaping to protect, and whether it’s vinyl or painted wood siding to hot a mix isn’t going to end well if it gets over-sprayed.
That’s my story and I’m sticking to it!
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Good post bud, but no, I actually am a student in school for process technology and have been doing pressure washing because it’s good for my schedule. Before I went back to school, I was a full time electrician.
I put some effort into this pressure washing gig and am making pretty decent money, this week I will clear 1100.00 just from two customers. Let me tell you, doing electrical work you would have to bust your ass to make that kind of cake. I busted my ass to make it PW’ing, but it’s different. The hourly rate is higher you set for yourself, doesn’t matter about how hard the work is. You’re making yourself rich, not the guy behind the desk. I made 1100 with lots of spare time to spend with the ol lady, etc.(doing my pw business.)
I have more work lined up for next week already. Some of my business is referrals because I take pride in my work, it feels rewarding to be your own boss. So, I don’t know, life is weird, you spend 2 years going to school for something and then end up really enjoying something entirely different.
I really enjoy working for myself, it feels very rewarding to earn money based on leads that I got myself, etc. It’s a great feeling, one that I never knew existed.
Norman
Well I stand corrected, that’s what happens when I make assumptions. Sounds like your off to a great start, and truth is in the infamous words of Grant Cardone “A job stands for Just Above Broke!” His mantra is “… you have to get revenue streams baby!” in order to get wealthy.
Be safe, be professional, holler if you need, and clean something!
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Inspiring story, thanks for sharing.
I have a 12V system I use to shoot cleaner onto moldy roofs/siding/grounds etc. With a 25 degree nozzle I can spread cleaner up to 12 feet with the zero degree nozzle I can shoot cleaner up to 30 feet. Then I rinse with a 1/2" hose and the results are usually spotless. If there is the odd spot that retains algae/mold/lichen I have a scrub brush mounted on the end of a 24" pole for that. I have all the ladders up to 36’ with roof standofffs and leg levellers.
Very simple job as long as your ladders can be set up in all the right spots so your stream can hit all the roof. I think the back would be most challenging because you have to reach over that huge canopy.
Good luck.
p.s. I consider my setup pretty ‘caveman’ compared to the downstreaming heroes out there, but it works for me and I can make $100/hour. Only an arrogant guy would try and shoot my 12V setup down knowing this.
OPM, I really appreciate you sharing your knowledge so thoroughly. I have documented this and am in the process of acquiring said equipment, yeah Acadiana hopefully you could make a buck on that lead, that roof looks like a pain in the ass to clean and it’s far away from your neck of the woods, boss.
I’d like to go help a roof guy for a day, for free. Acadiana, if you need a free helper, let me know. I don’t smoke or dip, however I do like to wear workout shorts rather than long pants in this louisiana heat, so I may be ‘hit’ as they say on the attire. When I’m wielding a wand/sc, I also change socks about six times during a workday. I’m also told that I have a good sense of humor.
Which brings me to talk about the last clean pair of socks my fiance packed for me. Okay, I don’t know what she was thinking but she packed some girlyman blue, grip -the-floor hospital socks in my bag. I had trenchfoot coming on bad at the end of my last 12 hour workday, I hated it but I had to put those socks on. It was the last pair of socks I had, screw it. hopefully nobody important saw me. Sky blue socks :((( feet took such a wet beating that I rode barefoot on the way home, is that even legal?~
-Norman
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Don’t you wear rubber boots?
