Moved to OKC late last year. Working a decent job that pays all the bills, but want to start a side business that I could grow into a full time commitment and scale up.
Landed on pressure washing. Learned the basics from reading, watching videos and connecting with people who have been in the business.
But, living in OKC, I have found out there isn’t much demand for softwashing, specifically speaking about houses and roofs, which are generally accepted as the highest margin jobs.
I’ve spoken to a few local people who get a decent amount of flat work. But, if you were in my shoes, and have not invested in equipment yet, would you pivot to something else when essentially 2/3 of the common ticket items won’t be common? Just driving around for a few hours, I couldn’t find any homes that clearly needed a soft wash. I’m guessing it’s the combination of high heat, low humidity and roofs getting replaced more often than other markets due to storms/tornado damage.
I was going to offer window cleaning with pressure washing. I could still do that, but lean harder into the window washing. Or, I’m even pondering a pivot to carpet cleaning, but it looks like the equipment can be more expensive there and more labor intensive.
Just looking for other people’s two cents on the topic. Cheers.
Pool decks? underground shelters? Barns? Tractors/farm implements? playground equipment? Athletic training equipment/facilities? Stone walls? Boat docks? Your the expert on your area.
Take a look at some of the weird stuff listed on this site. I haven’t started yet, but I picked one main area and it isn’t soft washing houses. We will see how it goes, then again I don’t need to do it full time.
Also, being in Oklahoma, you could easily start an oilfield pressure washing business but that will never be a side gig. That’s on call 24/7, 365. When the phone rings you go. You’ll also need significantly more start up capital to go that route. If you want to learn I have a contact that can give you some experience but you better be prepared to work your @$$ off. Hitting overtime in two days is normal.
On a drilling rig you have a series of tanks aka pits to hold the drilling fluid aka mud. I have 8 tanks for on my actual pit system and 2 trip tanks. Drilling a well is a circulatory system. Mud goes out the pits to the pumps, downhole and out the bit, up the backside and across the shakers( filtration unit like a sifter) back to the tanks.
We’re using oil based mud (OBM)currently to drill this section of the well because it’s too hot down hole(about 335 degrees) for a water based mud. It’s black, weighs 16+ pounds per gallon, and turns to slop when it’s exposed to water. When we’re done drilling, we pump out the tanks and pits cleaners get the glorious job of of cleaning all the OBM and solids out of the tanks. They get in the tanks with turbo nozzles and have a party. They’re black as night when the get out. It’s a terrible job to have
Could just work his way into the companies to wash stacked rigs, wireline trucks, equipment etc. just don’t offer to clean pits. Not in a million unless it’s stupid money.
Middle of KS for me, same climate as okc. Fence & Deck Staining, calcium & Efflo Removal from sides of homes, and commercial flatwork is what I do. Occasionally blow the dust off a house
We get the same guys to wash the rig before we move and I’ve never washed a stacked rig unless its going back to work. By then it should be crewed up. Give it shot anyway. All they can do is say no
Is that due to the earth’s temperature or is that heat produced from the drill and bit? I assume the heat produced from friction but I don’t know how far down you drill or how far down you have to go into the earth before it just gets hotter. Unlike @DisplacedTexan it has been a number of years since I’ve been in grade school science class. Or is that geography?
Hottest wells I’ve worked are fire floods in north west Louisiana. Ain’t nothing like getting steam coming out of your tubing will changing pumps or wellheads. 400ft wells so you don’t get workover rigs you get stuck with pole rigs and fiberglass tubing.
It’s mainly do to friction from the bit and the pipe rubbing. Im sure its hotter down there but not really sure. On this well, we drilled down to 11940, set casing and started building the curve. The bottom of the curve is 13200. Were going to have around a 9200’ lateral section. Total depth is 22400 something. Were around 20200 right now.
