Build your own. You’ll learn a lot about your equipment and systems and have more options for your work style. Plus it’s a pain in the ass, but kind of fun and a good feeling of accomplishment when you get it right.
4 Likes
Just remember…whether you rent it or buy it…YOU are still paying for it. And, over the life of a well cared for machine…you are cutting yourself out of a lot of money in your pocket, by renting. I guess your CPA forgot to tell you that. Plus, you will lose jobs by continually passing the machine rental cost on to the customer. You can say that it won’t happen…but it most certainly will.
And, for some folks…like myself…renting was never an option as there are no rental machines within a 50 mile radius of me.
But, I would not rent one on a regular basis, anyway.
My new trailer setup is a 6 x 12 trailer, hot water 8gpm 3500psi washer, 325gal buffer tank, chem tank, 2 gun setup with pressure reels/hose, supply reel, 24" surface cleaner, turbo nozzle, several trigger guns/wands and a box of replacement parts My total investment is $9651.89…every penny of this will be deducted from my tax liability. This being my first year, the tax credit from this equipment investment will probably exceed my tax liability for this year,(meaning there will be no taxes paid this year) so, the residual amount will be carried over and deducted from my tax liability next year.
3 Likes
What’s up Jim ! Do you mind putting pictures up of your set up … would love to see it. Thanks !
Here is the only pic that I have. I will try to get a better pic when I can…will be next week when I will be there. Actually, just got off the phone with the guy…I am looking forward to getting it home…
Washer is an Alkota, pressure reels are on the right side of trailer and the surface cleaner is a 24" Whisper Wash.
Went back and corrected mistakes on the other post concerning trailer and tank…my old eyes and this cell phone don’t work out too well for typing.
2 Likes
I agree. I’d rather have cash in the bank than a deduction, but deductions are a fact of life to keep more of it in the bank sometimes.
When I have a need for a large hot water machine more than a few times/month I’ll stop renting. I don’t see how you would lose customers by pricing it in? My bids are fair and in line with other companies locally with higher overhead than I’ve got even by renting machines.
I make great money, the customers feel like they’ve received value and quality for the price they paid. Being the highest rated pressure washing company in Kansas City and repeat commercial business contradict the “losing customers” part…
I’m going to wash the Chic-Fil-A by Kansas Speedway for the 2nd time in 60 days before they turn it over to new owners and I’m confident I’ll get a quarterly contract from the new owner… all on a rented machine. I’m just not tracking on the losing customers part.
That is a sweet set up btw. Congrats on the new rig.
Ok, then…seems you have all of the answers.
Ever body be nice. It’s Friday night. Cup of coffee and watch the rain storm. Working and work related stuff needs a break. Discuss something non-controversial. Like why Fords are better than Chevys. Or how Kyle Busch is twice the driver Dale Sr was. Or why spam sliced thin and pan fried is better than steak.
2 Likes
I wasn’t trying to be a ding dong with the post. If it’s one thing that keeps me up at night it’s the thought of losing customers.
What you read there was a temporary mental breakdown with self affirmations thrown in.
All joking aside, I’m trying to learn here. If you think I’m going to lose customers I wanna know the ins and outs of the reasoning so I can stay one step ahead of it.
1 Like
Or why Kirsten Cutts is the most beautiful jeopardy contestant of all time and she grew up on an island with 3 people…
Total smokeshow.
You made me look her up. She’s just a kid. I don’t see the attraction but I’m more of a Hepburn type anyway. Or 6 foot tall blond Norwegians who eat pickled herring instead of popcorn watching TV. (Just in case my wife sees this)
She’s my age. I have no regrets. Haha
twice the driver o me he is not 1/2 the drive Dale Sr. was…
what are you smoking?? I want one
For starters…I am not challenging you and not trying to be short with you.
My point here is that if renting equipment were the only answer, there would be more people renting than buying. Apparently, you live in an area with a reasonable demand for your service and a lesser amount of competition. That is great for you…you have clients that are willing to pay the price that you quote for the work they desire to have done. However, if you get into a situation where you are bidding for a job against a guy that has his own equipment, and willing to work for the same amount per hour, that you are…you will not be able to match his bid and make the same amount of money due to having to pay the rental on the equipment. Now, I am not advocating that you buy anything…my point is that if you do this for say, 10yrs, there will be times that you are required to compete against other reputable service providers that own their equipment…you will lose some of that business. The bad part about this is…you probably will not know this until you don’t get the jobs…and may not know the reason, even then. It will just be money that you do not make. Also, if some of your competitors learn that you are renting your equipment…they can and will take further advantage of your rental cost, with their bidding. The fact remains…with all other things being equal, the competitive advantage will go to those that own their equipment, more times than not.
The reason that I opted to buy a hot unit up front is the fact that I was approached by 2 business owners that heard that I was starting a pressure washing business…they are wanting to have their businesses cleaned. After their mentioning this to me, I went around to several businesses and just asked them if they MIGHT be interested in having cleaning done and they all replied that they would. Now, I do not have rental equipment available within a reasonable driving distance. I am not willing to drive 120 miles round trip to rent a piece of equipment…that is time and gas that I can spend hunting, fishing or doing something else of more interest to me. I will buy the equipment up front and the difference in cost will be covered in the first year and I will still have the equipment…and if that is not the case…well, I will just have a hot water side of a washer that is not used. There is not a single pressure washer business in my county…other than a couple of lawn guys that do a little…and none of them have hot water. My town is kind of the shopping hub for about 4 counties…so, there are a good many eating establishments here out in the vicinity of all of the shopping area. Also, in this area, I think that the potential for some commercial work is just as good as that of the residential…cause there is no one around that does it and it is very evident…dirty businesses everywhere around here.
I am probably coming at this from a different angle than you…I am seeking to work part time. I would like to consistently do a job or two a week…I think having the hot water will be an advantage to me, in that regard. I think there will be times that residential work will be kind of slow around here and perhaps I can get a little commercial cleaning to fill some of those slow times. It may not work out that way…guess I will see.
I will say up front, getting this business going will be a challenge. It is going to require my knocking on doors and calling on businesses. I imagine that Facebook will be my prime source for online advertising as most folks will be less likely to do search engines to find find pressure washing services. I can look at the amount of dirty property and tell that they have not been doing that up to this point…and I don’t really anticipate that changing anytime soon.
At any rate, if what you are doing is working…then there is no reason to change.
1 Like
Who else would be a alternative Inshurance guy??
I’m sorry it took so long to respond. I meant to say I’m not sure how to answer your question because your reply was to a comment that didn’t have to do with insurance. Are you asking what the alternatives are to Joseph D. Walters?
A rock would be a fine alternative
1 Like
I’d be interested in alternatives to J W also. They raised my insurance $300 this year and I had zero claims.
1 Like
@Innocentbystander is right. There’s some weird stuff going on at JDW. My insurance is through Burns & Wilcox underwritten by Nationwide.
When I called JDW the quote I got was more expensive than the 3 my regular insurance guy got me. When I asked where our supposed discount for being PWRA/WCRA members was they went off grid. No reply. No phone call. They called 3 months later wondering if I still needed insurance.
Oh and apparently with JDW you better not be washing houses more than 3 stories. That’s really what they said. My guy is Trevor Baldwin with Baldwin Insurance Agency an hour outside of Kansas City. He can shop a ton of carriers and I’m sure works across state line if you’re interested calling.
1 Like
I’m also interested in alternatives. Especially in New York . I’m on long island. Suffolk county . I don’t know of any other places that would have insurance coverage for pressure washing services besides Joseph d waters
