@Jake_Lambert I get what your saying bud, but it’s just pressure washing, don’t let the details of business blurr your vision into overthinking the basics of A pressure washing business. Be fair with pricing, market, and make customer happy, the rest just follows.
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You will succeed bud, just don’t stress too much 
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I’d rather max out a credit card than have investors. Unless investors is just a fancy way of saying mom and dad.
But I do agree if you don’t have the capital to start a business it is a good idea to buy the right equiptment even if it is on credit.
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You do what your heart says is right. In the end that’s all that matters. Me, personally, I’d never want anyone but myself to be in control of business affairs and that’s exactly what you’re signing up for.
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haha no, none of them are family. Just people I’ve met along my way that made good financial decisions.
I have read SO many times on here from people I respect like crazy that it’s better to spend extra on good equipment, and I just don’t have the savings to be able to do that. So having that cushion, even though it comes with a little bit of a price, is worth it to me in the end for the peace of mind.
And y’all are all right, I definitely tend to overthink things. Thank y’all for talking me down haha
The single most important thing is your equipment, especially the heart of your income, Your PW…Trailers, trucks,fittings and hoses and buffer tanks are important to. So whats the PW specs your planning on getting?
4gpm 4000psi cat pump, 6.5hp duromax. 48" surface cleaner and a boatload of red tips
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Just kidding.
Some of the equipment:
-Udor 26/20 (7gpm 3k)
-22hp Honda (although I’m seriously considering the Predator, I can’t lie)
-k7 unloader
-125 gal horizontal leg buffer
-35 gallon mix
-Hannay reels
-goodyear Neptune hoses 300’
-flexzilla 3/4" 200’
-stutner 2605
-whisper wash classic
-fatboy for roofs
-mig welder to build rack over trailer
-new 12’ tandem trailer
Business side:
-Markate CRM
-Quicken
-Att tablet/phone
-$2mm insurance with CCC and $100k per incident (Erie Insurance)
-Truck lettering, website, tons of initial marketing
-CPA for the first year through a local company
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@Jake_Lambert you sound like you have given this much thought and have a plan so kudos to you man. I will agree with most that the investor route isn’t an avenue that I would consider, but its your business and what works best for you is what works best for you. So keep doing what your doing man and good luck. I will add…looking at your list, I might consider uping that 125 gallon buffer. I run an 8gpm and have a 125 gallon and will run it dry on some jobs. Just another thought. Nothing more aggravating than waiting on water!
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Thank you! That’s a great thought, there’s a 200 that’s only a hundred bucks more. In your experience, would that be enough of an increase? I suppose I could go the IBC tote route but dang I really like those horizontal tanks. They look great and are SO much nicer/safer to carry with water when you absolutely have to
Borrow, beg, or find $50k if you want to start a business. You should be striving for $15k a week, not a year.
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I think the 200 would be good. That’s what I wished I had gone with. The 125 works 90% of the time, but the 10% I have to wait on water makes me cuss buying it!
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You can save some money buying online, but you will never get the service and support you will from a local vendor.
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That was what you started with, right? I feel like I read that on another thread. Man I’d love to hear your startup story if you ever have time. I’ve built a lot of this on your advice, which seems to always be solid.
I agree with William
If any one around my area wants to start power washing, don’t unless you have 50k. Lol (;
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I bought a 4gpm belt drive from northern tool. Used it for about three days. Went and bought a 5.5 gpm hot water unit from Xterior. Used it about two weeks and realized hot water washing houses was a joke, cut the skid in half and sold the burner. Less than two months after starting I was at my Landa guy buying an 8gpm unit and have bought about 18 over the last 20 years from him. I started before the age of internet and forums so it was trial and error. I even xjetted houses for about 6 months before I new better. But, I started with a business plan, mission statement and enough money put aside to buy what I needed.
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Im sure ibs meant for some of the 50k to get you and your family through the start up process. And dont spend all your cash on equipment without guatanteed income.
Agreed! For my startup loans, equipment is at 55%, business expenses around 20%, marketing 10%. The rest is set aside for replacing plants, making inevitable mistakes, breakdowns, etc. I have a full-time job and a very small amount of savings to help me through any initial roadbumps. It’s incredibly helpful knowing that there’s such a good group of people in this forum backing each other up.
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Equipment is King. Work is always out there and more than any 10 companies can do. Invest in equipment. I didn’t use start up money on me, but it was used to float payroll for two employees. We have always tried to maintain a years worth of living expenses as a buffer so I didn’t always draw a check for me. Even now I don’t take a check for the month of December and January. One month is for bonuses for the guys and one is for missions, autism speaks and JDRF
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