Is Anyone Doing New Construction Work?
- Thread starter Marv
- Start date
I'm in soutwest Ohio and the construction business is still booming. Lot of sub-divisions and custom homes are going up.
As the sub-divisions go in, schools are also expanding, new stores are being built, etc., etc.. The work in new construction cleaning here is still full time year round (weather permitting).
Low interest rates have kept things going; not much to invest in the market for most - there's more investing in real estate now (doesn't help the price of houses - unless you're selling and don't plan on buying again).
If you do quality work, stay competitive and look for opportunities, there are a lot of ways to stay busy.
I got started in cleaning as a result of being in the masonry business. I like business start-ups and consulting work so expansions are also down my alley. We expanded from masonry to new construction pressure cleaning, then construction clean-up, and supplying construction materials. I have expanded the new construction cleaning into a separate pressure cleaning business. Also, as a result of working in the pressure cleaning business, my contacts in the pool business got me interested in water hauling. We service suburban areas with potable and pool water. Water hauling is booming presently due to the lack of rain in our area. Most likely we will go from 5 trucks to 2 in the winter.
But enough of what I do.
Focus on learning how to do the cleaning well and target your marketing to those that need it. Work on reducing your costs and developing safe and fast methods. Opportunities will come when you least expect them as long as you keep active.
Regards,
As the sub-divisions go in, schools are also expanding, new stores are being built, etc., etc.. The work in new construction cleaning here is still full time year round (weather permitting).
Low interest rates have kept things going; not much to invest in the market for most - there's more investing in real estate now (doesn't help the price of houses - unless you're selling and don't plan on buying again).
If you do quality work, stay competitive and look for opportunities, there are a lot of ways to stay busy.
I got started in cleaning as a result of being in the masonry business. I like business start-ups and consulting work so expansions are also down my alley. We expanded from masonry to new construction pressure cleaning, then construction clean-up, and supplying construction materials. I have expanded the new construction cleaning into a separate pressure cleaning business. Also, as a result of working in the pressure cleaning business, my contacts in the pool business got me interested in water hauling. We service suburban areas with potable and pool water. Water hauling is booming presently due to the lack of rain in our area. Most likely we will go from 5 trucks to 2 in the winter.
But enough of what I do.
Focus on learning how to do the cleaning well and target your marketing to those that need it. Work on reducing your costs and developing safe and fast methods. Opportunities will come when you least expect them as long as you keep active.
Regards,
80 % of my work is cleaning brick on new homes and small commercial buildings. Like Paul's situation, the building business is very good - actually better than it should be (who can afford all of those $500K houses!). I have found that builders fall into two categories - those that stick with a single sub and those that price shop at every opportunity. I have tried to stay away from the latter.
One caveat - you will get muddy and you will spend more on ancillaries (hoses, fittings, etc.) because of the environment, compared to other PW work. When I clean a drive or a vinyl house, I feel like I am on vacation.
One caveat - you will get muddy and you will spend more on ancillaries (hoses, fittings, etc.) because of the environment, compared to other PW work. When I clean a drive or a vinyl house, I feel like I am on vacation.
Marv, I use a proprietary acid mixture. Like all other masonary detergents, the key ingredient is hydrochloric (muratic) acid. I also incorporate a surfactant.
This is my primary. Depending on the brick, and type of mortar, I also use other Prosoco products - Vanitrol for example.
This is my primary. Depending on the brick, and type of mortar, I also use other Prosoco products - Vanitrol for example.
Chuck Richard
New member
New construction clean-up is so abundant here thers not enough contractors to go arond. and theres alot of people in the business around here. I know guys who work 40 hours a week for just one or two builders,Cintex,Anderson, major nationwide builders. They dodn't have to advertise or anything Hell their even provided with phones,these guys have it made very low overhead and they only have to deal with one or two people. I do it for several custom builders. Good money, and always keeps me busy when residential resto. slows. I wish i could do nothing but this but custom builders dont do that many houses a year.
Hey bill i hear ya about the contractors. some never ask a price and never call anyone else while some make me price everything to them, even if its two identical houses they still want the price on each.
Hey bill i hear ya about the contractors. some never ask a price and never call anyone else while some make me price everything to them, even if its two identical houses they still want the price on each.
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Going rate for brick cleaning here is $15-$20 per thousand - assume 7 bricks/sq foot. If you do the math you will determine that you are a lot better off doing house cleaning if you can get the work, because you much more area in the same time. And brick cleaning is filthy work.
I guess we're a bit north of Ky. and our prices our a bit higher but not as high as the folks in Michigan (their rate was about $50-$60 per 1000).
Our prices range from $30-$55 per 1000.
Production ranch with straight color brick is $30. 2 stories run $35-$40/1000 (ladder time). Then we have glazed or colored sand faced bricks that we price starting at $40/1000.
Custom homes we start at $40/1000 up to $55 depending on the lay of the land, 2-story, brick style.
