I am new to the game but hardly wet behind the ears when it comes to promoting a company or doing math, so when I kept hearing about some people out there charging what would literally be barely enough to even cover the gasoline to run the washer, I started racking my brain for an answer. The only thing I can come up with is that they’re using electric washers and not having to therefore buy gas. That and they use an EX Clean wherever they can, which, as I hear, can save a LOT of time, and time = gas, and gas = money. Any thoughts? P.S. Most of these jobs are not ones where a hugely powerful washer would be needed, so it wouldn’t be unreasonable to consider they’re using electric washers.
How cheap are they working? The 13hp Hondas run 3-4 hrs on a 1.5 gallon tank. lol
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Just a theory. I have a Ryobi 3100 gas powered. It consistently uses a gallon of gas every 25 min. It’s new, not making any funny noises and, as far as I can telm, running just fine. Some say such fuel consumption is normal, others say it’s not at all normal and I should get an hour of run time out of it. It holds one gallon of gas.
That is a lot. The tank on the ryobi should hold just a hair over 1/2 gallon.
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dont worry about the other guys and focus on your own business
Apparently about $3 per house.
I’ll double check the gas tanbk capacity of the Ryobi, and that would explain a lot as to the how and why of it getting less than half an hour on a tank, but I’m pretty sure it holds a gallon.
I only have a 4/4k machine and could not see my self washing anything with less, no mater how small a job is.Most people generally understand that time is money, even if its just for beer. If someone with a E pressure washer spent all day to wash a house at $100 dollars that by no means if profitable even with no overhead. Even though gas does add up, if you can cut your time in half by spending some on gas, it just makes sense to spend a few dollars on gas.
I just watched my neighbor wash a drive way for another neighbor and took him 3 hours with Home Depot washer with the small surface cleaner attachment. He took so long that he had to use a flash light for about 30 min when it got too late. The drive ways is a little over 600 sqft and he made $100 which is about 33 dollars an hour minus like $5 in gas. So to anwser your original question on how they make its all about overhead. “lowballers” have no overhead thus any money they make is all profit. They use little to no chem, dont have and marketing material just probably Craigslist. No insurance, no website, can almost guarnettee they aren’t paying tax, all of which would really add up if your running a legit business. Even if it takes them a little longer they can make it up with getting more jobs, and paying less over head thus making it “profitable” to some degree.
Ive been reading all of your post and you have so much negativity that i cant see any business of your surviving. Do what you have to do, and dont worry about others.Good luck to you
If you don’t charge enough, people won’t take you seriously. If you saw a TV for sale for 14 bucks, would you think that is a great deal? Or would you assume it is a total piece of crap? If you are washing houses for 100 bucks, people will assume your service is total crap, even if you do great work. Nothing good will come from washing houses for 100 bucks.
