I run an exterior cleaning company that specializes in commercial property cleaning. We work with property managers, tenants and building owners. We have carved out a niche in deferred maintenance requests and yearly scheduled maintenance contracts. We work at night primarily using a combination of tools to clean roofs, awnings, fascia, sidewalks, truck docks and restaurant pads. I have dipped into residential for friends and family but prefer commercial clients. This year I will be hiring a daywalker for residential jobs and am cruising through the forums to see the horror stories and input from residential focused washers.
I spent 15 years as an industrial designer and technical sales manager for the lumber industry and glass industry so I am more comfortable with bigger sales and less of the retail residential side. I usually work nights so I may take longer to respond or respond at weird hours but will help where I can. My projects are typically 5-6 days of 12-14 hour days/nights and then I take off a few days before jumping into the next round.
Your post made me laugh, I appreciate it. It has been hard the last 3 days. Hiring a daywalker, please skip Wesley snipes. Hose before bros, love it. Some people will find it cheeky others won’t care for it here, takes all kinds…
Hello everyone, long time lurker, first time poster. My name is Will, I’ve been planning my exit from Corp Merica for a cpl years now. I’ve always dreamed of starting my own business and creating value for people and their communities. I have a blue collar background and have done basic pressure washing/painting/staining/etc in the past. I’m decent at selling myself and I have top notch client service skills.
I’ve finally engineered my exit from the corp life and will be relocating to the Greensboro, NC area to be closer to family. I’m determined to start something of my own, but I don’t want to be stupid about it.
I’ve learned a ton from reading through all the threads here. But I know I have a lot more to learn
If any of you washers in the Greensboro, NC area care to help a new dude out with either advice or apprenticeship, I would love to pick your brain and build a relationship. Willing to work for free if you need some cheap labor. Or buy you a beer or hotdog at the least.
Thanks again for the inspiration and knowledge! This community is awesome!
Hey guys…I talked to Will for a while this evening in the phone. He’s a good guy…please help him out all you can. (He’s smart and a good listener…two things I like in people)
Also, check out his read time before he posted…I wish every newbie read even half as much before posting!
My friend coined that after I passed on every event, bbq and function they had over 2019. Well, he said, I guess it’ll always be your Hose before Bros. I put it on a shirt for him so I’m still there in spirit I guess.
Hi. I’m James Davis. I’m 17, and I wanted to live the American Dream and start a business. I’d done some power washing for neighbors with a tiny electric power washer and wand, and decided to start a business. I bought a 4gpm 4k psi direct drive washing and a 16" surface cleaner. I’m marketing to my same local neighborhoods at a discount to get some experience under my belt, and iron out the kinks. I’ve done a ton of reading here (before creating an account) and will continue to do so, as the information has been invaluable for me. (I really appreciate Texas for compiling much of the information in his ebook. I know there are some hard feelings there, but it really has helped me get enough of a knowledge base that I can follow conversations here and not be totally lost.)
My goal is to be advertising hard surface and house cleaning in my suburb of Portland, Oregon over the summer and working full time. This job sure beats flipping burgers at McDonalds (literally, that was my first job.) Hopefully I can do enough volume to justify some better equipment, and up my game and profitability. Luckily, I’m still freeloading off my parents, so all my profit goes towards saving for college.
Uncle Lol.
Hi , Im Denny from St Louis. Going into my 3rd season. 36k $ sales my 1st year , 109k $ my 2nd. Lost 40 pounds last season and was not a heavy guy. Down to 8th grade weight lol 1985? Upgraded my machines just last May from dewalts. 8 & 5.5 bandits plumbed, Big Guy, Classic from yes those dewalt surface cleaners. 12v softwash but never got to work to my liking so bought air but still tinkering with 12v.
In the middle of 1st trailer build( restore ). Took up welding during all of this, Easy but hard to do well. Have for trailer 12 gpm ,5.5gpm ,air soft wash , 3 55gallon sh capacity ( want to advertise more roofs )and 500 gallon tank just finished the rack. Soft wash invaluable and so are you guys. Been around here for a while now and just want to tell all of you i appreciate each and every one of you. Literally only been in this business 22.5 months ( started in May my 1st season ) and am completely hooked. If and when I grow up i will have hose reels too lol. So much So fast. ( 5-0 bday in May )
I restore fences, decks ,( sodium percarb , ox ) housewash , surfaces, just about everything. Commercial side ive partnered up . We have 3 chains and some miscellaneous . 1st page google ranking mostly now, Pay seo. ( scary stuff there because i will only get busier )
So damn busy during the season that im always amazed you guys give your valuable time and energy to share your wealth of info.
Keep doing what you do! TyTy.
Denny T.
Grateful Wash
Hey guys, I have been cruising the net for a while trying to find a good forum to pass things over with guys. I just read Mitymite’s intro and I to have noticed that there are a lot of guys willing to help anyone out with some of there knowledge on this site. I am based out of the Niagara area in Canada, we do mostly fleet washing and restaurant kitchen hoods with the odd job here and there. I have been at it for 12yrs now and am always willing to try something new to keep it exciting. I have been trying to build a 2step gun set up with no luck getting soap to draw. If anybody has info for this it would be greatly appreciated.
Best thing to do is get on this FB site and ask for this fella Meguel Soza, he builds a iron horse type of gun, good price to , all of us are usually running his gun or Hydrochem gun. But miguel’s is a whole lot cheaper, he also builds a 2 step HP remote system that is awesome, so no more dragging around 3 hose’s anymore or toting that heavy gun . I highly suggest it. For me to diagnose your gun without having my hands on it would be pointless and really never gets us anywhere.
Once you go to 2 stepping you’ll never go back. Just make sure to get good chems and get them dialed in right and you’ll be pretty much brushless. If it were me I’d give Chad Reiffer a call at Hydrochem systems up in Michigan for chemicals. Good luck !!
@Stealthbobber06 It requires 2 chemicals , #1 chem is a low ph layed down then you lay down a high ph chemical over the #1 chemical, Then rinse without brushing. Its usually only used in the automotive industry like Commercial truck washing.
Hello all, i’m Marcus im looking into starting a side power washing business in central il. I work swing shifts so my job allows me to do this on the side for friends right now. But looking into trying to kick it up a notch. So on hear draining as much information from you guys as a newborn puppy on its mothers teat! Lookinf for as much info on Sh mixes for siding and roofs as possible and techniques to keep the tree huggers and peta off my back. Ive just straight washed up until now and realize i was going about it the wrong way. so quicker and smarter is where im heading. Any help is appreciated!