Horizontal surfaces (porches) the charge is $50/1000.
Commercial starts at about $40-$55/1000.
We clean the clocks of the competition as most work out of the back of their pick-ups, some wash with garden hose and have to be called back 3-4 times. Some use turbo nozzles (once or twice).
We do it right the first time (95% of the time) - we're working to improve. Sometimes it's just hard to see defects when it's wet.
The photo is a of custom 14K with sand faced brick we did a few weeks ago for $50/1000. Couldn't go above 1500 PSI, used Prosoco 600 at 1:4 dilution with lots of scrubbing and scraping.
Regards,
Our prices range from $30-$55 per 1000.
Production ranch with straight color brick is $30. 2 stories run $35-$40/1000 (ladder time). Then we have glazed or colored sand faced bricks that we price starting at $40/1000.
Custom homes we start at $40/1000 up to $55 depending on the lay of the land, 2-story, brick style.
Horizontal surfaces (porches) the charge is $50/1000.
Commercial starts at about $40-$55/1000.
We clean the clocks of the competition as most work out of the back of their pick-ups, some wash with garden hose and have to be called back 3-4 times. Some use turbo nozzles (once or twice).
We do it right the first time (95% of the time) - we're working to improve. Sometimes it's just hard to see defects when it's wet.
The photo is a of custom 14K with sand faced brick we did a few weeks ago for $50/1000. Couldn't go above 1500 PSI, used Prosoco 600 at 1:4 dilution with lots of scrubbing and scraping.
Regards,
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Chuck Richard
New member
what kind of tips do u use to clean brick with. I see u don't use a turbo nozzel. i used to use nothing but until the last job i did, just did not come out right. Don't know if it was me or brick mason. brick looks great but the morter betwean is diffrent color in some areas. Don't know if i caused problem or just made it more evident.
Whats your input.
Whats your input.
We use mostly 45 degree 1500 PSI tips. Heavily soiled areas we go to 25 degree. If it's a straight red brick you can go higher on the pressure. We scrape, we brush and we use stronger concentration and/or increase dwell time.
Photo below shows a sand faced brick that had the coating removed down to the red brick at 1500 PSI (tip got too close).
Sometimes the mortar gets rained on and oozes and will change colors and other times it may be mixed a bit differently.
When you see it wet (right after a cleaning) it looks like it's spotty and foggy but after it dries it blends together better. Some areas just dry faster than others.
You can damage the mortar joints if you're using too much acid, let it dry or force it in with high pressure application and/or rinse.
We rinse the chemical off first, then we get closer and remove the mortar that was slurried by the chemical. We also go back and check to make sure we removed all the tags.
Regards,
Photo below shows a sand faced brick that had the coating removed down to the red brick at 1500 PSI (tip got too close).
Sometimes the mortar gets rained on and oozes and will change colors and other times it may be mixed a bit differently.
When you see it wet (right after a cleaning) it looks like it's spotty and foggy but after it dries it blends together better. Some areas just dry faster than others.
You can damage the mortar joints if you're using too much acid, let it dry or force it in with high pressure application and/or rinse.
We rinse the chemical off first, then we get closer and remove the mortar that was slurried by the chemical. We also go back and check to make sure we removed all the tags.
Regards,
Attachments
Michael Cappa
Member
Paul, if I would not be competing with you, I am in the Cleveland area, I would love to come down to learn how you clean new construction so I may ad it to my list of services here in Nothern Ohio. If I would be cutting into any of your business though, I would understand you saying no and would have no hard feelings.
in NJ
Where i live only the front of the custom homes have brick and the masons leave it as finnished as good as if it were in a mag. layout.
I didnt even know that they still made all brick homes!
They sell 2 to 3 million $$ homes here that are only brick faced. Lot's are dryvit and the new recycled plastic fake slate roofs.
Stamped concrete driveways,some pavers,some asphault.
Good news is the new $800,000.00 have big all wood deck's.
If the masons around here left morter tags they would'nt have a job.
New construction here is clean off the vynal siding and windows, then the flatwork. You would need to line up 5 a day to make any real money, $65 per house.
Most all builder's have crews of mexican labor and is way cheaper to get them to do the work then pay me.
What i want to know is when the building const. slows down ,What are these people going to be doing?
They are not going to go back to mexico,that's for sure.
Where i live only the front of the custom homes have brick and the masons leave it as finnished as good as if it were in a mag. layout.
I didnt even know that they still made all brick homes!
They sell 2 to 3 million $$ homes here that are only brick faced. Lot's are dryvit and the new recycled plastic fake slate roofs.
Stamped concrete driveways,some pavers,some asphault.
Good news is the new $800,000.00 have big all wood deck's.
If the masons around here left morter tags they would'nt have a job.
New construction here is clean off the vynal siding and windows, then the flatwork. You would need to line up 5 a day to make any real money, $65 per house.
Most all builder's have crews of mexican labor and is way cheaper to get them to do the work then pay me.
What i want to know is when the building const. slows down ,What are these people going to be doing?
They are not going to go back to mexico,that's for sure.
Hey Ron, NJ to TX, nothing seems to change, here to it seems to be mostly Mexican crews doing all the clean up, in fact the only time I get into a brand new house is after the customer moves in and discovers what a mess they have left their windows (in fact I'm bidding one just like that today). Every time I have to get the customer to sign a waiver after showing them all the damage to the windows left by the clean up crew, I guess thats what you get, when you go the cheap route.
To date I only have one customer that has managed to get the builder to change out the windows based on what I showed them.
Gav
To date I only have one customer that has managed to get the builder to change out the windows based on what I showed them.
Gav
Mike C.
Your request flatters me.
As much as I would like to, I will not be able to accomodate your request at this time. (Hopefully circumstances will change in the near future.) However, I will continue to share (on these BB's) things that may be helpful to you and others as I also learn from each one of you.
Again, thank you for asking.
Regards and Regrets,
Your request flatters me.
As much as I would like to, I will not be able to accomodate your request at this time. (Hopefully circumstances will change in the near future.) However, I will continue to share (on these BB's) things that may be helpful to you and others as I also learn from each one of you.
Again, thank you for asking.
Regards and Regrets,
Lot of the masons in your area must be contracting or doing their own brick cleaning. Never seen one that's totally clean of tags and smears without cleaning. I was very surprised (when we first got into masonry) that it's not a part of the masonry package.
But then it's been providing other opportunities for us, so I can't complain.
There must be commercial work in NJ area that requires masonry cleaning (brick, block, stone). Arby's, Wendy's, McDonalds, schools, churches, office buildings, distributorships, grocery stores, strip malls. etc..
As for the Mexican labor - most live in groups of 4-6 in an apartment (1 or 2 bedroom). They walk, share rides (low overhead). In the winter most go back to Mexico or south.
Some stay year round. When housing goes flat they will do other things (hard labor is not against their constitution). Lot of them get into roofing, farming, restaurant work, etc..
I can understand the economics (from the builders standpoint) of minimizing brick on custom homes. Their profit levels are much higher on vinyl siding. The artifical shake roofs are very expensive (people will buy anything). Personally I like the clay tile or metal roofs.
Quick story on how strange builders can be:
We started working with a builder that does a lot of production homes (about 1200 per year). They were paying very low rates for masonry work as most were done by Mexican crews. We were able to get in because of our quality and were able to negotiate a higher rate (we could fix the screw-ups). In our area they were only willing to pay $800 for a full fireplace (brick face, etc.). We told them our cost is $2500 and will not do it for less.
They had only 1 elderly mason that was doing their fireplaces for $800 (they were selling the fireplace option for $2500). Low and behold, he retired. We addressed the fireplace issue when we learned about his retirement and were told that they no longer offer fireplaces as an option (because the Mexicans couldn't provide the quality they wanted). They also were not willing to pay $2500 for the work. Imagine not being able to pass on the $1700 cost difference to a customer, or sending a potential customer to another builder because they wouldn't sell fireplaces??? Go figure!
We will seal the porch on this home and also the deck when it's complete.
Regards,
Regards,
But then it's been providing other opportunities for us, so I can't complain.
There must be commercial work in NJ area that requires masonry cleaning (brick, block, stone). Arby's, Wendy's, McDonalds, schools, churches, office buildings, distributorships, grocery stores, strip malls. etc..
As for the Mexican labor - most live in groups of 4-6 in an apartment (1 or 2 bedroom). They walk, share rides (low overhead). In the winter most go back to Mexico or south.
Some stay year round. When housing goes flat they will do other things (hard labor is not against their constitution). Lot of them get into roofing, farming, restaurant work, etc..
I can understand the economics (from the builders standpoint) of minimizing brick on custom homes. Their profit levels are much higher on vinyl siding. The artifical shake roofs are very expensive (people will buy anything). Personally I like the clay tile or metal roofs.
Quick story on how strange builders can be:
We started working with a builder that does a lot of production homes (about 1200 per year). They were paying very low rates for masonry work as most were done by Mexican crews. We were able to get in because of our quality and were able to negotiate a higher rate (we could fix the screw-ups). In our area they were only willing to pay $800 for a full fireplace (brick face, etc.). We told them our cost is $2500 and will not do it for less.
They had only 1 elderly mason that was doing their fireplaces for $800 (they were selling the fireplace option for $2500). Low and behold, he retired. We addressed the fireplace issue when we learned about his retirement and were told that they no longer offer fireplaces as an option (because the Mexicans couldn't provide the quality they wanted). They also were not willing to pay $2500 for the work. Imagine not being able to pass on the $1700 cost difference to a customer, or sending a potential customer to another builder because they wouldn't sell fireplaces??? Go figure!
We will seal the porch on this home and also the deck when it's complete.
Regards,
Regards,
